Hayne the equal of Kenny

[Stagger eel]

View attachment 2381

Newspaper clipping of Ken Thornett's first game with the Parramatta side V Balmain at Leichhardt Oval in 1962.
"I have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord"....

can I pose this question to you and Gazz...

was there a single moment of brilliance that stood out with the great man when you saw him live? and I'm talking about things like Kenny's intercept tries at Parra stadium, Eric seniors 110 metre try against the roosters in 86, Hayne's effort on sunday, Sterling's 10 out of 10 performance against the Roosters in 87.

what was one thing the Mayor did that made you wet yourself..(as Gazz put it)

 

[parra pete]

I sat with Bert at the SOO in Brisbane two years ago in the SouthsLogan box. He copped some good natured 'barracking' from the Queensland crowd and at the end of it, when the Queensland players were acknowledging the crowd support, Bert stood up, and cheekily gave the "Queeeeenslander" call with a huge grin on his face.

 

[lingard]

Im not old enough to remember Bert play, but from what i have seen (alot of games, not just the GF's, Origins and tests), Hayne isnt there yet. Kenny seemed to be able to bamboozal the defence easily, too easy. Hayne is explosive, his strength and his quick acceleration is his strengths, Kennys dummy and his ability to change direction quickly is what made him great from what iv seen.

Player that I think Hayne is most like (with high status) is Bob Fulton.[/QUOTE]

Disagree. Fulton was a lot better. If we had Bobby Fulton in our team now - f**k me dead! Just f**k me dead! That guy could do anything! He was better than Hayne or Kenny. He was faster than both of them; he had a great ability to step off either foot; he had an excellent kicking game - long and short - and was excellent in defence. AND.....he was very tough and very versatile - played centre and five-eight with equal flair and lock forward in his later years. And to cap it all off, he went on to become a coach (Manly and Easts.) I reckon (in case you hadn`t already worked it out) that he was the best player I ever saw play the game.
And just back on topic, whilst I do respect Michael Hagan`s views, it`s WAY TOO EARLY to be comparing Hayne with Kenny. If the world stopped right now, Kenny would win hands down! But it won`t (I hope!) and we`ll just have to wait and see. It`s a bit like comparing the latest two-year-old race horse with Kingston Town. Let`s wait and see.

 

[parra pete]

can I pose this question to you and Gazz...

was there a single moment of brilliance that stood out with the great man when you saw him live? and I'm talking about things like Kenny's intercept tries at Parra stadium, Eric seniors 110 metre try against the roosters in 86, Hayne's effort on sunday, Sterling's 10 out of 10 performance against the Roosters in 87.

what was one thing the Mayor did that made you wet yourself..(as Gazz put it)

Stagger, I was in awe of the bloke. It was BECAUSE of his inspiration and brilliance that the Parramatta Club was able to become a force in the competition.
Ken the main bloke who dug the well the current crop of players are now drinking from.
I can honestly say I never saw the bloke have a bad game. Not one thing stands out, just every single moment.
He was a 'breath of fresh air' to the Club. He was built like a second-rower, but had the pace to break the line (coupled with his enormous strength), he never dropped a ball. He used to stand outside the touch lines, jump into the air, and bat the ball back in to a team mate - the rule was changed to stop him doing it.
He was great in all conditions - fast track or muddy, dominated fullback for many years, forcing the great Changa Langlands into the centre.
Remember, I was just 16 when The Mayor came to the Club in 1962 - a very impressionable age, and he certainly made an impression on me and my mates. Ken was an inspiration not only to a football Club, but to the community. We were 'battlers' from the Western Suburbs. He made us proud of our background. He was the "Phar Lap' of the PArramatta District, the bloke we could hang our hopes on..AND he never let us down.
Me and my mates went to Coolah to watch Ken take Coonabarabran into the Group 14 Grand Final against Baradine in 1969. The Coona side had been UNDEFEATED all season, but lost the game 10-9 to Baradine, coached by a bloke named Ron Tyack, who went there from Tullibigeal.
Ken played lock, but couldn't inspire his team for the one last effort.
I had the pleasure to meet his older brother John in town here a couple of years ago. What a champion bloke.

 

[lingard]

If I was to choose the best team from players that I`ve seen play, I would have Kenny and Cronin in the centres and Fulton at five-eight. So obviously I rate Kenny fairly highly. As far as fullback is concerned; well, there have been some greats. We`ve had, of course Ken Thornett, who I saw play as well (though I was fairly young and can`t remember a real lot about him except for the way he used to chime into the backline, and the way he used to jump up to catch a high kick and he`d sort of tuck his legs under him so that he looked like he was sitting on a chair in mid-air). We`ve also had Les Johns who was a little pocket dynamo; Graeme Langlands; Keith Barnes; Eric Simms, who was safe without being brilliant, but an absolute machine when it came to goal-kicking and field goals (he`s the reason field goals are now only worth one point instead of two).
More recently we`ve had fullbacks like Graeme Eadie, David Peachey, Darren Lockyer and Billy Slater. And you know what? I`d pick any one of those players over Jarryd Hayne. Don`t get me wrong, I love Hayne to death and I sit on the edge of my seat every time he gets the ball. But in my opinion, all those players were better than he is. Compare him to Kenny? Not yet. Probably not ever.

 

[parra pete]

If I was to choose the best team from players that I`ve seen play, I would have Kenny and Cronin in the centres and Fulton at five-eight. So obviously I rate Kenny fairly highly. As far as fullback is concerned; well, there have been some greats. We`ve had, of course Ken Thornett, who I saw play as well (though I was fairly young and can`t remember a real lot about him except for the way he used to chime into the backline, and the way he used to jump up to catch a high kick and he`d sort of tuck his legs under him so that he looked like he was sitting on a chair in mid-air). We`ve also had Les Johns who was a little pocket dynamo; Graeme Langlands; Keith Barnes; Eric Simms, who was safe without being brilliant, but an absolute machine when it came to goal-kicking and field goals (he`s the reason field goals are now only worth one point instead of two).
More recently we`ve had fullbacks like Graeme Eadie, David Peachey, Darren Lockyer and Billy Slater. And you know what? I`d pick any one of those players over Jarryd Hayne. Don`t get me wrong, I love Hayne to death and I sit on the edge of my seat every time he gets the ball. But in my opinion, all those players were better than he is. Compare him to Kenny? Not yet. Probably not ever.

I think you will find that it was also a bloke called Barry Glasgow, (Norths/Wests) who was one of the main reasons the field goal value was dropped from 2 points to 1.
Barney is now President of North Sydney. In 1969 he landed 29 field goals, ten more than Eric Simms who finished with 19...so it was probably a combination of the skills of both players that forced the rule change.
Barry was known as the 'TWO POINT STEAL FROM TULLIBIGEAL'. His football background included playing Rules on Saturday and League on Sundays in the Tullibigeal area. Played with some tough blokes too. He could kick with either foot, and was like Greg Brentnal in so much as we would have been a success at either code.

 

[IFR33K]

Cant speak for Josh Perry, but Williams didnt.

Tony williams is no slouch. It doesnt help either having a ball in your hand, and trying to run.

 

[CrazyEel]

Well everyone has their own opinion but to me Hayne is just as good as Kenny was at the same age and I rate Kenny ahead of Fulton. Kenny's best years were 82 to 86, an age Hayne is yet to reach so guess we really should wait another 4 years to compare them properly.

I've never seen a fullback come anywhere near Thornett in defence or fielding kicks but Hayne is his equal in attack IMO, Thornett relied on brute strength ( and elbows and knees I may add ) to break the line because he didn't have the footwork of Hayne.

As much as I love Thornett, Kenny, Price and Beetson etc I have never seen anyone rip a team apart as Reg Gasnier could on his day, that guy was an amazing freak.

 

[Avenger]

I must admit I like pete's insights in relation to people like Thornett.

 

[Avenger]

Nobody likes Hayne more then me but he is yet to wash Kenny's socks little lone where his boots.

 

[parra pete]

I agree with you Crazy, Reg Gasnier was truly, the Prince of Centres.
AMAZING....

 

[CrazyEel]

Stagger, I was in awe of the bloke. It was BECAUSE of his inspiration and brilliance that the Parramatta Club was able to become a force in the competition.
........

Very true Pete, today it is very hard to appreciate just what a difference Thornett made to both the team and the district back then. We were a joke before he came and during his first stint in 62, on loan from Leeds, we never lost a game (1 draw) when he played and never won a game when he didn't.

I was at every game he played that year and while most games are a little hazy these days, sitting on the old speedway track inside the fence the day we beat St George at Cumberland is as clear as yesterday. The place was packed and they let all the kids sit inside the fence, those were the days

 

[parra pete]

BUT in saying I like Ken Thornett as my favourite player - the game is a lot different today, and peoples 'values and lifestyle' are no where near they were when I was growing up.
Parramatta and South Granville where I lived were working class areas - and Parramatta was a 'working class team' and the players 'blue collar workers' in our eyes, truly working class heroes.
We had a battler like Tom Uren as our Federal Member of Parliament -- a real fighter for the Underdog, and we were in the middle of the Bob Menzies 23 years of power in politics.
Ken came along when we needed a knight in shining armour. Bloody fantastic, and I will savour the memories until I fall off the perch.

 

[lingard]

Thanks, Parra Pete, Gazzamatta, Crazy Eel. It`s this sort of nostalgia that brought me to this forum in the first place. Parramatta has a very rich history and it`s good to be reminded of it. As I`ve said on here before, when I look back at my life and my family history, it seems as though it`s inevitably linked in some way to the Parramatta football team. That`s why I get upset when I see idiots referring to Jarryd Hayne as a girl, etc. Can you imagine anyone calling Ken Thornett or Ron Lynch a girl? Even in jest? We would have tied them up outside the old Murray Brothers building kicked the sh*t out of them. :lol:

 

[Stagger eel]

thanks Pete..

his autograph on my 2001 strip will definitely be cherished..

and having thought about it, i tend to agree with venge..haynsie has a long way to go before he's even on the same page as Bert.

 

[CrazyEel]

Thanks, Parra Pete, Gazzamatta, Crazy Eel. It`s this sort of nostalgia that brought me to this forum in the first place. Parramatta has a very rich history and it`s good to be reminded of it. As I`ve said on here before, when I look back at my life and my family history, it seems as though it`s inevitably linked in some way to the Parramatta football team. That`s why I get upset when I see idiots referring to Jarryd Hayne as a girl, etc. Can you imagine anyone calling Ken Thornett or Ron Lynch a girl? Even in jest? We would have tied them up outside the old Murray Brothers building kicked the sh*t out of them. :lol:

Geez, Murray Bros, that brought back a flood of Saturday night memories LOL

 

[parra pete]

Murray Brothers, Summons and Graham, Cumberland Oval, Thirsty Lynch, Stalky Cornwall, Big Roy Fisher,Big Noel Dolton (met him on a cruise in 2008, and had some great nostalgic moments), Brian Cox, Kevin Considine, Joe Joseph (his daughter Joanne was on the same cruise in 2008, lovely girl, but follows Souths!!! I told her Joe would turn in his grave if he knew that), Ron Boden, Paul Pyers, Lindsay Armour, Billy Rayner, Charlie Cooksley, Knuckles Blundell, Brian Hambly, Kenny Foord, Billy McCall, Arch Brown, Butch Harding, Mike Jackson, Bill Roney, Derek Hallas, Ivor Lingard, Leo Toohey, Robin Gair, Ron Workman, Alex Gilgandis, Dutchy Linde, Vic Collins, Gerry Edser, Barry Rushworth, Colin Alterator, Peter Matson, Gabe Very (went to school with him) Denis Fitzgerald, John Baker....memories. I can still see these blokes playing in my head. Call me a silly old goat, they are memories I cling too.
I have passed fever onto my son, and hope I'm still around long enough to do a 'Kinta Kinte' with my youngest Grandson when he can understand.

 

[parra pete]

thanks Pete..

his autograph on my 2001 strip will definitely be cherished..

and having thought about it, i tend to agree with venge..haynsie has a long way to go before he's even on the same page as Bert.

Here's another story written by George Crawford where he rates Ken Thornett with the All time greats

"On his form yesterday, and in his previous match, Thornett must rank among the all time great full backs such as Englishman Jim Sullivan and Australian Clive Churchill", George wrote

 

[Gazzamatta]

can I pose this question to you and Gazz...

was there a single moment of brilliance that stood out with the great man when you saw him live? and I'm talking about things like Kenny's intercept tries at Parra stadium, Eric seniors 110 metre try against the roosters in 86, Hayne's effort on sunday, Sterling's 10 out of 10 performance against the Roosters in 87.

what was one thing the Mayor did that made you wet yourself..(as Gazz put it)

Stagger,
I fondly remember a day at Cumberland Oval where a rampaging Bob McCarthy broke into the clear with only The Mayor in front of him. In stead of waiting for him, Thornett charged directly at him and launched his body at McCarthy in a massive front on bear hug. McCarthy went down like his was hit by a tank.
Then there were the great kicking duels with Les Johns, where they would go kick for kick for ages.
I also remember him leaning at an acute angle over the touch line catching the ball time and time again ensuring Parramatta got an advantage but most of all I remember the roar from the Cumberland Crowd each and EVERY time the ball was kicked to him.
The same bloke would stop and chat and sign autograghs after training with anyone who wanted a piece of his time.
When the talk about Legends one Ken Thornett, in my mind, is the greatest Legend of them all.

 

[parra pete]

Stagger,
I fondly remember a day at Cumberland Oval where a rampaging Bob McCarthy broke into the clear with only The Mayor in front of him. In stead of waiting for him, Thornett charged directly at him and launched his body at McCarthy in a massive front on bear hug. McCarthy went down like his was hit by a tank.
Then there were the great kicking duels with Les Johns, where they would go kick for kick for ages.
I also remember him leaning at an acute angle over the touch line catching the ball time and time again ensuring Parramatta got an advantage but most of all I remember the roar from the Cumberland Crowd each and EVERY time the ball was kicked to him.
The same bloke would stop and chat and sign autograghs after training with anyone who wanted a piece of his time.
When the talk about Legends one Ken Thornett, in my mind, is the greatest Legend of them all.

This is the Telegraph report on Parra V Souths, Cumberland Oval, 1964