English Super League star Will Pryce on Canberra Raiders’ radar

[-PJ-]

If Will Pryce turns out to be better than Jordan Turner I’m all for it.

Add the All Star to the team list of Raiders players I had forgotten about

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Jordan Turner flew in, got the Raiders tracksuit along with a token 2017 All Stars jersey.

All wrapped up neatly in a Mounties jersey and flew out.

[Finchy]

I wonder if he prefers Blackpool over Bondi like his old man

[gerg]

Hanley wasn't even the best player at the Tigers. He may have been a superstar in England but he isn't fit to polish big Mal's shoes, or any of the other immortals.

You've got to allow our much loved and cherished english correspondant to take home town liberties, Gerg!

True. It does lead to an interesting topic though. Who is the best pommy of all time? There's been some good ones come out to Australia and to be fair Hanley is in that discussion. And we've had some good ones. Hodgson, if not for those dodgy knees would be thereabouts. EW has been great for us for a long time. Johnny, a lot of us loved what he brought ... but gone too soon.

Tigers have had some good ones over the years. Hanley, I really rated Schofield but his defence probably keeps him out of the top echelon. More recently Gareth Ellis was a wonderful player - wish we got him. Further back there was Lee Crooks. I only saw the back end of his career but he was an exceptional old school prop with a great offload.

I'm missing a tonne of players here but just a quick name-drop.

[sprintman]

If Will Pryce turns out to be better than Jordan Turner I’m all for it.

Add the All Star to the team list of Raiders players I had forgotten about

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Jordan Turner flew in, got the Raiders tracksuit along with a token 2017 All Stars jersey.

All wrapped up neatly in a Mounties jersey and flew out.

He was far too old and way past it.

[bonehead]

Hanley wasn't even the best player at the Tigers. He may have been a superstar in England but he isn't fit to polish big Mal's shoes, or any of the other immortals.

You've got to allow our much loved and cherished english correspondant to take home town liberties, Gerg!

True. It does lead to an interesting topic though. Who is the best pommy of all time? There's been some good ones come out to Australia and to be fair Hanley is in that discussion. And we've had some good ones. Hodgson, if not for those dodgy knees would be thereabouts. EW has been great for us for a long time. Johnny, a lot of us loved what he brought ... but gone too soon.

Tigers have had some good ones over the years. Hanley, I really rated Schofield but his defence probably keeps him out of the top echelon. More recently Gareth Ellis was a wonderful player - wish we got him. Further back there was Lee Crooks. I only saw the back end of his career but he was an exceptional old school prop with a great offload.

I'm missing a tonne of players here but just a quick name-drop.

Gary Connolly at the Dogs, obviously Sam Burgess and Adrian morley

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[Cranky Old Man]

I could nominate some old schoolblokes who were very good back in the day. Might need some help from RedR on names.
Front row, Cliff Watson, Mike Stephenson or JohnGray, Mal Reilly, Back row Dick Huddart, Phil Lowe, Nocker Norton, Halves TommyBishop, a bloke I cant remember played Cronulla I thinkat 5/8,another good 5/8 who I think played at Manly. Centres Hanley and Schoefield, Wingers Ken Batty and Len Kileen (a South African who lived most of his life in England.) Fullback. Help me Red, I cant think of one off hand.
Anybody who doesnt realise Ellery Hanley was the most dominant player at Balmain in hisday is no judge. There is a reason Terry Lamb risked being sent off in order to have Hanley taken out of the game in that Grand Final.

[BadnMean]

Morley, Surgess and Reilly would probably be top of the tree.

Hanley not far behind but we never really saw the best of him out here in Oz.

Hodgo and Elliot in the excellent players category with many others but haven't won comps and individual awards some of those at the top have. They also haven't had quite the achievements in international football either, although Elliot has done slightly better. It's been a low ebb for English league. Adrian Morley has about as many wins for England/GB as Whitehead has caps and Hodgo barely gets a game.

[-PJ-]

Here’s a few of ENGs “best” that never tried they’re hand in the NRL.

They were massive in ENG and played plenty of first grade. Games in brackets.

Andy Farrell (370) Jamie Peacock (487) Paul Sculthorpe (325) Kevin Sinfeld (521) Rob Burrow (493) Martin Gleeson (332) Barrie McDermott (367) Paul Deacon (377) Leon Pryce (492) Stuart Feldon (372) John Wilkin (461) Keith Senior (505) Danny McGuire (461)

Look at the games played. A lot of these guys played 30, 40, 50+ test for ENG and GB as well.

Farrell, Sinfield and Peacock were the biggest show ponies of the lot.

[Botman]

I always wondered how Robbie and Henry Paul might have gone over here in the NRL
A shame they never came... in fact i dont remember them ever being rumoured to come. Does anyone remember them?

[denissnowy]

I always wondered how Robbie and Henry Paul might have gone over here in the NRL
A shame they never came... in fact i dont remember them ever being rumoured to come. Does anyone remember them?

Yep I remember them. Dynamic players. I have a vague recollection that one of them was rumoured to be in talks with the warriors

[-PJ-]

Both brothers went to ENG very young in the careers.

On the eve of the Warriors joining the NRL in 1995 which is odd.

[greeneyed]

I always wondered how Robbie and Henry Paul might have gone over here in the NRL
A shame they never came... in fact i dont remember them ever being rumoured to come. Does anyone remember them?

[Bigcheese]

I always wondered how Robbie and Henry Paul might have gone over here in the NRL
A shame they never came... in fact i dont remember them ever being rumoured to come. Does anyone remember them?

I'm pretty confident you've mentioned them before

[gerg]

I could nominate some old schoolblokes who were very good back in the day. Might need some help from RedR on names.
Front row, Cliff Watson, Mike Stephenson or JohnGray, Mal Reilly, Back row Dick Huddart, Phil Lowe, Nocker Norton, Halves TommyBishop, a bloke I cant remember played Cronulla I thinkat 5/8,another good 5/8 who I think played at Manly. Centres Hanley and Schoefield, Wingers Ken Batty and Len Kileen (a South African who lived most of his life in England.) Fullback. Help me Red, I cant think of one off hand.
Anybody who doesnt realise Ellery Hanley was the most dominant player at Balmain in hisday is no judge. There is a reason Terry Lamb risked being sent off in order to have Hanley taken out of the game in that Grand Final.

Who suggested that Hanley wasn't a dominant player? My Mal comment was definitely tongue in cheek but I'd have Wayne Pearce and Benny Elias ahead of him (Hanley). They receive additional credit for playing more than 10 games at the club, while in their peak - for the record.

[MrPosh]

I could nominate some old schoolblokes who were very good back in the day. Might need some help from RedR on names.
Front row, Cliff Watson, Mike Stephenson or JohnGray, Mal Reilly, Back row Dick Huddart, Phil Lowe, Nocker Norton, Halves TommyBishop, a bloke I cant remember played Cronulla I thinkat 5/8,another good 5/8 who I think played at Manly. Centres Hanley and Schoefield, Wingers Ken Batty and Len Kileen (a South African who lived most of his life in England.) Fullback. Help me Red, I cant think of one off hand.
Anybody who doesnt realise Ellery Hanley was the most dominant player at Balmain in hisday is no judge. There is a reason Terry Lamb risked being sent off in order to have Hanley taken out of the game in that Grand Final.

Roger Millward was the stand-off at Cronulla.

Bit before my time, but I understand he could play a bit.

Big miss from the (slightly) older players was Kevin Ward at Manly.

[MrPosh]

Looks like the Knights are in poll position for Pryce: https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... r-23211688

[gerg]

I could nominate some old schoolblokes who were very good back in the day. Might need some help from RedR on names.
Front row, Cliff Watson, Mike Stephenson or JohnGray, Mal Reilly, Back row Dick Huddart, Phil Lowe, Nocker Norton, Halves TommyBishop, a bloke I cant remember played Cronulla I thinkat 5/8,another good 5/8 who I think played at Manly. Centres Hanley and Schoefield, Wingers Ken Batty and Len Kileen (a South African who lived most of his life in England.) Fullback. Help me Red, I cant think of one off hand.
Anybody who doesnt realise Ellery Hanley was the most dominant player at Balmain in hisday is no judge. There is a reason Terry Lamb risked being sent off in order to have Hanley taken out of the game in that Grand Final.

Roger Millward was the stand-off at Cronulla.

Bit before my time, but I understand he could play a bit.

Big miss from the (slightly) older players was Kevin Ward at Manly.

Oooof, maybe a deliberate omission? He was very good in 1987 and let us never speak of this again.

[Hong Kong Raider]

In the 80s - Joe Lydon (1987) Easts at fullback or wing. Martin Offiah (Easts) on wing. Hanley at centre with Garry Schofield (both Balmain). Andy Currier 1989 Balmain. Shaun Edwards at 5/8 (Balmain), or Tony Myler (Balmain). Andy Gregory half (Illawarra). Forwards - Kevin Ward (Manly)

90s Gary Connolly (centre, Canterbury), Denis Betts (Warriors)

[MrPosh]

Pryce is right, Jack's the lad: The Super League players the Dolphins should be targeting: https://www.theroar.com.au/2022/02/25/p ... targeting/

Incidentally, Mike Wood - an English writer working in Aus - did a piece on the best young talent in England.

We have the most promising crop of players coming through, right now, in the 30 years or so I've been following the sport. He could have added another clutch of youngsters to that article.

Whether they get beyond promising and turn into stars is the challenge.

[RedRaider]

I could nominate some old schoolblokes who were very good back in the day. Might need some help from RedR on names.
Front row, Cliff Watson, Mike Stephenson or JohnGray, Mal Reilly, Back row Dick Huddart, Phil Lowe, Nocker Norton, Halves TommyBishop, a bloke I cant remember played Cronulla I thinkat 5/8,another good 5/8 who I think played at Manly. Centres Hanley and Schoefield, Wingers Ken Batty and Len Kileen (a South African who lived most of his life in England.) Fullback. Help me Red, I cant think of one off hand.
Anybody who doesnt realise Ellery Hanley was the most dominant player at Balmain in hisday is no judge. There is a reason Terry Lamb risked being sent off in order to have Hanley taken out of the game in that Grand Final.

Roger Millward was the stand-off at Cronulla.

Bit before my time, but I understand he could play a bit.

Big miss from the (slightly) older players was Kevin Ward at Manly.

Cranky, Dave Bolton was an English half back who played for the Tigers in the mid to late 60's. Tough little bugger and played in what seemed to be the longest Grand Final ever, in the Tigers win against Souths in 1969. Every time Souths got a roll on another Balmain player would go down with 'injury' and the play would stop. Bolton was in the thick of it. Two points for a field goal at the time and he kicked a few in '69. Very skillful English forward Brian Lockwood played for the Dogs and Tigers in the mid 70s. The Dogs built a lot of their attack around him and he didn't let them down. Very good at offloading in traffic and tough as teak. Not many England fullbacks have played in Australia. Mostly 5/8 but some time fullback Gareth Widdop was one of the better all round England players I've seen. It was a pity chronic shoulder injuries disrupted his time in the game. John Gray you've mentioned and he changed goal kicking forever. Before him and even up to Big Mal, the goal kickers were toe pokers. He used the 'round the corner' style and eventually everyone followed.

[MrPosh]

I could nominate some old schoolblokes who were very good back in the day. Might need some help from RedR on names.
Front row, Cliff Watson, Mike Stephenson or JohnGray, Mal Reilly, Back row Dick Huddart, Phil Lowe, Nocker Norton, Halves TommyBishop, a bloke I cant remember played Cronulla I thinkat 5/8,another good 5/8 who I think played at Manly. Centres Hanley and Schoefield, Wingers Ken Batty and Len Kileen (a South African who lived most of his life in England.) Fullback. Help me Red, I cant think of one off hand.
Anybody who doesnt realise Ellery Hanley was the most dominant player at Balmain in hisday is no judge. There is a reason Terry Lamb risked being sent off in order to have Hanley taken out of the game in that Grand Final.

Roger Millward was the stand-off at Cronulla.

Bit before my time, but I understand he could play a bit.

Big miss from the (slightly) older players was Kevin Ward at Manly.

Cranky, Dave Bolton was an English half back who played for the Tigers in the mid to late 60's. Tough little bugger and played in what seemed to be the longest Grand Final ever, in the Tigers win against Souths in 1969. Every time Souths got a roll on another Balmain player would go down with 'injury' and the play would stop. Bolton was in the thick of it. Two points for a field goal at the time and he kicked a few in '69. Very skillful English forward Brian Lockwood played for the Dogs and Tigers in the mid 70s. The Dogs built a lot of their attack around him and he didn't let them down. Very good at offloading in traffic and tough as teak. Not many England fullbacks have played in Australia. Mostly 5/8 but some time fullback Gareth Widdop was one of the better all round England players I've seen. It was a pity chronic shoulder injuries disrupted his time in the game. John Gray you've mentioned and he changed goal kicking forever. Before him and even up to Big Mal, the goal kickers were toe pokers. He used the 'round the corner' style and eventually everyone followed.

Missing one of the very best - albeit Welsh, not English - is Jonathan Davies.

Played anywhere from 1-6, but I think he played full back for the Bulldogs.

[denissnowy]

Sam Tomkins played fullback at the warriors

[RedRaider]

Hey Mr Posh, I remember Jonathan Davies but I had to look up the stats to see he played 14 times for the Dogs in 1991 with 11 of those at fullback. He was a good player but may have had some injuries so didn't have the same impact here that he had at home.

[BadnMean]

Hey Mr Posh, I remember Jonathan Davies but I had to look up the stats to see he played 14 times for the Dogs in 1991 with 11 of those at fullback. He was a good player but may have had some injuries so didn't have the same impact here that he had at home.

I do remember a lot of buzz about "The Welsh Wizard"- and he could back it up alright, '94 Test series (another where GB played well early and won some games) he sold a dummy to Clyde and Renouf 50m out (not too shabby), accelerated and sliced through, left them in his wake then blew past Mullins with speed (past Mullins!) to score in the corner. He could play.

Edit: found a clip

[Off]

Good jockey, picked up a few rides in Morphetville today, still claiming 1.5 kegs in the metros.

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[bonehead]

Hey Mr Posh, I remember Jonathan Davies but I had to look up the stats to see he played 14 times for the Dogs in 1991 with 11 of those at fullback. He was a good player but may have had some injuries so didn't have the same impact here that he had at home.

I do remember a lot of buzz about "The Welsh Wizard"- and he could back it up alright, '94 Test series (another where GB played well early and won some games) he sold a dummy to Clyde and Renouf 50m out (not too shabby), accelerated and sliced through, left them in his wake then blew past Mullins with speed (past Mullins!) to score in the corner. He could play.

Edit: found a clip

great try no doubt, credit to Mullins he was standing next to the dummy half where the play began

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[Off]

His tackling was a bit how you going from memory.

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[RedRaider]

Hey Mr Posh, I remember Jonathan Davies but I had to look up the stats to see he played 14 times for the Dogs in 1991 with 11 of those at fullback. He was a good player but may have had some injuries so didn't have the same impact here that he had at home.

I do remember a lot of buzz about "The Welsh Wizard"- and he could back it up alright, '94 Test series (another where GB played well early and won some games) he sold a dummy to Clyde and Renouf 50m out (not too shabby), accelerated and sliced through, left them in his wake then blew past Mullins with speed (past Mullins!) to score in the corner. He could play.

Edit: found a clip

great try no doubt, credit to Mullins he was standing next to the dummy half where the play began

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Yep Boney, that little bit of niggle for the GB center probably cost Mullos the couple of seconds he needed to get across to the other side of the field. From a purely footy point of view though, wasn't it great to see the ball movement from the scrums in those days and the quick spread back across to the other side of the field. Great footy nouse and skill.

[BadnMean]

His tackling was a bit how you going from memory.

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Yeah wasn't a big bloke. A couple of other names in this thread -Currier- weren't great tacklers either.

[BadnMean]

Yep Boney, that little bit of niggle for the GB center probably cost Mullos the couple of seconds he needed to get across to the other side of the field. From a purely footy point of view though, wasn't it great to see the ball movement from the scrums in those days and the quick spread back across to the other side of the field. Great footy nouse and skill.

The English/GB used to use the ball. Made me weep watching what Wayne Bennet did to them last time out.

90s footy both countries tended to have ball players in the forwards so could put a spread on at any point. It's creeping back into footy now.

[Off]

Currier yes wow, that bloke never once dipped a shoulder.

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[Off]

Morley put the poms cant tackle to rest though.

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[Off]

And kevvie ward.

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[Johno]

Honourable mention to Steve Hampson, came to the Illawarra Steelers along with Andy Gregory

[bonehead]

Knights very confident

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