Martyn Rathbone Waterhouse Solomona Jackson Grix Currie Westwood Anderson Cullen Masila…that could be 11, and many more.

I don't know where to start with this

. I'm looking forward to lefty reading it

Opinions are all my own.
I welcome anyone else’s thoughts.
But no way was Roberts that high of a back rower in my opinion. He was a handy dominant centre, he played backrow as he did at centre.

You must be thinking of someone else, because Roberts barely played centre - I'm genuinely struggling to think of when he wore the number 3 or 4.

It would only be a couple of times if he did.

He moved from right centre to the back row.

I genuinely don't recall him having an extended run in the first team at centre.

He was a top second row, though as I said earlier he's a fine example of how the game has changed and the role of the second rower, who are now just isolated out wide giving strength to defence out wide - it's why you saying the likes of Waterhouse were better, when they were completely different players.

Interesting you put Rathbone ahead of him though. Barely strung a run of games together at Wire. Did he even play 20 games?

True but the vast majority of his wire career was in the 2nd row with one premiership final game at hooker..and he'd deffo be in my top 10...some of which you mentioned were good solid players but not a patch on roberts

Mark Roberts was one of my top 3 back rowers. Never seen a forward as fast with an uncanny ability to pick a line. If he broke the defensive line from the half way line onwards no-one would catch him.

I forgotten Feildhouse too.
I really liked Rathbone….hard as nails. I never saw a better on pitch motivational player than him…”let’s f’kn kill em”. I heard him say that.

Grade F at least?

He used the f-bomb for a start

I think it's hard to compare teams from different eras due to the style of play. It's hard to look past the 2010-2013 pack though, and that was at a time when there were some very good packs at the other top teams.

This pack is performing excellently so far, especially compared to the current packs at other teams. I'd have to say that I've not seen a prop perform at such a consistently high level as Vaughan though. He looks like he's the fittest guy on the pitch, and that's something you don't often say about your front rowers. Could easily turn out to be the most pleasing overseas signing of the SL era, and makes a mockery of all the overseas marquee players (at ALL clubs).

I don't think I've ever read so much attention seeking hogwash in my life.
You don't rate him. That's fair enough. Opinions are like anuses. We've all got them. Some of them stink.

But to make up stories about him playing centre is the hogwash bit.
Last year, I moved house, and have moved a lot of "junk" into my spare room. I've just looked at my old programmes (which are in a box, in chronological order). I've scanned 30-40 off them
Have a guess how many times Roberts was named centre from 84/5 to his sad demise 89/90.....that's right. ZERO.
Our centres in the early part of his (Roberts)career were the Duane bros, Cullen, Bevan, Younane, Forster.
You must be thinking of someone else.

He has had an absolutely phenomenal start. He must make as many metres after collision as most props make full stop.

That was quite restrained all things considered Lefty. Yeah apart from maybe moving to centre once or twice during games due to injury he was out and out SR.

As for comparisons to Cullen (what?), Rathbone (ahem) and even the likes of Grix ( bl**dy good but not exceptional) RD is definitely in la-la land.

Christ, I've just noticed he put Cullen in that list. He's definitely taking the p!$s, isn't he?

Love it.

And Anderson (Louie I presume, but who knows at this stage).

I think he's thinking of Mark Thomas. Who also didn't play centre but who was certainly worse than most on that list. Wembley 1990 semi notwithstanding.

Or maybe he's just barking.

According the rugbyleagueproject.org

Roberts played 10 times at centre, all of which were in the last 12 games of his career.

Seven times in 1989, three times in 1990.

Almost always at second row, especially in his pomp.

And by that time he was pretty much shot from injuries. So to say he was better at centre seems like a pretty bold claim...

I first came across Mark Roberts in an A tem game vs Wigan at Central Park. We were late and game had kcked off. The first I saw of the game was a young chap moving at a great rate of knots in the left centre position. He was absolutely flying, it was Mark Roberts. He was as fast as any centre playing the game and faster than some wingmen. He came from Oldham(I think). The only second row man who came close in terms of speed was Dick Huddart (a Cumbrian) who played for Saints but hespoiled his legend by emigrating to Australia at the peak of his career. Marks career started sliding when he started waking up in the middle of the night with an appetite he couldn't satify despite getting the chip pan on at 3am. He was diagnosed as having diabetes. Not long afterwards he signed for Halifax but he didn't play for them for long, a knee injury forced him to retire. He may have played centre for Halifax. He cerainly didn't play in the centre for Wire.

From memory, he "bust his knee" against Swinton in Sept 89(Keith Holden a couple of years earlier - same opponents, anyone). I remember watching his comeback game on a Friday night A-teamer.... he almost hobbled ONTO the pitch. Gutted. I don't think he played for us again.
Without looking back, someone earlier mentioned that today's equivalent in Liam Farrell. Couldn't agree more. I LOVE watching him, too. There was a game around covid time, where we were comfortably beating Wigan, with 20 minutes to go. He killed us, and we held on for a draw (I think)

Players like Roberts and Farrell are the reason I watch RL. I WANT TO BE ENTERTAINED. My "not getting" Waterhouse, I've mentioned on here many times. He was a BRUTE of a player for us, carrying 3 men over the line for a try on many an occasion. That was his forte. He'd also give 30+ tackles per match. But he never got the crowd excited. I preferred Louis Anderson, the years before. It takes all sorts to please many people.

P. S. I remember the diabetes story in relation to his Rugby career. That must've been tough. Accommodating that, alongside keeping his RL career,bearing in mind 30odd years o, how "food savvy" sports people are, now

I'd trade your Monaghan, for a prime Duane Mann, Moe
That pack would be pornography

Well we all play with 2 hookers nowadays so there's a place for them both! Duane Mann was way ahead of his time, would've been unstoppable in today's game.

Does Clarke get a place ahead of someone in the Monaghan/Mann rotation?

I didn’t say he was a better centre.