Rugby League players who could have/could make the switch
- Thread starter EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7
- Start date
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
In which sense did he "get away"? It might be more accurate to say that he played a bit of schoolboy rugby. So did Reg Gasnier.
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
He apparently preferred to play league. He went to a rugby playing school. If he had been at a league playing school, he would have played league. Just a small accident of history, nothing more.
Schadenfreude
John Solomon (38)
That's about the standard clarity of decision making we've come to expect from Bryce.
Riptide
Dave Cowper (27)
Ella was great to look at.. Had a great running game and a fine short passing game. Johns had that plus an outstanding kicking game, a huge defense and was probably the best passer of a ball I've seen (Bernie being the best passer I have seen while in full flight)
It is what it is
John Solomon (38)
Yep a little preference and a lot of $$$$$. It was the amateur era in rugby too.
Interestingly, Wally has been quoted as saying Mark Ella is the best footballer he's seen.
Ash
Michael Lynagh (62)
I think Lewis had a lot of preference for League. His dad was a league coach of age teams for Wynnum Manly (some had a mini Wally as mascot). Lewis grew up playing league from a very young kid and he only ever played Union because he went to BSHS. He was a league kid from a league family. He was just so talented that he dominated in both games when a teenager.
If Lewis went to Union then he would be the one who got away from League, not the other way around, as it happened.
If Lewis went to Union then he would be the one who got away from League, not the other way around, as it happened.
en_force_er
Geoff Shaw (53)
R
Reds24
Guest
Some one who I think would be an absolute beast at rugby is Jarryd Hayne. he has size pace and a maasive boot so he would be perfect as a union fullback and his only 23 so he has time to adjust
en_force_er
Geoff Shaw (53)
He could play anywhere from 10-15 I'd say.
At 24 I'd be awesome to see the Fijian government throw a bucketload of money at him in conjunction with a Super Rugby franchise with the idea he would turn out for them at the next WC. I'd never happen though (nor should it).
G
Greg Growden
Guest
Slater can't defend, catch or kick and is execrable under pressure. Not to mention weak and undersized. That may qualify him for consideration as league's greatest fullback ever but he'd be horribly exposed in union.
It is what it is
John Solomon (38)
Ignorant comment GG.
When an ever increasing group of all-time greats say he is up with the best they've ever seen, we need to take notice.
The guy covers between 12-14km per match, is a brilliant ball runner in traffic and broken field, great cover defender, and does an incredible amount of work for his team 'off the ball' in decoy running and support play.
The big wrap is how he's sustained this level of excellence for so long and against the best opposition.
I'll give ground on his kicking skills but I'd take his 'no kicking' over Barnes and so many others aimless kicking.
Remember, not every player can do everything well.......Bradman wasn't a very good bowler!
Brumbies Guy
John Solomon (38)
Digby can't kick to save himself, still one of the best international wingers going around. Slater would be a great winger too if he wanted to be.
I like to watch
David Codey (61)
I just don't get that mentality that anything Mungo is deficient.
Yes I prefer this game, yes I see things I don't like in Mungo.
But is it all bad with no redeeming features?
Don't think so.
Some of the comments in this thread are really quite immature.
Yes I prefer this game, yes I see things I don't like in Mungo.
But is it all bad with no redeeming features?
Don't think so.
Some of the comments in this thread are really quite immature.
en_force_er
Geoff Shaw (53)
Good comment but I don't buy that. Maybe 8km max. A incredibly stellar AFL player might cover 12km and that's AFL.
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
I find it impossible to believe that any NRL player runs anything like the distance that AFL players do. I just looked at the statistics for the Storm against the Broncos, the total metres gained by Storm ball runners was 1473 metres. The total number of defensive tackles was about 350, the defending side players run say 10 metres each tackle, but Slater would run less, presumably, but say that he runs 3.5 km in defensive situations during the match. I don't know what his share of the running metres was, let us give him 500 metres. Total 4 km, add on a margin for other defensive and attacking work, I would guess that he runs 6 km.
The AFL grounds are huge compared to ours, plus most players are now required to run pretty much from end to end, and laterally as well, for a lot of the game.
The AFL grounds are huge compared to ours, plus most players are now required to run pretty much from end to end, and laterally as well, for a lot of the game.
Godfrey
Phil Hardcastle (33)
I think that's a pretty simplistic breakdown of the numbers. Keep in mind he is always running support lines, chasing the ball, running decoy lines, constantly changing his positioning (as required of a fullback) in defence. I have definitely heard it's around 10-12km a game and wouldn't be surprised personally - though I don't have a source for that number.
en_force_er
Geoff Shaw (53)
Nobody is saying league is less taxing on your cardio system then footy but it's different, footy is more running and league is more contact work which really takes it out of you.
Wamberal's numbers sound fairish, plus the 1km for stuff like dummy lines ect, plus 1km margin or error still leaves us at 8km.
Wamberal's numbers sound fairish, plus the 1km for stuff like dummy lines ect, plus 1km margin or error still leaves us at 8km.