Your views would be appreciated. Bit of a thread on the wire board concerning whether Shaun Edwards lacked natural talent but made the best of what he had against those, like me, who suggest he should be considered a legend of the game. My view is that based on this he should be considered a great but, obviously, I never saw him play as often as you lot. - Signed at 17 for Wigan - the largest signing on fee ever for his age - still. - Holds the Wigan record for 10 tries in a game. - Scoring over 1100 points, in 452 appearances for Wigan during a career of 14 years. - In 1992 season was leading try scorer with 40 tries. - 36 caps for GB. - 8 CC wins, god knows in the league and cups, and MOM in the WCC against Brisbane. - Played successfully in the NRL. viewtopic.php? ... c&start=60

Your views would be appreciated. Bit of a thread on the wire board concerning whether Shaun Edwards lacked natural talent but made the best of what he had against those, like me, who suggest he should be considered a legend of the game. My view is that based on this he should be considered a great but, obviously, I never saw him play as often as you lot. - Signed at 17 for Wigan - the largest signing on fee ever for his age - still. - Holds the Wigan record for 10 tries in a game. - Scoring over 1100 points, in 452 appearances for Wigan during a career of 14 years. - In 1992 season was leading try scorer with 40 tries. - 36 caps for GB. - 8 CC wins, god knows in the league and cups, and MOM in the WCC against Brisbane. - Played successfully in the NRL. viewtopic.php? ... c&start=60

he made things look so easy, that you didnt realise he was working.

i only REALLY appreciated him when he had left us, and then understood the breadth and depth of his game.
his ability to read the game was astonishing.

he wasnt necessarily showy, but by eck he was effective. and after all, sport is about the result, and edwards was a born winner.

legend. no question

IMO Shaun had all the skills of the game and was very good at some of them and world class at the others. Whether he was a natural or had to work hard at it is arguable, but whatever he had the lot.

To me he was best at reading the game - how may times was he in the right place at the right time - his backing up, along with Ellery was the best I've seen and to me that was the bedrock of our success. Every time anybody made a break, or half break, Shaun or Ellery were both available, usually one on either side. How many times to you see Wigan players now making progress but are isolated?

He could kick, tackle, pass, organise with the best of them and was as hard as nails, but to me what let him down was the lack of searing pace which could take him away from defenders. IMO he knew what he wanted to do but against the best defenders i.e Australian Internationals, he just didn't have that extra zip to make it count and sometimes looked a little ineffective going forward against the best. With that pace he would have not only been a Wigan legend but a world legend as well.

However, he was probably first on the teamsheet every week, and as somebody has already said he was only really appreciated when he wasn't there.

Just wish we had somebody like him now, I suspect we would have won all those close games we lost earlier in the season.

Shaun Edwards was the ultimate professional. He may not have had the outright class of Ellery Hanley or Andy Gregory but he was the best he could be. He was a true student of the game and worked hard on every single aspect of it. He really was a driven man and at times he seemed a bit distant from the fans but he got us out of some holes.

Very true. Gregory was more talented, but Edwards through love for Wigan and pure drive made himself the best and one of the TRUE LEGENDS of Wigan RL.

This is a silly thread to start tbh. It was me who insinuated that Shaun Edwards isn't the most naturally gifted player and had made the most of his 'limited talents'.

It's not as though I said he was crap, is it? Far from it; it is actually an appraisal of how he managed to become the most decorated player of his generation without being the god's gift to rugby league that Hanley or Gregory were.

Edwards' main attribute was his rugby brain: he would rush out of the defensive line to put pressure on possible passes by either a) being in line for an interception or b) in position for a tackle, as defensively, he could be a bit of a liability at times. He'd also direct the team to the left hand side of the field so that he could pass from left to right if they were to put a backline spread on. Hardly a scathing criticisim of the player.

Cue the Saints boo boys declaring how overrated he was

Shaun was a legend, something Saints have never had




Wait for the reaction

6. Edwards
7. Gregory
13. Hanley


I challenge somebody to name a better halves/loose triangle than those three that played together at club level from any era.

Both statements are correct, if by lacking talent you mean that unlike, say Hanley, Edwards wasn't born a great athlete.

Some great players are immensely gifted physically, with the freakish speed of an Offiah, the powerful presence of a Farrell or the hands of a Miles.

Other great players are less gifted physically but have such a ruthless and single minded desire to win and such an appreciation and understanding of the game that they lift themselves from mediocrity to stand alongside the natural born geniuses of the game.

Sean Edwards was such a player. He wasn't born a great player, he made himself a great player. That to me is all the more impressive. His legendary status is fully deserved.

They would give anything to have an Edwards play for them, but then again, to them players like Paul Wellens and Vila Matutia are legends.

One of them thinks the Slug is as good as Jonathan Davies was in his prime.... and no, he wasn't joking.

He's only marginally better than Alan Davies........

the same time i was reading this alan davies was on tv

Daley
Stuart
Clyde

You accepted the challenge but you lost.

Didn't think it was possible to lose an opinion.

I will also add to that list

Lewis
Langer
A.N. Other - it doesn't really matter.


However, I would have thought Miles or Tallis played LF at some point.


The three you have mentioned were great Wigan players, but only Hanley was truely world class.

Edwards was fantastic for Wigan, but only "very good" for GB.

Greg the same and frankly was outclassed by Langer.

Lighten up a little....

Lewis, Langer & Tallis would be outstanding if they had played together at club level.

How about a triangle from Wigan's side c1995-6:

6. Paul
7. Edwards
13. Farrell

That trio would run the other one close!

Thinking about it I'm not sure they did. Tallis would have been a tad too young around 1990 I think.


Miles would have been though. He defo played SR, not sure about LF.

Would have loved to see

6. Barrett
7. Lam
13.Farrell

Mind you we had Johns, Lam and Faz and won nowt



But no I agree, that would have been special.