Posting on the Monaghan thread got me thinking about great wire defenders of the past.

when i was younger i never really paid much attention to the people tackling and the work they got through... like most young people i was appreciating the attack.... i think defence is something you appreciate as you get older... or maybe its just me.

obviously i remember drummond and his flying headbut takedowns.... and nikau.... absolutely filthy player.... but you knew he was going to put someone down with fire in his eyes and a grin on his face.

in todays team Monaghan is exceptional and stands head and shoulders above everyone else i think.

The Hoover

Mark Roskell used to amaze me. Tackled everything that moved, and he was only a little bloke. Old school hooker

Cullen without a doubt. Not only the best defender but IMO the toughest player (in a "Dean Bell toughness"icon_wink.gif of my era watching the Wire.

Of the backs, the best defender was Allan Bateman.

Not the best, but an underrated and often forgotten Wire player was Michael Eagar who came to us for a season before he joined Cas. In a weak Warrington back line he was a very good tackler.

Paul Cullen

Paul marquet

gary sanderson ,

Used to love watching Guisset put shots on, was sad to see him leave when he did. Also Toa 'fore arm' khoe love. Not textbook, not technically legally, but bloody great to watch!!!

I'm sure Renouf would agree with you.

Bruce McGuire.

I think theres still an outline of Brad Davies imprinted into the turf at Wilderspool after the shot Guisset hit him with! For me the best defender ive seen has got to be Monas, his technique in the tackle and organisation in defence is superb.

Bruce Mcguire.

no contest

I can remember Dave Elliot coaching at Rylands And showing us the stuff he'd learned from one of Bruce Mcguires Training sessions at Warrington.

top technique and massive hitter

Alan Bateman for me, ive never seen a back hit so hard and lift players off their feet on a regular basis due to how hard he hit in the tackle.

Dessie was another i enjoyed watching, he wasn't the best overall defender we've ever had but when he got it right he had attackers trying to get to their feet as if they were drunk. I think Alex Murphy once said "This lads head must be made of concrete" as quite often he would tackle with his head

I agree with this....Roskell was a workhorse, certainly not the best hooker in the world, but had a huge heart.

Maybe its because the little blokes stand out getting among the big boys, but I seem to remember Greg Mackay not being shy when it came to a tackle either.

i will always remember a drummond tackle against featherstone i think........ he didnt even make an effort to move his head to the side and use the shoulder... he just dived headfirst into his ribcage... i thought he had killed him..... bloke just lay on the floor motionless for about 10 minutes.

is that taking into account the amount of times people used to run through the gaps he left, shooting out to put the hit on?

big hitter, yes

good defender, hmmmm.

As Reg Reagan would sing whilst reminiscing about the biff and watching a clip of the "Tamati v Greg Dowling fight"

"Memories"

Danny Nutley was a work horse too imo

I loved watching Mark Gleeson go up against some of the big fella's. Great technique and an admirable amount of guts.

Favourite has to be Toa though, never know where his arm would end up, usually on the chinstrap!

I think for quality of tackling technique, and stopping players getting a quick play the ball, Mike Forshaw has to rank highly and Chris Leikvoll as well.

Special mention for most memorable big game defensive performance - Richie Mathers at Wembley

that was mathers finest 80 mins in a wire shirt..... and bradford away in the cup that year. he made some brilliant 1 on 1 tackles in that game.

Is there anybody who remembers Joe (what's the time?) Price ... he flattened a few ... with or without the ball.

Allan Bateman.

Rather than having a go at people's post's, contribute yourself Mr Negative

also its favourite defender... not best



you tell him philth.