RLW 30 greatest players of the past 30 years

[Burgey]

Rugby League Week has taken a poll and produced a list of the 30 best players of the past 30 years Australian only).

The complete list:

1. Andrew Johns 2. Wally Lewis 3. Brad Fittler 4. Darren Lockyer 5. Allan Langer 6. Mal Meninga 7. Peter Sterling 8. Laurie Daley 9. Brett Kenny 10. Brad Clyde 11. Mick Cronin 12. Steve Walters 13. Glenn Lazarus 14. Steve Rogers 15. Gorden Tallis 16. Shane Webcke 17. Steve Roach 18. Terry Lamb 19. Ricky Stuart 20. Ray Price 21. Andrew Ettingshausen 22. Danny Buderus 23. Johnathan Thurston 24. Cameron Smith 25. Graham Eadie 26. Steve Mortimer 27. Benny Elias 28. Wayne Pearce 29. Nathan Hindmarsh 30. Cliff Lyons.

Thoughts?

 

[Johnners]

Hindmarsh is an interesting selection.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Happy that Fittler is above Lockyer.

 

[ohtani's jacket]

Had Ray Warren running through my head as I read this.

Where's Renouf?

 

[Burgey]

Happy that Fittler is above Lockyer.

God, I'm not. It's all opinion of course, but I really think he was an over-rated footballer - a very fine player yes, but better than Sterling, Daley, Kenny, Langer, Clyde to name a few? I just think he's been the RL establishment's love child for so long it isn'y funny.

 

[Burgey]

Had Ray Warren running through my head as I read this.

Where's Renouf?

Interesting - would have him at least on par with ET, though wouldn't list either in the top 30 player of the past 30 years - both quick and great gap runners, but really both wingers wearing centre's jerseys.

 

[Burgey]

Hindmarsh is an interesting selection.

Yeah, probably there as encapsulating the modern work-a-holic forward, and one who would certainly cope with fewer interchanges for teh past, but questionable as well - I suppose it depends what you're after - if you're looking for a creative player, there are heaps ahead of him, but few better or harder workers.

 

[Perm]

Thought Ricky Stuart would have been higher, and I'm surprised Thurston is as high as he is.

 

[Simon]

Langer should be third.

IMO this is too heavily weighted towards recent and current players. No way have Thurston and Smith proven themselves in the top 30 players since 1978...

 

[chaminda_00]

Langer should be third.

IMO this is too heavily weighted towards recent and current players. No way have Thurston and Smith proven themselves in the top 30 players since 1978...

Yeah when I looked at the list first thing I thought are where are the players of 80s.

 

[Simon]

e.g Mike Eden, won two Rothmans medals in the early 80's but not to be seen on this list...

 

[NUFAN]

I don't think Cam Smith deserves his place yet.

I think Langer should be ahead of Lockyer and Fittler.

Steve Renouf and Paul Sironen are both unlucky to have missed out.

 

[Simon]

I don't think Cam Smith deserves his place yet.

I think Langer should be ahead of Lockyer and Fittler.

Steve Renouf and Paul Sironen are both unlucky to have missed out.

agree with all that...

 

[bugssy]

yer sirro was a gun back in the days, even steve walters was quality and maybe higher. agree with thurston and smith not proven themselves yet. still plenty of footy left for them to get onto it later.

 

[Burgey]

Of those who missed out, the media has said Gene Miles, Eric Grothe and Greg Alexander are probably the unluckiest.

All great players, but I still reckon wingers are just blokes who hang around with footy players, which would rule Grothe out.

 

[steds]

I still reckon wingers are just blokes who hang around with footy players

DWTA. Reckon Forwards are just wingers who can't run.

 

[chaminda_00]

DWTA. Reckon Forwards are just wingers who can't run.

AWTA

 

[howardj]

Surely Daley should be higher than 8.

If he wasn't better than Meninga and Freddy, then I'm a bad judge.

And where's Mario! lol

 

[The Sean]

God, I'm not. It's all opinion of course, but I really think he was an over-rated footballer - a very fine player yes, but better than Sterling, Daley, Kenny, Langer, Clyde to name a few? I just think he's been the RL establishment's love child for so long it isn'y funny.

Agree with that - superb footballer and worthy of a top ten spot I reckon, but not the third best of the past three decades. Personally I'd have Sterlo in at number three, and as a Queenslander my maroon tinted glasses would have the King shading Joey.

Michael O'Connor dead unlucky not to get a run I reckon - growing up in the 80s I always thought he was a fantastic player. Certainly a better footballer in my mind than the likes of Lyons and Elias.

 

[chaminda_00]

Lyons should be in the Top 10, he got robbed.