How good was Offiah?

[TheDalek079]

Ok, I've seen his records, watched a couple of games he played in but am still unsure about how good Chariots Offiah was? He's a try scoring freak, but how does he compare with the best? Is he up there with Ken Irvine, Eric Grothe Sr, Kerry Boustead and the other great wingers?

so how good was Offiah?

 

[taxidriver]

one of the most exciting and electrifying i've seen.

easily in the top 5 wingers I've seen in the game.

how can you ignore 414 tries in 388 games?

if you exclude his second stint he scored he had 394 tries in 345 games

even when he came back at the age of 35 he was good for roughly a try every two games.

his time in the nrl was productive as well, 20 tries in 26 games.

 

[Noa]

Most Aussies dont give him the props he deserves.

He came out here and averages almost a try a game.

Thats good enough for me.

 

[manoj p]

Superb athlete and a devastating winger.

Constantly under-utilised by GB in Test matches vs Australia (accounts for the misconception in this country); often had to create things on his own, like his 1988 try off the scrum.

While his front on defence wasn't the best in the game, he had the speed to pick players up in cover and did so regularly. There was no easy way through his wing for the 1990 Kangaroos for instance.

He nearly freaked a try off the kick off in the crucial third Test of that series at Elland Road.

While playing for Widnes, his penchant for following the ball across field in attack saw him score bucket loads of tries. For Wigan, he developed into the world's best winger as exemplified by the 1994 Challenge Cup try he ran in from 90m on his own.

A great winger to rank in the sort of top shelf company reserved for Rosenfeld, Bevan, Cooper, Grothe, Van Vollenhoven, Edwards, Irvine, Cantoni, Horder, Batten, Ellaby, Sullivan, Boston and the like.

 

[Snappy]

Dam good and bloody fast.

 

[gUt]

He was no Scott Minto.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

One of my favourite players growing up and a joy to watch in full flight. He did OK in Australia but I do remember him getting found out badly in defence against Canberra with big Mal giving him a stomping (playing for St George) Still, a class unit.

 

[Perth Red]

Best winger I've seen.

 

[_Johnsy]

Best winger I've seen.

Very good player yeah, his greatest asset was his pace. IMHO thats almost the only real asset he had, blinding speed. if he was 1/2 way through a gap or in the clear 9 times out of 10 he'd score. Similar to ken irvine (outstanding finisher).

Offiah he was ok in positional play, average in defence.

But the best winger you have seen? Seriously. Out of curiosity how old are you ?

 

[taxidriver]

well i'm 41 and like i said top 5 for me.

 

[Mr Saab]

He lost the plot in 1994....the test series vs Australia. He was very terrified of running the ball up. In one game of that series he was confronted by Sironen and basically dropped to the ground like a volunatry tackle.

 

[_Johnsy]

I'm 40

No way he'd make it into my top 5. Below list is in their prime fully fit.

1. E Grothe Snr
2. Kerry Boustead
3. Wendell
4. L Corowa
5. Hazem

 

[Desert Qlder]

If Matt Sing doesn't make into anyone's top five then it's not worth reading.

 

[Mr Saab]

Grothe Snr
Dell
Wishart
Sing

 

[taxidriver]

look these top 5 lists are always hard and contentious but i'd question a decision to not include him.

Mine (not in order):
Grothe, Boustead, Offiah, Sailor, and for the shear enjoyment i got watching him Blacklock.

 

[Geohood]

I never got to watch him at the time but the videos on youtube of him are amazing..The Usain Bolt of rugby league? Awesome watching him in space..

 

[soc123_au]

He was nearly as good as Robbie Beckett.

 

[Patorick]

Jason Robinson (the English winger) never gets much of a mention.

Before he defected to union, he was up there.

 

[Green Machine]

Doug Laughton spotted him on TV playing in a 7’s comp. Chariots always had electrifying speed. He was a bit suss in defence when first came across from Union. I remember one of his first touches in the Lions Tour of 1988, instead of getting tackled, he just ran out. Chariots did improve when he got rid of those terrible Union habits. If ET didn’t just get him into touch in the first test in 1992, the Poms may have beaten us.
The stint he had with the Dragons in the early 90’s was remarkable. I think he scored a try in every game (11 games?). If a player made a break, Chariots would accelerate to the player in support and position himself in a good position to receive the ball and go over untouched.
Chariots was one of the best finishers I’ve ever seen. Terry Fahey is the best winger I've ever seen,

 

[gorilla]

I don't know if he was the sharpest tool in the kit.

I can recall, at least twice, when dumbos like Mick Beattie had to tell him which direction to run.

Even a greyhound, given open space, will run to the line.