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Rugby League players who could have/could make the switch

R.I.P

Bob McCowan (2)
The one who definitely got away was league immortal Wally Lewis. Toured the UK with the 77/78 schoolboys.
 

wamberal

Phil Kearns (64)
The one who definitely got away was league immortal Wally Lewis. Toured the UK with the 77/78 schoolboys.

In which sense did he "get away"? It might be more accurate to say that he played a bit of schoolboy rugby. So did Reg Gasnier.
 

R.I.P

Bob McCowan (2)
I think going away with the Australian schoolboys is more than just a bit of 'schoolboy rugby'. Especially when you consider the legends that also went on that same tour.
 

wamberal

Phil Kearns (64)
I think going away with the Australian schoolboys is more than just a bit of 'schoolboy rugby'. Especially when you consider the legends that also went on that same tour.


He apparently preferred to play league. He went to a rugby playing school. If he had been at a league playing school, he would have played league. Just a small accident of history, nothing more.
 

Schadenfreude

John Solomon (38)
I'd have loved to have seen Joey Johns playing at 10. He tackled like a back rower, had a superb kicking game and a freakish ability to find holes in any defence. I know I'll cop it for saying this, but for me he was the most brilliant and complete player in either code while he was running around. And I don't think I've seen anyone as good since.

That's about the standard clarity of decision making we've come to expect from Bryce.
 

Riptide

Dave Cowper (27)
Agree that Joey would have made it in Rugby but Mark Ella played flat line attack like nobody else.......remember him?
The defence Ella faced wasn't back 5-10 metres like league and he had a flanker flying at him too.

Ella was great to look at.. Had a great running game and a fine short passing game. Johns had that plus an outstanding kicking game, a huge defense and was probably the best passer of a ball I've seen (Bernie being the best passer I have seen while in full flight)
 

It is what it is

John Solomon (38)
He apparently preferred to play league. He went to a rugby playing school. If he had been at a league playing school, he would have played league. Just a small accident of history, nothing more.
Yep a little preference and a lot of $$$$$. It was the amateur era in rugby too.
Interestingly, Wally has been quoted as saying Mark Ella is the best footballer he's seen.
 

Ash

Michael Lynagh (62)
I think Lewis had a lot of preference for League. His dad was a league coach of age teams for Wynnum Manly (some had a mini Wally as mascot). Lewis grew up playing league from a very young kid and he only ever played Union because he went to BSHS. He was a league kid from a league family. He was just so talented that he dominated in both games when a teenager.

If Lewis went to Union then he would be the one who got away from League, not the other way around, as it happened.
 

en_force_er

Geoff Shaw (53)
I think Lewis had a lot of preference for League. His dad was a league coach of age teams for Wynnum Manly (some had a mini Wally as mascot). Lewis grew up playing league from a very young kid and he only ever played Union because he went to BSHS. He was a league kid from a league family. He was just so talented that he dominated in both games when a teenager.

If Lewis went to Union then he would be the one who got away from League, not the other way around, as it happened.

A bloke with an almost identical story that went the other way is Adam Frier, he has a huge league background.

Suppose he wouldn't have really suited league though.
 
R

Reds24

Guest
Some one who I think would be an absolute beast at rugby is Jarryd Hayne. he has size pace and a maasive boot so he would be perfect as a union fullback and his only 23 so he has time to adjust
 

en_force_er

Geoff Shaw (53)
Some one who I think would be an absolute beast at rugby is Jarryd Hayne. he has size pace and a maasive boot so he would be perfect as a union fullback and his only 23 so he has time to adjust

He could play anywhere from 10-15 I'd say.

At 24 I'd be awesome to see the Fijian government throw a bucketload of money at him in conjunction with a Super Rugby franchise with the idea he would turn out for them at the next WC. I'd never happen though (nor should it).
 
G

Greg Growden

Guest
Billy Slater in a wallaby 15 or 11/14

Slater can't defend, catch or kick and is execrable under pressure. Not to mention weak and undersized. That may qualify him for consideration as league's greatest fullback ever but he'd be horribly exposed in union.
 
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It is what it is

John Solomon (38)
Slater can't defend, catch or kick and is execrable under pressure. Not to mention weak and undersized. That may qualify him for consideration as league's greatest fullback ever but he'd be horribly exposed in union.
Ignorant comment GG.
When an ever increasing group of all-time greats say he is up with the best they've ever seen, we need to take notice.
The guy covers between 12-14km per match, is a brilliant ball runner in traffic and broken field, great cover defender, and does an incredible amount of work for his team 'off the ball' in decoy running and support play.
The big wrap is how he's sustained this level of excellence for so long and against the best opposition.
I'll give ground on his kicking skills but I'd take his 'no kicking' over Barnes and so many others aimless kicking.
Remember, not every player can do everything well.......Bradman wasn't a very good bowler!
 

I like to watch

David Codey (61)
I just don't get that mentality that anything Mungo is deficient.
Yes I prefer this game, yes I see things I don't like in Mungo.
But is it all bad with no redeeming features?
Don't think so.
Some of the comments in this thread are really quite immature.
 

en_force_er

Geoff Shaw (53)
Ignorant comment GG.
When an ever increasing group of all-time greats say he is up with the best they've ever seen, we need to take notice.
The guy covers between 12-14km per match, is a brilliant ball runner in traffic and broken field, great cover defender, and does an incredible amount of work for his team 'off the ball' in decoy running and support play.
The big wrap is how he's sustained this level of excellence for so long and against the best opposition.
I'll give ground on his kicking skills but I'd take his 'no kicking' over Barnes and so many others aimless kicking.
Remember, not every player can do everything well.......Bradman wasn't a very good bowler!

Good comment but I don't buy that. Maybe 8km max. A incredibly stellar AFL player might cover 12km and that's AFL.
 

wamberal

Phil Kearns (64)
I find it impossible to believe that any NRL player runs anything like the distance that AFL players do. I just looked at the statistics for the Storm against the Broncos, the total metres gained by Storm ball runners was 1473 metres. The total number of defensive tackles was about 350, the defending side players run say 10 metres each tackle, but Slater would run less, presumably, but say that he runs 3.5 km in defensive situations during the match. I don't know what his share of the running metres was, let us give him 500 metres. Total 4 km, add on a margin for other defensive and attacking work, I would guess that he runs 6 km.

The AFL grounds are huge compared to ours, plus most players are now required to run pretty much from end to end, and laterally as well, for a lot of the game.
 

Godfrey

Phil Hardcastle (33)
I think that's a pretty simplistic breakdown of the numbers. Keep in mind he is always running support lines, chasing the ball, running decoy lines, constantly changing his positioning (as required of a fullback) in defence. I have definitely heard it's around 10-12km a game and wouldn't be surprised personally - though I don't have a source for that number.
 

en_force_er

Geoff Shaw (53)
Nobody is saying league is less taxing on your cardio system then footy but it's different, footy is more running and league is more contact work which really takes it out of you.

Wamberal's numbers sound fairish, plus the 1km for stuff like dummy lines ect, plus 1km margin or error still leaves us at 8km.
 

Godfrey

Phil Hardcastle (33)
Well I guess with such scientific calculations he couldn't possibly do 2KM more than that.
 
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