Who is the greatest rugby league player of all time and why ?

Question

Who is the greatest rugby league player of all time and why ?

Answer 1

Mal Malinga, he was a man mountain who was a phenom in the Eighties.

Answer 2

Anthony Howcroft - Hunslett Hawks

Answer 3

Andrew Johns was the complete player

Answer 4

Wally Lewis...closely followed by Mal Meninga.  If we are talking Rugby League, then there would be a fair few other Aussies on the list before the first name form the Northern Hemisphere arrived.

Answer 5

Tiny solamoha, I think thats how you spell it. He played for OLDHAM.  He was don

Answer 6

It is very tough to compare players from different eras because the game has changed so much but there are certain players who would have been superstars in any era they played. They would have adjusted to the differences and dominated now just as they did then. players like:

Clive Churchill

Bob Fulton

Wally Lewis

Reg Gaznier

Johny Raper

Graeme Langlands

Arthur Beetson

These players would have a field day in the modern game. They would have loved the extra space provided by the 10m rule and modern fitness training and weights would have just enhanced their effectiveness

You'll notice that each of the players I've mentioned are "Immortals"  I believe the best of them was Graeme Langlands. He was a genius at fullback, wing and centre and I believe if he had needed to he would have shone at 5/8 too.

However in saying all that I think the greatest  player of all time is Andrew Johns.

Why? well that is simple. There is no weakness in his game. He passes beautifully to both sides. His kicking game in general play has revolutionised the art. It has now become a prerequisite for a

number 6 or 7 to possess that attacking skill. His defence is brilliant for a half back. He is also one of the best goal kickers the game has ever known. He generalship on the field is second to none. He reads the play so well he is probably playing 3 tackles in front of everyone else. He can take the line on brilliantly and when he does close to the try line he almost always scores.

Probably the best comment on Johns' skill, dominance and greatness was made last week by Ricky Stewart ( coach of the Sydney Roosters)after Johns had systematically taken his team to pieces He said:  

"We had trained all week in ways designed  to specifically stop Andrew Johns but he just went out and did what he pleased against us anyway."

Now that is greatness in your chosen sport!!

Answer 7

Billy Boston according to my Grandad!

Answer 8

Ellery Hanley is the most complete rugby league player in modern times, Wally Lewis was a great Aussie.

Paul Wellens is the current best in the British team and should win man of steel.

Answer 9

Mal Malinga, Australia. He always played with his arm in a sling.

Answer 10

me

Answer 11

OOO well thats tough, i hv only seen the last 13 years of NRL so in my time... i'd have to say Brad "Freddy" Fitler (he played his last seasons at roosters which was a bad choice according to me who goes 4 parra haha) um but yer he had skill and was good on and off the field, he helped roosters in 2 all the grand finals, which was great.  anywayz great choice it sport NRL is the bomb

PS

THE BEST TEAM IS PARRA IF U WANTED TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT WOOHOO

Answer 12

me cos im just twelve, never played rugby before I moved schools, scored a hat-trick (of tries) on my debut for the under 12 first 15 in the first game of the season

Answer 13

andrew johns everyone else has just been very competative, be has matched the boundries and changed the game, and the way it is played. the king we will never see anyone like him again.

Answer 14

JPR Williams--cool name, fast as the wind and electrified the crowd.

Answer 15

Willie Horne of Barrow and captain is the best player I have seen in 54 years of watching RL. He was the man to invent the round-the-corner style of place kicking, and his sense of balance was sheer poetry.

Answer 16

Ellery Hanley - was pretty much the complete player with no missing attributes ; he could run, tackle, score tries and create them equally well.