The best full back ever

[Old Timer]

Dennis Preston, who kept Chang in the centres until Norm Provan took over as coach.

Not quite right
D P came into 1st grade in 66 for a few games and then played full seasons in 67, 68.
Sticks retired the year before.
D P didn’t keep Changa in the centres rather with the loss of Gasnier Changa & Smithy both played centre to fill the gap which was huge and DP was adequate as a F B

 

[denis preston]

I suspect that @denis preston probably does.

Yep, young back amongst legands. Played fullback, wing & centre. Solid first grader

 

[denis preston]

Not quite right
D P came into 1st grade in 66 for a few games and then played full seasons in 67, 68.
Sticks retired the year before.
D P didn’t keep Changa in the centres rather with the loss of Gasnier Changa & Smithy both played centre to fill the gap which was huge and DP was adequate as a F B

Ken Maddison played centre in 66/67/68. Smithy never played centre again after 64 or 65. Played for Australia as a 7 from 1966 onwards.

 

[Sage63]

Not quite right
D P came into 1st grade in 66 for a few games and then played full seasons in 67, 68.
Sticks retired the year before.
D P didn’t keep Changa in the centres rather with the loss of Gasnier Changa & Smithy both played centre to fill the gap which was huge and DP was adequate as a F

Hey there OT, I distinctly remember Provan saying when he took over again as coach, that Chang was not a centre, that he was a fullback. correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[bazza]

not sure if he will be better than Darren South

 

[bazza]

Also David Riolo from the Steelers

 

[Saints Forever]

Yep, young back amongst legands. Played fullback, wing & centre. Solid first grader

Yep, we could do with the Preston of 1967 right now

 

[Como Connection]

Glenn Burgess was a pretty handy fullback also. Occasionally has a beer at Tugun Surf Club. Good guy.
CC

 

[Dragon set in stone.]

Glenn Burgess was a pretty handy fullback also. Occasionally has a beer at Tugun Surf Club. Good guy.
CC

85 grand final he stepped up was under extreme pressure and handled well.

 

[Como Connection]

85 grand final he stepped up was under extreme pressure and handled well.

And they changed the rules the following year to a 25 tap instead of having to drop out after taking the ball on the full in the in goal.
CC

 

[Old Timer]

Sage 63
Apologies champion I was only thinking about the years when Norm was captain / coach and completely forgot about Sticks just coaching us in 68.

Preston played that entire year at 1 so you are no doubt correct in Sticks somewhat misguided assumption.

 

[AyiosYiorgos]

Glenn Burgess was a pretty handy fullback also. Occasionally has a beer at Tugun Surf Club. Good guy.
CC

Burgess was one of the best takers of bombs, that 85 GF he caught so many

 

[redVinme]

From the mad dragons vodcast, taken from FB.

GREAT IN ATTACK, BUT HE CAN'T TACKLE?

Or can he? Let's have a look at the 17 fullbacks in the competition during the first 4 rounds of the 2024 season. Yes I know it's a small sample size, but lets try not to judge players based on what they did or didn't do in 2023 and instead have a look at what they've actually done this year. Maybe some players actually put hard work in during the off season to improve in this area and maybe we should start to recognise that hard work. All I can do is show you the facts. it's up to you how you interpret these facts. So lets rank all 17 fullbacks based on their defensive efficiency this year:

1. Reece Walsh - I’ve criticised his defence in the past, but his start to the year before injury has been solid. Not a lot of volume defensively, but he has yet to miss a tackle in 2024 so is 12 from 12 at 100% efficiency

2. Taine Tuaupiki - He was the back up for the Warriors with CNK out injured and now he’s been injured as well, but hard to fault the rookies work defensively making 14 from 15 tackles at 93.3% efficiency

3. Tyrell Sloan - There’s an argument that he’s been the most impressive defensively of all the fullbacks in the competition. Only Will Kennedy has made more tackles than the Dragons custodian, while Kennedy has missed almost triple the number of tackles that Sloan has. Sloan has made 26 tackles from the 29 attempted at 89.7%

4. Jahream Bula - like the top 2 Bula only has the 3 games compared to Sloan with 4, but for Bula it’s because his team had a bye. Pretty reliable defensively and a touch busier than the top 2 with 15 from 17 tackles at 88.2%

5. Latrell Mitchell - A bigger body it is expected that Mitchell will be fairly capable defensively. Not as busy as Sloan in this area of the game and the same number of missed tackles 18 from 21 at 85.7%

6. James Tedesco - 24 from 29 at 82.8%

7. Ryan Papenhuyzen - 8 from 10 at 80%

7. Hamiso Tabuai Fidow - 12 from 15 at 80%

9. Will Kennedy - 27 from 35 at 77.1%

10. Scott Drinkwater - 16 from 21 at 76.2%

11. Jordan Rapana - 25 from 33 at 75.8%

11. Dylan Edwards - 25 from 33 at 75.8%

13. Tom Trbojevic - 13 from 18 at 72.2%

14. Keano Kini - 10 from 14 at 71.4%

15. Blake Taafe - 17 from 24 at 70.8%

16. Kalyn Ponga - 11 from 16 at 68.8%

17. Clint Gutherson - 12 from 18 at 66.7%

 

[Slippery Morris]

The last 2 fullbacks are a shock. You would never think they would be that far down the list yet are spoken of so highly. Saints fans are hard markers that is for sure.

 

[Slippery Morris]

Another stat. Sloan is the top try scorer of all the fullbacks. 1 of the 4 games Saints were scoreless and the others they scored a total of 13 tries. Sloan scored 6 of them .

 

[hook hook]

Another stat. Sloan is the top try scorer of all the fullbacks. 1 of the 4 games Saints were scoreless and the others they scored a total of 13 tries. Sloan scored 6 of them .

View attachment 86143

Not only the fullbacks, equal first of the whole comp. Huge effort

 

[Sage63]

Not only the fullbacks, equal first of the whole comp. Huge effort

With the proper coaching and guidance, this kid has a great future!

 

[blue bags]

Or Lord Ted or Brian Johnson

Mick Potter

 

[blue bags]

Also David Riolo from the Steelers

Steelers legend fullback
Dorothy

 

[2010Dragons]

1. Changa
2. day light
3. more day light
4. Lord Ted
5 Darius Boyd