I need a list of fullbacks, my lad plays there but at times finds himself lost. so a list of the best exponents of the position for him to model his game on. ta .

Billy Slater

Slater for sure, although I've never played fullback so not sure how great he is defensively (we all know hes brilliant in attack). I wonder if he makes up with pace defensively for being out of position sometimes?

Best defensive fullback in the super league era has to be Radlinski.

Is that the best thing for him? To model his game around someone else?

Why not let him play to his strengths and if it means him moving position then why not?

I was a fullback for my local team and we we're the best team in Yorkshire at the time and I never considered changing the way I played to copy the best fullbacks in the league.

Anyways, to answer your question.

Billy Slater
Brett Stewart
Ben Barba
Nathan Gardener
Greg Inglis (playing fb at the minute, and looking good there)
Kevin Locke
Josh Duggan
Matty Bowen
Wade McKinnon



To name a few.

Assuming you may be interested in British full-backs unlike the plebs above, for current players try Wellens.

His positional play is outstanding, his tackling is textbook and Saints have had scored god knows how many by working him into the attacking line out wide - he'll tend to sweep round the back of the line as the ball moves through hands and inject himself into a gap that's been worked by good dummy runners. He also directs the defensive line, watching for weak numbers or someone out of position.

Radlinski was the same (but faster and better

).

Above all, practice catching and one-on-one tackling in space; closing down runners.

As someone else says though, make sure he's suited to full-back and not actually just a lazy prop.

Hang on a minute! He didn't ask for just SL fullbacks and surely if that's what he wanted, he would know who the fullbacks are? Therefore giving him a short list of NRL fullbacks!

Richard Mathers

You have the audacity to call the people above you 'plebs', and then suggest that a kid should model himself of Paul Wellens rather than Billy Slater? Priceless.

Deary me. Two bites without even drawing breath.

Yep, go on, tell a kid just learning the game to be Billy Slater. Don't worry about the basics. Great idea. Great coaching.

Clearly there's been no good, solid full-backs in SL he could look to, has there?

And perhaps it's much, much easier to get footage of British full-backs than NRL?

All defensive things.

The main thing would be knowing when to push up with his props, decision making in a 3 on 2 situation and left to right passing.

Like I said why should he mould his game to be the same as x player? He should play to his strengths and not try and copy someone else's game which he might not be suited to.

The main thing a young full-back should learn is pushing up with his props, decision making in a 3-on-2 and passing?

No. A full-back's priority is learning to catch high (and low) kicks, closing down runners and one-on-one tackling. It's primarily a defensive position and a full-back who can't do all that well isn't a full-back. Support and more advanced attacking play can come later when he's comfortable with the basics.

Ask any professional sportsman and they'll tell you, practising the basics over and over and getting them right every time is what makes the difference between average and great players.


Exactly why I chose Wellens. If the lads wants to be a full-back then Wellens plays a simple, textbook full-back game. By watching him you're not so much learning to be Wellens as to be a good, solid full-back. Perfect to learn the basics from and find out if he's really suited to the position.

Best defensive full back is Wellens. If he had the pace of Slater, he would possibly be the best in the world for me.

All round best full back in the world is Slater, read the game so well.

Yes because Billy Slater does all the basics terribly.

slater is probably the better one to look at. his positioning is outstanding the phrase right place right time is said alot when he is involved both defensively and in attack.

he is exceptional at the basics but also has that flair that can create major problems.

Brett Stewart and Billy Slater are the two stand out fullbacks.

Way to miss the point. We're talking about a youngster learning the position. Slater's strongest attributes are his attacking skills, pace and flair. But I've never seen Wellens hurl the ball blindly from the touchline to give away a try, or show real fear and duck out of a tackle when faced with a big runner (as he did when Tony Williams ran at him). A great example for a youngster. Wellens rarely fails to get the basics right and is a very good role model for any youngster aiming at that position. He might not be as flash or exciting, but he does everything consistently well.

Slater is the world's best full-back for his attacking and support play, which is simply a level above. But he's not, and never has been, the greatest defensive full-back. Full-back is a primarily defensive position - especially, and here's the key - for a youngster learning basic skills and the game in general. I'm not say "Wellens is a better full-back than Slater" (frankly I don't care), but he's a perfect example of doing the basics well and a good role model for the position.

A kid learning the position needs to spend his time learning the defensive basics. They're the most important skills by a long way at full-back. He can worry about full-back attacking and support play, etc, later.

Just ignore Cronus, let him wind himself up and throw a tantrum as usual

Where does the original OP say anything at all about his sons age ?

A fullback isnt a defensive position its a attacking position.

A fullback needing good 1 on 1 tackling is a massive myth. There are hardly any instances in games where its simply a 1 on 1 situation between a fullback and the ball carrier.

He hasn't, but it's not unreasonable to assume it's a youngster learning the game.


I'm hoping you're not a coach? It's a defensive position with an attacking aspect. Yes, full-backs should learn to support, and how to inject into the attacking line at the right time. But if they can't do the defensive side of the position they're in the wrong position,


What absolute rubbish. The full-back is the last line of defence. At any level if someone breaks the line the full-back has to close them down and make the tackle. If that's a myth I see mythical things all the time and saw several instances of it yesterday at amateur level. And if I recall, on Friday afternoon at SL level.

FFS, I'm not saying attacking isn't an important aspect of full-back play, but you simply cannot have a full-back who can't catch high balls, recover grubbers, close players down and make his tackles. Those are the skills any budding full-back should master first and foremost. You can live without a full-back in attack, but you can't live with him in defence.

Perhaps the OP's son isn't a youngster and if that's the case then fair enough. But as any coaching manual tells you - practice the basics before advancing. The basics kids should learn at full-back are defence, not hunting for an off-load from your prop. That comes later as your skills improve, your awareness improves and your coach gradually introduces more advanced drills and guidance. Get the simple stuff right first.

Yeah and have had 2 different fullbacks represent their country at amateur level.

The fact you have called the position the last line of defence means we will never agree with what we want in a fullback as I have always viewed them as the first line of attack.