Billy Slater - greatest ever fullback?

[stormbati]

From those I've seen, Lockyer is the best (and also the best player I have seen). Stewart is better than Slater too IMO, he's just not been able to string games together like Slater has over the past few years and I think people have kind of forgotten how great he can be. Slater is next, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Minichiello at his peak, Mullins, and Belcher. So he's still not exactly doing poorly for himself

We have had a ridiculous number of fantastic fullbacks over the past 10-15 years though...

:lol: You can't be serious! Stewart better than Slater? At which point in his career has he ever been better?
Minichiello was a really good fullback at his peak and is probably better than Billy at tackle breaking or probably safer under the high ball. But in every other category, Billy kills him.
Belcher, OMG! Belcher would struggle to make any rep side today but I guess its unfair to compare eras.
Mullins was also a fine player but Slater does everything Mullins does and more.

 

[Dragon]

I reckon he will go past Ken Irvine's record of most tries, best FB i've ever seen by a fair distance

 

[stormbati]

I reckon he will go past Ken Irvine's record of most tries, best FB i've ever seen by a fair distance

Respect to you Sir.

 

[The.X.Factor9]

There's also a number of playerd you wouldn't swap for him: Dugan, Hayne, Boyd, Minichello, Hunt, Bowen.

Slater >>> Dugan, Hayne, Boyd, Minichello, Hunt, Bowen

/Thread.

 

[age.s]

The real question is whether Daley is a tucan, pelican, wombat or f**king moron.

 

[Bazal]

:lol: You can't be serious! Stewart better than Slater? At which point in his career has he ever been better?
Minichiello was a really good fullback at his peak and is probably better than Billy at tackle breaking or probably safer under the high ball. But in every other category, Billy kills him.
Belcher, OMG! Belcher would struggle to make any rep side today but I guess its unfair to compare eras.
Mullins was also a fine player but Slater does everything Mullins does and more.

Lol...Cheats fans do fire up don't they? Your opinion is your opinion...

 

[Evenflow]

There's also a number of playerd you wouldn't swap for him: Dugan, Hayne, Boyd, Minichello, Hunt, Bowen.

Gold :lol

 

[DC_fan]

Forget about being the best fullback ever. Billy Slater is the best player ever,

FULLSTOP

 

[Mr Saab]

Forget about being the best fullback ever. Billy Slater is the best player ever,

FULLSTOP

For those that have watched league for 2 yrs maybe, but for others he has a long way to go.

 

[WYD]

The knock on Slater, when you're talking greatest ever, is that error in his game.

I mean a few years ago QLDers were trying to tell us Hunt was a better player, and now he's the GOAT :?

 

[hunters]

This is a crap argument, he does far more good than bad. The storm would be a much lesser team without him. The storm would have been towelled up by us in round 1 if slater doesn't play.

And that is a far crappier argument given the subject.

The problem is that we are in an age where we are just after the highlights reel moment these days and Billy gives you that (and why 20 / 20 cricket exists!). It's also why Benji gets many of his wraps (man of the match last week - really!)

The 'custodian' role of fullback is neither here nor there anymore, so long as they can outpace a few to the line.

 

[DC_fan]

For those that have watched league for 2 yrs maybe, but for others he has a long way to go.

I have been following the game since the mid 1960s. So outside of Churchill I have seen all the Imortals play. All of them were great, but I would place Slater above them.

 

[Mr Saab]

Bob Fulton and Wally Lewis are above Slater

 

[typicalfan]

Slater very good but not the best footballer ever. Slater as a pure fullback is as complete as it gets. But Johns could single handedly tear a team apart and Lockyer could get his team over the line time and time again. Could throw guys like Fittler, Daley, Langer and Meninga in that category as well, just a level above.

 

[DC_fan]

Bob Fulton and Wally Lewis are above Slater

Your opinion not mine.

I am a huge fan of Wally Lewis. But for mine Billy has more to his game then either Lewis and Fulton.

 

[stormbati]

Lol...Cheats fans do fire up don't they? Your opinion is your opinion...

:roll: You're laughable mate

 

[Mr Saab]

Your opinion not mine.

I am a huge fan of Wally Lewis. But for mine Billy has more to his game then either Lewis and Fulton.

More to his game? Speed is all he has. Lewis has everything else over Slater...as does Fulton.

 

[firechild]

Your opinion not mine.

I am a huge fan of Wally Lewis. But for mine Billy has more to his game then either Lewis and Fulton.

Slater creates and controls very little. Take Cam Smith out of any team he plays in and he isn't that great. Billy Slater does not take big games by the scruff of the neck and almost win them single handedly. Slater is very fortunate that he has played in Melbourne, Queensland and Australian teams that have been stacked with some of the best players in the game. He's a great player no doubt but to even consider him among names like Johns, Lewis, Lockyer, Fulton and dozens of others is just insane.

 

[Charlie124]

Im not going to read this whole thread but i believe that nobody ever likes to claim that any current player is the best ever at anything. Time definitely plays a role in peoples memories of how good a player actually was and i think that if you put Slater up against any of the great fullbacks of the past (considering how much faster and elite the NRL is now compared to years ago) he would leave even the best names for dead.

 

[gerg]

Slater redeemed himself from the Skando incident in those moments with Williams, in a game where Melbourne and Manly were at each others throats - he showed the sportsmanship and human decency that was a credit to the man and the game.

Besides. It would take more than that to hurt Skando...

:shock: Go have another look at the game. He was probably the player that broke Williams vertebrae by cranking his neck while five other players were pulling him the other way.

The only reason he was cradling him was guilt.

Great player. Massive grub.