Fullback of the decade?

[user_nat]

Minchiello, Lockyer's played more 5/8 then Fullback

And Minichello has spent more time not playing than playing.

 

[Broncodr01d]

Darren Lockyer.

Some forget just how unbelievably good he was from fullback.

 

[magpie_man]

lockyer has been both the best fullback and 5/8th of this decade. nobody comes close in either of these positions.

 

[Big Pete]

I'd say the position of five eigth would be up for debate - Fittler was an absolute champion player as well.

 

[magpie_man]

fair call, forgot about fittler

 

[Red Bear]

Fittler was a better 5/8 than Lockyer, much more complete player

 

[Red Bear]

Alot of rose coloured glasses been worn in regards to Minichello and Slater.

Theres a struck match between them. Minichello may have been the stronger ball runner and a bit safer - though he could be woeful with the ball on the ground - but Slater has him covered in cleaning up, ball-playing and that most critical factor of a FB, postioning.

Edited to add looking at Mini's peak period from 04-06 and Slaters from 07-09 there are some interesting stats there.

Minichello 141 errors, Slater 112
Minichello 42 tries, Slater 44
Minichello 15 try-assists, Slater 48
Minichello 59 line-breaks, Slater 60
Minchello 16 LB assists, Slater 49.

Those are some pretty compelling numbers for Slater over Minichello and thats not even taking into account that Slater had some pretty decent years from 04-06. Of course Minichello looked more comfortable in SOO then Billy, but I think thats because his style of game is more suited then Bills, who doesnt have near as much freedom at that level as he does for the Storm.

Minichello was a better defender and a much safer fullback, added to better kick returns.

 

[Marshall_magic]

Minichiello was far better than Slater is. He always beat the first tackle, and was unstoppable one on one. Would get to almost every kick on the full, and make every kick return a big one. Slater makes a few big plays, but has quiet patches in a match that Minichiello didn't.

 

[Noa]

You 2 are talking through your arse. There is nothing between them, and as the stats shows Mini had more errors then the suposedly error riddled Slater.

Explain that.

 

[Noa]

Minichiello was far better than Slater is. He always beat the first tackle, and was unstoppable one on one. Would get to almost every kick on the full, and make every kick return a big one. Slater makes a few big plays, but has quiet patches in a match that Minichiello didn't.

WTF (I understand your a tigers fan), one of Slaters strengths is getting to the ball on the full and as for Mini always beating the first tackle, Slater has more tackle-breaks then or line-breaks in a season then Minichello did in his best season.

Again lets stick to facts, if you like Mini more thats fine but this "'far better" sh*t is just that.

 

[pennywisealfie]

Lockyer is unquestionably the greatest fullback of all time and top 5 players all time.

He may be sh*t at defense at 5/8, but remember how good of a defensive fullback he was!

Remember how many bad games Locky had at fullback? only 1 i can remember, in that test match. Something Slater or Mini definitely cannot say.

 

[Firey_Dragon]

Lockyer is unquestionably the greatest fullback of all time and top 5 players all time.

He may be sh*t at defense at 5/8, but remember how good of a defensive fullback he was!

Remember how many bad games Locky had at fullback? only 1 i can remember, in that test match. Something Slater or Mini definitely cannot say.

Greatest fullback of all time? I think there'd be quite a few fullbacks from the 50's through to the 80's in particular that would object to that statement. In the modern game maybe, and thats a big maybe. But did you ever see players like Langlands or Clive Churchill run around?

 

[Bazal]

Lockyer wins easily. Brett Hodgson hasn't got nearly enough mentions for a guy who was a better player than Luke Patten (who has got a few mentions)...

 

[typicalfan]

You need to pick Lockyer because a team of the decade will look better with Lockyer at 1 and Fittler at 6 than Mini at 1.

Minichiello is a great player no doubt, man of the series SOO 2005 and has played many big hands at all levels and is ahead of Slater but it is good that there is more than one great fullback of the decade.

 

[typicalfan]

Greatest fullback of all time? I think there'd be quite a few fullbacks from the 50's through to the 80's in particular that would object to that statement. In the modern game maybe, and thats a big maybe. But did you ever see players like Langlands or Clive Churchill run around?

Then you have guys like Eadie, Belcher, Jack, Thornett etc who all made a huge name for themselves and are at the level of a Darren Lockyer at fullback.

 

[typicalfan]

Also I cannot believe David Peachey has been mentioned after Luke Patten, Brett Stewart and Jarryd Hayne.

The guy deserved a hell of a lot more rep footy than he got, early in the decade he was the best fullback NSW had to offer but he constantly got bypassed.

 

[mozza91]

My top 5 of the 00's
1-Minichello
2-Lockyer
3-Stewart
4-Slater
5-Hodgson

 

[coach]

Must be a lot of Rooster fans voting here

 

[Firey_Dragon]

Then you have guys like Eadie, Belcher, Jack, Thornett etc who all made a huge name for themselves and are at the level of a Darren Lockyer at fullback.

Exactly, to be honest, if I really thought about it, I doubt Lockyer would even be an automatic selection in the top 10 of all time, let alone be the very best.

He was a quality fullback, no doubt about it, but dare I say his versatility would be what would cost him in the greatest of counts. There have been many immensely talented genuine speedsters at fullback who always knew where to be at the right time. Lockyer even when at fullback was not a fullback in the truest sense.

 

[Munky]

People bang on about Slater's mistake in this years GF.

Minichello made a similar drop off a bomb in the 03 GF and it handed Penrith back the lead with Priddis scoring soon after and giving the team the confidence to take the game.

It had as much impact on the game as Sattler's tackle.