RLW: Best player over the last 30 years?

[innsaneink]

The correct answer is Brett Kenny

Hard to argue with that

 

[_Johnsy]

Bert is the best 5/8 I've seen

 

[Dave Q]

Bob Lindner is the best player I have ever seen play Rugby League.

So many top players noted....Craig Gower shouldnt be left out of honorable mentions..

 

[Phil McGrawhan]

Johns for me by a good 1/2 length over walter. Johns will always have the most dominant origin performance ever, with massive questions hanging over him before the game. Simply the best big game player ever.

One dominant game in SOO compared to Wally's countless dominant games at SOO level .
Wally also had to dominate under the 5 mtr rule ..much less time to pull off a great play.

 

[Titanic]

Everybody can quote "great games or moments" but Lewis did it unfit, week in week out amongst a group of other guys who constantly tried to take his head off. He also had to play in the old version of the Qld Cup/State League where the bush ref's like Gomersall would let the local lads earn a reputation.

Johns was a great player but a protected species (not his fault perhaps but the rules had changed in his favour). Kenny was a friggin' genius until he came up against Lewis. Boyd, pound for pound, was another stand out never mentioned - if Meninga just had to turn up then the opposition just hoped that Boyd didn't. I hate to admit it as a Queenslander but the next best after Lewis was Lamb imho - he was tough, innovative and stuck it out when the whole deck seemed stacked against him.

As for the argument about comparing positions, like it or lump he who touches the ball the most is going to get the plaudits, so on that subject I would like to include B. Elias the stereotypical nuisance of all opposition.

 

[STSAE]

Terry Lamb.

:lol: :lol:

 

[_Johnsy]

One dominant game in SOO compared to Wally's countless dominant games at SOO level .
Wally also had to dominate under the 5 mtr rule ..much less time to pull off a great play.

Wall never dominated a soo game to the level johns did that night. Add the lead up johns had. Wally had countless MOM's yes, countless dominant sections of those games yes, dominant for the entire 80 minutes, no.

The play was slower then, the defence moved nowhere near as quickly, wally was fuggin great. Not as good as Johns IMO, close, but joey's got him covered.

 

[gottabegood]

Everybody can quote "great games or moments" but Lewis did it unfit, week in week out amongst a group of other guys who constantly tried to take his head off. He also had to play in the old version of the Qld Cup/State League where the bush ref's like Gomersall would let the local lads earn a reputation.

Johns was a great player but a protected species (not his fault perhaps but the rules had changed in his favour). Kenny was a friggin' genius until he came up against Lewis. Boyd, pound for pound, was another stand out never mentioned - if Meninga just had to turn up then the opposition just hoped that Boyd didn't. I hate to admit it as a Queenslander but the next best after Lewis was Lamb imho - he was tough, innovative and stuck it out when the whole deck seemed stacked against him.

As for the argument about comparing positions, like it or lump he who touches the ball the most is going to get the plaudits, so on that subject I would like to include B. Elias the stereotypical nuisance of all opposition.

Mate, from memory, I'm pretty sure that Kenny came out on top (over Lewis) when they both played at 5/8 and or NSW came away with a win more often than not. Unfortunately for whatever bizarre logic, the selectors stuck this legend at centre a few too many times.

 

[Parra]

Kenny was a friggin' genius until he came up against Lewis.

Reverse the names and you are spot on.

Kenny was that good that Wally Lewis had to play lock for the Kangaroos.

Read Wally's autobiography - He rates Kenny 1st and daylight second.

Brett Kenny did the lot.

 

[Mortar]

Wally Lewis is best player i have seen in state, international and club footy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGYrHIvAnLU

 

[Whats Doing]

Lewis was the best player when he played for the Broncs and the Seagulls. Who's kidding who -

 

[pennywisealfie]

yep, wally lewis only played 4 seasons of club rugby league. before then he only played 3 origin games a year and tests for australia.

 

[icewind]

i guess just because it wasn't the nswrl, playing in the brisbane league, and for Wakefield doesn't count. Sydney-centric much?

 

[Whats Doing]

i guess just because it wasn't the nswrl, playing in the brisbane league, and for Wakefield doesn't count. Sydney-centric much?

Your right. As we are talking about the best player in the last 30 years, the Brisbane comp in those days doesn't stack up. The difference in standard between the NSW and Brisbane leagues prior to the expansion in 1988 was enormous. Now that not being Sydney centric, thats stating the facts.

Don't get me wrong, he was a good player but I don't think 4 ordinary years in the NRL and 3 state of origin games per year stacks up as the most outstandiong player over the last 30 years.

 

[dallymessenger]

Everybody can quote "great games or moments" but Lewis did it unfit, week in week out amongst a group of other guys who constantly tried to take his head off. He also had to play in the old version of the Qld Cup/State League where the bush ref's like Gomersall would let the local lads earn a reputation.

Johns was a great player but a protected species (not his fault perhaps but the rules had changed in his favour). Kenny was a friggin' genius until he came up against Lewis. Boyd, pound for pound, was another stand out never mentioned - if Meninga just had to turn up then the opposition just hoped that Boyd didn't. I hate to admit it as a Queenslander but the next best after Lewis was Lamb imho - he was tough, innovative and stuck it out when the whole deck seemed stacked against him.

As for the argument about comparing positions, like it or lump he who touches the ball the most is going to get the plaudits, so on that subject I would like to include B. Elias the stereotypical nuisance of all opposition.

BS. lewis played in a substandard brisbane club competition for most of his career, and made little impact on the ARL when he played.

johns excelled in the arl / nrl for 15 yrs. newcastle won 2 gf agaisnt massive odds because of him.

how the heck is joey a protected species. the guy was in there ripping in defence, tackling like a forward.

his neck and back injuries are testimony to a player that did his work in defence, unlike many halfbacks these days, esp. kimmorley

 

[dallymessenger]

Wall never dominated a soo game to the level johns did that night. Add the lead up johns had. Wally had countless MOM's yes, countless dominant sections of those games yes, dominant for the entire 80 minutes, no.

The play was slower then, the defence moved nowhere near as quickly, wally was fuggin great. Not as good as Johns IMO, close, but joey's got him covered.

that was an amazing performance

 

[coolumsharkie]

his neck and back injuries are testimony to a player that did his work in defence, unlike many halfbacks these days, esp. kimmorley

So you dont think Kimmorely is a good defender?

Not that I care so much but why single him out? There are heaps of players that were worse defenders than TTG. Defense is not his real weak point.

 

[dallymessenger]

So you dont think Kimmorely is a good defender?

Not that I care so much but why single him out? There are heaps of players that were worse defenders than TTG. Defense is not his real weak point.

cause he hides on the wing most of the times in defence unlike johns who defended 3 in.

 

[coolumsharkie]

cause he hides on the wing most of the times in defence unlike johns who defended 3 in.

Don't let the truth get in the way mate.

 

[adamkungl]

Fittler gets my vote, *possible* bias. Made the Roosters the top side they were for 10 years, not only by his brilliance, but led by example, an inspirational captain. Frequently turned a game on his own, and a top notch defender. Sonny Bill can attest to that . His influence made some players look better than they were. I'm certain some Roosters owe their rep careers to Fittler. I'm not old enough to remember the earlier of those plays, but Fittler made Lockyer and Johns his bitch many a time. (And vice verca but i'd rather not remember that)