We’ve had some greats, but no immortals Chiss. Fox should have had a statue - no vote or debate required.

Wouldn't you class Hardisty as an immortal (rugby wise)?

Edited...... I was talking crap.

At times like this I like to think I can take my own club specs off & be impartial.
It’s difficult to judge without seeing players play week in week out (& im a realist) so you have to weigh up a few factors such as; stats & the opinions of fans, those who cheered for the player & those who didn’t and whilst I’ve never heard anyone bag Hardisty, he doesn’t get the same attention in the media nor from any set of fans as Neil Fox does - he’s in a league of his own stats wise too. Phrases like world class & a true great are bandied about far too easily in my opinion & there are very few who deserve the tag immortal, but from what I’ve read & heard; Neil Fox does & a statue at Wembley is the least of the honours the sport should bestow on him.

Sorry Jinj; I could have just said that whilst Hardisty is a Cas immortal, he’s probably not a RL one!

I hope he has one in a Wakefield stadium one day.

Don’t be too hard on yourself; I got the gist of what you were saying; but can you imagine having to explain to future generations if Leroy Rivett or Tom briscoe had statues!!!

I thought it was a Wembley thing but when I read up it wasn't.

Let's face it, Neil Fox is the ALL-TIME record points scorer in the game; an achievement that will almost certainly never be equalled let alone broken. The points were achieved when a try was valued at only three points, not four. He played professional rugby league through four different decades. He created several individual Wembley records and played over seven hundred games. For God's sake what does a chap have to do to get official recognition. As I recall there is a plaque attached to the "Wembley Greats" statue acknowledging Neil's accomplishments sponsored by Sir Rodney Walker (of all people). How ironic. The plaque itself looks nothing but a poor afterthought. Come on RFL let's see the all-time great acknowledged officially at the national stadium.

I agree with your point but he actually only played in 3 decades. He retired in 1979. I always felt he might do half a season more to hit the 80s but clearly he decided to call it quits when it was right for him.
Saying that..... He scored 2 tries for Bradford against the touring Aussie team in 1978 so he clearly had skills right to the end.

What Neil needed to do was play for a 'fashionable' club not Wakefield. In any other sport his achievements would have been recognised.

When he played for Wakefield it was a fashionable club.
No shortage of GB players in the 60s.

Thought he just squeezed into the eighties PopTart, but I bow to your superior knowledge. I didn't check before posting

If you wernt around in the sixties its impossible to relate to the games and players of that era, fox at 6ft was a big power house centre ,today 6ft plus is common but add a side step ,dummy and a rugby brain to run into gaps and the power to carry blokes over with him and that was the differance , ashton was a differant type a centre who played to his winger usally Boston who had the speed and power to finish ,the only other centre i saw who came close to foxy was reg gasnior who had the probably more speed than neil and the craft but didnt have neils power , talking about hardisty another great player whos support play was second to none yes there were plenty of great players in that era i could talk for hours about alex murphy and our own harold poynton but foxy was certainly summat special

I was meaning a fashionable club at the time the statue was erected.

Neil was a joy to watch.

when you read on his profile he retired in 81/82 after helping underbank win the Holliday cup as a player coach, something I never knew

Yes Neil played in four decades . I remember it being commented on at the time of his retirement.

Of all the subjects we talk about on this forum, this is my favourite.
I'm old enough to have seen him play but not for Wakefield in his prime.

Sadly I started watching Wakey a season or two after Wally Lewis was with us. So I've missed 2 Trin greats in Lewis and Fox, Thankfully through an RL DVD site membership and other sources I'm able to relive Fox in his prime.

The Hearns say we don't have any famous names in the game anymore, well a new Neil Fox would certainly help rectify that.

Here's something else I bet you didn't know old lad, the first four games he played for Bradford he got the man of the match award.

And he had a stint off season in New Zealand.

if there was a player like Neil fox available We wouldn' get him cause we won't spend the Damn salary cap even tho he'd bring lots more money thru the turnstiles & possibly some silverware. We'd have to get him at Neil's original salary to sign him now

I started watching Trinity as an eight year old in 1956 just as Big Neil was breaking into the first team as a sixteen year old prodigy. Whilst being too young to appreciate the finer points of the game and his own particular skills, I recall he soon became the talk of Wakefield amongst all the young 'uns interested in the game. All the kids playing rugby on the street and the playing fields wanted to be Neil Fox. By the early sixties he had already become a legend. I must admit I capitalised on his fame. By virtue of his name being short and simple his autograph was very easily forged, and as a kid I made several copies and sold them in the school playground at 6d (2.5p) a time. I honestly cannot think of a sportsman that is more representative of his tome town than NEIL FOX!!!

I think we have a modern day hero that young and old can appreciate in Johnstone.

Indeed, Tom is a fantastic talent that we as a club have done extremely well to keep hold of.