Retired Players you miss the most

[RugbyReg]

I always have thought Roff failed to live up to the hype.

Let's not forget he was dropped in 1999 prior to the RWC. And then again in 2003 during the RWC.

He was a superb talent that's for sure. Just don't think we really saw too much of it in the Wallaby jersey. I know its not the most popular opinion, and I also believe people fall into the trap of glorifying former players undeservedly. I think this is just one of those times that longevity is confused for quality.

He only scored three tries v the All Blacks. What were the great ones? One on the end of a play, rolling over the line, in that Eales kick game. One close to the line in the "greatest game ever" game. And then one in the "game of two halves" in 1997, that I can't recall.

 

[Lee Grant]

He had some top games for the Wallabies and reached his peak in the second test against the Lions in 2001 - but I wouldn't compare him to a healthy Tune at test level.

He's one of the greatest Super players we've ever had though and it would be good to see him, in his prime, playing for the Brumbies again.

I am surprised no-one has said Bernie yet.

You're right (slaps forehead with palm of hand). One of my favourite players of all time. I don't think that anyone before or since could execute long passes whilst running a top speed - and his gradual length of step running to accelerate fooled a lot of folks.

 

[I like to watch]

You're right (slaps forehead with palm of hand). One of my favourite players of all time. I don't think that anyone before or since could execute long passes whilst running a top speed - and his gradual length of step running to accelerate fooled a lot of folks.

He was deceptive, I used to love the way he seemed to ghost through the line. The thing that stands out for me was that he always seemed to have plenty of time.That is a hallmark of a great player

 

[Gnostic]

I always have thought Roff failed to live up to the hype.

Let's not forget he was dropped in 1999 prior to the RWC. And then again in 2003 during the RWC.

He was a superb talent that's for sure. Just don't think we really saw too much of it in the Wallaby jersey. I know its not the most popular opinion, and I also believe people fall into the trap of glorifying former players undeservedly. I think this is just one of those times that longevity is confused for quality.

He only scored three tries v the All Blacks. What were the great ones? One on the end of a play, rolling over the line, in that Eales kick game. One close to the line in the "greatest game ever" game. And then one in the "game of two halves" in 1997, that I can't recall.

I was never a fan of Roff in Gold. He was a great in Brumbies colours but just didn't seem to step up. His defence was on par with Campo as well. The lasting highlight of him in Wallaby colours for me is him making the intercept in 1998 in Wellington? and getting run down by Wilson over 60 metres who had to turn and chase. You could rattle of the names in Oz rugby at the time that would have gone in under the posts. The thing was Roff was quick, most of the time but he just seemed to have these types of lapses.

 

[Lee Grant]

That was in 2001 at Carisbrook IIRR - just after the Lions tour and Fast Eddie had taken over from St. Rodney.

Just before the incident Roff was chasing a kick through and Cribb tackled Roff before he could get to the ball and we got a penalty try. Then at the end of the game All Black captain Oliver decided not to take an easy penalty shot to get a 3N bonus point and went for the try instead - one of the oddest decisions I've ever scene. The point was that it was obviously the last play of the game and a converted try would not have won it. I forget the score but the points difference must have been 8 or 9.

Roff was quite quick as a teenager but he was one of those big guys who couldn't keep his pace as he got into his 20s. Maybe if he had trimmed down he would have done better; who knows? By 2001 he was slow for a test winger though still very handy as a player - and Goldie Wilson was lightning fast.

It was shocking to see how easily he was run down. He got the ball about 10M out from the Oz goal line and Wilson was about 10 metres away (sideways) in line with him but facing the wrong way. The Kiwi had to turn around then get up to speed. Wilson caught Roff about 20 metres from the NZ goal line after he had run infield to get away from him.

 

[cyclopath]

I actually agree with Reg. Roff was sublime for the Brumbies, and intermittently so for the Wallabies. Lions 2001 was his peak. I don't think he brought his best to the International game all the time. When he played well, he was as good as anyone, but he performed way more consistently at Provincial level. Tune, when fit, was far more scary. Sadly, we didn't see enough of him either. This is not "bagging" him.

 

[wal]

I am surprised no-one has said Bernie yet. One of your best ever players and good lad. Only saw his career 2003 onwards but he was a quality player.

I thought I would wip up a GAGR special http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WREmrQ6WC-Q

Another tribut aswell http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95hcQOVDh8o&feature=related

I digress from topic slightly, but having watched Australia trying to find a flyhalf to replace him, I am interested to not how much more depth he played with than the current halves (Gits, Barnes and Cooper).

Back onto players,
Phil Kearns
Nick Farr-Jones
Tim Horan

All players that first helped to spark my interest in Rugby after a move to the northern states from Victoria (didnt get RU in Vic when I was a kid) barely knew the game existed.

 

[kambah mick]

Speaking of Ken Wright reminds me just what a great pass Hipwell had. In replays of Wrights great try, watch the absolute pearler of a ball he was served up by Hipwell. Magic!

 

[Lee Grant]

Spot on mickster. Good to have another fellow of mature years on the forum.

Hippy was one of the great Oz scrummies and like Catchpole before him could make good ball out of crap ball. He didn't need the perfect position or the steps. He had the quaint notion that it was better to get quick ball out rather than slower ball that had lipstick and makeup on it. He was a power runner on the snipe and tackled aggressively like a foward.

Those were golden years for Oz scrummies and one could almost see the baton handed from Cyril Burke, to O'Connor and Catchpole, to Hipwell then to NFJ and young Gregan. Not a bad chain - and Genia is not too bad either.

 

[Nusadan]

Spot on mickster. Good to have another fellow of mature years on the forum.

Hippy was one of the great Oz scrummies and like Catchpole before him could make good ball out of crap ball. He didn't need the perfect position or the steps. He had the quaint notion that it was better to get quick ball out rather than slower ball that had lipstick and makeup on it. He was a power runner on the snipe and tackled aggressively like a foward.

Those were golden years for Oz scrummies and one could almost see the baton handed from Cyril Burke, to O'Connor and Catchpole, to Hipwell then to NFJ and young Gregan. Not a bad chain - and Genia is not too bad either.

In between them though, there was Hauser, Carson and Cox...all handy players...anyone else we have left out?

 

[Lindommer]

Hippy was one of the great Oz scrummies and like Catchpole before him could make good ball out of crap ball. He didn't need the perfect position or the steps. He had the quaint notion that it was better to get quick ball out rather than slower ball that had lipstick and makeup on it. He was a power runner on the snipe and tackled aggressively like a forward.

And a tough little bugger to boot. Hippy never flinched in the face of rampaging forwards and copped whatever was meted out to him. After the Christchurch test in 1978, which we lost 22-6 in a mudheap, I snagged an invite to the official after-match reception. Many of us were quite impressed with Hippy's courage in the face of the AB forwards; he showed us the result of that courage during a visit to the mens' when he pulled up his shirt to show us their handiwork. There were a near-perfect set of railway lines running the down the length of his back. For Hippy, and many others in those days, such scars were worn as a badge of pride.

 

[Bullrush]

3 Pages and no-one's mentioned Jonah?? Will there ever be another like him?

Agree with Cullen and Carlos Spencer. Also Larkham - I'll never forget the try he scored against the Blues where he basically 'Superman-ed' over Carlos to get the ball down. Rupeni Caucau was absolutely untouchable on his day.

Frank Bunce had some great moments. ALso Joeli Vidiri and Tana Umaga - the best defensive back I think in his time. Oh...and Brian Lima - who still hits like that anymore?

 

[Rothschild]

Matthew burke now that was a kicker, and a brilliant member of the ryde-eastwood community, I remember him coming to my primary school once to promote playing for Hillview rugby and he was cool.
Tim Donnelly from playing with Eastwood

Matt Burke promoted Hillview? Bloody splitter.
Damned great player all the same

 

[Jethro Tah]

3 Pages and no-one's mentioned Jonah?? Will there ever be another like him?

No there won't and thank goodness for us. Jonah was awesome. End of story.

If you are thinking about retired players who you miss the most from the current Wallaby 1st XV, that would have to be Bernie, Horan & Eales. Of the retired Wallabies who I really enjoyed watching (in an 'oh shit, this could be really good or really bad' kinda way) that would be Campo or maybe even Matt Rogers (who is not unlike Beale IMO).

 

[Cutter]

Blades, Harry, McKenzie, Daly, Topo, McIntyre, Eales, Giffin, McCall, Cutler, Williams, Willie O, Gourley, Kefu, Gavin, Tuynman, Larkham, Horan...

A couple of good props, one more good lock, a good blindside (yes, I'm saying Rocky isn't great), a good backup to Palu, a 10 who can tackle and a slightly more incisive 12 than Barnes. Then we'd win the world cup.

Its a pity Gourley and Ben Kennedy went to league. They'd have made great Wallabies.

 

[Lee Grant]

In between them though, there was Hauser, Carson and Cox...all handy players

Of course; but they don't really signify when compared to the longer careers of Hipwell, Burke, NFJ, Gregan and Connor/Catchpole who I always think of a singularity somehow. Connor left as Catchpole was on the rise and was always going to take his place. It was probably just a coincidence though as Connor got a teaching offer in NZ.

IMO Catchy was the greatest Wallaby who ever was and Kiwis always bag me on this but I think that Connor was one of their best scrummies ever, well, since WWII say, after he went over the ditch. For those who want to mention famous All Black half-backs like Trapper Loveridge and Sid Going and the other suspects I saw all of them play and probably more than most - but Connor was better than all of them IMO.

Throughout our parallel rugby history the All Blacks have always had better players generally speaking, position for position, than we have had - but not at scrumhalf. From WWII with Burke, going through to the start of the pro era with young Gregan, our lot were better. There were a few years when the careers of our great scrummies did not overlap, but the Kiwis had the same experience when their good guys retired.

That golden thread of great Wallaby scrummies is not talked about much; somebody should give Spiro a bell.

 

[Red Rooster]

I am surprised = given all the moaning about the wallaby scrum I thought more would have liked to see a front row that can take it to the opposition at scrum time - symptomatic of the problem about Rugby culture in Australia - everyone worships the outside backs - hence not much incentive to play up front

i suggest the front rows from 1984, 1991 or 1999 would be nice to have around at this point

 

[DPK]

I am surprised = given all the moaning about the wallaby scrum I thought more would have liked to see a front row that can take it to the opposition at scrum time - symptomatic of the problem about Rugby culture in Australia - everyone worships the outside backs - hence not much incentive to play up front

i suggest the front rows from 1984, 1991 or 1999 would be nice to have around at this point

I'd like to know what happened to the front row of 2009. They've done a big Harold Holt on us.

 

[qwerty51]

I'd like to know what happened to the front row of 2009. They've done a big Harold Holt on us.

2 major injuries to the props, 2 minor injuries to the hookers

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

I can never get my head around how amazing Larkham was, during the season when fox play those 'classic' games after The Rugby Club i watch them just to take notes and watch him move the ball around the park.