Where will SBW rank among the game's best ever second rowers?

[TheDalek079]

In 2004 a fresh faced Sonny Bill burst onto the scene and was one of the best second rowers of the year.

Following on from that, he became the best second rower in the game at the time, and arguably the best player.

Then he walks out of the Bulldogs and Rugby League.

Five years later he returns. The game has moved on. But it takes Sonny Bill only a couple of weeks to return to form. Within a month he's the game's leading backrower again, exhibiting exceptional skills.



Where will he rate among the game's finest back rowers? How will he compare to Ronny Coote, Proven, Raper and the others? Is he good enough to be labelled the best second rower of the modern era? Does his 2008 walkout mean that you'll exclude him from any alltime great discussion?

 

[neutralsupporter]

He's better than all

 

[Marshall_magic]

He'd be ranked similarly to how Tuqiri would rank among wingers imo. Highly talented, plenty of ability, excelled when he was there, but spent too much time in rugby to be seriously considered among the best.

 

[Charlie124]

Somewhere in the top 350 backrowers of the last 15-20 years.

 

[neutralsupporter]

Who would be better than him then :lol: you can name 100 wingers better than Tuqiri but not 100 second rowers better than SBw

 

[Brutus]

He's up there with Neil Piccinelli.

 

[Raider_69]

skill level? Quite highly, he's one of if not the most skillful back rower of all time.

Player resume wise?
Not near the top echelon. Clyde, BK, Menzies are three immediate names that spring to mind

 

[umina panther]

In 04 Johns, Locky anf Fittler were still playing so he wasn't close to even being in the top 3 players

 

[gUt]

Perhaps better than Ben Creagh

 

[GONZO72]

Somewhere in the top 350 backrowers of the last 15-20 years.

Grow up

 

[bor]

Perhaps better than Ben Creagh

Oh please, Creagh wouldn't be worthy of holding Sonny's discarded toilet paper

 

[Tommy Smith]

Raider_69 is spot on.

In terms of resume he currently sits well below the modern day greats like Clyde and Tallis.

But if I was picking a team to play for my life then I wouldn't even blink before choosing SBW over anyone; including Coote, Provan and Raper.

 

[The Phelan Folly]

Grow up

:lol::lol::lol: gonzo, you are a constant source of amusement to me.:lol::lol:

 

[aqua_duck]

Raider_69 is spot on.

In terms of resume he currently sits well below the modern day greats like Clyde and Tallis.

But if I was picking a team to play for my life then I wouldn't even blink before choosing SBW over anyone; including Coote, Provan and Raper.

Agreed, the bloke is top class, if he played in the 60s and 70s he would've been absolutely unstoppable

 

[GONZO72]

Fantastic thread.

I am probably best qualified to answer this question, having watched decades of rugby league .

The question is....does SBW tick all the boxes ?
Abolutely.

Sonny Bill Williams is without doubt the greatest secondrower of the modern era. No one can do, what he has done. He scores tries, creates tries, offloads in traffic constantly, great defender....he has it all.

How many players can come back to rugby lesgue after 5 years out, and dominate like he has?
He has treated some teams this year with contempt, particularly the bulldogs, who he manhandled twice this year.
It took him about 2 weeks to get back in the swing of things, since then he has been outstanding. No other backrower , would command as much money on the open market, as SBW.

MY TOP 10 BACKROWERS SINCE 1970
1-SONNY BILL WILLIAMS
2-BRADLEY CLYDE
3- RON COOTE
4-BOB McCARTHY
5- MALCOLM REILLY
6-SAM BURGESS
7-RAY PRICE
8-GORDEN TALLIS
9-ROD REDDY
10-LES BOYD

 

[Lockyer4President!]

What MM said, same as Tuqiri.

 

[Card Shark]

I thought he was a centre. Has a long way to go as a 2nd rower. Not to say he won't / isnt though.

 

[GONZO72]

Raider_69 is spot on.

In terms of resume he currently sits well below the modern day greats like Clyde and Tallis.

But if I was picking a team to play for my life then I wouldn't even blink before choosing SBW over anyone; including Coote, Provan and Raper.

Raider 69 and you have little idea about rugby league. I would suggest, both of you, need to build a bridge and get over it.

SBW can do everything that Tallis can do, only better.

Tell me, what did Tallis do, that Sonny can't ?

Both of you, need to move on.

 

[Tommy Smith]

Gonzo you are my favourite troll.

That is all.

 

[Nemesis]

Not ranked by Google...not even one "SBW" found in searches for "game's best second rowers"....

try searching under "OMG"