In my opinion I think people are to easy to use the term world class when describing players abilities. Recently Sam Tompkins has been described as thus but I don't think he is. No doubt some one eyed pie troll will be on here going blah blah blah and creaming themselves over roland rat but for me is isn't there yet. But in order to balance things out I think that Roland COULD be world class one day. 
That said how many truly world class players have GB / England produced in the last 20-30 years. What does it mean to be considered world class and how would be best to describe those that are one level below?

For me Ellery Hanley was truly world class. Also (IMHO) so too was Tony Myler. Going back further you have Murphy and Karalus, fox as so kne but I'm after people's opinions of the last 30 years.  Finally who of the current/ future generation of GB / England players could also realistically achieve such status???

No English players that I've seen have been superior to the NRL players. Sculthorpe is probably the closest in my time, he was on par with the best the Roos had during his prime.

Its so hard to judge though as most of the best English players don't take up the chance to play in the NRL. Sculthorpe would have been an absolute revelation for example.

If a SL player has any sort of ambition they would be looking to get over there, particularly as their cap is on the rise.

My interpretation of world class has always been of those players considered the best in the world in their chosen positions. The problem with that is it's open to interpretation, how highly I may rate a certain player, may be drastically higher or lower than my peers. Plus I've always thought, would that players who's thought of as world class, get in a world 13 team.

I must say I go agree in regards to Tomkins. He's not quite world class yet, but he has the ability to be further down the line.


EDIT: Ignore what I've written above. As reading through it again myself, I don't think I've made any sense. Like most of my posts I suppose.

Sculthorpe.

Farrell may have been had he played second row where he should have been rather than pretending to be a stand off.

For me world class players can stand with the very best, you'll always get disagreements, but that's par for the course with any subjective topic such as this. World class players can become legends but not always, I'd compare them to their peers of the time.

The level below I'd describe as good players and that's a pretty big pot. I only have four bands, great (or World class), good, average and poor.

Sam Tomkins is world class IMO. You're not naming world class players there, you're naming players who have a claim to being THE best player in the world at the time, or at least in their position.

Sam Tomkins would walk into the NZ team at FB IMO, and they are the reigning world champions. That is world class in my opinion.

Joel Monaghan has played wing for Oz, so he must be world class. But Tomkins is a better FB than he is a winger, absolutely no question.

Ward is a name commanly mentioned. I agreed with comments about Sculthorpe.

I think to reach his potential Tomkins will move back to 6. At the moment, his undoubted talent for running the ball is being maximised by Wigan's game plan which at times creates acres of space out wide for him . I think as he develops he'll want to move closer to the ruck where he can influence the direction of the game more and make more desicions.

I don't think he will. He always looked like a headless chicken in the halves and he doesn't really have any sort of kicking game or passing game. He is in the best position to exploit his strengths where he is now.

Gareth Thomas is world class.

But I think he'll develop that, which is my point. He seems the sort of guy who's got it in him - look at how much better he looks under the high ball now. I also feel his kicking game has improved since his 1st team debut.
At the moment, Wigan tailor their game to use his one massive strength - running in space out wide. There's going to come a time when Wigan aren't so dominant or slick at moving the ball and he's going to look wasted out there if he doesn't develop the rest of his game. I think he will.
A "world class" player in a pivotal position should be able to change his game to suit the opposition. A the moment, not many are stopping Tomkins's plan A, so we haven't seen how well he can cope.
If he played NRL, where then can allegedly defend out wide, he may struggle, but I think he's the type of guy that could improve and overcome that, adding string to his bow.

I don't think he's the be all and end all, I think Wigan are currently maximising his talent with great success. I think he could be up there, with the greats come the end of his career, but lets face it, if he stays at Wigan and England keep losing to Aus, he's going to assinged to the same pile as the rest, with no one really knowing if he was.

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By the same token Hoffman, also world class and there are probably 2 or 3 better second rows than him in SL

for me the only 2 close to being world class in SL at the moment are Roby and Tomkins

I'd agree with that, and I'd say a fit and firing on all cylinders Graham would also be up there.

Maybe it's my terrible Wigan bias. But Lockers might be worth a shout. Although one might not consider him world class in some respects. I can't think of a 13 in SL or the NRL better than him. Whether that then makes him world class is debatable.

Agreed. From an England point of view I'd also throw in Graham and Sam burgess as they are in the top 5 in the world in their positions but haven't yet done so for an extended period

No lockers I think your world class too

I'm not knocking Lockers, but it depends what type of 13 you want really. A ball handling loose like him and Sinfield or a battering ram type loose. Its hard to compare him to someone who plays the same position but is made do it differently.

Agreed. Paul Gallen and Lockers are perfect examples of this.

The only world class British player at the moment in super league for me is Roby. Locker is just a very good club player, if you place Lockers against Sculthorpe then Lockers is definitely not world class.

Scully IMO is the only true world class player this country has produced for many many years.

From the last 10 years or so, a few more names I'd say were World Class:

Carney
Peacock
Morley
Gleeson

Surprised no one has mentioned cunningham. For a while he was definitely best number nine on the world, regardless of whether he played for gb or not

Cunningham would be up there ahead of Sculthorpe for me.
Cunningham wasnt only the best 9 in the world in his prime he was one of the best players full stop.

It took 21 posts to mention KC?

Its a given.

Id agree with this, for me Roby, tomkins and Graham are all world class...as is Thomas Leuluai imo. He seems to be the man that really makes Wigan tick and they seem to dip in form when he is spelled at 9 (Wire CCQF, Leeds in final) and has been a great performer for NZ up against Cameron smith (the best 9 on the planet)

As for O'Loughlin, good solid club player but not world class imo. Wouldnt get into most NRL teams or into Australia/NZ squad like the above 4 would