Hard men of australian rugby

[Spewn]

I was particularly disappointed in Douglas. You can be as big as a baobab but if you don't have the mental toughness you will go nowhere.

 

[Finsbury Girl]

Mark Loane, Tony Shaw - not thugs, but farking hard nuts with massive ticker.

Good call on Matty Cockbain - GPS legend, on the field tough as old boots, off the field one of the nicest blokes you'll meet, same with his bro.

 

[Skippy]

In Sydney club rugby I recall some of these boys being pretty tough - Feteki Langi from West Harbour (was still playing at 40 odd), Tim Kava of Randwick, Tony 'balls' Carter from Eastwood in the mid 90's, Steve Devine (Gordon Colts, West Harbour and NZ)... and for Australia the old man and my uncles have always said Ray Price was a hard man. In the 90's there were a lot of 'tough' amatuer blokes running around in Sydney.
My personal favourites from a more recent era as blokes you'd want in the trenches with backs to the wall would be - Gregan, Kefu, Willie O, Tabua, Nathan Grey, Tim Horan (to come back from knee injuries compared to a car crash victim) Ben Tune whilst I don't think anyone could call Stephen Larkham soft!
Luke Burgess strikes me as pertty hard as nails bloke along with Pocock and Waugh.

Best story I ever heard to sum up a tough 'footballer' was about Noel 'Crusher' Cleal. I think Bob Fulton told story once how they were hunting pigs on on Crusher property and it went under a house and when Cleal went to get it out, it bit his finger off and he simply put a bandaid on it to heal!

 

[Skippy]

Weary Dunlop? Several years in a Jap prison.

 

[wamberal]

Geoff Shaw was pretty tough, for a back. John Cole and Alan Morton - both Randwick wingers (although Morton was originally from St George) and both Wallabies.

 

[Jnor]

I was particularly disappointed in Douglas. You can be as big as a baobab but if you don't have the mental toughness you will go nowhere.

Chisholm anyone?

 

[Gnostic]

Chisholm anyone?

No Douglas has actually run with the ball and made some metres (not mm) and performed a dominant tackle in his career. It may well end up a very short one though if he is infected by the shit produced last night.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

In my time of watching the Wobs, I would rate the following blokes as fitting into the hard/tough category:

Chris Roche
Mark Loane
Tony Shaw
David Codey
Simon Poidevin
Rod McCall
Steve Williams
Steve Tuynman
Dan Crowley
Willie O
Illie Tabua
Toutai Kefu
Owen Finnegan
Jeff Miller
Rocky Elsom
Dav Vickerman
Phil Kearns
Andy McIntyre
Tom Lawton
Bam
Phil Waugh
Matt Hodgson and Benny Mac have potential


I'm sure I'll think of more, but those blokes stood out for me. I'll also echo the call on Steve Lidbury, that guy defined the word enforcer for me when I was growing up learning the game.

 

[Gnostic]

Daniel Manu

Ben Tune - remember him getting smashed by Lomu and then having another go a few phases later. All with that busted up leg.

 

[Johnny Blaze]

Sydney Club rugby: The Campton brothers, Henry Schaaf. These guys were not very big forwards at all in terms of of size (doubt any were over 100kg).

I heard about Christian Keresiano a 135kg Eastwood centre trying go toe to toe with Schaaf, only to held back by his Eastwood team mates as well as a couple of Penrith players and told "Forget about it Christian, anyone but that dude" Henry didn't utter a word during the altercation just got in his face and gave him the death stare. I think Henry was in his 40's or close to it at the the time and still playing shute shield/ TNC.

 

[Johnny Blaze]

Daniel Manu

Ben Tune - remember him getting smashed by Lomu and then having another go a few phases later. All with that busted up leg.

Agree, Tune probably the only winger in world rugby that would seriously have go at bringing down the big fella.

 

[Finsbury Girl]

Agree, Tune probably the only winger in world rugby that would seriously have go at bringing down the big fella.

Qld v Auckland, 1996, Ballymore, Tuney put Lomu on his arse all night & stood him up on the outside as well (absolutely burned him).

 

[TheTruth]

In my time of watching the Wobs, I would rate the following blokes as fitting into the hard/tough category:

Chris Roche
Mark Loane
Tony Shaw
David Codey
Simon Poidevin
Rod McCall
Steve Williams
Steve Tuynman
Dan Crowley
Willie O
Illie Tabua
Toutai Kefu
Owen Finnegan
Jeff Miller
Rocky Elsom
Dav Vickerman
Phil Kearns
Andy McIntyre
Tom Lawton
Bam
Phil Waugh
Matt Hodgson and Benny Mac have potential


I'm sure I'll think of more, but those blokes stood out for me. I'll also echo the call on Steve Lidbury, that guy defined the word enforcer for me when I was growing up learning the game.

Agree with all but interesting that no current players other than Rocky and Phil waugh are included - maybe in time Pocock, Horwill, Slipper, Palmer, Ioane and Mitchell will be considered

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I did consider that Truth, though you missed me putting Bam in there

It's probably a bit early for most of the guys in the current Wallaby team, but I think a few of them could well end up in that category.

 

[territorian]

As far as tough men of rugby go, I would have to have a prerequisite of fairness and in that score I would never include Tim Bristow.
He could be kind, gentle and was a great mate to me BUT, he was also an out and out thug with many an off and on field field bashing of a seemingly innocent just because he could.
I glad he never represented as a Wallaby, I would be ashamed if that was the case.
There are better qualified 'hard men' than he.

 

[TheTruth]

I did consider that Truth, though you missed me putting Bam in there

It's probably a bit early for most of the guys in the current Wallaby team, but I think a few of them could well end up in that category.

Sorry about missing Pocock - reckon one day he will probably be an all-time tough man of OZ rugby

 

[lincoln]

As far as tough men of rugby go, I would have to have a prerequisite of fairness and in that score I would never include Tim Bristow.
He could be kind, gentle and was a great mate to me BUT, he was also an out and out thug with many an off and on field field bashing of a seemingly innocent just because he could.
I glad he never represented as a Wallaby, I would be ashamed if that was the case.
There are better qualified 'hard men' than he.

Sorry Territorian - TB was a bit tongue in cheek (probably because he is an old boy of the same institution as my avatar) - king hit a mate of mine who had just come into 1st grade as a 19 year old.

 

[lincoln]

I notice Peter Fitzsimons doesn't rate a mention anywhere - certainly someone I would like next to me in a tough game.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Forgot about Fitzy. Loved the bloke as a player and who could forget that brawl against France in 1990.

 

[cyclopath]

I notice Peter Fitzsimons doesn't rate a mention anywhere - certainly someone I would like next to me in a tough game.

'Cos they'd punch him first? That French guy certainly cleaned him up. Although Fitzy might have learned a few nefarious tricks on his sojourns into French Rugby over several seasons.