Players who could have been

[Sydney Knight]

Last time I went to easts leagues they were checking people were circumcised at the front desk before they let you sign in.

 

[stormbati]

Matt Rua...retired too early.

Oh the hitman Rua! Still in my top 3 Storm players. Sad that he belongs in this thread though.

 

[Generalzod]

Tony Caine - promising young hooker whose career was destroyed by Steve Price diving at his knee.

Yep Steve price was the master at it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGIQ4AzzXnE

 

[nick87]

i was RIDICULOUSLY pumped about Rua signing for the Raiders... he f**king retired before completing a single minute of pre season.

 

[axl rose]

As mentioned previous, Ali Lauitiiti. He still stood out for a few years in the sub standard super league and is still playing. He was a lazy plodder though by then. They have no idea how good he really was or could be. 2001, 2002 as good as Sonny Bill at his peak.

 

[Ulysseus]

As mentioned previous, Ali Lauitiiti. He still stood out for a few years in the sub standard super league and is still playing. He was a lazy plodder though by then. They have no idea how good he really was or could be. 2001, 2002 as good as Sonny Bill at his peak.

He had the passing / offload game.
Size, power, speed - and unfortunately no work ethic apparently.

 

[gregstar]

johnny gibbs went away on the '78 kangaroo tour despite being advised against it after suffering a bad leg injury.

he was never the same player, being constantly hampered by this injury & retired a couple of seasons later relatively young.

 

[muzby]

Last time I went to easts leagues they were checking people were circumcised at the front desk before they let you sign in.

oh you went when Jermaine was working the front door..

he does that...


the other doormen just check your ID..

 

[Mr Spock!]

Paul Hauff had a great year then dropped out of sight.

Mick Pattison of the Rabbitohs was a fantastic ball player whose career was crueled by injuries.

Craig Field should never have left Souths.

There was a Rabbitoh shot in the early 70s who was billed as the next Artie. Can't remember his name.

 

[Captain Apollo]

johnny gibbs went away on the '78 kangaroo tour despite being advised against it after suffering a bad leg injury.

he was never the same player, being constantly hampered by this injury & retired a couple of seasons later relatively young.

The problem was his hamstrings.

 

[Scotty03]

Jarrod Sammut - People were talking him up as the next Darren Lockyer.

 

[betcats]

Jarrod Sammut - People were talking him up as the next Darren Lockyer.

Had plenty of heart but was way to selfish, always going for the hero play.

 

[gregstar]

Paul Hauff had a great year then dropped out of sight.

in 1991 he was awesome for the drongos, great for qld & then had an absolute shocker in the test that the kiwis belted us in. from memory he went downhill quickly from there - pity because he was a tremendous player.

 

[gregstar]

The problem was his hamstrings.

that's it - the hammys

 

[H.H]

in 1991 he was awesome for the drongos, great for qld & then had an absolute shocker in the test that the kiwis belted us in. from memory he went downhill quickly from there - pity because he was a tremendous player.

His shoulders went too which didn't help.

Read a story on him years later and he never really saw himself in the game long term as he always wanted to be a copper. So desire may have been an issue too.

What a talent though. He could really go.

 

[kbw]

Gee just because someone was average doesn't mean they belong in this thread.
e.g. Geddes and Hookey

Next someone will be mentioning Sam Obst

 

[I bleed blue & gold]

Benny Smith would of been a much better player had his knees not fu*ked up.

 

[ram raid]

Yep. Bring out his highlights for Australia. Winning NZ the game is my personal favourite. Prior to his injury, Mini was the best fullback in the game and Slater would never have taken his Kangaroos spot away from him IMO.

Slater is better in some areas, but Mini was just Damn near perfect back then.

I want some of what you're smoking.

 

[butchmcdick]

Paul Hauff had a great year then dropped out of sight.

Mick Pattison of the Rabbitohs was a fantastic ball player whose career was crueled by injuries.

Craig Field should never have left Souths.

There was a Rabbitoh shot in the early 70s who was billed as the next Artie. Can't remember his name.

Were the playing on the grassy knoll ?

 

[Jason Maher]

All due respects too Alex McKinnon he wasn't going to be anything special, was just a battler, was lucky to be in First Grade.

Five Star thread here mate . . . plenty of room for f**kwits elsewhere

Five star threads need to have minimum age restrictions

What is it with some Storm fans? I guess being hated by all and sundry has done funny things to their ability to think clearly. McKinnon was more than just a battler. Whether he would have achieved higher rep honours is anyone's guess, but I can only gather that the Storm fan quoted here never actually watched him play.

As for Pops, he has an obvious blind spot with respect to the Storm. Nothing anyone associated with that club does is ever to be criticised. Slater's well known propensity to use his feet in a way which endangers his opponents is to be swept under the carpet with a bit of messenger shooting (not to mention his cowardly attack on Jason Nightingale or his grubby headbutt battle with Jarryd Hayne). Slater's single handed awarding of the World Cup to New Zealand never happened. His propensity for a howler is not included in any analysis. He seems like a good bloke off the field, but he's a dead-set grub on it, for all his immense talent.

Smith's crime is worse, however. Signing multiple contracts and thus being complicit in systematic cheating for personal financial reward as well as on field success speaks to his character. On field grubbery is one thing (and Smith is no angel in this area), but being a liar and a cheat is far more egregious.