The top 10 best players of this time would also be the top 10 best players of all time. We're in a golden era, and also all sports just evolve. Have you seen footage of league from even the 70s? It's laughable, they all weigh about 70 kgs and are slower than dave taylor (not even an exageration), not one of them knows how to pass. Go further back in time it just gets worse. I have a 5 year old neice that can pass better than anyone could in the 70s, not even joking. She can spiral it hard into your chest left or right handed, watch fatty vautin play that silly passing game on the footy show and you'll note he can't do it left or right handed. If someone with his skill level tried to join an under 10s league team today they'd be told to go play video games.
Any kid playing league today could get in a time machine and be the best player of any time in history.
So yes, the best player right now is definitely the best player ever.
And I would argue that player is inglis, and I'd make a pretty good argument if you wanted to get into it. The only way I can see myself losing that argument would be if someone came from the "has to be a half" bullshit angle, in which case thurston would just replace inglis anyway. Admittedly not as convincingly as inglis, but like I said it's a bullshit angle anyway. The best player should display all skills, not just playmaking and kicking.
Inglis is the most monstrously talented rugby league player of all time. Most talented rugby-ball playing human ever, not even confined to league. The only better egg-shaped ball players in history have been in the nfl.
Different rules mean different attributes were important. For example:
Dropped balls and missed tackles used to mean a lot more under the 5 m rule, particularly. For a while there, state of origin was decided based on one single error. Modern players wouldnt be given the free 60 m gain they are under the current 10 m rule. In fact, if refs have a big 10 m, as opposed to a skinny 5 m, opposing teams are given about a 40 m free ride every set of 6. this makes a massive difference.
Long passes are more important in the modern game because of the quick play the ball and the distance teams are kept apart. Not often a chance to throw the long spiralling pass if your opponent is in your face and waiting for the intercept. This is why teams could often drop player out of the line to play as a second fulback, if they wanted to. Long passes around the defence were not usually possible.
Modern hookers do not know how to hook. If an old team were to play a modern team, they would not win a single scrum and therefore be completely starved of possession. No matter how good they are, they could not win without possession. Theoretically i suppose it shouldnt be too hard to learn these skills, but they would really struggle as they are now, especially with the next problem.
cheap shots in the scrum or elsewhere would leave the important players in a modern side really struggling, and to be honest, i get the feeling that despite being physically superior many modern players would really struggle to deal with the warzone that was football from the 70s.
Interchange. Without interchange, i really get the feeling that some modern forwards would struggle to carry their weight around and become serious liabilities towards the end of teh game.
