Brad Fitler v Laurie Daley

[reladith]

Who do you think was the better player? They both overlapped in the same era, and i thought it would be an interesting discussion point... I can't split them personally... Both great players in their own right...

 

[Pigskin]

Daley by a considerable margin. He influenced games.

Fitler was a quality first grader at best his entire career. Long career that it was. As if he was capable of doing anything else ?

Daley might squeeze into my top 20 of the last 20 years. Fitler wouldn't make my top 50.

Oink !

 

[Mark Rudd]

That's the trouble with Rugby League. Everybody is always concerned with the past. No wonder the AFL is light years ahead.

 

[jamoss]

i think Daley was the better player.. He was one of the really naturally skilled players who proved himself time and time again.. I actually think there's only been a handful of them in the last 30 years or so. He's in my top 20 for sure.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Fittler.

A more complete player imo.

Played at a high level from the very start of his career right until the end in 2004.

Playing almost 120 more games of competive football than laurie daley & was a serious work horse in defence.

No doubt its hard to split them , but when your looking at such a close comparison as these two longevity & injuries should come into it.

Fittler missed on average something like around 2.5 games a year over a 16 year period. Considering the amount of footy he played & the level he played it at that is just phenomenal.

 

[herbert henry1908]

That's the trouble with Rugby League. Everybody is always concerned with the past. No wonder the AFL is light years ahead.

rubbish.

Talking about the legendary players & comparing them is one of the great talking points of fans of virtually all sports.

 

[Cliffhanger]

i think Daley was the better player.. He was one of the really naturally skilled players who proved himself time and time again.. I actually think there's only been a handful of them in the last 30 years or so. He's in my top 20 for sure.

You don't think Fittler was naturally skilled?

Hell Fittler could make any halfback look like premiership winning one. Hell he did it for Wing and carried Finch for 2 seasons.

Fittler had a suburb kicking game, passing game, he was excellent at directing the play, was extremely solid in defence and than there was that step *drool*. Then there were his last tackle options he always knew what to do.

Further he was a brilliant captain too, who lifted teams in a way very few players have.

The great thing about Fittler was when he retired he was still playing his best footy. I still remmeber that Anzac day match against St Merge in 04 and his step.

TBH I don't know much about Daley and can't argue Fittler was better, but I've seen enough of Fittler to know he was definitely a natural footballer.

 

[Cliffhanger]

Daley by a considerable margin. He influenced games.

Fitler was a quality first grader at best his entire career. Long career that it was. As if he was capable of doing anything else ?

Daley might squeeze into my top 20 of the last 20 years. Fitler wouldn't make my top 50.

Oink !

WTF is there a lesion in your brain or something? Fittler didn't influence games? Fittler's presence was enough to lift his team but it didn't stop there he was able to come up with these brilliant plays which turned the game on its head. He got wins out of nothing, I can't even count the ammount of times we looked no chance and he did something to win us the match.

Fittler was the complete play, there was no weakness in his game, he was a lot more than a quality first grader and he didn't just influence the matches he played but the game itself.

Fittler made the team around him look so much better than they were too.

 

[H.H]

Piggy you are kidding.

I'm a tragic Rooster so I am biased, but to say Fittler couldn't influence games?

The 2004 ANZAC game has already been mentioned and I'll throw in the 2000 prelim final against Newcastle as well as the 2002 GF. In that 2000 game, Fittler didn't just carry the whole team on his back...it felt like he carried the whole stadium....I was there and felt it.

This guy was the best leader of his generation and I recomend you take a look at Matt Johns' book - "From the Sheds" and reasd his chapter on Brad Fittler to see what I mean.

Daley was great too - don't get me wrong, but to me Fittler was quite clearly better.

 

[jamoss]

You don't think Fittler was naturally skilled?

Hell Fittler could make any halfback look like premiership winning one. Hell he did it for Wing and carried Finch for 2 seasons.

Fittler had a suburb kicking game, passing game, he was excellent at directing the play, was extremely solid in defence and than there was that step *drool*. Then there were his last tackle options he always knew what to do.

Further he was a brilliant captain too, who lifted teams in a way very few players have.

The great thing about Fittler was when he retired he was still playing his best footy. I still remmeber that Anzac day match against St Merge in 04 and his step.

TBH I don't know much about Daley and can't argue Fittler was better, but I've seen enough of Fittler to know he was definitely a natural footballer.

Fittler was more natural than most players but he doesnt quite make it in the total elite category for me.. its not an easy choice but Daley had skills i never saw from Fittler.. No disrespect to Freddy he was a legend in his day and not far off the best IMO..

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Very difficult to separate two real champions. Daley was an attacking gun, he played huge roles in each of Canberra's GF wins - his solo try against the bulldogs an absolute gem. He knew when to bring the big play out when it was needed. He was also an outstanding captain, defensively excellent and physically tough. On the flipside he was also injury prone, particularly in the latter part of his career. I also think that be was one player whose career was adversely affected by the super league debacle. His form during 95-97 was not as good as his overall career. But that said they built a statue of the guy outside Canberra stadium so it shows his impact on the raiders club.

Fittler had the best side step you'll ever see, could control a game with ease and was a very very good captain. Freddy was as good in 1991 as he was in 2004. Champion in SoO and tests. Big tough and defensively excellent. On the flipside I do think he coasted through games at times, which influenced his teammates to do the same. The thing about him being as good in 91 as in 04 is that he had a lot of peaks and troughs during this time.

It's a toughie - Canberra bias has me leaning towards Daley just because Daley in go mode was one of the great sights in league. But there's a bees foreskin in it.

 

[umina panther]

Very difficult to separate two real champions. Daley was an attacking gun, he played huge roles in each of Canberra's GF wins - his solo try against the bulldogs an absolute gem. He knew when to bring the big play out when it was needed. He was also an outstanding captain, defensively excellent and physically tough. On the flipside he was also injury prone, particularly in the latter part of his career. I also think that be was one player whose career was adversely affected by the super league debacle. His form during 95-97 was not as good as his overall career. But that said they built a statue of the guy outside Canberra stadium so it shows his impact on the raiders club.

Fittler had the best side step you'll ever see, could control a game with ease and was a very very good captain. Freddy was as good in 1991 as he was in 2004. Champion in SoO and tests. Big tough and defensively excellent. On the flipside I do think he coasted through games at times, which influenced his teammates to do the same. The thing about him being as good in 91 as in 04 is that he had a lot of peaks and troughs during this time.

It's a toughie - Canberra bias has me leaning towards Daley just because Daley in go mode was one of the great sights in league. But there's a bees foreskin in it.

Never thought id see the day haha

 

[avsterooster]

Piggy you are kidding.

I'm a tragic Rooster so I am biased, but to say Fittler couldn't influence games?

The 2004 ANZAC game has already been mentioned and I'll throw in the 2000 prelim final against Newcastle as well as the 2002 GF. In that 2000 game, Fittler didn't just carry the whole team on his back...it felt like he carried the whole stadium....I was there and felt it.

This guy was the best leader of his generation and I recomend you take a look at Matt Johns' book - "From the Sheds" and reasd his chapter on Brad Fittler to see what I mean.

Daley was great too - don't get me wrong, but to me Fittler was quite clearly better.

Shivers just went tingling down my spine H.H

Probably 3 of my greatest rooster league moments when I was lucky enough to be in the stadiums.

2000 S.F - Fittler deadset pulled us out of certain defeat trailing 14-2, he didnt only lift the team as you said but the entire stadium and eastern suburbs area... to say he didnt have influence on games is an insane statement!

2002 G.F - after getting that headbut that some would of been carried off in a stretcher to come back and dominate like that...he pretty much set up every try that we got in the back end of that game.

2004 ANZAC day... THAT STEP *DROOOOOOL*... the fullback knew it was coming and STILL he couldnt do anything about it!

Fittler was a leader not by words but by example, 30+ NSW games many as captain and the same for Australia. He played much of his career with niggling injuries but it never affected him. To say he was not one of the greatest game influencers in the last 30 years would be a crime!

 

[legend]

IMO, Fittler had more ability but Daley had a much better work ethic than Fittler. Daley was a better defender and a better leader but Fittler could step off both feet and was lethal close to the line.

His semi final against Newcastle in 2000 was sublime. He single handedly dismantled the Knights after Darren Albert made that stupid gesture to the camera after scoring.

Fittler was lazy at times where as Daley was always competing at 110%. Daley retired relatively early (31) whereas Fittler retired at 33.

For mine, Daley wins on work ethic but there is a struck match between them.

 

[jack coburn]

i actually thought daley played better at center.he was a great player in a great side at canberra.had s strong running game.Fittler was a great player in an average team and it showed when he retired.i think they were both good players with different attributes.for me i lean slightly towards fittler.Fittler was team player that could lift a team and could pull something out when needed.Daley could do some good things when needed but wasn't to me as dominant as fittler,maybe because he had players like stuart,clyde,meninga around to do things.

 

[Hutty1986]

Daley by a considerable margin. He influenced games.

Fitler was a quality first grader at best his entire career. Long career that it was. As if he was capable of doing anything else ?

Daley might squeeze into my top 20 of the last 20 years. Fitler wouldn't make my top 50.

Oink !

One of your finest. Fittler was a champion. Might be few scars left from the thumping he gave your Maroons in his last origin game

 

[Bobby DIGital]

Daley was quite considerably better.

More consistent, more clutch, better leader, better defender, better running and passing game, better team player and a better person.

Fittler had a better kicking game and that was about it. He lacked consistency until 2002.

I don't even think it's close. But because Laurie went to SL this thread will soon be filled with pro ARL wankers.

 

[Haffa]

Fittler was more complete in my opinion.

The 2000 major semi was the game where he proved his greatness. 14-2 down at half time against one of the best Newcastle teams I've seen and he carried his team accross the line.

He was a freak and gets less credit then he deserves.

 

[Noa]

daley every day of the week , 3x on sundays

 

[Loudstrat]

Even a great thread can attract gimps. First 2 cabs off the rank contained fares to Callum Park.........

Daley by a considerable margin. He influenced games.

Fitler was a quality first grader at best his entire career. Long career that it was. As if he was capable of doing anything else ?

Daley might squeeze into my top 20 of the last 20 years. Fitler wouldn't make my top 50.

Oink !

I know your type. 11 fingers, banjo. Daley had a pretty mouth, right?

That's the trouble with Rugby League. Everybody is always concerned with the past. No wonder the AFL is light years ahead.

Still dumb as dogsh*t ay Mark? I'll give you a clue: check TV ratings. Check the rep program. Check how good the highest paid players in each code are going. Check the expansion clubs - One was losing 90-1 at one stage, and it wasnt the Titans.

Keep swallowing Sheedy's DNA. It's the one thing that stops KMav being the resident LU village idiot.


On topic - Daley was a great runner, a good defender, reasonable at setting up his backs. Fittler was possibly a poorer runner, but flogged Daley in all other areas. Kicking game for instance - only Johns, Sterling and Lewis ever had better ones. Passing game - Freddy had the passing game that Daley needed Ricky Stuart for.

Daley died when he became the public face of SL, and all the times he looked utterly stupid in the media trying to prop up that pile of sh*t.

Daleys 2 best games were the 94 GF and a game for Country in (I think) 92. Avster has a sample of Fittler's best works, but you have to add the 2nd test v NZ in 95 -the most dominant test game by a player I have seen. Everything he did turned to goal one day, even the miss kick that became a great touch finder after one bounce.

Daley also lost an Origin series because he went from dummy half rather than pass to Joey for the winning field goal.

Basically, Fittler had the skills of Daley and Stuart combined.

Fittler by twilight (ie not quite daylight, but close).