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The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 7:40 pm
by greeneyed
I'm just watching matches from earlier in the day from the Raiders Team Day on Fox League. Just watched the 1990 Preliminary Final against the Broncos, and now the 1989 finals game against the Panthers.
And I'm thinking Chris O'Sullivan is the most under rated Canberra Raiders player in history. He won premierships, he started in a team of nobodies in 1982 and went to the top of the tree. But he is overlooked in his great contributions in teams full of stars.
So for mine, Chris O'Sullivan is the most underrated player in Raiders history. What's your view?
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 7:46 pm
by The Nickman
Matty Wood
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Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 7:53 pm
by greeneyed
Matty Wood very underrated too.
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 7:54 pm
by The Nickman
David Boyle was pretty bloody good too
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Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 7:58 pm
by greeneyed
And doesn't get big raps. Paul Martin was very good as well, and doesn't get the recognition he deserves either.
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:02 pm
by Dusty
Underrated by the Rugby League community or Raiders fans???
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Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:03 pm
by cat
Dane tilse- very few realised how important he was. Havent made the finals since he left..
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Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:04 pm
by The Nickman
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Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:05 pm
by Raiders666
Matt Orford
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:12 pm
by T_R
Gary Coyne?
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:12 pm
by greeneyed
Dusty wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:02 pm
Underrated by the Rugby League community or Raiders fans???
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Why not tell us both?
I actually think Raiders fans under rate players like Matt Gafa. Very good rugby league player, yet Raiders fans constantly raise his name for worst Raiders players. Steve Stone the same. Good solid players.
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:13 pm
by T_R
Not sold. Was lucky to be playing on the end of the backline that he was.
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:13 pm
by Bleach
Has to be Alan Tongue
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:13 pm
by Dusty
greeneyed wrote:Dusty wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:02 pm
Underrated by the Rugby League community or Raiders fans???
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Why not tell us both?
I actually think Raiders fans under rate players like Matt Gafa. Very good rugby league player, yet Raiders fans constantly raise his name for worst Raiders players. Steve Stone the same. Good solid players.
Ok. I’ll have a think.
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Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:16 pm
by greeneyed
T_R wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:12 pmGary Coyne?
But he played for Australia and Origin... hard to under rate an Australian player. Though that probably depends on your definition of under rated!
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:19 pm
by T_R
greeneyed wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:16 pm
T_R wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:12 pmGary Coyne?
But he played for Australia and Origin... hard to under rate an Australian player. Though that probably depends on your definition of under rated!
Hence my strategically positioned question mark.
But you almost never hear his name when they talk about the greats, and he really was a pillar of those early championship teams.
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:20 pm
by Botman
cat wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:03 pm
Dane tilse- very few realised how important he was. Havent made the finals since he left..
Not the most under-rated player in Raiders history, but definitely underrated. People speak of him as if he was Kris **** Kahler or something. He was a good FGer for us for a long time. He had an awkward, lanky and ugly style that looked ugly, but he was much more efficient in terms of his numbers than he looked.
The answer, as i said about 5 minutes ago in another thread is Clinton Schifcofske. An absolute star footballer who dragged some bad teams kicking and screaming to moderate success. I would bet if you came up with some WAR stat for RL (WAR being Wins Above Replacement), Schif would rank in our top 3 all time for WAR. He won this team more games than anyone in the last 20 years.
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:21 pm
by T_R
greeneyed wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 7:40 pm
I'm just watching matches from earlier in the day from the Raiders Team Day on Fox League. Just watched the 1990 Preliminary Final against the Broncos, and now the 1989 finals game against the Panthers.
And I'm thinking Chris O'Sullivan is the most under rated Canberra Raiders player in history. He won premierships, he started in a team of nobodies in 1982 and went to the top of the tree. But he is overlooked in his great contributions in teams full of stars.
So for mine, Chris O'Sullivan is the most underrated player in Raiders history. What's your view?
O'Sullivan played a defensive role that doesn't exist anymore - bolting out of the line on a kick chase. There's no stat for 'Plays killed off before they even started', but if there was he'd have won it every season.
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:22 pm
by Raiders666
Was Shifcofske underrated though? I'm not so sure
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:23 pm
by T_R
Raiders666 wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:22 pm
Was Shifcofske underrated though? I'm not so sure
I don't think so.
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:23 pm
by Dusty
General Rugby League community: Dean Lance
Both Raiders Fans and the General RL community : Chris O’Sullivan
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Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:25 pm
by Botman
Raiders666 wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:22 pm
Was Shifcofske underrated though? I'm not so sure
When does anyone ever speak of him as a Raiders great?
In the moment he was loved, but quickly forgotten. No doubt he's underrated.
He was a better footballer than Mullins. Doesnt have Mullins highlights tape, not as flashy, but a better, smarter, more rounded fullback. He suffered from lack of talent around him. You plug Schif into our mid 90's team and he's the best fullback in the club's history, IMO.
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:29 pm
by greeneyed
T_R wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:21 pm
greeneyed wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 7:40 pm
I'm just watching matches from earlier in the day from the Raiders Team Day on Fox League. Just watched the 1990 Preliminary Final against the Broncos, and now the 1989 finals game against the Panthers.
And I'm thinking Chris O'Sullivan is the most under rated Canberra Raiders player in history. He won premierships, he started in a team of nobodies in 1982 and went to the top of the tree. But he is overlooked in his great contributions in teams full of stars.
So for mine, Chris O'Sullivan is the most underrated player in Raiders history. What's your view?
O'Sullivan played a defensive role that doesn't exist anymore - bolting out of the line on a kick chase. There's no stat for 'Plays killed off before they even started', but if there was he'd have won it every season.
Yes, but I'm just watching his organising and attack tonight at five eighth. Some absolutely sublime work from him.
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:30 pm
by greeneyed
Pigman wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:25 pm
Raiders666 wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:22 pm
Was Shifcofske underrated though? I'm not so sure
When does anyone ever speak of him as a Raiders great?
In the moment he was loved, but quickly forgotten. No doubt he's underrated.
He was a better footballer than Mullins. Doesnt have Mullins highlights tape, not as flashy, but a better, smarter, more rounded fullback. He suffered from lack of talent around him. You plug Schif into our mid 90's team and he's the best fullback in the club's history, IMO.
He was my favourite player, but he broke our hearts. He was the captain, he kissed the emblem, but when Elliott walked out, he did too in our hour of need. Broke my heart anyway.
And by the way, the Schif shuffle was incredibly infuriating. Run hard sometimes mate! There is no way he was the Raiders best ever fullback, talent wise and results wise - compared to Belcher or Mullins.
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:33 pm
by greeneyed
Dusty wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:23 pm
General Rugby League community: Dean Lance
Both Raiders Fans and the General RL community : Chris O’Sullivan
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Deano certainly under rated IMO.
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:34 pm
by Botman
greeneyed wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:30 pm
Pigman wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:25 pm
Raiders666 wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:22 pm
Was Shifcofske underrated though? I'm not so sure
When does anyone ever speak of him as a Raiders great?
In the moment he was loved, but quickly forgotten. No doubt he's underrated.
He was a better footballer than Mullins. Doesnt have Mullins highlights tape, not as flashy, but a better, smarter, more rounded fullback. He suffered from lack of talent around him. You plug Schif into our mid 90's team and he's the best fullback in the club's history, IMO.
He was my favourite player, but he broke our hearts. He was the captain, he kissed the emblem, but when Elliott walked out, he did too in our hour of need. Broke my heart anyway.
Cant dispute that. Im very much PRO athletes choice. He did what he thought was best, as he should do. But i think that plays in to his standing. Fans kind of want to forget that he was world class and superstar. In 2003 (i think?) it was down to him or Craig Gower for the cancelled Dally M medal.
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:35 pm
by Ruben Daley
Pigman wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:25 pm
Raiders666 wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:22 pm
Was Shifcofske underrated though? I'm not so sure
When does anyone ever speak of him as a Raiders great?
In the moment he was loved, but quickly forgotten. No doubt he's underrated.
He was a better footballer than Mullins. Doesnt have Mullins highlights tape, not as flashy, but a better, smarter, more rounded fullback. He suffered from lack of talent around him. You plug Schif into our mid 90's team and he's the best fullback in the club's history, IMO.
100% agree. I said almost the same thing to a mate over Christmas. He is criminally underrated by Raiders fans and completely forgotten by everyone else. I’d kill for him in out current side.
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:36 pm
by greeneyed
Pigman wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:34 pm
greeneyed wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:30 pm
Pigman wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:25 pm
Raiders666 wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:22 pm
Was Shifcofske underrated though? I'm not so sure
When does anyone ever speak of him as a Raiders great?
In the moment he was loved, but quickly forgotten. No doubt he's underrated.
He was a better footballer than Mullins. Doesnt have Mullins highlights tape, not as flashy, but a better, smarter, more rounded fullback. He suffered from lack of talent around him. You plug Schif into our mid 90's team and he's the best fullback in the club's history, IMO.
He was my favourite player, but he broke our hearts. He was the captain, he kissed the emblem, but when Elliott walked out, he did too in our hour of need. Broke my heart anyway.
Cant dispute that. Im very much PRO athletes choice. He did what he thought was best, as he should do. But i think that plays in to his standing. Fans kind of want to forget that he was world class and superstar. In 2003 (i think?) it was down to him or Craig Gower for the cancelled Dally M medal.
Yes, but not close to Belcher or Mullins.
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:41 pm
by Botman
greeneyed wrote: ↑January 7, 2019, 8:36 pm
Yes, but not close to Belcher or Mullins.
In resume, no.
In talent, and as i said, if a WAR stat was created, i'd bet my mortgage he'd leave them for dead. Schif dragged horrible teams to respectable seasons. Mullins and Badge were finishing pieces in line ups that couldnt sniff the salary cap in canberra for Schif's time. Stacked line ups. 8-9-10 or more internationals in those sides. Schif was a one man band.
If you want to say Schif isnt as good as those guys, that's fine... "Not close"
That's why he's the most underrated player in our history imo. It's much closer than you're saying. Much.
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 8:44 pm
by Botman
BTW my closing argument is if Schifcofske wasnt a **** stud, no one would ever remember how to spell his **** name. They wouldnt get close
Yet a lot of Raiders fans get it pretty bloody close!
/analytics
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 9:02 pm
by Schifty
Ben Cross.
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 9:04 pm
by Finchy
As soon as I saw this thread title I immediately thought of Schifcofske. I agree wholeheartedly with Pigman. The bloke carried this team for years.
The amount of tackles he would break, line breaks, tries, clutch goals, he had it all. Should have played more rep footy. Unfortunately Lockyer had a mortgage on the position.
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 9:07 pm
by -TW-
Anyone but Dane Tilse and his 80m a game
Schif has my vote
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 9:08 pm
by Raiders666
+1 for Dean Lance
Re: The most underrated player in Canberra Raiders history
Posted: January 7, 2019, 9:10 pm
by edwahu
I'd vote Schif in terms of the wider league as well. He was a world class player but is viewed as a very good clubman by most. If I was signing a player to a long term deal I would sign him before Mullins.
Thurling is one player I have a lot of time for. He would be a perfect middle forward for us these days, he was superb when he played lock for us in particular and probably ahead of his time in terms of style.
Troy Thompson would be useful as well, defensively he was a very good player and could punch out good meters without a fuss and with a very low error rate.
I never saw O'Sullivan but he was supposedly rorted for the 86 kangaroo tour when the halves in the game were insanely good, which really speaks for itself.
Some other players like TLL, Shillo and Monas are also not given full credit for their good years.