Origin was and still is, considered the toughest arena when it comes to rugby league. And in it Lewis won the man-of-the-match an incredible eight times, was in the running to win another eight times and among the best on the field on eight other occasions.
A friend of mine, who's as avid a Parramatta fan as you can get, to this day thanks his lucky stars that Lewis never signed with Manly in the early 1980s when it looked most likely. He felt had that occurred, the Eels would be still chasing their first premiership.
Just when you thought you couldn't hate Manly more. Imagine the same team with six premierships in a row? Too horrible to contemplate.
It comparing the careers of these two great champions, a lot of currency must lay in the quality of the opposition. Lewis played in an era where the standard of players was several grades higher than that of the mid 1990s to the present.
It is not the fault of Johns that he never had the opportunity to face a Wally Lewis-type player. Darren Lockyer is probably the closest, but his skills set is a long way short of that of the King's. Lewis on the hand, met and conquered some of the game's greats, the likes of Peter Sterling, Steve Mortimer, Brett Kenny, Mick Cronin, Eric Grothe, Ray Price, the late Steve Rogers. The list is endless.
Bottom line, if New South Wales circa 1980-87 plays Queensland circa 1995-2006, if I'm backing the Blues I want fifty start.
A player who went on the 1986 Kangaroo Tour said Wally Lewis ran the whole shebang. The side went through undefeated. Enough said.
Respected commentators Ray Warren and Peter Peters, along with Peter Sterling, Tony Melrose and I'm sure Max Krilich as well, all rate the King as the best they've seen.
So when you pick the greatest team ever, when it comes to the halves, it's Lewis five-eigthth and captain, Johns halfback. Simple.
This article buy Adrian Rovere makes about as much sense as his dribble about Nathan Brown. Parramatta beat newtown to win their first premiership so I dought if Wally signed for manly the eels would still be chasing their first comp. The 1982 kangaroos went through undefeated as well, remember that Adrian, Wally could not put Brett Kenny out of the test team all tour ! Just on Kenny, Wally hardly dominated him at origin level Kenny had more wins against Lewis when they went head to head at 5/8. I see you did not mention much about Wally's efforts at the NRL you know the best comp in the world week in week out. Hardly was dominant with the broncos or the gold coast seagulls was he?
A friend of mine, who's as avid a Parramatta fan as you can get, to this day thanks his lucky stars that Lewis never signed with Manly in the early 1980s when it looked most likely. He felt had that occurred, the Eels would be still chasing their first premiership.
Just when you thought you couldn't hate Manly more. Imagine the same team with six premierships in a row? Too horrible to contemplate.
It comparing the careers of these two great champions, a lot of currency must lay in the quality of the opposition. Lewis played in an era where the standard of players was several grades higher than that of the mid 1990s to the present.
It is not the fault of Johns that he never had the opportunity to face a Wally Lewis-type player. Darren Lockyer is probably the closest, but his skills set is a long way short of that of the King's. Lewis on the hand, met and conquered some of the game's greats, the likes of Peter Sterling, Steve Mortimer, Brett Kenny, Mick Cronin, Eric Grothe, Ray Price, the late Steve Rogers. The list is endless.
Bottom line, if New South Wales circa 1980-87 plays Queensland circa 1995-2006, if I'm backing the Blues I want fifty start.
A player who went on the 1986 Kangaroo Tour said Wally Lewis ran the whole shebang. The side went through undefeated. Enough said.
Respected commentators Ray Warren and Peter Peters, along with Peter Sterling, Tony Melrose and I'm sure Max Krilich as well, all rate the King as the best they've seen.
So when you pick the greatest team ever, when it comes to the halves, it's Lewis five-eigthth and captain, Johns halfback. Simple.
This article buy Adrian Rovere makes about as much sense as his dribble about Nathan Brown. Parramatta beat newtown to win their first premiership so I dought if Wally signed for manly the eels would still be chasing their first comp. The 1982 kangaroos went through undefeated as well, remember that Adrian, Wally could not put Brett Kenny out of the test team all tour ! Just on Kenny, Wally hardly dominated him at origin level Kenny had more wins against Lewis when they went head to head at 5/8. I see you did not mention much about Wally's efforts at the NRL you know the best comp in the world week in week out. Hardly was dominant with the broncos or the gold coast seagulls was he?
