Joey or Thurston, who is GOAT?

[Tommy Smith]

You're really going to ruffle some feathers now. Cue Tommy and Unscrupulous etc.

Why? Whilst everyone has some degree of bias, I try as best I can to keep mine in check.

Slater is comfortably the best fullback I've ever seen. His consistency of elite performance over 15 years was remarkable.

And Lockyer belongs in the same echelon of greats as Slater - alongside the likes of Smith, JT, Joey and Freddy as far as post-2000 players go.

As far as talent goes I'd argue that SBW comfortably belongs in this group though hasn't earned the right to sit beside them due to his relatively short stint in the game.

Minichiello is a class below these guys. His peak was absolutely amazing as he wrecked Qld for a few years and dominated at club level; though even then he wasn't as good as peak Slater because he wasn't a ball player.

Nevertheless I'm proud that Mini saved his one great pass for the go ahead try in the 2013 GF where he planted that looping long spiral ball on the fly right onto SKDs chest. Legend.

 

[This Year?]

Why? Whilst everyone has some degree of bias, I try as best I can to keep mine in check.

Slater is comfortably the best fullback I've ever seen. His consistency of elite performance over 15 years was remarkable.

And Lockyer belongs in the same echelon of greats as Slater - alongside the likes of Smith, JT, Joey and Freddy as far as post-2000 players go.

As far as talent goes I'd argue that SBW comfortably belongs in this group though hasn't earned the right to sit beside them due to his relatively short stint in the game.

Minichiello is a class below these guys. His peak was absolutely amazing as he wrecked Qld for a few years and dominated at club level; though even then he wasn't as good as peak Slater because he wasn't a ball player.

Nevertheless I'm proud that Mini saved his one great pass for the go ahead try in the 2013 GF where he planted that looping long spiral ball on the fly right onto SKDs chest. Legend.

I disagree on the Slater front. Don't get me wrong, he is a great player also made to look better by the players around him. I think Lockyer was a better fullback than Slater on the basis the he would almost always create something. Minichello was probably the best kick returner I have ever seen. Slater tried to emulate these qualities of both Mini and Lockyer.

 

[TheFrog]

Minichiello is a class below these guys.

His 2003 GF performance was Hunt-like. His second dropped bomb led to the winning try.

 

[unforgiven]

The first part hasn't always been the case and the second is just your opinion.

Doesn't matter if it hasn't always been the case, it taints his judgement. It is also not just my opinion but is the opinion of a lot of people. He is incapable of any indepth analysis of a game and his knowledge of the rules of the game is terrible and he professes to be knowledgeable of the rules. I would actually trust your judgement over his.

Anyway Slater was a great fullback, he didn't develop his ball playing ability till very late in his career and in fact very rarely passed the ball for the first decade. Which is probably why his ball playing ability got to where it did as he spent the first 10 years running so when he eventually passed everyone was caught by surprise.

He was a great fullback but I would have Locky ahead of him.

 

[Whip Whitaker]

Mini was just about the best player in the comp and was a golden boot winner, premiership winning captain, star in 3 straight series wins in Origin, Wally Lewis medal winner and starred in numerous test matches. He was basically unstoppable before injuries set in but was still a very reliable player.

Since your an old Tigers man do you believe that Brasher shouldn’t be mentioned in the great fullback discussions in spite of his awesome performances for NSW and Australia?

The best NSW players discussed in here, like Mini and Joey, seem to have a couple of dominant years. The QLD players of the last decade have dominated the whole decade.

 

[typicalfan]

Slaters coming of age year was 2008 aside from the WC final disaster his year was very strong.

Slater much much better in defense than Locky or Mini especially positionally and organising the line. Also Slater has more involvements than Locky or Mini.
Watching him on tv doesn't do him justice.

I think there is something about a player who comes into the comp as a rash hot headed athlete who was prone to mistakes at any point during a game became arguably the most consistent and best defensive fullback at least in my time.

Don't underestimate his longevity too overcoming bad shoulder injuries to come back and win a comp.

 

[King hit]

The best NSW players discussed in here, like Mini and Joey, seem to have a couple of dominant years. The QLD players of the last decade have dominated the whole decade.

Johns had many dominant years in Origin. Mini never let the Blues down and played some awesome games across a range of years.

 

[The Book of Steeden]

Minichello doesn’t belong in the same breath as Lockyer and Slater

I am speaking of Minichiello prior to his back injury. There is a very respectable case he was better than Slater. People forget because their memory of him is mostly after the injury.

He was never the same player from 2006 (just 26 years old) onward.

 

[Rhino_NQ]

You could use slaters spot on the all time try scoring list as a gauge at his greatest if a good chunk of those wasn’t playing off the back of an illegal side

 

[The Book of Steeden]

Slaters coming of age year was 2008 aside from the WC final disaster his year was very strong.

Slater much much better in defense than Locky or Mini especially positionally and organising the line. Also Slater has more involvements than Locky or Mini.
Watching him on tv doesn't do him justice.

I think there is something about a player who comes into the comp as a rash hot headed athlete who was prone to mistakes at any point during a game became arguably the most consistent and best defensive fullback at least in my time.

Don't underestimate his longevity too overcoming bad shoulder injuries to come back and win a comp.

Slater lacked Minichiello’s stopping power of the bigger men near the line.

 

[Perth Red]

If I wanted to win a GF it would be Johns, if I wanted a franchise player for the club it would be Thurston, but if I was starting a new club and could choose any player I've seen play over last 40 years as the clubs foundation captain it would be without a doubt Cameron Smith. Not sure if it makes him the GOAT but he would be the first name on my time travelling recruitment list.

 

[The Book of Steeden]

His 2003 GF performance was Hunt-like. His second dropped bomb led to the winning try.

I could do this with Slater, citing his World Cup Final in 2008. Minichiello at least had the excuse of wet weather.

 

[The Book of Steeden]

I don’t blame non-Roosters fans who forget how impossible to tackle Minichiello was, because more than half of his career was after the injury, from which he was never the same.

Myself, I have a large collection of Roosters matches, & I at least somewhat regularly watch them - many from the 2000-05 era when Minichiello was at his most devastating. Easy for me to be reminded of how great he was - but other fans?

It’s pretty easy to think of more recent versions of him. At the height of his powers, he was debatably Slater’s superior.

It’s a real shame fate prevented the two from battling for the Australian no. 1 jersey on even terms for ten years or more.

 

[The Book of Steeden]

If I wanted to win a GF it would be Johns, if I wanted a franchise player for the club it would be Thurston, but if I was starting a new club and could choose any player I've seen play over last 40 years as the clubs foundation captain it would be without a doubt Cameron Smith. Not sure if it makes him the GOAT but he would be the first name on my time travelling recruitment list.

Ahead of Fittler or Lockyer? Big call. Not sure I’d agree.

 

[Perth Red]

Ahead of Fittler or Lockyer? Big call. Not sure I’d agree.

Yep as the complete package on and off the field for a new club I couldn't go past Smith. I wouldn't say no to either of them as second choice though, well maybe not Freddie off the field!

 

[Whip Whitaker]

Johns had many dominant years in Origin. Mini never let the Blues down and played some awesome games across a range of years.

Not as many as Thurston and Smith. Not nearly as much success either.

 

[The Book of Steeden]

Now as many as Thurston and Smith. Not nearly as much success either.

Perhaps if Johns spent several years playing against a QLD equivalent of the likes of Mitchell Pearce, Ben Creagh, Kurt Gidley, Brent Kite, & Jason Ryles, he would have?

 

[Dingo_dan]

Thurston had 5 man of the match awards to Joeys 4.

Joey was man of the series for probably the 96, 02, 03 series and probabaly would have been man of the series in 05 as well if he played in all games.

It's funny, Thurston has a slightly better win rate than Joey, But also has a bigger loss rate as well. After the 95 series disaster (as a rookie) Joey went on to be the Player of the world cup (again as a rookie) and only ever lost an Origin series once again before retiring in 2005. To say Joey didn't dominate for a long period of time takes some pretty thick maroon goggles

 

[King hit]

Johns probably should’ve won man of the series in 2005 as you don’t need to play every game to get it

 

[Reflector]

I question whether there will ever be a more over-rated player in the game’s history than Thurston. He’s a legitimate all-time great player, I’m not criticising him when I say he’s over-rated, but legitimately superior players like Lockyer & Fittler attracted one-tenth the level of adulation Thurston has in his career.

The idea of him being better than Johns? Stop it.

Lockyer achieved plenty of adulation, especially in 2010-11 when he finished up his career. The Darren love-fest in the media (especially in Qld) in 2011 was right up there with the fawning over JT in the second half of last season.