Belcher says 1989 Canberra Raiders would be successful today

[greeneyed]

Belcher says 1989 Canberra Raiders would be successful today

As the NRL looks back to the 1980s for retro round, Gary Belcher says his Raiders team mates of '89 would all be successful today.

"I don't think there would be one player out of that side who would not be successful today,” the now 55-year-old Belcher said. "Every one of them had special skills and talents. I have got some fantastic mates from other clubs but there is nothing like the bond you get from winning a grand final together.”

Read more: https://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/n ... y/3208910/

[bonehead]

garbage, todays wingers are bigger than most props were in 89.
Meninga was a freak in 89 but in 2017 he'd be no better than average physically.
The athlete's are in a different league now

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[greeneyed]

But I reckon if those players had been given the same physical development as today... they'd run rings around the current NRL players.

[bonehead]

i disagree

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[Notaroboticfish]

Idk about everyone on that team, certainly players like Stuart and perhaps Chicka (if there wasn't a stigma around old players) could've made it these days


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[Green eyed Mick]

The modern game would be tougher on the naturally smaller players (Langer, Tooves, Mortimer, O'Sullivan) whereas the 80's and before would be much tougher on the naturally fat guys and players with bad hands (Paulo, Boyd, Papa, Taylor, BJ, Wighton).

I think Wighton would have made it back then but not as a fullback. He would have been a centre.

[Horace Dove-Edwin]

Sully of 89 might struggle as would Coyne.

The rest would go good.

I'd like to see Stuart from then, especially 93-94, play now.
He'd turn it into a clinic every week.

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[T_R]

With the amount of protection the kicker receives these days, Stuart would be worth a dozen competition points a season just with his kicking.

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[greeneyed]

If the '89 Raiders played the '17 Raiders, I know who my money would be on.

[BadnMean]

garbage, todays wingers are bigger than most props were in 89.
Meninga was a freak in 89 but in 2017 he'd be no better than average physically.
The athlete's are in a different league now

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You seriously think Big Mal would be average in any era? He'd kill it- Destructive as Leilua, safe as Cotric, as good a pass as anyone in our current team, tackled like Wighton. He'd be just as big of a weapon with modern training.

[BJ]

Meninga mixed the physical power of Tomalolo, the ball skills of an in form Darius Boyd and the game reading ability of Cooper Cronk.

Mal wasn't just about size and power, he had great ball skills and set up his winger and fullback as good as anyone in history.

[julian87]

I can't picture Matthew Wood or Dean Lance playing a role in the current NRL. 80 kg backrowers and tiny wingers just aren't a thing.

I think it's a pretty fair call on everyone else in the squad though./

[julian87]

If the '89 Raiders played the '17 Raiders, I know who my money would be on.

I really don't like statements like this. It is a completely different game now. You just can't compare the 2 IMO.

[BJ]

This talk of old times versus new, always reminds me of the 1989 Ashes cricket tour of England.

Australia was consistently pulverising the very weak English bowling attack and scoring a ton of runs. A pommie reporter asked Don Bradman what he would have averaged against this attack? Bradman said "about 50".

What???? said the reporter, you averaged 99 over your whole career.

Bradman responded with "well I am 81 years old".

[nachopants]

I regularly find myself wanting Sticky out there playing for us in current day, at his current age.

Sigh.

[EJ]

Sticky with the 40/20 rule? Yes, please.

[Sun Coast Raider]

If the '89 Raiders played the '17 Raiders, I know who my money would be on.

I really don't like statements like this. It is a completely different game now. You just can't compare the 2 IMO.

Kinda of the point of the thread And you can compare but it is meaningless and no doubt wrong regardless of the conclusion.

If they played under the rules in 89 then yes I would back the 89 Raiders even with the training they had in the day. No way the '17 Raiders win in a match more about football nous.

[gerg]

Meninga mixed the physical power of Tomalolo, the ball skills of an in form Darius Boyd and the game reading ability of Cooper Cronk.

Mal wasn't just about size and power, he had great ball skills and set up his winger and fullback as good as anyone in history.

I have no doubt Mal would be the best centre in the comp and captain of Australia if he played today. I'm biased but he is still the greatest player i have ever had the pleasure to watch. Week in week out, season after season of dominance in an error where there was plenty of competition in the centres. Centres are **** these days.

[Dr Zaius]

This talk of old times versus new, always reminds me of the 1989 Ashes cricket tour of England.

Australia was consistently pulverising the very weak English bowling attack and scoring a ton of runs. A pommie reporter asked Don Bradman what he would have averaged against this attack? Bradman said "about 50".

What???? said the reporter, you averaged 99 over your whole career.

Bradman responded with "well I am 81 years old".

[-PJ-]

I wish it was 1989...

[-PJ-]

Oh and there's no chance a chain smoking Chicka Ferguson could keep up in 2017.

[The Nickman]

If the '89 Raiders played the '17 Raiders, I know who my money would be on.

And the 94 raiders would blow them both out of the water!

[BadnMean]

Oh and there's no chance a chain smoking Chicka Ferguson could keep up in 2017.

Chicka was a smart little bloke. He'd figure something out. By the time your 45 and still playing you've figured out a few shortcuts. People here raved about Santo when he played- I never saw Chicka drop a bomb or a grubber and he's about 4 jillion times more fast and evasive than Santo ever was. Boo!

[creevy]

garbage, todays wingers are bigger than most props were in 89.
Meninga was a freak in 89 but in 2017 he'd be no better than average physically.
The athlete's are in a different league now

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I dont know how old you are but you have either not seen these Canberra teams of that era play or are very ignorant. Yes players are heavier, bigger and faster but so would those guys have been in the modern game. The 89 side would beat the 2017 side comfortably all things being equal. Wingers defiantly have more skill, maybe hookers as well. But the average player now struggles with the basic. Watch some old game champ, see how they offloaded, backed the ball carrier up.

[bonehead]

garbage, todays wingers are bigger than most props were in 89.
Meninga was a freak in 89 but in 2017 he'd be no better than average physically.
The athlete's are in a different league now

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I dont know how old you are but you have either not seen these Canberra teams of that era play or are very ignorant. Yes players are heavier, bigger and faster but so would those guys have been in the modern game. The 89 side would beat the 2017 side comfortably all things being equal. Wingers defiantly have more skill, maybe hookers as well. But the average player now struggles with the basic. Watch some old game champ, see how they offloaded, backed the ball carrier up.

know your adversary. Champ

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[dubby]

i disagree

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That surprises me

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[Kryptonite]

Belcher himself would handle FB , Stuart, Daley, Clyde, Mal and that's about it I reckon, apples and oranges really

[Raidersfan]

Belcher himself would handle FB , Stuart, Daley, Clyde, Mal and that's about it I reckon, apples and oranges really

I'd throw Lazo, S.Walters and Deano in the mix

[BJ]

Chicka would be like Ben Barba without the off field issues.

[Green eyed Mick]

If the '89 Raiders played the '17 Raiders, I know who my money would be on.

And the 94 raiders would blow them both out of the water!

1-13, not a single one of our current players makes that side.

[dubby]

today's players are full-time, tattoo wearing, PlayStation playing, EDIT social media legends who have to play in an over structured, wrestled up, dour, Cameron Smith refereeing game whereas the 89 team was a semi professional team who got up to no good in an era where people weren't so easily offended and the footy was better

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[Raidersfan]

today's players are full-time, tattoo wearing, PlayStation playing, islander descent people, social media legends who have to play in an over structured, wrestled up, dour, Cameron Smith refereeing game whereas the 89 team was a semi professional team who got up to no good in an era where people weren't so easily offended and the footy was better

I blame Steve Jobs

[Kryptonite]

Belcher himself would handle FB , Stuart, Daley, Clyde, Mal and that's about it I reckon, apples and oranges really

I'd throw Lazo, S.Walters and Deano in the mix

Yeah fair call, I forgot about Chicka also, how would Walters match against C Smith?

[dubby]

Belcher himself would handle FB , Stuart, Daley, Clyde, Mal and that's about it I reckon, apples and oranges really

I'd throw Lazo, S.Walters and Deano in the mix

Yeah fair call, I forgot about Chicka also, how would Walters match against C Smith?

Well Smith gets way more leeway than any player in history.....

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[edwahu]

Oh and there's no chance a chain smoking Chicka Ferguson could keep up in 2017.

Pffft...he was a 40 year old playing 20 year Olds and did ok!