For Wigan, Not as much as Rivett, but how about Stuart Fielden? From arguably the most feared prop in the world in 2004 (after dismantling Wests pack single handedly) to being a squad prop in 2009. Hes back to some good form now but the Fielden then and now are streets apart.

Id also go with Tame Tupou (Didnt they call him Bill or something stupid?)

Sean Long.

Chris Thorman? His move to the NRL seems a long time ago now, although he's still playing full-time at York I guess

Quote ="suttonrobin"From the dizzy heights of the super league dream team 2007, and the sky commentators creaming his name every 10 seconds. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_League_Dream_Team To the dizzy lows of agreeing terms with Swinton Lions www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... ml&BID=480 This got me thinking, who is the most high profile player (at the time of being high profile!!) to go to being a low grade, low paid player who people soon forget. FWIW I always thought of Penny as a decent finisher, but that was it. Alround he wasnt as good as most made out.'" I can see the point you're making but it's a bit condescending to call playing for Swinton a 'Dizzy Low' in anyones sporting career. They are building a good Championship side and should go well this season. Its only a few years since Hull KR were in that division.

Quote ="suttonrobin"From the dizzy heights of the super league dream team 2007, and the sky commentators creaming his name every 10 seconds. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_League_Dream_Team To the dizzy lows of agreeing terms with Swinton Lions www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... ml&BID=480 This got me thinking, who is the most high profile player (at the time of being high profile!!) to go to being a low grade, low paid player who people soon forget. FWIW I always thought of Penny as a decent finisher, but that was it. Alround he wasnt as good as most made out.'" I can see the point you're making but it's a bit condescending to call playing for Swinton a 'Dizzy Low' in anyones sporting career. They are building a good Championship side and should go well this season. Its only a few years since Hull KR were in that division.

sounds like a good bit of business by Stevie Mac ?

Will either be ripping it up for someone like Hull come 2014, or touring the world in the ridiculous Rugby Union 7's circuit.

I always thought it was Thorman's move to the Eels that ruined him. When he was at London he was a great prospect with a decent kicking game and an excellent running game who was on the cusp of GB selection. When he came back he looked slow and looked like he had the flair coached out of him. Shame really.

If Chris Ashton can hide away in defence and become a star for England RU then Eastmond can certainly do the same.

If you watch the original Rocky movie backwards it would mirror Penny's sporting career.

No doubt he'll soon be working for a loan shark, whilst bouncing a ball and walking a bulldog.

I don't think it was coached out of Penny at all. He was and will always be rubbish in defence and will never offer anything more than being able to run pretty quick down a touch line.

I remember when HKR played Warrington in a pre-season game a few years back and Ben Cockayne made Penny look like he had concrete in his boots going 90yrds and was being chased down better by forwards. Think his cards were marked even back then.

Think many youngsters should take a long hard look at Penny and realise being a c0cky person at a young age can come and bite you on your backside. Jamie Foster especially should IMO not get too big for his boots, there have been prospects just as good as him in the past that haven't made it I am sure.

He was absolutely horrendous at Hull, one of the worst players ever to wear the Black And White. 2009 wasn't a vintage year for the club in the slightest, but his passionless, slow performances hardly helped matters.

I always put it down to being shoved to fullback. Seemed to lose a lot of confidence after that.

Then, when he came to FC, after some dire showings the crowd really got on his back - it was actually kinda cruel - which can't have helped him. Definitely turned him against us (didn't he once give us the v at Cas away?).

He's doing a pretty good job at York as far as I'm concerned.

Mark Calderwood, Super League to Pennine League Division 5 for Farnley Falcons

Penny - he was hyped up beyond belief, anyone could see the serious deficiencies in his game in both attack and defence. He was fast, that's it.

Thorman - looked class at London, IIRC he started well at the Eels but then was dropped and it seemed to shatter his confidence. He was d1cked around a bit by the coaches at both Huddersfield and Hull which obviously didn't help him regain any kind of form. He obviously had talent, it justwasnt always transferred onto the pitch.

Calderwood - a better version of Penny, he had much better skills than Penny but still struggled a bit with attitude and with being anything more than just a fast player. The move to Wigan was a disaster for him, should've stayed at Leeds and won 3 more Grand Finals. However would have struggled to get in the team past Hall and Donald was a much better winger in my opinion.

He put in a couple of good performances, but they were vastly outnumbered by his bad ones. I think a lot of this was down to his confidence.

I'm sure at your place, with the crowd on his side and the extra responsibilities he's had it's really spurred him on, which I'm glad about.






Say what you like about Calderwood, he always put in 110% effort and played with enthusiasm and pride when at Hull FC.

You've missed out him playing in France , but having said that , Leroys a really nice guy , always had a smile on his face , even when being told off for doing really daft stuff



And looking at that list above , that isn't a bad career actually , he'll be getting on a bit now , and at the end of the day , nobody can take away those tries in the Cup final

To call Calders just 'a better version of Penny' is way off the mark. Calderwood could defend, was an excellent marker tackler, very good positionally & was an annoying which worked to his teams advantage for the most part. I'm not saying he is any better than Hall or Donald offensively (his try scoring record does speak for itself though!) but I'd have him in front of a lot of SL wingers if he were a couple of years younger & not injury prone.

His defence was average, no more than that, and whilst he was useful at marker sometimes, that's not where you want your winger defending.
I agree I'd have him in front of a lot of SL wingers but that's because a lot of SL wingers are either not really wingers or are rubbish.
Currently I'd have Hall, Jones-Bishop, Charnley, Richards, Monaghan, Foster, Briscoe & Blanch ahead of Calderwood even in his prime.

Envy is a terrible sin.
Given the choice........St Helens v London Broncos in front of 5,000 fans or.........Australia, Dubai, South Africa, New Zealand, USA, Japan, Hong Kong, Scotland and England for great weekends of sport played out in front of capacity crowds (NZ sold out in 15 minutes).......?

The IRB 7's would get a player more exposure and publicity than plying their trade along the M62 or in NSW.....and the opportunity to win an Olympic Gold.
WTF is it with League fans that they need to constantly attempt to have a pop at Union whilst, 95% of the time, looking like bitter bigots with a massive chip on their shoulders?


Back on thread.....Penny, without a doubt!

You don't want him making marker tackles but if there's no bugger else to make the tackle in the first place and/or it robs the opposition of a play don't you see that as a plus rather than a negative. Especially if it gives your forwards a breather and lets the defensive line be better placed for the tackle afterwards? I don't see many if any wingers able to do that in SL at the moment.. I haven't seen many wingers make as many marker tackles as he did AND you don't know where in the field of play they were made.
To even mention him in the same breath as Penny is an insult, to suggest he's a just a better Penny is plainly inaccurate.
And Calders is a lot better than BJB, he's got a long way to go but has bags of potential.

Ashley Klein - World Cup Final to ???

Steady on old chap. I spent 20 years of my life playing rugby union and am not long retired. You'll not find many (if any) anti union comments coming from my direction, but don't tell me Henry Paul (who did the above) looks back on his career and thinks of his time RU7s as the bit where he fufilled his potential and acheived the most (although it may have been the most fun)?

Calderwood was the best winger in the SL in his last 2 years at Leeds. A 2004-06 Calderwood would still be amongst the best wingers in the league. To say the likes of Charnley, Blanch and Foster are better that Calderwood at his peak is ridiculous IMO

Josh Hannays knees were knackered at Cronulla, suprising that he took up the option of full-time footy after taking on a part-time thing with the Celtic Crusaders when they were in the 3rd tier, as it could have done him lasting damage. Knees are the worst thing to go with a professional sportsman, well you get what I mean.