Alex Murphy
Vince Karalius
Billy Boston
(Although, i didn't see the first three at their peaks, especially Boston)
Neil Fox
Martin Offiah (although not one for the purists, his record speaks for itself)

Over and above that, although he only had a couple of seasons at the top) Dennis O'Neill.

Knocker(the king) Norton
Ellery Hanley
Gary Schofield
Andy Farrell
Phil Lowe

Not a player in super league that has the skill and flair of those named above

Ellery Hanley
Tony Myler
Andy Gregory
Kevin Ward
Martin Offiah

V V honourable mentions to Mick Adams, Paul Sculthorpe, Shaun Edwards, Andy Farrell, Kieron Cunningham, Garry Schofield, Doug Laughton & John Woods.

Only 5th?



E. Hanley
P. Sculthorpe
M. Offiah
A. Farrell
K. Cunningham/ J. Davies

Schofield was past his best when I saw him. Jason Robinson should probably get a menton too.

Only in my 50's.

Someone in another thread rated Harry Bath.

Thank God my Dad isn't a surfer. His all time favourite was Jim Sullivan !

Hanley
Offiah
Kevin Ward
Schofield
Keiron Cunningham

Not to say there weren't better players in the league, but collectively, when Dermott played for Wigan they had the best pack in the British game by some considerable margin. For me Cunningham, Farrell and Sculthorpe are the stand out players of their generation. Dermott gets lost with the big names around him at the time.

When you talk about the Wigan teams he played in his name falls well down the pecking order: Hanley, Gregory, Edwards, Platt, Offiah, Botica, Miles and Clarke (may receive some mocking but he was a fantastic athlete). Compare this to good St Helens and Scully/Cunningham rise to the top everytime. Even taking into consideration Long, Newlove and Joynt.

If Phil Clarke's career wasn't cut short by such a serious injury, I have no doubt he would have made a fair number of the lists on this thread. He would have been a success in Australia and he was destined to captain his country for years

My thoughts are Clarke showed us the benefits of having fit athletic forwards in the team and I would agree he could have been in more threads. Some people don't like his comments on Sky though.

Ellery Hanley (by a long way)
Martin Offiah
David Topliss
Bill Ashurst (on his day - just not enough of them)
Jason Robinson

Posted in the All Time GB side thread:-

1. Jim Sullivan
2. Billy Boston
3. Neil Fox
4. Harold Wagstaff
5. Mick Sullivan
6. Roger Millward
7. Alex Murphy
13. Malcolm Reilly
12. Dick Huddart
11. Vince Karalius
10. Ken Gee
9. Joe Egan
8. Brian McTigue

Seen at least detailed footage of all of them bar nos. 1 and 4.

I'll stick with that side.

Slot in Eric Ashton at centre and maybe throw the virtually unrecognised genius, certainly in that spot, of one Harold Poynton back at fullback for the hell of it...

Can understand the love for others at fullback - Lydon, Shoebottom, Martin Ryan, Charlton, even Hampson circa 1990 - to name a few at random.

Fair cop.

Anyone who has ever seen even a minute of his play around 1958 or 1962 must be in no doubt as to who is the greatest half to have played our fine game...

And that is of course a massive call given the candidates for the position.

Nice try for a troll...

Harry Bath is often cited as the greatest Aussie player to never represent the country.

I would certainly have Brian Bevan in front of him (so did Harry) but that is that.

Sullivan in many ways towers over all comparisons in the British game because of the way he was viewed during his time in the game - and relatively early in the game's history.

That has benefits as well - you are remembered well in the historical context being available to compare but are too far back in a sport as old as rugby league to be remembered well by the fan collective (for want of a better term).

The fact his name still resonates tells us something.

Ethel Hanley
Tony Myler
Andy Gregory
Doug Laughton
Mick Adams

Ernest Hanleyway...

And his great work, [iFor Whom the Bell Tolls[/i, with a special introduction by Terry Lamb.

1. Keith Mumby - best defensive player ever, quality goalkicker and excellent in attack
2. Ellery Hanley
3. Gary Schofield
4. Martin Offiah
5. Paul Sculthorpe

Cunningham possibly should be in there ahead of Sculthorpe due to longevity. Howevr, I felt that in their prime Sculthorpe was the better player.

Mentions should also go to Kevin Ward, Andy Platt and Adrian Morley but like most people I've gone for the flair players rather than the workhourses

Suprised Henderson Gill has been overlooked and Paul Harkin the only player I ever saw who never made or took a tackle in his entire career

So... to extend the question - how many of your top 5 Brit players would get into your all time top 5?

My 5 Brits were

1. Ellery Hanley
2. Keiron Cunningham
3. Martin Offiah
4. Kevin Ward
5. Paul Newlove

The top 5 players I have seen play (in no order)

Ellery Hanley
Wally Lewis
Brett Kenny
Mark Graham
Andrew Johns

Why don't you people ask some easy questions...

My top 5 Brits were

Keiron Cunningham
Ellery Hanley
Martin Offiah
Jonathan Davies
Jason Robinson

My top 5 i've seen are

Ellery Hanley
Martin Offiah
Mal Meninga
Greg Inglis
Gordon Tallis

None.......

Top 5 All Time

Andrew Johns
Wally Lewis
Darren Lockyer
Mal Meninga
Brett Kenny

Rubbish,the Black Pearl is better than any of them.IMO just shading Brett Kenny.

In no particular order.
Ellery Hanley
Roger Milward
Alex Murphy
Billy Boston
Malcolm Reily
Martin Offiah
& probably about five others would be up with them.