He made the Dream Team 3 times and was an 80-minute cornerstone of the Bradford pack that steamrollered them to 3 GF wins, 2 CC wins and 3 World Club Challenges (including the infamous man of the match performance vs Wests where he was declared as the best prop in the world.)



Maybe I'm exaggerating to make a point, but Fielden [uwas[/u an absolutely top drawer prop at Bradford who, in many peoples' opinion, burnt out due to overuse by his insistence on playing 80 minutes (and Noble allowing him to do so).

Are you saying that the Fielden that played for Bradford Bulls, and commanded the game's highest transfer fee of the SL era, was no better than Dowes? Sorry but I can't agree with that. People forget how good he was IMO. I know he's done nothing startling at Wigan, but that just emphasises the point that possibly overuse has shortened what could have been a longer career right at the top.

Maybe not THE best but he was up there with the very best the NRL had to offer.

didnt he actually win world forward of the year or something a while back when at bradford, got to say the Fielden I remember in a GB shirt at Wigan a little while ago had no one any where near him as props go and rattles everyone from Macdermott to Webke on his way....
I wish we had him back then!!

by a clear mile he was for some time

He was never in the same class as someone like, for example, Webcke. Just to rattle of a few names of props that were comfortably better than Fielden during Fielden's peak years you've got Petero Civoniceva, Luke Bailey, Jason Ryles, Steve Price, Roy Asotasi, Willie Mason, Mark O'Meley, Ruben Wiki, Jason Cayless and even Adrian Morley. So without really having to think, that's 11 who were better than Fielden throughout Fielden's best years. Four of them were in the same team! There'll be plenty more, especially if we take it a year at a time. He used to be very good, but he was nowhere near being one of the best.

Yes they are, at some point they have had to throw some youngsters in the line up. We should be looking to win every week and not throwing a game away in order to win another.

Sends the wrong message to the players IMO.

The transfer fee was paid by an over eager Wigan club, struggling with injuries. Also it's easy to forget that Fielden was helped in his epic Bradford performances by Mssrs Vagana, Anderson and Peacock, who steamrolled over most teams. You could have put Hutch Maiva in that pack and he'd have looked good. The demise of that pack led to the demise of Fielden imo. Good workhorse forward, burnt out ? not really, just not playing in the same quality pack.

All great props but at his best Fielden was up there with them, he was that good. Better, maybe not but as good easily with possibly Webcke being a class apart.

I disagree. Strongly.

I think people forget just how good Fielden was for 18 months, he really was something special and had every club in NRL clambering to sign him. Over the course of his career then he does not compare to some of the other players you mentioned.

agree 110% again think back to the GB performances he laid in for us!!!
when Bradford were steam rollering everyone he was the backbone of that pack...
went to a sports dinnen Wigan in January for a charity with Barrie Mac as one of the speakers in the questions and answers when asked inevitably who were the best/ toughest he played against he said during Internationals was Gordon Tallis by a long mile .
In the UK he said Fielden and Tawera Nikau equally

What are people opinions now after that Salford game, should Fitz have been rested?

My fears came true, the guy worked his socks off, but 4 handling errors and a handful of penalties speaks volumes. The guy is a legend and still a great player, but Agar cannot expect him to play to the level he has before this game week in week out without the odd rest.

The only person who should be given a rest, is Agar.

Fitzgibbon is a class player and the question mark was whether he still had the energy and enthusiasm.

So far I think he has answered those questions positively.

Nobody plays well every week so at his age people will say he needs a rest. But if he is 'rested' against Rovers I will eat my hat!

Like I said after last week, should have been rested, a poor performance.

He will be disappointed by his performance...being the professional he is I expect he will want to amend that this friday and I expect a big game from him.

i expect a 'big' game from them all!!!!!!!!

all players can have a bad game its only because he is 32 people are saying rest him unlike someone like lauaki who's younger who made plenty of mistakes.

is there another forward who has played as many minutes as fitz?

we have strength in depth. Agar should have used it after a flat performance vs bradford.

Exactly and I wonder why he was flat

so now we look knackered going into a busy easter period. Doesn't bode well

Fitzgibbon should have been rested I agreed before the game and stick by it.