Billy Slater - greatest ever fullback?

[DC_fan]

I have been following footy for 45 years. I saw Langlands, Simms, Eadie, Jack, Belcher and Mullins play. All good of not great fullbacks but in my opinion Slater is better then all of them.

 

[watatank]

Lockyer is still the best I've seen.

Slater is a great player but as far as all time status goes I find it difficult to look past the fact that Slater didn't become a QLD/Australian regular until about age 25/26... A player like Lockyer was a regular for both from age 21 (20 if you count super league). Not sure about fullbacks before say 1995.

What I will say is that if Slater doesn't deserve to be considerations now, he should be by the time he retires regardless, assuming he has a few more years at the top.

 

[Von]

Slater is the best fullback I have seen in my 30 years of watching the game.

 

[Chip Bayless]

As per Von's post - couldn't agree more. I can't compare to the past greats as I've not seen a Churchill, Langlands etc though he is any conversation about the game's greatest fullback. He has surpassed Darren Lockyer as a fullback who was my benchmark.

 

[_Johnsy]

f**king bullshit

world cup final @ suncorp.

 

[Mr Fourex]

So, is he? I never saw Langlands or Churchill but I say no because IMO at his peak Minichiello was better than Slater which makes at least 1 person better.

:lol:.......Mini

Pfft......you have NFI

Still too early to call Slater the "greatest ever"

but

he's very close to it. Probably this time next year or the next he will rightfully deserve the title.

Lockyer still tops the list for mine. Graham Eadie.......Garry Belcher......Gary Jack

Col Scott

 

[Chip Bayless]

Dismissing a former Golden Boot Player of The Year in Anthony Minichiello is simply dumb. At his peak, Minichiello was as good as any that has played the position. I don't rank him ahead of Slater, though his resume speaks volumes. Great player.

 

[Raiders_Premiers]

Minichiello is no where near Slater, even in his prime. It's embarrassing to even compare the two. I don't know why some of you keep chucking him in there.

 

[Chip Bayless]

Minichiello is no where near Slater, even in his prime. It's embarrassing to even compare the two. I don't know why some of you keep chucking him in there.

Really? No where near? Short memories for some. Not a better player, though DEFINITELY a comparison.

 

[dogslife]

I don't care how good he is. He's a f**king merkin of a human being.

Kicking defenceless people in the face, running 50 metres to punch someone in the back, signing multiple contracts, you name it and he's done it.

A fine player no doubt, but I'll never, ever respect him.

I'm sure that'll keep him up at night...

 

[DC_fan]

Dismissing a former Golden Boot Player of The Year in Anthony Minichiello is simply dumb. At his peak, Minichiello was as good as any that has played the position. I don't rank him ahead of Slater, though his resume speaks volumes. Great player.

I wrongly forgot about Minichiello when I mentioned the great fullbacks I had seen play the game. Who knows if didn't suffer the injuries he did then maybe we would be talking about him as being the best.

I have no doubt, none what so ever that Slater is the best fullback I have seen play. That's not downgrading others like Mini, Lockyer and others who were great in their own right. But showing you how great Slater is.

 

[Pugzley]

Replace greatest with the grubbiest.

 

[dangerousdave]

Best of his generation yes.

Better than Langlands? Well theres not really anyway to judge that

 

[Nightward]

Lockyer is still the best I've seen.

Slater is a great player but as far as all time status goes I find it difficult to look past the fact that Slater didn't become a QLD/Australian regular until about age 25/26... A player like Lockyer was a regular for both from age 21 (20 if you count super league). Not sure about fullbacks before say 1995.

What I will say is that if Slater doesn't deserve to be considerations now, he should be by the time he retires regardless, assuming he has a few more years at the top.

Slater was being kept out of it by none other than Lockyer's replacement, Karmichael Hunt. I don't think Hunt will feature too high in the list of all-time greatest fullbacks.

Locker's time as a fullback was cut short in '04, but at the time he was the best fullback in the world, and for many the best in that position ever. He picked up the Golden Boot for it in '03 and the Clive Churchill Medal for it in 2000.

The thing clouding people's memories is that for much of recent history Lockyer was playing five-eighth and slowly on the decline due to age and accumulated injuries, with a dip in performance between '04 and when he was finally and fully re-forged as a five-eighth in '06. He was still the best at what he did despite that, and remained so for five years.

He was at another level as a fullback, and "merely" being the best since Wally Lewis at five-eighth is hardly damning with faint praise.

Slater has a very exciting highlights reel. There is more to being the best than being the most exciting, though.

 

[TheDalek079]

This thread needs more Rod Silva

here ya go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UZKgJHqMUc

 

[watatank]

Slater was being kept out of it by none other than Lockyer's replacement, Karmichael Hunt. I don't think Hunt will feature too high in the list of all-time greatest fullbacks.

Only because he didn't play long enough in the game to be considered. In terms of overall ability though I'd have him ahead of Slater.

 

[Noa]

Slater was being kept out of it by none other than Lockyer's replacement, Karmichael Hunt. I don't think Hunt will feature too high in the list of all-time greatest fullbacks.

Locker's time as a fullback was cut short in '04, but at the time he was the best fullback in the world, and for many the best in that position ever. He picked up the Golden Boot for it in '03 and the Clive Churchill Medal for it in 2000.

The thing clouding people's memories is that for much of recent history Lockyer was playing five-eighth and slowly on the decline due to age and accumulated injuries, with a dip in performance between '04 and when he was finally and fully re-forged as a five-eighth in '06. He was still the best at what he did despite that, and remained so for five years.

He was at another level as a fullback, and "merely" being the best since Wally Lewis at five-eighth is hardly damning with faint praise.

Slater has a very exciting highlights reel. There is more to being the best than being the most exciting, though.

He was being kept out by hunt for 2 reasons, he was still developing then they we're being loyal. It was pretty obvious to everyone but you, frank Grimes and Saab that Slater had left hunt behind by the 2007 season.
Your making out he has a high error rate does you a disservice plus like most here so far your forgetting there's 2 sides to the game and when it comes to defence Slater probably is the best ever.

 

[dogslife]

here ya go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UZKgJHqMUc

Now there was a phenomenal footballer! Who did Gus cut him for in 95? Stroke of genius that one

 

[Nightward]

He was being kept out by hunt for 2 reasons, he was still developing then they we're being loyal. It was pretty obvious to everyone but you, frank Grimes and Saab that Slater had left hunt behind by the 2007 season.

In '07 Slater was still particularly prone to brain explosions and somewhat suspect under the high ball. Hunt, on the other hand, was rock solid under the high ball and did not suffer from sudden rushes of blood.

Your making out he has a high error rate does you a disservice plus like most here so far your forgetting there's 2 sides to the game and when it comes to defence Slater probably is the best ever.

Lockyer was famed for his defence of the try line every bit as much as he was for his attack. The idea that Lockyer was a defensive liability has repeatedly been exposed as a myth, especially since he was being heavily targeted without the ability to remain behind the line.

And whilst there are two sides to each game, Lockyer was able to not just exploit openings, but to craft them- something Slater lacks.

 

[Red Bear]

Minichiello is no where near Slater, even in his prime. It's embarrassing to even compare the two. I don't know why some of you keep chucking him in there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ndOhV8am7o