Entat went to PSG from us. Think we signed him from Avignon.

Hanley was the best ever for me. Past his best when he came to Leeds, but still one hell of a player.

Often wonder what Leeds could've achieved if they'd not had all the cliques and fallings out in that 80s and early 90s era. So many talented players came through the club. When you read accounts of what it was like behind the scenes (books by Bentley, Schofield, Crooks, Gregory, Bamford and Laughton) it's a wonder you did as well as you did.

The imports alone from that era make a heck of a team:

Gurr
Grothe
Jackson
Innes
Currie
Lyons
Coleman
Backo
Clark
Tunks
Paterson
Izzard
Laurie

Ettingshausen
Jones
Iro
Fullerton Smith
Bell

I’m going to be slightly different. I’ve been season ticket holder since 1980 but watched a few games before then.

Given to so hard I’ve come up with a new format and have gone for my favourite loiners and Rhinos teams so have. Pre and post SL team…I even thought about selecting a UK only team (one for another thread perhaps and even a best overseas team?)

Maybe not the ‘best ever’ (although several undoubtedly are) but a combination of best/my favourites… Anyway….here goes.

PRE SL TEAM

1. ET
2. ALAN SMITH
3. GARRY SCHOFIELD
4. TONY CURRIE
5. JOHN ATKINSON
6. JOHN HOLMES
7. CLIFF LYONS
8. LEE CROOKS (didn’t want to be here and injured a lot but still great on his day)
9. DAVID WARD
10. STEVE PITCHFORD
11. CRAIG IZZARD
12. GRAEME ECCLES
13. ELLERY HANLEY

SL TEAM

1. BRENT WEBB (really wanted to pick Harris but deciding factor over Webb was his departure and return from union)
2. SCOTT DONALD
3. TONY CARROLL ( not here long but still 31 try’s in 50 games and unstoppable when in the mood)
4. KEITH SENIOR
5. RYAN HALL
6. MAGSY
7 BURROW
8. KYLIE
9. DANNY BUDERUS
10. JAMIE PEACOCK
11. ALI
12. ADRIAN MORLEY
13 SIR KEV

Oooof what a player Cliffy was. Had a tremendous career. Great shout.

Amazed people have picked Tonie Carroll i have to say but its all personal choices and opinions.

Two cracking sides them

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.

Some very good players and a few like Gavin Jones who flattered to deceive, which probably summed up that era in total they rarely failed to disappoint

you must have seen holmes and cliff lyons

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

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

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

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

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

harris

et

schofield
senior
grothe

holmes
cliff lyons

morley
ward
jp

izzard
ellis
hanley

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.

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.

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…..!

You're probably too young, but I can remember Leeds getting beaten time after time by the great Hull teams of the early eighties. Both Hull and KR were several cuts above.

ME too with all the kiwis , norton and casey

Going to the Boulevard used to be incredibly difficult.
Ugh I'm having John Gallagher flashbacks.

Kemble, Leuluai, Ah Kuoi, O'Hara etc.

A "best of" Hull team would've given any counterpart a rough ride, especially at the Boulevard on a cold night. Zero doubt.

They gave the 82 Kangaroos a very tough night. Nuff said.

In my time, I may have missed some but this is a more than useful outfit.
Prescott
Vaikona
Schofield
Kylie’s uncle
O’Hara
Topliss
Sterling
Skerrett
Swain
Crooks
Ellis
Fitzgibbon
Knocker Norton