Best player to come from the UK and best GB/England squad

[Knight87]

To all the folk who have watched league or have followed it in the UK, who would you say is the best player to have come from the UK (in the modern era of league)? I have heard of lot of ppl mention Ellery Hanley. List of "big name" league players in the UK consist as follows:

Ellery Hanley, Martin Offiah, Gary Connolly, Shaun Edwards, Bobbie Goulding, Henderson Gill, Derryk Fox, Andy Farrell, Denis Betts, Jason Robinson, Paul Newlove, Jonathan Davies, Andy Gregory, Gary Schofield, Daryl Powell, Paul Eastwood, John Deveraux, Barrie McDermott, Sean Long, Keith Senior, Leon Pryce, Kris Radlinski, Andy Platt.

As I've never seen 99% of these players play at the time, I am in no position to adjudicate on this. But, how would you rate those following players above (in terms of overall rugby league skill), to those who have watched any of those players play? Be interested to hear your thoughts on this.

Additionally, I should add, which of the following GB/English sides would you say were the best:

1990 squad vs Australia (Kangaroos tour)
1992 squad vs Australia (World Cup Final)
1994 squad vs Australia (Kangaroos tour)
1995 squad (World Cup (made Final vs Australia))
2001 or 2003 squad vs Australia (Ashes)
2004, 2005 or 2006 squad vs Australia/NZ (Tri-Nations)

 

[watatank]

I think Paul Sculthorpe and Keiron Cunningham deserve a mention.

Out of that list I would say Andy Farrell is the best but that's because he's one of the few I've actually seen play. Although I'd rate Sculthorpe higher though.

 

[deluded pom?]

Ellery is DEFINITELY the best I've ever seen. He was accomplished whereever he played, back or forward.

 

[roughyedspud]

yep i'd go with hanley

 

[Knight87]

I mean, how would you rate Hanley in comparison to the players going around today (in his position(s))? What was it it about Hanley that made him stand out from the rest (if you believe he was the best)?

 

[deluded pom?]

I don't like to compare players across generations. Ellery's main asset was his strength. Not just of body but also of mind.

 

[Bullseye]

Ellery started off on the wing and as he filled out he moved to the centres, stand off and then loose forward.

He wasn't a creative player who made play for others by virtue of his passing or kicking but his running game was light years ahead of others. He was fitter and stronger than most players despite not being the biggest player. He could hit a gap and his strength would allow him to break the tackle. Once he was through he always seemed to be able to keep just ahead of the defence too. This allowed him to score heaps of tries (55 in a poor Bradford side in 84/85) and (63 for Wigan in 86/87). Nobody had scored over 50 tries in a season since Billy Boston in the early 60s.

As has been mentioned, his attitude made him stand out. If other GB players had his will to win the ashes wouldn't have been in Australia for 37 years. I mate of mine was a young Leeds academy player when Ellery was a senior player and he says that Ellery example to young players stood out a mile. He never cut corners and did more extras in training than anyone else - this meant that come match day he was the best prepared.

Without any doubt Hanley is the best GB player since the 1960s by a country mile. At his peak 1986-1991 he was up there with Lewis and Sterling as one of the top three players in the world.

 

[Fairleigh Good!]

Whilst they are not the best of those listed, I find it hard to omit Keiron Cunningham and Paul Sculthorpe. Cunningham has been the finest player of his generation in this country, the standout player during Super League. He hasn't ever really hit top form for GB due to injury and repeated withdrawals from the squad, but his club form has been amazingly consistent over the years and he should be remembered as a great.

So should Paul Sculthorpe. He was inspirational for GB for a few years, but as with Cunningham we've not seen his best consistently for GB due to his injury record. Club wise he has been absolutely outstanding at St Helens, the only player to be awarded consecutive Man of Steel awards.

Powell, Eastwood, McDermott, and Radlinski are all dubious selections for mine. They were not 'great' players.

 

[deluded pom?]

Problem is FG that the in K87's list there are too many players who were good at club level but couldn't do it at Test level. Scully I would agree with but KC never did it consistently in a G.B. shirt. A Saints great but not a G.B. one. Eastwood! A decent enough winger, nothing more nothing less. Deryck Fox! Average. Devereaux. Average. Powell, I always struggled to believe how many caps he won. Long! Again good at club level, one good match in a G.B. shirt.

 

[Big Mick]

Bill Ashurst

 

[deluded pom?]

Jeez Mick, how old are you? Bill Ashurst was hardly the "modern era of RL".

 

[Bullseye]

While Sculthorpe and Cunningham have been excellent SL players they've not proved themselves at Test level. That's often been through no fault of their own but the fact remains.

I'd say the two main great from that past 30 years are Hanley and Offiah. They did it at test level repeatedly.

 

[netic]

Hanley was the best i have seen, great player, very skillful, and mind you he played in an era of many great players

 

[Big Mick]

Jeez Mick, how old are you? Bill Ashurst was hardly the "modern era of RL".

22...but having seem footage of him...as well as the way my dad raves about him...he was just such a gifted player.

 

[JasonE]

22...but having seem footage of him...as well as the way my dad raves about him...he was just such a gifted player.

My memories of Ashurst was watching him playing for Penrith and he was one of the most skilful players i've ever seen.

 

[deluded pom?]

My most recent memory of Ashurst was when he was coaching at Runcorn Highfield (or one of their other identities) and they drew Wigan at Central Park in one of the cup competitions. If I recall correctly the players went on strike for more pay and Bill had to scrape together a makeshift team, including himself, to take to the strongest team in British RL at the time. Now by this time Bill had found God and was a born again Christian. However it didn't take long for him to not turn the other cheek and he was sent off early in the game and Wigan proceeded to put three figures on Runcorn.

 

[Newcastlerabbit]

In my time definately Ellery Hanley.

 

[Kurt Angle]

Ellery Hanley just ahead of Jonathon Davies.

Question be asked though, you can dismiss Davies as he was a welsh RU junior.

But Hanley was RL through and through.... what happened to the English RL production line ?

Where have the current day Hanley's gone?

Also the second question, I would probably say the 1994 GB side was the best.. hard to say. Sure the 1990 side came closer to beating Australia, but guys like Andy Platt was in his peak. IMO, his 1994 and 95 form was very underrated, people have talked in recent times of British props like Fielden,Morley and Peacock being the 'best' in the world, but none of them trashed various Australian forwards like Platt did in 94 and 95. Platt also has his record tarnished from his Auckland Warriors efforts.

 

[deluded pom?]

Ellery Hanley just ahead of Jonathon Davies.

Question be asked though, you can dismiss Davies as he was a welsh RU junior.

But Hanley was RL through and through.... what happened to the English RL production line ?

Where have the current day Hanley's gone?

Also the second question, I would probably say the 1994 GB side was the best.. hard to say. Sure the 1990 side came closer to beating Australia, but guys like Andy Platt was in his peak. IMO, his 1994 and 95 form was very underrated, people have talked in recent times of British props like Fielden,Morley and Peacock being the 'best' in the world, but none of them trashed various Australian forwards like Platt did in 94 and 95. Platt also has his record tarnished from his Auckland Warriors efforts.

Is that a good thing or a bad thing in your book Kurt? :?

 

[Kurt Angle]

I mean Platt was a pretty big let down, coming with a big rep along with Monie, Betts and Bell, and he didn't perform that well.

By 1994, he was a mid-90's, british version of Shane Webcke.

He left at the end of 1996 the same way Fielden left Australia in 2006.