I like the idea of splitting the teams, T Randall was before my time, but how close was D Pay or G Larsen to making your defence team?
So many great defenders I left out - expected you to pick me up on Dallas Johnson TBH. Also was thinking more of some of the old Canterbury pack from the 1980's. BTW, maybe before your time, but Ray Higgs remains the best defensive mongrel I ever saw from your state.
How close were A Lauititi and J Smith to making your attack team?
Not in the ball park. The first player I genuinely hated was Bob Fulton - meaning I saw the full careers of Kenny, Wally, Daley, Freddy, Lamb, Lyons, Peter Jackson and Hanley. Ali - great player, but not for long. Would have Tallis way ahead of him as well as Clyde and Sironen, and from a Kiwi perspective Kearney (the pr*ck), Nikau, Broadhurst, Mark Graham and both Sorensons ahead of him too.
IMO: S Hoppe was not a defensive winger in the least. I thought he was a liability as a defender. He had good pace in attack but needed the break set up for him bar his handy intercept play. I think Hancock takes that one hands down for crunching defence, though Halligan had good positional play on D.
I was clutching at straws TBH. Grothe was the best defensive winger of rep level -by far - that I can remember.
I like the lack of Webcke, Lockyer at 6, or Renouf.
Webcke would be a starting prop if I didnt split it - almost had him in Fui's spot except that Fui is pure and simple damage. Lockyer is not in the ballpark considering the great pivots between Fulton and Freddy - including Ellery Hanley.
Renouf - great runner. I put him equal to Steve Ella. Again, others were better, and he's below Mal, Hodges and GI IMHO.
The think that struck me is that when picking a best all round side, usually you get a compromise between attack and defence. I guess picking one side means picking the best at both worlds - master of none in many ways.
Having said all of that, I'd happily put the following side up against any other combination. Size, speed, ball skills galore and a stack of mongrel. These guys were all tried and tested in grand finals and representative games:
1. Greame Eadie - Slaters speed with Meningas size.
2. Eric Grothe - unstoppable.
3. Mick Cronin - brilliant defender and awesome ball skills
4. Ellery Hanley - footwork, speed and brilliance
5. Kerry Beaustead - sheer speed
6. Brett Kenny - never seen a better runner in broken play.
7. Andrew Johns - never seen a better organiser, or kicking game.
8. Shane Webcke - strength for 80 minutes.
9. Cameron Smith - all round competence
10. Arthur Beetson - best ball skills I ever saw pre Joey
11. Adrian Morley - lethal defence
12. Les Boyd - mad as a cut snake, and brutal in attack and defense
13. Ray Price (c) - Hindy with mongrel
14. Peter Sterling - the best at reading the play, awesome kicking game
15. Nathan Hindmarsh - Defensive workaholic - the best at tidying up
16. Mark Geyer - most lethal attacking backrower I have seen/ SBW at his best started to get close to MG
17. Steve Roach - Ball skills, and handy in a blue.
COACH: Jack Gibson (but even Brian Smith would win a comp with them)
