Benny Elias Vs Robbie Farah?

[GNR4LIFE]

Farah has the best short kicking game of any dummy half i've ever seen.

 

[bigsiro]

Benny was a great player and a cult hero in his own right. Farah is a modern day hero, defensively sound and an attacking genius.

It is an era's thing and very tough to compare.

Funny that both are considered the No 2 hookers of their day Benny to Walters and Farah to Smith.

Yet, I think there is argument to say that Benny was perhaps equal if not better than Walters while Farah may not be quite as good as Smith. As good as Farah is, Smith is the best hooker I have ever seen and the points of difference between the two aren't massive in today's game. Benny was more creative and unconventional. Walters was a brilliant hooker but Benny was that point of difference. Goose's comment seems right to me:

Walters and Benny swapped at rep level a number of time, I reckon if you had great halves, (which at rep level you normally did) you would be much better off having walters, if you didnt , than Benny was your man.

So, in terms of nous and gameplay I'd have to take Benny. But it's a more difficult argument when talking about team influence.

 

[crusader]

I think the best way to sum it is this,

Walters was the better player physically

Benny was the smarter/ craftier player

Robbie is the best if both worlds

_Posted using RoarFEED V.4_

 

[mremedy]

Now you are making some ridiculous comments!

I'm not saying Benny can't play , he was just made to look so much better than he actually was because he had so much time

**Tell me when Benny EVER played in a team with an inferior forward pack than the opposition ??**

Happy, would you make the same statement about Cam Smith?

 

[happy_tiger]

Now you are making some ridiculous comments!

I'm not saying Benny can't play , he was just made to look so much better than he actually was because he had so much time

**Tell me when Benny EVER played in a team with an inferior forward pack than the opposition ??**

Happy, would you make the same statement about Cam Smith?

At a state and national level yes

At club level he has a great spine , but the forwards weren't even close to the Balmain forward pack of the 80's

 

[Tiger_Watto]

Every Queenslander will tell u Steve Walters changed the game for hookers….its a myth. Benny was the Shane Warne of hookers, the Michael Jordan of hookers, the Andrew Johns of hookers.......Steve Walters was the Steve Waugh of hookers...very good but not quite Bradman....if u know what i mean....and deep down every Dragqueenslander knows it

I'll stick my head out… Benny Elias was a better Hooker than Steve Walters, but Steve did change the way the Nine played.

Too much has changed from the late 80's to today, and both Benny & Robbie are far different players... Sticking to he Question though, I'd suggest Robbie would be more of an Athlete than Benny would if he came through today.

Robbie for mine!

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Benny is the best hooker of all time. Not much time for him as a person but as a player he is without peer.

QLDers will try and mention a guy called Steve Walters or Cam Smith….both are the biggest myths to come out of north of the boarder. Both very good players but not even close the best.

So Benny over Robbie.

This has to be among the most ironic and hypocritical posts i've ever read on this forum. You criticize Qlders for showing bias towards a Qlder, but in the breath before you state Elias as the greatest ever. And i suppose you'll tell us your view has nothing to do with being a New South Welshmen or an old Balmain fan?

 

[happy_tiger]

The big problem we will have comparing Cam Smith to other hookers is that he will have the same coach for basically his whole club career

Yes I believe its helped Smith having Bellamy as a coach

 

[mremedy]

Now you are making some ridiculous comments!

I'm not saying Benny can't play , he was just made to look so much better than he actually was because he had so much time

**Tell me when Benny EVER played in a team with an inferior forward pack than the opposition ??**

Happy, would you make the same statement about Cam Smith?

At a state and national level yes

At club level he has a great spine , but the forwards weren't even close to the Balmain forward pack of the 80's

I know the Balmain pack of the 80's was exceptional. However I think you are down playing how good the Melbourne pack has been over the years.

If you take the 2009 grand final team for example:
Aiden Tolman, Brett White, Adam Blair,Ryan Hoffman and Dallas Johnson.

There is a fair amount of rep level experience there.

My point is not that this Melbourne pack is better than Balmain's, however to asset that Benny was only great because he was behind a great pack but ignore the same statement in your assessment of Cam Smith seems a bit biased.

 

[happy_tiger]

["]Now you are making some ridiculous comments!

I'm not saying Benny can't play , he was just made to look so much better than he actually was because he had so much time

**Tell me when Benny EVER played in a team with an inferior forward pack than the opposition ??**

Happy, would you make the same statement about Cam Smith?

At a state and national level yes

At club level he has a great spine , but the forwards weren't even close to the Balmain forward pack of the 80's

I know the Balmain pack of the 80's was exceptional. However I think you are down playing how good the Melbourne pack has been over the years.

If you take the 2009 grand final team for example:
Aiden Tolman, Brett White, Adam Blair,Ryan Hoffman and Dallas Johnson.

There is a fair amount of rep level experience there.

My point is not that this Melbourne pack is better than Balmain's, however to asset that Benny was only great because he was behind a great pack but ignore the same statement in your assessment of Cam Smith seems a bit biased.
Read my comment above your last one

I think the person that has influenced how good Smith is , is Bellamy more than any other aspect

 

[happy_tiger]

I think it is hilarious that the people who are telling me to take maroon sunnies off are 95% percent Balmain supporters

At least I'm not pushing Gary Prickett (Brisbane Wests and Qld hooker of the 70's or Kerrod Walters ( mate and Ipswich ,Qld and Australian hooker ) or Cherry Mescia

People who don't rate Cam Smith or Steve Walters a better hooker are kidding themselves

 

[mremedy]

I'm not saying Benny can't play , he was just made to look so much better than he actually was because he had so much time

**Tell me when Benny EVER played in a team with an inferior forward pack than the opposition ??**

Happy, would you make the same statement about Cam Smith?

At a state and national level yes

At club level he has a great spine , but the forwards weren't even close to the Balmain forward pack of the 80's

I know the Balmain pack of the 80's was exceptional. However I think you are down playing how good the Melbourne pack has been over the years.

If you take the 2009 grand final team for example:
Aiden Tolman, Brett White, Adam Blair,Ryan Hoffman and Dallas Johnson.

There is a fair amount of rep level experience there.

My point is not that this Melbourne pack is better than Balmain's, however to asset that Benny was only great because he was behind a great pack but ignore the same statement in your assessment of Cam Smith seems a bit biased.
Read my comment above your last one

I think the person that has influenced how good Smith is , is Bellamy more than any other aspect

Don't get me wrong Happy, I don't mind that you think Smith is the best ever, nor do I mind the reasons behind your opinion. I just thought the line about Benny playing behind a great pack was a bit unfair.

To put it out there, I think the respective strength of each hookers packs and the issues behind the Wests Tigers club makes me even more respectful of Farah's achievements.

 

[happy_tiger]

And you might find if Smith and Farah were switched my opinions could be switched

Farah would of been a far better player under Bellamy , but we will never know

The other big one is Marshall , Farah is so much a better player without Benji and it shows

 

[mremedy]

And you might find if Smith and Farah were switched my opinions could be switched

Farah would of been a far better player under Bellamy , but we will never know

The other big one is Marshall , Farah is so much a better player without Benji and it shows

That's a fair enough point. I think it shows the whole question of who is better than who will never have a natural conclusion.

 

[king_sirro]

Benny is the best hooker of all time. Not much time for him as a person but as a player he is without peer.

QLDers will try and mention a guy called Steve Walters or Cam Smith….both are the biggest myths to come out of north of the boarder. Both very good players but not even close the best.

So Benny over Robbie.

This has to be among the most ironic and hypocritical posts i've ever read on this forum. You criticize Qlders for showing bias towards a Qlder, but in the breath before you state Elias as the greatest ever. And i suppose you'll tell us your view has nothing to do with being a New South Welshmen or an old Balmain fan?

hehehehe

 

[happy_tiger]

Benny is the best hooker of all time. Not much time for him as a person but as a player he is without peer.

QLDers will try and mention a guy called Steve Walters or Cam Smith….both are the biggest myths to come out of north of the boarder. Both very good players but not even close the best.

So Benny over Robbie.

This has to be among the most ironic and hypocritical posts i've ever read on this forum. You criticize Qlders for showing bias towards a Qlder, but in the breath before you state Elias as the greatest ever. And i suppose you'll tell us your view has nothing to do with being a New South Welshmen or an old Balmain fan?

hehehehe

Funny how you picked out the worst pairing that Benny had

What about Scott Gale ,Ellery eats celery Hanley , and the great Brian Smith

 

[LaT]

I think it is hilarious that the people who are telling me to take maroon sunnies off are 95% percent Balmain supporters

You are the one who started saying people who disagreed were essentially biased by their own loyalties.

As thats the only reason anyone would disagree with you about Kevin Walters….

 

[Majere77]

Farah doesn't choke under pressure like Benny did

Farah by a mile

choked under pressure? What a load of Crap. 22 games for NSW and 14 test matches.

How about Farah choking in the Warriors semi? how about every dumb 5th tackle option he's ever taken? Farah ckokes under pressure in regular games, let alone under pressure.

Robbie shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath as benny.

Elias is a far better footballer.

 

[happy_tiger]

I think it is hilarious that the people who are telling me to take maroon sunnies off are 95% percent Balmain supporters

You are the one who started saying people who disagreed were essentially biased by their own loyalties.

As thats the only reason anyone would disagree with you about Kevin Walters….

Until you can even get the right Walters , stay out of it :laughing:

 

[tig_prmz]

what are you doing roosterman? making us fight among ourselves? tsk tsk

let's just say robbie is the best WT hooker ever :sign: