Has there been a modern player who's stayed at the top for so long?

He made his debut in 1994 and by 1995 he was interesting the GB coach. During 1996 he became the best hooker in Britain. Since then he's had an extraordinarily long period at the top. In the two or three seasons he wasn't ranked #1 in Britain he was at #2 (behind Lowes).

The only time his form dipped seriously was immediately after he dislocated his elbow against NZ (a horrific injury) and that period lasted around 18 months.

As he has aged (and bulked up) his game has been forced to change. The elbow injury means we very rarely see the trademark hand-off that so many have been the victim of. And the seventy metre bursts are a thing of the past. But last season - in which physicality was traded for craft around the ruck - he was outstanding for Saints.

If he calls it a day at the end of the season he can be proud of what he has achieved. A superb player.

Glorious League Freak will ruin this thread



Cunningham is the Ryan Giggs of Rugby League. Great and long club career, shame about the internationals. A legend though for sure.

Keith Senior

He's the only one that ranks alongside KC on that score.

Keiron has been a great player for Saints, a legend even. Sure, he hasn't been as involved Internationally as maybe he should have been due to injuries, but that doesn't stop him from being a wonderful player.

If he'd have gone to the NRL, he'd have been outstanding over there like he has over here.

So does this mean Muggy actually went to a game …















or is it just the fact that it was on telly?

Did you write that with your pants on?

For a players with such a long and distinguished career, his absence at Test level against Australia is a large question mark.
He had one game where the Oz commentators raved about him early in his Test career but after that injury kept him out of the arena for most games.

Similar to Long in many ways, one game where he was man of the match and the rest is unremarkable at Test level.

He has stood the test of time at Club Level though.

Who are these British players that have - match after match after match - taken it to the Aussies? I don't recall too many.

I don't remember Andy Farrell moving too many mountains consistently - and yet he doesn't receive the stick that Cunningham does. Scully had a few good games aginst the convicts, but ditto Farrell. Offiah was the target of numerous jokes by the Aussies before he put in a couple of good efforts (who can forget him dropping the ball the ball under the posts with no one near him after running the length of the field against NZ?). The list is endless.

Between the odd impressive display Stacey Jones was mullered time after time by the Aussies. Clearly this means he is not a great player, along with a number of other Kiwis I could mention.

Back when GB had threat in the backs Allan Langer was dropped at least twice in favour of Ricky Stuart because of defeats against Britain. Another failure, it seems.

This thread is about KFC mate. Just cos someone calls into question your hero worshipping doesn't mean you should bring other players into the conversation.
How about addressing the points made about Keiron the Saint Cunningham first?

I am not questioning his credentials if your comments are aimed at me?

Heartburn is a serious ailment that needs immediate attention as is an ingrown toenail.
I am not a Doctor or profess to be one, I do not have enough information about Keirons sick notes at Test level to have an informed opinion.

You haven't made any, other than Keith Senior - who is probably the closest, but not equal by any means.

He was outstanding in one of the Tri-Nations series. Easily GB's best player.

Wigan didnt envy saints at Murryfield

A bit like the Scots bringing up William Wallace.

Pardon me if I am mistaken, but didn't KFC fall foul of the drug laws?

[urlhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2408133/St-Helens-offer-support-after-Cunningham-fails-drugs-test.html[/url

We're talking about the model professional here.

Oh, right. Sorry. I thought we were talking about someone who had dragged the name of RL into the gutter. My mistake.

Does help when you read what you've linked to....



Cunningham would of got a lot more than a £2,500 fine and a suspended sentence if he'd of taken any banned substances willingly.

But, carry on

Sigh.

The lenient sanction that was applied to this offence was shameful.

Seem to remember he was prescribed an amino acid acid vitamin which reduces weight by increases the metabolic rate.

The chap guility of the prescribe was an RFL official working for the international team, later it was found out that this chappy had got the position under false pretences and had no medical qualification or background.

The chap was sacked as a result, while KC was found guilty but with mitigated circumstances.

Not quite.

[urlhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2003/aug/01/rugbyleague.sthelens[/url

Saints and KFC squirmed alot. The guy was working for Saints when KC was caught out. And no matter what, in other sports it is ULTIMATELY THE PLAYER'S RESPONSIBILITY.

Please don't ever try to encourage people to vote for an award/appreciation for this guy ever again. Have you no shame?

8.5 / 10 club career
6.5 / 10 int career
Nobody in last 10 years would score higher IMO

8.5 / 10 club career
6.5 / 10 int career
Nobody in last 10 years would score higher IMO

Was there not a survey and poll carried out and published in the Rugby League World last year on the Top 50 players in the superleague era.

Kieran Cunningham voted No 1 if they carried out a poll in 5 years time, KC will still top the list.

Present top 3 Cunningham, Morley and Senior

Unfortunately it also looks very bad if a sport's governing body uses an unqualified nutritionist who uses that as a position from which he can go on to mislead players into taking banned substances. It would appear to any outsider that the person supplying the banned substance had the endorsement of the RFL, so pretending otherwise would be just silly.