The best player you've ever seen

[Demps]

I'm a product of the new school….

Defo Sonny Bill Williams.

Before that, maybe Lockyer...

I think Keiran Foran will be up there tho in future times.

 

[Flippedy]

Only watched Andrew Johns in the latter part of his career and in some replays, which was enough to justify his billing by many as the best ever player.

**IMO you can't just say because he was caught taking recreational drugs (must remember it was recreational not performance enhancing) we disregard his onfield success.**

Just because he was the only one to be caught and be exposed in the media, doesn't mean no other top players are guilty. I personally have witnessed international/star players from South Sydney, Manly and Canterbury taking drugs in the bathrooms of various clubs in Sydney. They're the ones that I've seen, I'm sure many others have seen other players do it whilst others do it in private. Does that mean we totally disregard their playing ability and stature in the game?

Who's to say Sterling, Lewis, Thurston, Meninga haven't tried a line or a pill in their hay day ? Just because Johns was caught and exposed it doesn't mean his the only top line player to have done it.

IMO if they haven't been caught by ASADA or the like for doping and taking performance enhancing drugs then a player has every right to have his onfield success and ability recognised.

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Yeah agree Tony, it's not like he was taking steroids or some other performance enhancing drug. In fact, they were probably more performance inhibiting if anything, which makes his feats on the field even more amazing when you think about it. I think Johns' drug usage was much ado about nothing really. Using recreational drugs is no worse than drinking alcohol imo.

Regarding Snapper's original question, I would probably choose Johns also for many reasons already mentioned, but I do think it's difficult to name only one player as the best ever seen because it's so hard to compare the different positions on the field. The real impact of a good forward or three-quarter can often be overlooked because the focus is always on the 1, 6, 7 & 9\. I reckon this calls for a best ever seen in each position team :mrgreen:

 

[happy_tiger]

Taking recreational drugs makes you more liberated to take chances on the football field without fear of failure

That's a massive advantage imo

 

[Flippedy]

Taking recreational drugs makes you more liberated to take chances on the football field without fear of failure

That's a massive advantage imo

Yeah true, but your judgment becomes impaired, Happy. Have you ever tried playing off your face? :laughing:

 

[hobbo]

Taking recreational drugs makes you more liberated to take chances on the football field without fear of failure

That's a massive advantage imo

Wasn't johns off his face while playing SOO ?
That's what I've heard .

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[Illek]

Taking recreational drugs makes you more liberated to take chances on the football field without fear of failure

That's a massive advantage imo

Not arguing about the impact on whether drugs exclude you from being a great however interestingly it has been shown that drug takers generally have a predisposition to risk taking personalities so it's more likely it's the personality that made him the risk taker he was. Drugs were more a result of his decision making process more than causing and effect on the football field.

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[happy_tiger]

Taking recreational drugs makes you more liberated to take chances on the football field without fear of failure

That's a massive advantage imo

Yeah true, but your judgment becomes impaired, Happy. Have you ever tried playing off your face? :laughing:

I've played extremely hungover and it wasn't fun

 

[Flippedy]

Taking recreational drugs makes you more liberated to take chances on the football field without fear of failure

That's a massive advantage imo

Yeah true, but your judgment becomes impaired, Happy. Have you ever tried playing off your face? :laughing:

I've played extremely hungover and it wasn't fun

Haha bet you played like crap :mrgreen:

 

[Tony33]

I'm a product of the new school….

Defo Sonny Bill Williams.

Before that, maybe Lockyer...

I think Keiran Foran will be up there tho in future times.

I've actually seen Keiran Foran exit a bathroom cubicle with 2 other international team mates on a Saturday night at a club. So they're either just about to come out of the closet or we can't recognise their sporting success because they've taken recreational drugs..

Like I've said before, Andrew Johns isn't the only one to do it, he is just the only one to be caught and exposed.

That's why i think it's unfair to disregard his sporting achievements, no matter how wrong we think it is.

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[happy_tiger]

Taking recreational drugs makes you more liberated to take chances on the football field without fear of failure

That's a massive advantage imo

Yeah true, but your judgment becomes impaired, Happy. Have you ever tried playing off your face? :laughing:

I've played extremely hungover and it wasn't fun

Haha bet you played like crap :mrgreen:

Pretty awful 24 hours Flip actually

Two players driving over the night before the game died in a car accident

Driving past the accident site in the team bus is something I will never forget

 

[Tony33]

Yeah true, but your judgment becomes impaired, Happy. Have you ever tried playing off your face? :laughing:

I've played extremely hungover and it wasn't fun

Haha bet you played like crap :mrgreen:

Pretty awful 24 hours Flip actually

Two players driving over the night before the game died in a car accident

Driving past the accident site in the team bus is something I will never forget

Wow, I could only imagine how hard that must have been. Surely you won the game in their honour ?

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[Pokies]

No way in the world that recreational drugs can actually IMPROVE someone's ability to play rugby league.
It's like saying I drive my car better after a few beers.

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[happy_tiger]

No way in the world that recreational drugs can actually IMPROVE someone's ability to play rugby league.
It's like saying I drive my car better after a few beers.

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Explain why you play pool better when your half snozzled ??

 

[happy_tiger]

I've played extremely hungover and it wasn't fun

Haha bet you played like crap :mrgreen:

Pretty awful 24 hours Flip actually

Two players driving over the night before the game died in a car accident

Driving past the accident site in the team bus is something I will never forget

Wow, I could only imagine how hard that must have been. Surely you won the game in their honour ?

_Posted using RoarFEED 4.1.4_

We didn't have a full side and got beaten

The next week when we had time to get our heads around it we knocked off the top side who at that stage were unbeaten

 

[hobbo]

No way in the world that recreational drugs can actually IMPROVE someone's ability to play rugby league.
It's like saying I drive my car better after a few beers.

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Explain why you play pool better when your half snozzled ??

That's so true !
Then a couple more drinks and its a non event lol .
I reckon if you took Speed ( is that what it's called these days ) , you'd play like a champion I reckon !

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[Tony33]

I know what Happy's talking about. Cocaine puts you on a high, makes you feel invincible. After a few lines, you would probably be able to do things that that no one else would even attempt. A chip and chase on 2nd tackle inside your own 20m for example…

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[Flippedy]

I've played extremely hungover and it wasn't fun

Haha bet you played like crap :mrgreen:

Pretty awful 24 hours Flip actually

Two players driving over the night before the game died in a car accident

Driving past the accident site in the team bus is something I will never forget

Wow, I could only imagine how hard that must have been. Surely you won the game in their honour ?

_Posted using RoarFEED 4.1.4_

Sorry to hear that, mate. That would've been tough.

 

[Blackpearl]

My top 5 in no particular order that I have seen play,
Arthur beetson
Raper
Gasnier
Lewis
And at his prime, Benji … Just wow

Special mention though to ronny coote ... What a player.

 

[grrrrrrrrrr]

I've got johns on top also ( don't advocate his off field antics ) but from left field I recon Sam burgess was the best player in league the last few years and could have gone down as one of the greatest if he didn't leave. Ps not an English or souths fan.

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[Paris_Cobbs]

Benji Marshall (ducks)
Ellery Hanley
Arthur Summons