TODD PAYTEN NAMES HIS TOP 17
29/08/2011 10:29:03 AM
Wests Tigers Prop Todd Payten has now named the best 17 players he lined up with in his outstanding career from 1996 to 2011.
Exclusive to weststigers.com.au, Payten has over the last few days named players in positional order after reflecting on the players he played alongside at Canberra, Sydney Roosters and Wests Tigers.
It was all part of the countdown to Payten’s last home game for Wests Tigers at Campbelltown Sports Stadium tonight.
Today, he names the four players that have made up his all important interchange bench.
INTERCHANGE: Bryce Gibbs, Luke Davico, Mark O'Neill, Jason Croker
"This bench isn’t going to have any backs because basically you don't need them. And if something happened I could reshuffle the side around and put ‘Toots’ Croker in there somewhere. Croker started his first grade career on the wing and played every position in his 300 game career other than hooker.
“He once missed the first day of pre-season training because he was stuck on the gold coast. This is before my time at the Raiders but one Sunday morning, a group of them stumbled out of a drinking establishment at around 6am and decided they should all continue on drinking at The Fisherman’s Wharf on the Gold Coast. So the five of them got a cab to the airport and boarded the first flight available to the Gold Coast. Upon arrival, they binned the clothes they were in after a stop to a surf shop. Kicked on all day. The smart ones made the last flight home but Croker and another nameless player missed the flight and also the first day back at pre-season training. Unbelievable!
“I have mentioned Bryce Gibbs and Luke Davico before, so my last bench spot goes to Mark O’Neill. ‘Buckets’ was an incredible bloke and a tiger through and through. Was a travesty that he didn't lead us out in the grand final. He also was a professional. Did not drink from the 1st of January until his season was over his whole career. He did make up for it in that 3 month period he got. Buckets was the best club man I have played with ever. He even has a tiger bed spread!”
Todd's Payten team
FULL-BACK Brett Hodgson
WINGERS Noa Nadruka, Pat Richards
CENTRES Ruben Wiki, Chris Lawrence
FIVE-EIGHTH Brad Fittler
HALF-BACK Brett Finch
LOCK Bradley Clyde
SECOND-ROWERS Chris Heighington, Gareth Ellis
HOOKER Steve Walters
PROPS John Skandalis, Adrian Morley.
INTERCHANGE Bryce Gibbs, Luke Davico, Mark O'Neill, Jason Croker.
http://www.weststigers.com.au/?s=article-display&id=42692&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook
29/08/2011 10:29:03 AM
Wests Tigers Prop Todd Payten has now named the best 17 players he lined up with in his outstanding career from 1996 to 2011.
Exclusive to weststigers.com.au, Payten has over the last few days named players in positional order after reflecting on the players he played alongside at Canberra, Sydney Roosters and Wests Tigers.
It was all part of the countdown to Payten’s last home game for Wests Tigers at Campbelltown Sports Stadium tonight.
Today, he names the four players that have made up his all important interchange bench.
INTERCHANGE: Bryce Gibbs, Luke Davico, Mark O'Neill, Jason Croker
"This bench isn’t going to have any backs because basically you don't need them. And if something happened I could reshuffle the side around and put ‘Toots’ Croker in there somewhere. Croker started his first grade career on the wing and played every position in his 300 game career other than hooker.
“He once missed the first day of pre-season training because he was stuck on the gold coast. This is before my time at the Raiders but one Sunday morning, a group of them stumbled out of a drinking establishment at around 6am and decided they should all continue on drinking at The Fisherman’s Wharf on the Gold Coast. So the five of them got a cab to the airport and boarded the first flight available to the Gold Coast. Upon arrival, they binned the clothes they were in after a stop to a surf shop. Kicked on all day. The smart ones made the last flight home but Croker and another nameless player missed the flight and also the first day back at pre-season training. Unbelievable!
“I have mentioned Bryce Gibbs and Luke Davico before, so my last bench spot goes to Mark O’Neill. ‘Buckets’ was an incredible bloke and a tiger through and through. Was a travesty that he didn't lead us out in the grand final. He also was a professional. Did not drink from the 1st of January until his season was over his whole career. He did make up for it in that 3 month period he got. Buckets was the best club man I have played with ever. He even has a tiger bed spread!”
Todd's Payten team
FULL-BACK Brett Hodgson
WINGERS Noa Nadruka, Pat Richards
CENTRES Ruben Wiki, Chris Lawrence
FIVE-EIGHTH Brad Fittler
HALF-BACK Brett Finch
LOCK Bradley Clyde
SECOND-ROWERS Chris Heighington, Gareth Ellis
HOOKER Steve Walters
PROPS John Skandalis, Adrian Morley.
INTERCHANGE Bryce Gibbs, Luke Davico, Mark O'Neill, Jason Croker.
http://www.weststigers.com.au/?s=article-display&id=42692&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook
