Best ever back lines

Discussion in 'The Cesspit: Rugby League Discussion' started by Magic, Mar 3, 2020.

  1. Magic AJ Parker

    Just thinking I don't think I'll ever see a better 1-5 at the Chooks than last year of;

    1. Tedesco
    2. Tupou
    3. Mitchell
    4. Manu
    5. Morris

    Other shouts for the best backline from each club?
     
  2. Boobidy BJ Gemmell

    Probably 1998 for Broncos, can't remember the exact lineup

    Lockyer
    Sailor
    Renouf
    Carroll/Smith
    De Vere/Tuqiri
     
  3. Alex AJ O'Driscoll

    Big fan of Dragons 2010

    1. Boyd
    2. Morris
    3. Gasnier
    4. Cooper
    5. Nightingale
     
  4. morgieb MC Burridge

    Surprised that Magic views the 19 one over the 18 one.Unless I'm really under-rating how Morris played last year.
     
  5. morgieb MC Burridge

    Canberra had Mullins, Nadruku, Meninga, Wiki and Nagas in 94, that has to be up there.
     
  6. morgieb MC Burridge

    Arguably our current one would be up there in my lifetime: Mitchell, Gagai, Roberts, Burns, Graham

    Back 5 was never really our strength though even at our best, though obviously Inglis helped. The 2014 had Avu'a and a burnt Tuqiri.
     
  7. Alex AJ O'Driscoll

    Yeah, it's Souths best since readmission. If Johnston comes in for Graham it's a full on blackline too.
     
  8. Julian BJ Taylor

    Mullins
    Nadruku
    Meninga
    Wiki
    Nagas

    tbh
     
  9. Julian BJ Taylor

    tuqiri debuted in 99, so yeah, Devere was the winger.
     
  10. Julian BJ Taylor

    Brisbane choked in the finals but their 96 back line was probably better imo. Same one but Carne was still there, not Devere.
     
  11. jazman84 JM Eightyfour

    Broncos' 09 backline was great on paper.

    Hunt
    Winterstein
    Folau
    Hodges
    Yow Yeh

    Warriors' in 08 was pretty decent too.

    McKinnon
    Ah Van
    Ropati
    Tate
    Vatuvei
     
  12. morgieb MC Burridge

    Warriors 01 one >> their 08 one IMO: Cleary, Fa'fili, Toopi, Koopu, Meli

    Koopu probably the main weakness as he was a second rower usually. Don't think the others broke through before Vagana left though.

    Dogs 02/03 one was pretty slick: Patten, El Masri, Vagana, Talau, Utai. Imagine if you added Tonga there as well!
     
  13. Cribbage RG Cribb

    I re-watched the ARL 97 grand final the other day and it struck me how good the Knights backline was that year, especially if you include the halves, and especially if you consider how diluted the talent was with 22 teams.

    1 O'Davis
    2 Albert
    3 Gidley/Hughes
    4 Craigie
    5 MacDougall
    6 Johns
    7 Johns
     
  14. morgieb MC Burridge

    Their 01 one is arguably stronger if you don't take halves into account IMO.
     
  15. Cribbage RG Cribb

    Yeah fair call, was basically just Tahu in for Albert and Gidley more established as a first grade centre.
     
  16. Maroon_Faithful M Faithful

    98 Broncos is the best ever imo. Lockyer is the best fullback I've seen, Sailor and De Vere were excellent wingers, and Renouf is up there with Mal, the Gasnier's, Inglis, etc. as the most dangerous centres to ever play. He never really excelled in Origin but at club level, I'm fairly sure his strike rate is the highest of any modern centre.
    Smith was not the greatest attacker but he was one of the best defenders. Langer and Walters orchestrating in the halves.

    It edges out the Raiders of 94 mostly because as good as Mal was, he was well past his best, hence it being his last season. And as much as i love Mullins, Lockyer was twice the player.

    Roosters 18, 19. Raiders 89, 90. Knights 97, 01. 88 Broncos. All fantastic.

    And a smoky which doesnt get mentioned often is Parra of the 80's. Virtually the same backline played in 5 GF's over 6 years and won 4 of them. Watch those old games if you wanna see just how good blokes like Grothe and Taylor were. Never mind Kenny/Sterling and Cronin. You've got 4 players from that back line named in the top 100 players of the century. And Steve Ella was a freak.

    The cohesion and understanding within that backline is unparalleled.
     
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2020
  17. morgieb MC Burridge

    Probably because we're all young cunts. If you ask some of the oldies I think they'll say it's unparalleled.
     
  18. Sultan Pepper HG Emm

    The stars aligned in '03.

    1. Rhys Wesser
    2. Luke Lewis
    3. Paul Whatuira
    4. Ryan Girdler
    5. Luke Rooney
    6. Preston Campbell
    7. Craig Gower
     
    Hunter likes this.
  19. Lukic L Popovic

    1. Hodgson
    2. Fitzhenry
    3. Elford
    4. Whatuira
    5. Richards

    You tellin me that ain't the best ever?
     
  20. Tartmaster AJ James

    That’s exactly what I’m telling you.
     
    Sultan Pepper and Boobidy like this.

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