Not many people goin for martin dermott at hooker just wandering what peoples thoughts are on dermott and how would he compare with present day hookers?

I think Dermott would cope in todays game. He was an excellent distributer and tackler.

I would have him in my team - only McCormack has been close in ability (with Newton probably third on the list)

From players I have seen.........


1. Tomkins
2. Boston
3. Bell
4. Miles
5. Offiah
6. Kenny
7. Gregory
8. Smith
9. Dermott
10. McTigue
11. Ashurst
12. Farrell
13. Hanley

I'd go with something similar but would have Edwards at 7. and Inga at 3.

What !!!! no Frankie Parr

Best ever sub -- Sam Panapa, he made it look like the opposition had 9 men, he found gaps everywhere

[iSans[/i quiff !!!

Best ever Wigan team (from players I have seen play): Lydon, Ferguson, Bell, Miles, Offiah, Kenny, Edwards, Skerrett, Newton, Platt, Betts, Farrell, Hanley S: Gregory, C Smith

Welshest ever team: J Sullivan, Boston, B Jenkins, Shea, Ring, Jerram, Owens, Coldrick, Roffey, Flower, Woods, Hodder, Quinnell S: R. Richards, R Thomas,Andy Powell (for the laughs), Llewellyn Llewellyn (for his name alone)

Possibly because when he came to Wigan, he wasn't actually a kicker. Apparently, he had to train incessantly to add another 'string to his bow'.

He said he needed something really special to even get into 'that' Wigan side.

Botica was the best kicker I have ever seen.

For anyone who hasn't seen Botica destroy a team at the top with his boot. Just check out a certain video website and Wigan [iversus[/i Penrith at Anfield, World Club Challenge.

Botica had won the game by half time.

The ozzies just saw the ball flying over their heads between the sticks.

Botica also scored one of the best and certainly the greatest distance tries I have ever seen. It was at Knowsley Road v Saints. He collected a kick off in the corner at the away end and did a run around with Kevin Iro? and set off across field before straightening down the touchline and scoring in the diagonally opposite corner to where he had fielded the ball. In all he must have covered about 130 to 140 yards.

He was much more than a goalkicker.

Its a bit of a myth that as he was a good kicker in Rugby Union and had even kicked for New Zealand. Granted though he did realise he had to be better to cement his place in the Wigan team of that time. Botica was a very underated rugby player too and was much more than just the kicker that people remember him for.

Tomkins,
Boston,Ashton,Bell, Offiah,
Bolton, Edwards.
Skerrett, Dermott, McTigue,
Ashurst, A Farrell
Hanley.
Subs Alan Davies, Barratt, Goodway, Case.

A few areas are definite for me. Rads at fullback, his defence is the best I've seen in any fullback.

Dermot at hooker, he was like another half back, so clever with the ball and the speed he got the ball out of dummy half was superb.

From the players i have seen
Rads
Robinson
Miles
Connolly
Offiah
Kenny
Gregory
Skerrett
Newton
Dowling
Platt
Farrell
Hanley

Tomkins
Robinson
Bell
Miles
Offiah/Boston
Barrett
Greg
Kel
Dermott
Platt
Betts
Faz
Hanley

Honourable mentions to Edwards, Brett Kenny. But for me Barrett played in a terrible Wigan team and at times won the game nearly single handedly for us. His passing was first class, his running was superb and his defence was better than any other 6 we've had at the club.

Also thought Inga was a superb centre, seemed almost impossible to stop.

This was very difficult, which is fantastic, show's what talent players we've had the pleasure of seeing in their own back yard.
I don't think at times people realise how special it's been to see the best in the world play the best game in the world in our own small north west town.
I'll never forget being taken the Wigan v Aust games at central park, Aus brought their best as they knew we'd give them a game... such fond memories in cherry and white.

I forgot how good Barrett's defence was until you mentioned, him and Leuluai were our two biggest hitters at one stage!

Brett Kenny. But for me Barrett played in a terrible Wigan team and at times won the game nearly single handedly for us. His passing was first class, his running was superb and his defence was better than any other 6 we've had at the club.


Barrett was a top quality player but was not in the same class as Kenny IMO

Was that the match when Barrie Mac tried to make the Aussie second row Paul Sironin go from 6ft 4" to 5ft 8"" in one mighty blow.

My best 13 covers a lot of years, going back almost 60 years, with a lot of changes in fitness and rule changes.

No 1 Radlinsky even though Tomkins seems to be the way for modern fullbacks.
No 2 Billy Boston without a doubt.
No 3 Eric Ashton, just because of the partnership he had with Billy.
No 4 Alan Davis was pure class (even though he might have been better when at Oldham). Gene Miles was sensational in his season at Wigan, even though in the first half of that season he was always injured.
No 5 Offiah even though it is debatable if he could have put up with the stick that Mick Sullivan took (and dished out with interest) in an earlier era.
No 6 Edwards for the length of career and partnership with Greg, but once again the best for one season has to be Brett Kenny, so quick, laid back and arrogant.
No 7 Andy Gregory (the original Tasmanian Devil) utterly fearless, a great football brain and a great partner for Edwards.
No 8 Andy Platt, I have chosen Platt at 8 because when he played the days of speciality 8s and 10s was on its way out.
No 9 Martin Dermott because he was probably one of the first of the modern day hookers, you don't have to bother about getting he ball out of the scrum. Just distribute the ball and tackle, which he could do.
No 10 The one and only Brian McTigue , a forward who could have played in any era.
No 11 Andy Farrell, this one is hard, Dennis Betts and Dave Robinson run him close.
No 12 Bill Ashurst, the complete second row who was as tough as nails with the ball playing skills at times of an halfback.
No 13 Ellery Hanley, if only for the utter commitment he put into the game (even though he could be selfish at times).
Doug Laughton would run him close when you consider the partnership he had with Robinson and Ashurst.

It is not really fair to compare players over such a length of time, that is why it is always debatable.

Players who absolutely have to be in a 'Greatest 13'; Jim Sullivan, Billy Boston, Eric Ashton, Shaun Edwards, Ellery Hanley & Andy Farrell

The rest are all subjective, but those 6 players are the absolute best in their given position that Wigan have ever had.

I would have Ashurst over Farrell, no criticism of Andy but Bill was the real deal.

Appreciate what your sayin but i would only ever put players in a best ever 13 if i had seen them play. So for me out of the 6 players mentioned only Edwards Farrell and Hanley would make the team.

I'm a big critic of the state of SL, but even though the quality has dipped you cannot get away from the fact that the competition has a superstar in Tomkins. He is the best player of the SL era. I suspect Radders would be a bit embarrassed by being ranked ahead of Sam. Radders was a special player, one of the best British players of his era and a fantastic servant of the club, but players as gifted as Tomkins come along once every 20 or 30 years. Sam must be in the side.

Other must haves (from players I have seen) are:

Miles and Offiah - The best centre/wing combination I've ever seen. Miles strength and offloading skills, his ability to draw tacklers and create space meant he was perfect for Offiah. if they were playing in SL today they'd be scoring tries for fun still, despite modern defences.

Robinson - freakishly gifted. Always seemed to pull out a great performance in the big matches, a true match winner.

Farrell - only a rung down from Hanley and Tomkins on the talent ladder. One of the greats of modern RL.

Hanley - the greatest British player of his generation.

Was over in ausstralia in 2008 during the world cup and was chattin to some cronulla fans in a bar in sydney just after barrett had signed for them, even though they was made up that he had signed for them , they said you can,t mention barrett in the same sentence as brett kenny.

Fairbairn
Boston
Ashton
Miles
Offiah
Edwards
Gregory
Gray
Newton
McTigue
Farrell
Ashurst
Hanley

Immense team.