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

[Slug]

Fair enough.

But anyone who can't see that SBW is one of the greatest forwards of all-time has some serious mental issues.

On the contrary, anyone who does has. Like yourself.

He would not be in the top ten 2nd rowers, even since the NRL came about.

You're deluded.

 

[TheFrog]

Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane.

 

[Perth Red]

Hands of Cheetah, what is it with top second rowers who cant hold onto their balls?

 

[nrlnrl]

He's very talented, but has a bad habit of doing nothing in games or over playing his role when trying to force offloads that lead to errors / turnovers. Then when he has a blinder, certain people in the media go berserk & label him one of the best players of all time. I believe he isn't consistent & there's too much of a gap between his best & his worst games.

Sorry Roosters fans who I've upset, you are entitled to your opinion & what I've said doesn't mean I'm right or you are wrong. It's just another thread on a forum & people need to realise there is a difference between opinion & fact.

 

[Walpole]

Very talented player but he's not a leader on the field and very rarely does he take a game by the scruff of the neck. And if comparing him to second rowers from other era's are we talking about moving Sonny Bill to the 60's and 70's or those players coming into play now. Pretty sure Les Boyd would have shortened him up back in the 70's...

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Fair enough.

But anyone who can't see that SBW is one of the greatest forwards of all-time has some serious mental issues.

Nah. You can't play for 4 seasons, shaft your teammates and club, come back for two years and f**k off again and say you're one of the greatest. Not to mention he's achieved zero at Test level, and shat on his country as well.

Done FA this year. Heads already out the door.

 

[Hutty1986]

Tommy's continual arse-licking of SBW never fails to bring the laughs.

 

[macnaz]

Very talented player but he's not a leader on the field and very rarely does he take a game by the scruff of the neck. And if comparing him to second rowers from other era's are we talking about moving Sonny Bill to the 60's and 70's or those players coming into play now. Pretty sure Les Boyd would have shortened him up back in the 70's...

So true.. even Cement or the axe would have shown him for the prettyboy he is.

 

[souths_pride]

Very talented player but he's not a leader on the field and very rarely does he take a game by the scruff of the neck. And if comparing him to second rowers from other era's are we talking about moving Sonny Bill to the 60's and 70's or those players coming into play now. Pretty sure Les Boyd would have shortened him up back in the 70's...

I agree with you. I think thats the missing leadership ingredient in his game that someone like Sam Burgess has; he lacks that inspirational quality to really lift his team when they need him the most. I think he is a very very fine back rower and he has almost revolutionized the way back rowers play in the modern day game. However, I hate comparing players from different eras because it is both problematic and unfair on the players in question. In saying this, I do agree with the point that he has spent too much time away in rugby to be considered a great of the game.

 

[WaznTheGreat]

lol you don't become an all time great by playing only 117 NRL games,you have to play a least 250-300 to even be considered.

So no he is not an all time great.

 

[Tommy Smith]

Reg Gasnier and Dave Brown aren't all time greats?

 

[Tommy Smith]

Tommy's continual arse-licking of SBW never fails to bring the laughs.

He's not as good as Ben Creagh, that's for sure.

How was Mad Monday anyway Hutty, you have a few beers?

 

[bottle]

You must blow dust over that $BW poster by now Tommy.
Surprised you haven't died of dessication.

 

[macnaz]

Reg Gasnier and Dave Brown aren't all time greats?

????

 

[TheDMC]

He'll be close to 30 with 2 years out of rugby as well. He'd be better off staying in league (money wise too) but I don't blame him for wanting to achieve all he can.

I blame him. It's overachievers like SBW that make the rest of us feel decidedly average.

 

[Tommy Smith]

????

Haynetrain, who's normally got dis, stated that you don't become an all-time great by only playing 117 games.

Reg Gasnier and Dave Brown played 126 and 94 first grade games respectively. And yet they're rightly considered as perhaps Australia's two best ever centres.

 

[isaiah]

Just wondering how Kieron foran, te guy the want missing in the WCF that SBW had to step up into his role, won the Kiwis player of the year?

And the top 10 Backrowers (base on the ability to play) sonce 1970:

BEETSON
PRICE
CLYDE
MILES
COOTE
MCCARTHY
TALLIS
PEARCE
MENZIES
MORELY
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
GRIMALDI
WILLIAMS
TONGUE

is miles Gene or Nate?

 

[isaiah]

I think it's pretty interesting to consider who posts the most in this thread..

User Name Posts
Loudstrat 99
Tommy Smith 51
GONZO72 46
magpie4ever 41
TheDalek079 31
Fat Krion 26
Tone83 21
aqua_duck 18
Perth Red 17

... and isaiah 3

 

[isaiah]

41st best 2nd rower, just behind peter ryan and noel cleal

he's achieved enough to pass cleal now, still just behind peter ryan