They would absolutely destroy your team, buddy. Imagine the 5th tackle options? Greatest team to ever be assembled on this website, probably.
You wouldn't be in field position to do anything on the 5th bar throw it to Barba and hope for a length of the field job.
Hohaia in the team!
Fien at prop!
Good trolling mate.
My team is 1980's onwards. I cannot before that.
Anyway - tis hard to make this selection because of so many variables. Do you choose on club form, then T Lamb HAS to be in the squad, or do you choose on rep form as well? If so, do you go Lewis or Kenny? How much weight do you give to rep, does Joey really make it over JT?
If Wally is your standoff and not Kenny, Fittler or Daley you have pressure in the centres. Some players had much longer careers. Mal in the 80's was awesome, but not quite the same player in the 90's as he was a lot slower and dabbling with second row but still Aus captain in the centres and try scoring in grand finals! Still effective, but surely at present GI, Daley and Fittler, and maybe Kenny - faded towards the end of his career -pip him purely because they were so sublime throughout their rep careers? But then a player should be rewarded for having a longer career? If so, Mal has to be there. Its tough to call.
Joey only came good as a rep halfback 2002-06. He was terrible at rep level before that at halfback. Even then he was showed up by Alf in 2002. I brace myself, Newcastle fans will argue this point, but I point to Kimmorley playing halfback for NSW and Australia, and Joey being dropped from origin or relegated to hooker or schooled by Langer. Yeah. Why'd you lose 95? Could debate this one ad nauseum.
Anyways:
Fullbacks:
J O'neil and J Davies are my two favourites on freak skill, talent and ability. Apparently O'neil had a drinking and attitude problem - I know he would've preferred to be standoff or lock for Brisbane. Amazing really when you consider what he did for them at fullback. Personally - I'd like to hit the casinos with him and JT on a night out. Though if everything came down to just talent, then E McGrady would make the team somewhere, and he won't make anyones teams and most of you will say WHO? Ettinghausen was terrific for NSW and Australia though didn't play here much at club level.
Jack
Belcher
Locky
young Mini
and Brasher
J Davies
All deserve to be there really.
Wing: D Shearer - electric finisher - has to be in my side.
Centre: GI definitely
Centre: K Iro/B Fittler/L Daley/ Mal/D Bell - honorable mention to P Jackson (one of my fav players to watch) G Miles and G Schofield. All deserve to be there really. Feel sorry for M Cronin, S Ella, P McGregor, T Hill, and even J McCracken, G Connolly and R Blackmore not given a shot with all those standoffs in the centres. Anyone with Renouf deserves an uppercut.
Wing: R Wishart was a fierce competitor. Eric Grothe Snr was a performer. J Hayne, M Vatuvei and Taniela have/had the attack, but not done anywhere enough for this spot yet. Young Tuquri was a freak, and awesome in Union. But like Mal, he playing without pace these days. Mick O'Connor may have had more skill and deserves a spot. But while some go Martin Offiah for his pace, I'm going to go out of the box and say J Robinson. FREAK. Absolute freak.
T Lamb on club,
B Kenny on origin v Lewis,
W Lewis on origin where no Kenny,
L Daley and B Fittler had complete careers. All 5 of em freaks who could lead you to glory.
Honorable mention to C Lyons on club form. 99% of you go Lewis, but I just find it too tough to select.
Halfback: 85% of you go Joey, but for mine he only deserves a shot if only done on 2003-2005 rep form and his great grand finals play. He started 02 origin well, but was schooled by Langer in the final match.
JT has been awesome at rep at high levels for a longer period (but he has not led a team to the premiership you say) and awesome his whole career. One of those two for all round skills.
Honorable mentions to Sterlo/Langer (tied), Stuart and Brandy in that order. Such quality there.
Lock: E Hanley, B Clyde, W Pearce and R Price are the obvious candidates for most but I propose J Smith and T Nikau be considered. Sorry Hugh. Cannot pick one myself.
Second Row: B Lindner, I Roberts, SBW followed by a young Sironen perhaps. Those are my top four - but , G Larson, T Gillmiester, D Fairleigh, G Tallis, N Hindmarsh, B Kennedy, S Menzies, A Lauititi and even B Fletcher or D Solamona could easily make people's lists very defensibly depending what you want from a second rower. I'm not actually sure I'd have Sironen at 4 on second thought.
Prop: Lazarus P Harrogan, Roach. As my top 3. Beetson was the period before. Rauhihi when he wanted to play was just something else too. (Thought Bella was a great servant to Qld, some will have Backo and I thought that J Cayless was mega underrated).
Hookers: Boxhead or C Smith.
It is just too hard for me and thus would take far too much time to select an all time XIII. I'm amazed that I do not have a clear spot for D Bell. Just crazy the talent that has played the game over the years.
EDIT: Forgot B Clyde - This is too tough!
