Re: All time Leeds team : Mon Jan 10, 2022 7:25 pm  

Marty Grrrrrrrrrr! wrote:

1 - Harris
2 - Grothe
3 - Schofield
4 - Senior
5 - Hall
6 - Holmes
7 - Sinfield
8 - Crooks
9 - Ward
10 - Peacock
11- Morley
12 - Izzard
13- Hanley

Subs
14 - Lauitiiti
15 - Maguire
16 - Leuluai
17 - McDermott

Very difficult task because we are lucky that Leeds always have outstanding players even when we havent had great teams. So many have to left out.

Full backs ET, Webb and Zak. All terrific. Iestyn was pure class under Graham Murray tho. So good. His step, so much time on the ball, top player.

How could i leave out Atky and Alan Smith on the wings? Well i only saw the back end of Atky before he left for Carlisle and Eric Grothe was a bit special for 16 games he was a superstar. Him and Hall on the wings would be frightening. Cummins, Sterling, Donald and Fallon served Leeds well.

One of the greatest centres ive ever seen for Leeds was Tony Currie he was sensational. A truly fantastic player but Schoey and Senior did it for longer. Les Dyl , Hague, Watkins and Moon all deserve a mention. Brad Godden was a super player too. Harry Newman has the potential to be up there if he continues to develop.

Leaving Robbie and Maggsy out in the halves was tough both incredible but in the history of Leeds RL Sir Kev and John Holmes are the top 2 for me. The 2 most important players in the clubs history. Kevin Dick, Coleman, Daryl Powell all served the club well.

Props, hard to leave out Tunks, Fleary, Prior, Dixon, Jeff Grayshon had a good year for us. I liked Faimalo too but Lee Crooks didnt want to be at Leeds and many judge him on that but he was a world class RL player, had it all. This country hasnt produced many better. What would Crooks have been like if he had wanted to play for us? JP nothing needs to said, a collosus, a true Leeds RL hall of fame player. In future years Mikolaj could be pushing this team.

Hooker i supppose Terry Newton, Jackson, Disko and Buderus are only ones that could get near David Ward. The hooking role has changed over the years but when i watch games from 70s and early 80s everytime i think Wardy was only one that i wish we had in the modern game. He was tough, industrious and quality. Great leader and player.

Had to leave out Gareth Ellis and Roy Powell in the second row plus Ablett and JJB of course. All 4 was outstanding for Leeds. Phil Cookson and Graham Eccles also. The young Morley we had was like a runaway horse. An all time great. What a player. Craig Izzard in his 1st stint at Leeds was incredible. Its difficult cos some was outstanding over 1 short stint from Australia and some brilliant over a longer period. How do you choose?

Loose forward, well Dave Heron was a classy footballer. Marc Glanville wasnt quite so classy was he? Hard as nails tho. Ellery though i mean what can you say? A giant of the sport. To watch him play every week was eye opening, jaw dropping and beyond belief to be honest. Ive never seen anyone like him. If he had played his whole career at Leeds or maybe just 4 or 5 years longer he would the greatest in the clubs history. I never knew how good he was til i saw him week in and week out.

I picked a balanced bench, half, 2 props and a 2nd row. Ali Lau was just brilliant, Maggsy a legend, Kylie served us for a long time and Barrie Mc was always fun.

So many ive missed out, i know. Apologises to those.

We have been very lucky.

great summary cliff lyons would be my 7 though kevin dick my favourite from when started
some that might be in on short term stints and best days elsewhere
e,g bell being lf but has to be hanley

Re: All time Leeds team : Mon Jan 10, 2022 7:56 pm  

Sir Gregory Parsloe wrote:

In last 40 years the winger with the best big game record is Tom Briscoe, nobody has picked him as second choice behind Ryan Hall. We’ve had plenty who have failed to deliver in big games but bar losing the ball v Catalans , Briscoe has a long list of big game high performance and success.

Briscoe is good in attack but awful defending bombs. Plus him and his brother come off their wings and allow walk in tries.

Re: All time Leeds team : Mon Jan 10, 2022 8:47 pm  

ArthurClues wrote:

Been watching since the winter of 79 so while I saw and worshipped the likes of Holmes, Atky, Smith, Dyl, Eccles and Ward they were all past their prime years. Ultimately I've gone largely with players who had me on the edge of my seat every time they touched the ball. Don't know about everybody else but prop was the one I really struggled with. McDermott (I was tempted to go for Prior) had me tearing my hair out for large parts of his career but he must have been a scary prospect for the opposition when focused. Darren Fleary just impotimised the Murray vintage of 98/99. Loved watching him play.
1) Harris
2) Grothe
3) Schofield
4) Currie
5) Hall
6) McGuire
7) Sinfield
Leuluali
9) Buderus
10) Peacock
11) Izzard
12) Morley
13) Hanley
SUBS
McDermott
Fleary
Ali
Burrow

agree re prop working my way down think would put morley there even though 2nd row at leeds , big roy powell was a favourite and trrevor paterson unsung in year of the queenslanders if grithe and izzard getting in

Re: All time Leeds team : Mon Jan 10, 2022 8:52 pm  

Toosmooth wrote:

Leeds were a one man team with Harris. They immediately developed into a unit once he left.

Donald nearly made the cut on the wing, but Bai changed the game with the way he took the first hit ups. Loads of centres to choose from. Just going with personal preference. Always preferred Sinny at LF and Cuthbo again changed the way the game is played with his offloads.

Webb
Bai
Carroll
Moon
Hall
McGuire
Burrow
Peacock
Buderus
Leuluai
Ellis
Morley
Sinfield

Cuthbertson
Lauititi
McDermott
Diskin

Watkins made too many unforced errors and Senior never tried to defend high kicks. Despite his height, he just gave penalties away, by trying to block people off.

one man team ? blackmore and godden in the centres and best pack unit ever

Re: All time Leeds team : Mon Jan 10, 2022 9:00 pm  

The Ghost of '99 wrote:

Yes I agree winger is a relatively weak spot for us. If it weren't for Marcus Bai I'd have put Jim Fallon in there without much hesitation. He really was good when he put his mind to it. You'd probably not have chosen to pair him with Iro if you could avoid it given they were both prone to absent mindedness - but outside a centre who would rev him up and keep an eye on him he'd be great.

blackmore and iro both semed to need to be punched to score a hat trick , some of the 70s greats were tarnished by being past it by the 82-84 semis when i started watching though seem to remember different players for the jp win

Re: All time Leeds team : Mon Jan 10, 2022 9:02 pm  

harris

et

schofield
senior
grothe

holmes
cliff lyons

morley
ward
jp

izzard
ellis
hanley

Re: All time Leeds team : Mon Jan 10, 2022 10:00 pm  

Toosmooth wrote:

Briscoe is good in attack but awful defending bombs. Plus him and his brother come off their wings and allow walk in tries.

I didn’t pick him either and certainly Luke is not getting anywhere near, just raising that in big games which are the most important his record will stand the test of time.

Re: All time Leeds team : Mon Jan 10, 2022 11:58 pm  

Gonna go for players I've see play live & from my era the team I'd go for personally:

1.Webb - Was outstanding Attacking fullback was one of first full backs too change the way teams attacked.
2. Donald- Was a pretty safe winger with Pace too burn his all time best moment has too be his try in 2007 GF.
3.Watkins- Probably could have been better than he was but in his prime between 2013-2017 he was electric too watch.
4. Senior- Was big strong & durable knew how too put his winger away as well.
5. Great Finisher, big & Strong & think if he went too NRL before 2019 ( should have gone after 2015 GF or 2016 season) he'd be seen as one of best wingers in NRL & SL not just SL.
6. Mcguire- Great support player & Finisher your not SL record Try scorer for nothing.
7. Burrow- Not many players like him he's one of a kind made something happen nearly every time he got the ball & scored the greatest individual try in a GF of all time for me in 2011.
8. Leuluai- Solid as they come could whack and never too a backward step.
9. Diskin- Buderus runs him close but Diskin was very good for leeds for a while before Buderus came on the scene.
10. Peacock if you needed inspiration or someone too come up with that carry JP always did it a true Professional & RL Warrior.
11.JJB- Ellis Runs him close but JJB was so loyal like many others on this team. But JJB was so resilient after injuries etc he was Leeds Through & Through.
12. Morley- Wish he Came back too Leeds before he retired ideally after he came back from NRL was tough & RL warrior like JP.
13. Sinfield- The Greatest Captain in RL for me ( not player by a long way) but his leadership was second too none in both hemispheres and he continues too be an outstanding leader too this very day.

14. Lauit'titi- Great skill set for a big man. And could come up with magic when needed.
15. Buderus- Was a classy hooker and we did well too get him for 3 seasons.
16. Ellis- He could start in this team but he has too get in wish he stayed longer or returned after his NRL stint for a season or two.
17. Cuthbertson- Was a good servant and in 2015 should have been Man of Steel for me his offloading game changed the way we attacked that year and we scored great tries.

Coach Brian Mclennan - This one is probably tougher than picking the team Brian Mac is most successful Leeds coach of all time and I know he inherited the golden Generation in their prime but he still did a lot of work with his teams that led too our success. Tony Smith gave us the Golden Generation and we have a lot too be thankful too him for but. Bluey just pips them both for getting us too win 3 Super league titles in a row between 2007-2009 ( Even though Smith got the 07 title.

Honorable mentions- Lee Smith, Delaney, Ablett, Harris, Moon, Holmes, Hanley, Mcdermott, Hardaker and probably more I'll think of after I've posted this.

Re: All time Leeds team : Tue Jan 11, 2022 3:59 pm  

No Andy Gregory? If you're picking players at their peak Gregory would be in the conversation I'd think and apologies if he has been picked earlier - to me he was an extra prop playing 7 with all the natural gifts of a brilliant scrum half and of course , you had Ellery Hanley, the best player I have ever seen in my 50 plus years as a fan, wow - as a Hull fan I am slightly jealous but what a game that would be- the best Hull team against the best Leeds 13- who is having Lee Crooks?

Re: All time Leeds team : Tue Jan 11, 2022 8:05 pm  

GrahamBray wrote:

No Andy Gregory? If you're picking players at their peak Gregory would be in the conversation I'd think and apologies if he has been picked earlier - to me he was an extra prop playing 7 with all the natural gifts of a brilliant scrum half and of course , you had Ellery Hanley, the best player I have ever seen in my 50 plus years as a fan, wow - as a Hull fan I am slightly jealous but what a game that would be- the best Hull team against the best Leeds 13- who is having Lee Crooks?

Sorry but don’t think that game would be much of a contest…..!