How good was Offiah?

[Captain Apollo]

He played a big fat 12 games in 1989 and a solitary one in 1991 for Easts.

Such an illustrious career in the NSWRL. LOL.

Sorry sir, but you are incorrect. Martin Offiah played 12 games for the (then) Eastern Suburbs Roosters, scording 9 tries, in 1989 (Rounds 10-21). He then played 14 games for the St George Dragons, scoring 11 tries, in 1991 (Rounds 9-22). He then played 1 game for the Roosters in 1993 (Round 10).

Source: https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/martin-offiah/summary.html

 

[Bobby DIGital]

In those days players had off season spells with clubs so Offiah's main commitment was to his English clubs.

In 1989 his last game for Widnes was the Premiership Final at Old Trafford on May 14 and his first game for the Roosters was a week later on May 21.

He played EVERY round until he had to return to England for the start of their season in late August.

Same in 1993, he played in the Premiership Final for Wigan against St.Helens at Old Trafford on May 16 and played his first game for the Roosters on May 29.

Unfortunately Offiah injured his knee in this game and could not play a further game.

At the time he was a very high profile player and garnered alot of interest from media and supporters.

There was not much more Offiah could do.

Same when he played for St.George in 1991. He finished his last game in England on May 12 played his first game for the Dragons on May 19 and stayed until the last game in Round 22 on August 25.

Offiah virtually played non stop from 1987 to1994.

During the English off seasons he was:

1988 on Tour with Gt Britain

1989 at Easts

1990 on Tour with Gt Britain

1991 at St.George

1992 on Tour with Gt Britain

1993 at Easts

It must have been hard as a pro to go over to Aus for a stint and know you had to come home before the finals began. He would've been playing each game just to win that game, without having a bigger goal to aim for. Kinda like the Storm in 2010. I thought he was outstanding for Saints in 91, and I'd have him on the wing in my all-time greatest team.

How was Kevin Ward allowed to fly out just for the 87 GF? Did Castleford just agree to release him for 1 week?

 

[Vee]

Couldn't tackle but could score a try better than anyone I've seen.

 

[LeagueXIII]

Corowa had one outstanding season in 1978 and a good year in 1979.

It must have been hard as a pro to go over to Aus for a stint and know you had to come home before the finals began. He would've been playing each game just to win that game, without having a bigger goal to aim for. Kinda like the Storm in 2010. I thought he was outstanding for Saints in 91, and I'd have him on the wing in my all-time greatest team.

How was Kevin Ward allowed to fly out just for the 87 GF? Did Castleford just agree to release him for 1 week?

That's how it was back then clubs would release players for a grand final. It went the other way also with Australian clubs releasing players for Challenge Cup Finals, I recall John Ferguson flying back for the 1985 Cup Final, Kerry Hemsley in 1984 and Chris Anderson in 1975.

I'm sure there were others.

 

[LeagueXIII]

Couldn't tackle but could score a try better than anyone I've seen.

It seems the focus is always on his defence, sure in his first years in league his head on defence was not brilliant, but what winger is. By the end of his career he was fine, I don't recall him costing any games for clubs.

People here remember this because as usual the Sydney media in their way focused on it, blowing it way out of proportion.Mainly on the 1988 Tour when he was pretty raw but by the 1992 Tour he was use to the professional world of top flight league.

 

[horrie hastings]

How good was that Schofield try.

It was a cracker.

 

[Pedge1971]

one of the most exciting and electrifying i've seen.

easily in the top 5 wingers I've seen in the game.

how can you ignore 414 tries in 388 games?

if you exclude his second stint he scored he had 394 tries in 345 games

even when he came back at the age of 35 he was good for roughly a try every two games.

his time in the nrl was productive as well, 20 tries in 26 games.

Yep. Scored 20 tries and let in 40. He was shit but fast.

Jimmy the Jet without the coke habit and love for slapping around women....

 

[Vee]

Thought of this thread watching JAC last night. Chariots even quicker but not as keen to take the tough runs.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Yep. Scored 20 tries and let in 40. He was shit but fast.

Jimmy the Jet without the coke habit and love for slapping around women....

If he scored more than one try a game and, according to you, let in double that, it was remarkable that the clubs he played for won almost every trophy every year.

 

[Pedge1971]

If he scored more than one try a game and, according to you, let in double that, it was remarkable that the clubs he played for won almost every trophy every year.

I could have played for Wigan in that era and looked good. Remind me everything he won at the Roosters?

 

[East Coast Tiger]

I could have played for Wigan in that era and looked good. Remind me everything he won at the Roosters?

The point is, for someone who apparently conceded twice as many tries as he scored (and he scored more than one per game) it’s remarkable that Wigan and Widnes before that were winning premierships and Challange Cups.

Either that or he clearly didn’t concede more tries than he scored.

 

[Pedge1971]

The point is, for someone who apparently conceded twice as many tries as he scored (and he scored more than one per game) it’s remarkable that Wigan and Widnes before that were winning premierships and Challange Cups.

Either that or he clearly didn’t concede more tries than he scored.

The guy was a turnstile and overrated. Just like James Roberts.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

The guy was a turnstile and overrated. Just like James Roberts.

Yep and Churchill and Gasnier were a pair of plods too.

 

[Pedge1971]

That'll do me. Likens Chariots to immortals. He was flat out cracking a spot in one of the worst decades of Roosters teams ever.

But do go on...

 

[typicalfan]

Yep and Churchill and Gasnier were a pair of plods too.

Where is the relevance?

 

[typicalfan]

If he scored more than one try a game and, according to you, let in double that, it was remarkable that the clubs he played for won almost every trophy every year.

Not out here. The Dragons made 2 straight grand finals after he left.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Not out here. The Dragons made 2 straight grand finals after he left.

Ah so that was the reason. Once Chook Herron was in the side things really took off.

 

[Pedge1971]

Ah so that was the reason. Once Chook Herron was in the side things really took off.

Chook was about on a par with Offiah so no.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Chook was about on a par with Offiah so no.

Must have been the bike pants then.

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

It is irrelevant how good the Eastern Suburbs team was when he played for them,. The fact is that he scored a heap load of tries. Nobody could emulate him.

Among wingers Martin Offiah was the knee's bees. There has never been anyone like him in Australian rugby league and there probably never will be.