The starting 13, from 1996 to 2010 www.outofmemory.co.uk/saints.png Which do you think were the best 13, and what do you think of 2010 in comparison?

The starting 13, from 1996 to 2010 www.outofmemory.co.uk/saints.png Which do you think were the best 13, and what do you think of 2010 in comparison?

Note to self: I should have made it 17 really, as the bench is so important these days.

2001 -2003 look pretty good to me

I'd argue you've got 2006 wrong, as Fozz was hardly getting a look in, and Cayless (Has anybody seen JC?) was starting.

I'd also argue 2006 is potentially the best Saints side I have witnessed.

Fair point, it was done in a bit of a rush, so haven't always got the best 13, or taken into account major injuries.

2005-2006 those two years were fantastic for me, losing Albert for 2006 was a disappointment but we coped magnificently in respect.

Looking at it like that puts into even more perspective both how long Cunningham and Long have been the backbone of our squad, but more worrying for me how little we've had the same line-up week-in-week-out this season.

We have had it tough with Right centres haven't we



I think Tony Stewart was our starting winger for a couple of seasons before Gardner.

Wasn't Stewart our starting winger before Albert? Perhaps were I have put Hoppe.

Quote ="rlcoach"Wasn't Stewart our starting winger before Albert? Perhaps were I have put Hoppe.'" www.saints.org.uk/saints.org.uk/ ... page_id=10 1997 till 2003 hmmm, looks like your right. I guess that Hoppe did shift around the team a bit. There was definately a period when Stewart was our first choice winger. As you said earlier maybe it needs to be 17 rather than 13. Good work it is very interesting.

Quote ="rlcoach"Wasn't Stewart our starting winger before Albert? Perhaps were I have put Hoppe.'" www.saints.org.uk/saints.org.uk/ ... page_id=10 1997 till 2003 hmmm, looks like your right. I guess that Hoppe did shift around the team a bit. There was definately a period when Stewart was our first choice winger. As you said earlier maybe it needs to be 17 rather than 13. Good work it is very interesting.

Just goes to show how important the spine of the team really is. Easily the most consistent set of players at 1, 6, 7, 9 & 13 throughout SL, the only other side coming close is Leeds over the last few years and look how they are doing now.

2006 was the strongest despite Cayless missing from the list. Hard to pick a weak team out of the 13.

Nice piece of work that table, brings back a lot of memories. Would love to have seen Britt and Fairleigh propping down together.

The 2001 backs takes some beating

A young Wello at fb

On the right we had NZ's top try scorer of all time with and one of the Kiwis best ever players

On the left we had Newy scoring and creating tries for Sully from anywhere on the pitch (wish we had sully outisde of gidley now)

With Tommy and Long pulling the strings

Imagine that year's 4,5,6 (and arguably 8 & 11) in the 2005 team and that is some line-up.

The 1999-2001 was awesome in attack!

Iro and newlove in the centre was awesome for saints. Not many teams could live with them.

Freddie was great player to watch.

They have to be saints best backs ever!

They had pace, power, skill.

Did hunte play centre? i only remember him on the wing, but i was a student waster back then

2006 by plenty. That team would urinate over the 2009 Rhinos.

Great work. Wish more people would do the same.

Filled in when Gibbs left in 96 and played the full season of 97 before we sold him - he was our top try scorer that season too.

Patch got injured in 2000 and wellens moved to full back for most of the season. The rest is history.

I'd say that the 2000 team was the best we've seen, which is strange as the great Dave Fairleigh joined the year later, but that 2001 side didn't win the GF (partly beacause he was injured,though).
That set of backs is something you'd never manage under the salary cap these days.