Top 20 Most Devastating Players of the NRL Era - Who ya got?

[Bring back John Fifita]

Spin off from the Foxsports Top 20 Thread....

Firstly - to define devastating. People will have different interpretations but Devastating means to me a player who can terrorise the opposition on their own;

• Sheer strength and power in Running over/through the defence
• Sheer speed and skill in cutting the defence to absolute ribbons
• Absolute Brute Force in defense, smashing the ball-carrier back to the stone age.

They may not be the best players, the most consistent players, longest serving players, the best playmakers etc. But the guys who could absolutely devastate the opposition on their own (usually out of nothing) through any/all of the above.

NRL Era is anyone who has played in the NRL, ie career included 1998 and/or onward.

Expect plenty of debate, and as @Tommy Smith pointed out to me in the other thread - tired old wet-sock simpleton joke posts eg Scott Minto..

My Top 20 to kick things off, in order..

1 - Greg Inglis
2 - Jarryd Hayne
3 - Jason Taumalolo
4 - Benji Marshall
5 - Anthony Mundine
6 - Gorden Tallis
7 - Sonny-Bill Williams
8 - Tony Williams
9 - Semi Radradra
10 - Brad Fittler
11 - Adrian Morley
12 - Billy Slater
13 - Ben Barba
14 - Ruben Wiki
15 - Steve Matai
16 - Jorge Tafua
17 - Willie Mason
18 - Nathan Blacklock
19 - Ali Lautiti
20 - David Peachey

 

[Exsilium]

1 - Jason Taumalolo
2 - JWH
3 - Sonny-Bill Williams
4 - Adrian Morley
5 - Ruben Wiki
6 - Shaun Berrigan.
7 - Steve Matai
8 - Tony Puletua
9 - James Maloney
10 - Ben Teo
11 - Justin Hodges
12 - Ali Lauiti’iti
13 - Gordon Tallis
14 - Steve Menzies
15 - Brad Fittler
16 - Anthony Minichello
17 - Luke Lewis
18 - Jamie Soward
19 - David Simmons
20 - Isreal Folau

 

[SBD82]

Spin off from the Foxsports Top 20 Thread....

Firstly - to define devastating. People will have different interpretations but Devastating means to me a player who can terrorise the opposition on their own;

• Sheer strength and power in Running over/through the defence
• Sheer speed and skill in cutting the defence to absolute ribbons
• Absolute Brute Force in defense, smashing the ball-carrier back to the stone age.

They may not be the best players, the most consistent players, longest serving players, the best playmakers etc. But the guys who could absolutely devastate the opposition on their own (usually out of nothing) through any/all of the above.

NRL Era is anyone who has played in the NRL, ie career included 1998 and/or onward.

Expect plenty of debate, and as @Tommy Smith pointed out to me in the other thread - tired old wet-sock simpleton joke posts eg Scott Minto..

My Top 20 to kick things off, in order..

1 - Greg Inglis
2 - Jarryd Hayne
3 - Jason Taumalolo
4 - Benji Marshall
5 - Anthony Mundine
6 - Gorden Tallis
7 - Sonny-Bill Williams
8 - Tony Williams
9 - Semi Radradra
10 - Brad Fittler
11 - Adrian Morley
12 - Billy Slater
13 - Ben Barba
14 - Ruben Wiki
15 - Steve Matai
16 - Jorge Tafua
17 - Willie Mason
18 - Nathan Blacklock
19 - Ali Lautiti
20 - David Peachey

Perhaps too early in his career, but I would have Tedesco’s name in there somewhere. His running game has everything you’ve described. Probably RTS too.

 

[Exsilium]

Perhaps too early in his career, but I would have Tedesco’s name in there somewhere. His running game has everything you’ve described. Probably RTS too.

I spent a while considering both of them. Couldn't put them ahead of David Simmons. Guy was Mr. Fix it, Everywhere man. Do no wrong.

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

Perhaps too early in his career, but I would have Tedesco’s name in there somewhere. His running game has everything you’ve described. Probably RTS too.

Mate absolutely devastating. Look forward to your list.

I haven't got many current players, maybe because its harder to be devastating now with a generally even spread of player sizes from wing to wing. But Tedesco is definitley a standout of the modern brigade, with Taumalolo, and possibly Ponga.

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

1 - Jason Taumalolo
2 - JWH
3 - Sonny-Bill Williams
4 - Adrian Morley
5 - Ruben Wiki
6 - Shaun Berrigan.
7 - Steve Matai
8 - Tony Puletua
9 - James Maloney
10 - Ben Teo
11 - Justin Hodges
12 - Ali Lauiti’iti
13 - Gordon Tallis
14 - Steve Menzies
15 - Brad Fittler
16 - Anthony Minichello
17 - Luke Lewis
18 - Jamie Soward
19 - David Simmons
20 - Isreal Folau

Interesting list mate. The standout player for me (in differing from mine) is Tony Puletua, the bloke could be absolutely frightening. Especially in the Hair Bear days with Joe Galuvao

 

[Exsilium]

Interesting list mate. The standout player for me (in differing from mine) is Tony Puletua, the bloke could be absolutely frightening. Especially in the Hair Bear days with Joe Galuvao

I'd argue that Joe was actually the better player but both had a way of belting blokes up the middle.

I think I branched out from devastating and incorporated the players who could turn it on and produce something from nothing. Team inspiring stuff.

 

[SBD82]

Mate absolutely devastating. Look forward to your list.

I haven't got many current players, maybe because its harder to be devastating now with a generally even spread of player sizes from wing to wing. But Tedesco is definitley a standout of the modern brigade, with Taumalolo, and possibly Ponga.

Not even sure that I can put a reasonable list together. So many great players over the years it’s difficult to keep it to 20. I keep going off on tangents. Like fullbacks. Or backrowers.

 

[SBD82]

Top 20 devastating backrowers of the NRL era. (I know there are better backrowers that I’ve left out, but these are the ones that owned their channel.

Tallis
Teo
Thompson
Sims
D Fafita
BK
Pritchard
Scott
Carrol
Puletua
Guluvao
SBW
Bateman
Williams
Ma’u
Burgess
O’Donnell
Manu
Wiki
Soliola

 

[soc123_au]

I spent a while considering both of them. Couldn't put them ahead of David Simmons. Guy was Mr. Fix it, Everywhere man. Do no wrong.

I loved the Limmo, very under rated player. But devastating?

 

[Phil McGrawhan]

1.GI-LoLo can't split em
3 Matt Bowen

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

Not even sure that I can put a reasonable list together. So many great players over the years it’s difficult to keep it to 20. I keep going off on tangents. Like fullbacks. Or backrowers.

Ah cmon, wheel one out mate. All time NRL.. Back rowers was good though

 

[some11]

In terms of individual seasons, 2013 SBW and 2014 S.Burgess were just so dominant.

Taumalolo every year since pretty much.

 

[Vic Mackey]

How can you have a list and not have this guy? Paul Gallen said he’s the hardest bloke he ever had to tackle

 

[SBD82]

Ah cmon, wheel one out mate. All time NRL.. Back rowers was good though

Only because you’re a decent bloke. But with no confidence...

Taumololo
Hayne
GI
Hodges
Dell
Vatuvai
Tallis
Burgess
Wiki
Tedesco
Dugan (Canberra Years only)
Jeremy Smith (hugely underrated how much he owned the middle).
Morley
SBW
Scott
O’Donnell
Burns
Jorge
Matai
Williams

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

How can you have a list and not have this guy? Paul Gallen said he’s the hardest bloke he ever had to tackle

View attachment 37672

Add him to your list!

He was raw power, but a sad and early end to his career through that nasty leg injury,

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

Only because you’re a decent bloke. But with no confidence...

Taumololo
Hayne
GI
Hodges
Dell
Vatuvai
Tallis
Burgess
Wiki
Tedesco
Dugan (Canberra Years only)
Jeremy Smith (hugely underrated how much he owned the middle).
Morley
SBW
Scott
O’Donnell
Burns
Jorge
Matai
Williams

Big Dell! Absolutely...

Loved Jeremy Smith. And absolute pillar of our premiership in 2010. A true enforcer.

 

[Old Mate]

Paul Carige was pretty devastating for all Parra fans in 98.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

In terms of individual seasons, 2013 SBW and 2014 S.Burgess were just so dominant.

Taumalolo every year since pretty much.

I’d add 2002 Lauiti’iti to that. His offfload stats that year were off the chart, he could do it at will and had the speed and footwork of a centre at near 115kg.

 

[mozza91]

1- Darius Boyd.
I was absolutely devastated every time he took the field in a Knights jersey.