Foxsports Top 20 Players of the NRL Era

[2 weeks]

Him and Scott Minto the glaring omissions.

And SKD

 

[From Where the Sun Rises]

Freddy is the forgotten genius in these 'Greatest Player' debates.

In terms of pure talent I think only Joey has him beat.

But Freddy had it all. I've never seen a more deadly duel attacking threat - passing and running game - he could carve you open with a 30m bullet pass to a centre/winger on the fly, or bust through your defence with great power and the game's most devastating sidestep of all time.

And in defence he was a brick ball. Absolutely impregnable and capable of defending at lock forward for 80 minutes with ease. How many halves can do that?

He was also a great centre in his early days so was world class in 3 positions. Just a total footy player.

And then you have to add in his leadership qualities and ability to inspire his teammates.

When he joined the Roosters, the club was a basketcase. And yet he led them to the finals in all 9 seasons; as well as 6 Prelim Finals; and 4 GFs and 1 Premiership in his final five seasons in his prime. And then he retired and the Roosters returned to being a basketcase for the next few years.

Also the most capped Blue of all time, he captained the Kangaroos to two World Cup victories as one of the most decorated rep players ever.

And yet, he never gets mentioned in the Immortals debate. But Inglis does? Again, drugs are bad.

It’s the defensive ability of Fittler (& Johns) that will always keep them a step ahead of Lockyer & Thurston for mine.

 

[From Where the Sun Rises]

There was no hooker near Buds for the majority of his career, similarly with Kennedy at back row.

I'm not disagreeing with your last point.

I have to agree that once in a generation is a bit much. No one was near Kennedy? Not Hindmarsh? Not Fitzgibbon? Not Menzies?

Come, now.

 

[Canard]

I have to agree that once in a generation is a bit much. No one was near Kennedy? Not Hindmarsh? Not Fitzgibbon? Not Menzies?

Come, now.

This is your worst alt yet.

 

[From Where the Sun Rises]

This is your worst alt yet.

I understand. It’s hard to admit you’re wrong.

 

[Canard]

I understand. It’s hard to admit you’re wrong.

Low effort troll

 

[From Where the Sun Rises]

Kennedy was not once in a generation. Please. He was a devastating forward, but not even the best back-rower of his time. I’d have at least Menzies & Fitzgibbon above him, & both had longer primes with fewer injuries.

Buderus was another great player, but his career was bookended by arguably better hookers in Walters & Smith - & in the meantime he faced fierce positional rivalry from Wing.

 

[mozza91]

Kennedy was twice the player Fitzgibbon was. Menzies was very good but Kennedy had him covered too.

 

[From Where the Sun Rises]

Kennedy was twice the player Fitzgibbon was. Menzies was very good but Kennedy had him covered too.

Must say, I never wanted for anything having Fitzgibbon in the back-row.

Kennedy was a great player but even if you rate him above all his contemporaries (pretty doubtful) only a fool would consider him once in a generation.

 

[King hit]

Freddy is the forgotten genius in these 'Greatest Player' debates.

In terms of pure talent I think only Joey has him beat.

But Freddy had it all. I've never seen a more deadly duel attacking threat - passing and running game - he could carve you open with a 30m bullet pass to a centre/winger on the fly, or bust through your defence with great power and the game's most devastating sidestep of all time.

And in defence he was a brick ball. Absolutely impregnable and capable of defending at lock forward for 80 minutes with ease. How many halves can do that?

He was also a great centre in his early days so was world class in 3 positions. Just a total footy player.

And then you have to add in his leadership qualities and ability to inspire his teammates.

When he joined the Roosters, the club was a basketcase. And yet he led them to the finals in all 9 seasons; as well as 6 Prelim Finals; and 4 GFs and 1 Premiership in his final five seasons in his prime. And then he retired and the Roosters returned to being a basketcase for the next few years.

Also the most capped Blue of all time, he captained the Kangaroos to two World Cup victories as one of the most decorated rep players ever.

And yet, he never gets mentioned in the Immortals debate. But Inglis does? Again, drugs are bad.

Exactly correct. He is my rugby league hero for a very good reason. Will never forget some of those tries he scored. He is easily one of the greatest players ever.

Will never forget Anzac Day 2004. The game is tight and on the line and Fittler charges through the middle on halfway busting the Dragons open, he stands up Ben Hornby completely and slides over. I saw many games with Lockyer and I never saw him pull of a try like that.

Fittler is living a very rich, happy and fulfilling life these days so I don’t think he remotely cares about being immortal. He doesn’t need to prove a point.

 

[King hit]

Some Newy fans like to promote the myth that Johns played with a team of nobodies to elevate his God Like status.

Kennedy and Buds where once in a generation talents at key positions.

Great players I respect highly but once in a generation talents, yeah that's a bit over the top.

 

[Canard]

Kennedy was not once in a generation. Please. He was a devastating forward, but not even the best back-rower of his time. I’d have at least Menzies & Fitzgibbon above him, & both had longer primes with fewer injuries.

Buderus was another great player, but his career was bookended by arguably better hookers in Walters & Smith - & in the meantime he faced fierce positional rivalry from Wing.

Craig f**king Wing.

Hahahahahaha.

f**k me. Your "that guy from my team" knows no bounds.

 

[From Where the Sun Rises]

Craig f**king Wing.

Hahahahahaha.

f**k me. Your "that guy from my team" knows no bounds.

Why wouldn’t I be? Have you seen my team?

 

[TheDalek079]

Craig Wing won 16 caps for Australia, was a key part of NSW's three-peat in the mid 2000s. He was a damn fine player, and it's not just a case of he played for my club

 

[Reflector]

Craig Wing won 16 caps for Australia, was a key part of NSW's three-peat in the mid 2000s. He was a damn fine player, and it's not just a case of he played for my club

I think his male-model looks detracted a bit from his reputation as a footballer. He was a tough player who'd roll his sleeves up no matter what jersey he wore.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Why do these threads always turn into 'what about Freddy'?

That's right, Tommy and his sidekick King Bronco.

 

[eel01s]

No Hayne in the list? For all the talk of him " not putting in" each week you have to remember how shit some of the Eels teams he played in were. People expected him to play like he did in 2009 every week.

 

[Tommy Smith]

Why do these threads always turn into 'what about Freddy'?

That's right, Tommy and his sidekick King Bronco.

Probably because he continually gets shafted in these rankings.

Only a lifelong methhead would rate Greg Inglis as a better footy player than Freddy.

And I love Cooper Cronk more than anyone not named Tara Rushton, but I can say objectively that Freddy leaves Cooper for dead as a footy player too.

 

[King hit]

Probably because he continually gets shafted in these rankings.

Only a lifelong methhead would rate Greg Inglis as a better footy player than Freddy.

And I love Cooper Cronk more than anyone not named Tara Rushton, but I can say objectively that Freddy leaves Cooper for dead as a footy player too.

As good as Inglis I can't help but think he was overrated a bit. As great as he was on his day I felt he was very patchy and drifted in and out of form to much. The immortal talk about him is crazy.

 

[From Where the Sun Rises]

Why do these threads always turn into 'what about Freddy'?

That's right, Tommy and his sidekick King Bronco.

When you see how much more praise a plainly inferior footballer like Thurston gets, it’s really no great mystery.