Sonny Bill Williams,Benji Marshall and Greg Inglis?

[The_Savage_1]

Those are not GF stats!

http://www.nrl.com/Season2006/SeasonMatchStats/tabid/386/statsid/50020063001/matchid/452/Default.aspx :shock:

 

[Balmain_Boy]

It's bullsh*t to say that out of sight out of mind doesn't have an effect. People don't forget what Benji and SBW can do, it's just Inglis' feats are more fresh in the mind and have that little bit extra force. Can't believe anyone would argue with that to be honest.

 

[nqboy]

And karmichael desrved to win the Rookie of the Year, played every game and scored 17 tries in the process, so if your point is we've forgotten how good K-Hunt is, I certainly have'nt. I rate him in the SBW and Greg Inglis class.

Now you're just being silly. Special K is potentially a very fine player. SBW and Joe are potentially all-time greats.

 

[nqboy]

I'm surprised that Benji has attracted more votes than SBW. He's has an incomparable step but not the all-round game of the other two IMO.

 

[Balmain_Boy]

Neither Inglis or SBW have Benji's playmaking ability.

Watch our game against Melbourne at Leichhardt and you'll see Benji through a bullet pass that cut out four men for a try. Neither Inglis or SBW will EVER be able to do that. That's why I find it so odd that people wax lyrical about Inglis' and SBW's all round games. Benji is more of a footballer than either of the two imo. What they have on him is great defence and sheer atheleticism.

 

[Tommy Smith]

Does he have the same ability to create confusion and make opposition defenders stand off him at the line becasue you dont know what hes going to do? - I think you knew the answer to this as you were typing it.

Yes i do know the answer. No forward or outside back puts as much confusion into the opposition and makes them as nervous as Sonny-Bill, especially in the 20m zone. This is because he can break tackles, punch through the line and off-load, come up with a flick pass from nowhere when you think the play is dead, he also has the speed/footwork to change direction and get on the outside of defenders and because of all this he puts the opposition defenders in two minds.

As good as Inglis is, like Gasnier, its generally a matter of "you know he's going to run at you" but can you stop him. And just like Gasnier its sometimes nearly impossible because when he creates a one-on-one (or even a one-on-two) he'll either run past the defender or send someone else away to the tryline. But atleast you know what you have to stop, which Berrigan did perfectly in the GF (ofcourse it doesnt always work like that, infact very rarely it would seem). But with Sonny-Bill its generally more complicated when trying to stop him because he is by far the most talented attacking forward in the game.

This doesnt necessarily make Inglis or Gasnier inferior players. Instead this merely confirms that these players have different attributes/qualities/roles to play...and no doubt that Sonny-Bill and Inglis/Gasnier are the best at their respective crafts.

 

[Noa]

Now you're just being silly. Special K is potentially a very fine player. SBW and Joe are potentially all-time greats.

I agree not quite as good,but he does deserve to be in the discussion. I think you'll really see his game take off once Locky retires or he moves to 5/8, whichever comes first.

 

[Tommy Smith]

Neither Inglis or SBW have Benji's playmaking ability.

Watch our game against Melbourne at Leichhardt and you'll see Benji through a bullet pass that cut out four men for a try. Neither Inglis or SBW will EVER be able to do that. That's why I find it so odd that people wax lyrical about Inglis' and SBW's all round games. Benji is more of a footballer than either of the two imo. What they have on him is great defence and sheer atheleticism.

Like i said, Benji will always be the more valuable of the three. That's because he's the number one playmaker on his team; and an elite half/5-8 is like a QB - simply irreplaceable to a teams chances.

Interesting point ive put in bold. Does being a half/5-8 naturally make someone a better footballer? Is Benji a better footballer than Shane Webcke or Gorden Tallis because he can throw a cut out pass and a flick pass and they cant?

 

[Balmain_Boy]

I see the game in a certain way: It's played by footballers and athletes. Obviously some players are both. Some might argue that it's a pretty artificial distinction and to an extent it is.

But examples are fullbacks like Hornby and Hodgson who have terrific footballing brains. Their danger comes from their ability to set other players up etc. Then you have blokes like Minichello and Hodges who are more dangerous players, but do it primarily through athetlic ability. Obviously this is all personal opinion. When applying it to these three as footballers I rate the order Benji, SBW then Inglis.

I think halves, hookers and fullback naturally have to understand the game better than any other players on the pitch. For this reason I would say most players in this position are better footballers than their counterparts. That's not to say they are better PLAYERS.

 

[Noa]

Yes i do know the answer. No forward or outside back puts as much confusion into the opposition and makes them as nervous as Sonny-Bill, especially in the 20m zone. This is because he can break tackles, punch through the line and off-load, come up with a flick pass from nowhere when you think the play is dead, he also has the speed/footwork to change direction and get on the outside of defenders and because of all this he puts the opposition defenders in two minds.

As good as Inglis is, like Gasnier, its generally a matter of "you know he's going to run at you" but can you stop him. And just like Gasnier its sometimes nearly impossible because when he creates a one-on-one (or even a one-on-two) he'll either run past the defender or send someone else away to the tryline. But atleast you know what you have to stop, which Berrigan did perfectly in the GF (ofcourse it doesnt always work like that, infact very rarely it would seem). But with Sonny-Bill its generally more complicated when trying to stop him because he is by far the most talented attacking forward in the game.

This doesnt necessarily make Inglis or Gasnier inferior players. Instead this merely confirms that these players have different attributes/qualities/roles to play...and no doubt that Sonny-Bill and Inglis/Gasnier are the best at their respective crafts.

Come on, you know teams are absolutley sh*tting themselves whenever they see GI about to get the ball, more then SBW who knows, lets ask an NRL coach.The grand final was a case in point. I've never seen a player so young having to play against a defence specifically designed to nullify him.

Its interesting you highlight SBW threat in the 20m zone and how teams are panicing when he gets the ball, well the same panic-mode occurs for GI..... 80m up the other end of the field.

Look I agree SBW ability to off-load is a plus for him but alot of the time (at this stage of his career) it's also been a negative, so dont kid yourself thinking that GI cant slip a nice pass away to put some-one in a hole (Matt King V Canberra was a glimpse) It's something we will see alot more of next year with a flying Billy Slater being the recipient.

Regarding the Athlete v Footballer debate it comes down to this, you can have a longer career being a good footballer and a average athlete but I'm not so sure the other way around.

If were rating these three as footballers again I'd have Inglis as #1. How many errors in judgment did you see him make last year. Particulary at fullback where he read the play like a 10 year veteran. Sonny and to a lesser extent Benji are guilty of over-playing there hand now and again.

I'll just add that I'm splitting hairs talking about SBW and GI. The two finest players of their age I've seen. Its just that I have leaning to GI. Mind you David Taylor will be in there class.

 

[Nathan B]

I haven't read every post in this thread, so this might have been discussed...

We shouldn't forget that while the Bulldogs look to Sonny for attacking inspiration just like the Tigers and Storm look towards Benji and Inglis, Sonny is also asked to do a much tougher job than the other two, especially for someone so young - playing at forward in the toughest sport in the world. Benji and Inglis are not given the ball with the job of running straight at the Toni Carrols of the competition, nor are they asked to tackle the Shane Webckes. Sonny is expected to do this on multiple occasions throughout the game, as well as the linebreaks, off-loads and all the other fancy stuff. Ask Benji and Inglis to make 30 tackles against the oppositions biggest and toughest, and then ask them to run the length of the field or throw cut-out passes. They'd find it very tough.

How do I rank them...

In terms of what they've achieved so far...
1. Sonny - has the ring!
2. Benji - has the ring!
3. Inglis

In terms of potential
1. Sonny and Inglis - not prepared to split them
3. Benji - very close.

 

[ledzep]

Let's just hope they can all stay on the field for a long time

 

[innsaneink]

Let's just hope they can all stay on the field for a long time

aye

 

[Mr Angry]

Inglis.

yep........

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I wouldn't say this became any clearer over the years.

Inglis will go down as having the best career because SBW left the game...but SBW came back into the game after 5 years out and was immediately probably the best player in the premiership winning side. If anything, SBW's return just proved that he could just as easily have been "the man" from 2008-2012.

Inglis has racked up an amazing list of accomplishments...but many of those club accomplishments are tainted by playing in an over-the-cap side. Over the cap or not, playing alongside the big 3 (two of them among the best ever in their position) Inglis never really had the job of being the main man for his team.

Benji is probably looking like a distant 3rd now but even he has claims...2010-2011ish he had his second wind and was as good as anyone.

 

[Dave_]

Marshall at his peak. Unbelievable to watch.

 

[Charlie124]

Over their whole career, id still take Inglis. But if you could have one of them at their best at all times, id take Benji every day of the week.

 

[super_coach]

Inglis by a mile,can attack and defend and very very rarely has a bad game. Also the bigger the game the better he goes

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

He was awfully quiet in origin this year.

Inglis has also gone missing in finals over the last couple of years.

No doubt he is devastating but he is by no means perfect.

 

[taste2taste]

Ha! gotta love revisiting an old thread.

With hindsight obviously Inglis is the clear winner.

Interestingly Inglis is the only one that still has his freakish athleticism, sbw and benji have lost their speed and footwork.

Its a shame sbw spent his prime years in rugby, if you watch him from his doggies days (below) he was much better compared to what we saw at the chooks.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkwcK2UVs0k