My 'best of' the Super Waratahs

No one seems to have mentioned Justin Harrison. He and Vickerman were a great pair and Al Kanaar was just so aggressive

Like it. Might sneak Taf in for Canno but other wise a group I would be very happy with from the super era

Albo correct, good analysis. Burgo said that at school. After school he didn't give up and believed he could offer something and just took a chance. Apparantly James Horwill wasn't that rated very highly and look at him now. Jarred Saffy is an interesting one. He is actually South African, moved over to OZ with his family, was clearly awesome at high school one of those unstoppable "kids", then went to the NRL, has had a mixed time since being back in rugby. But is a good player im surprised the wallaby selectors don't take more notice of him. Maybe playing in Melbourne he won't get nay headlines but he is a quality player just like Matt Hodgson the force player from the central coast. Both players are unsung heroes who deserve more wraps from Deans.

Throw in Luke Burgess and stirling Mortlock too in that list of average footy players at school. Luke Burgess was in the 2nds in year 11, and may of been in year 12, he was nothing flashy in his time at joey's, no aussy schoolboys or anything like that. Mortlock was the same, he played 1st 15 in year 12, but he only made GPS 3rd's, no big wraps on him at school, no one would of dreamed he would be the star he was to become as an adult. It's a lesson there we have seen time and time again. Ignore schoolboy rugby and juniors as an indicator of how far you'll go as an adult. Elton Flatley is another one. So is Daniel Halangahu, 2 others who promised so much but didn't deliver in senior footy, especially Halangahu. People peak at different times, in life, and also the physical maturity stuff, many people develop between 18-23. Some people are already developed by 16-18. Also in adult footy, the style is different and sometimes you have the right game for adult footy. Often a player with sheer pace or size will dominate school footy eg Big Tom Bowman,or Peter Playford, but by adulthood they won't have the skill set, as other big guys or some of the fast guys. You need more than size or just speed to stay in the big time at the highest level longer. A guy like Tom Bowman compared to Dan Vickerman for example. Both big lads but Vickerman, has more skills, aggression, and wider skill set than Bowman who is a limited player at the top level. And speed to Peter Playford, was fast but he didn't have the skill set of say a chris latham or a Joe roof or Ben tune.

Albo a good team, you've basically nailed it. I'm surprised this article didn't get more responses. Wonder what that says about the current state of the tah's, lacking awareness and brand image. Ah the good old days, when tahs's fan were in high numbers 1996-2005. Good Team Albo. Out of that squad the only truly unlucky player is Rocky Elsom, to miss out on a place in your 22. Amazing depth at no 6 and 8 , Tim gavin, Willie O,Wycliff Palu, Dave Lyons, Steve Talbot, and Rock.

Just thought I'd put the current Best Of team, taking into consideration all three teams that we put forward: 1. Andrew Blades 2. Phil Kearns 3. Richard Harry 4. Dan Vickerman 5. John Welborn 6. Willie O 7. Phil Waugh 8. Tim Gavin (c) 9. Steve Merrick 10. Matt Rogers 11. David Campese 12. Nathan Grey 13. Adam Ashley Cooper 14. Lote Tuqiri 15. Matt Burke. 16. Benn Robinson 17. Cliff Palu 18. Al Kanaar 19. Brendan Cannon 20. Marc Stcherbina 21. Chris Whitaker 22. Drew Mitchell All Kanaar because he can cover second row and back row, Nathan Grey covers 10, Stabs the centres and wings, Mitchell the back three. I'd be very happy with this team.

It just goes to show the difference between schoolboy level and grade. The amount of wunderkind that came out of schoolboy level only to never reach the optimistic levels thrust upon them is endless. Some of the best players in history didn't hit their straps until after school. Nick Far Jones and Kearns were both 2nd graders at school. Mark Gerrard was amazing at school level and came close to being an NBT. I wish the Tahs had retained him but there was just too much competition for spots when he arrived. He is up there in the rarified air of Stcherbina in work ethic and solidness, in my book. Thanks Jez and Johnno for your input. It was really only the three of us but good to dig up some old names. I reckon this article, while not teeming with responses, would certainly be up there for longest average of each comment.

I was in the same year as Pete and Dave, those two were very good rugby players and Aussie schoolboys but not as dominant as Tim had been a couple of years earlier. If i remember rightly Pete even had to split the best back award with Matt Burke. We had a third international 15s player in our year Patrick Duignan who was capped twice for Ireland. He couldn't lock down his spot though as a fella named BOD wanted it. I don't think Dave ever played for the Tahs but I am not certain. He definitively played a fair bit of 7s for Australia.

I thought Peter Jorgenson in your time jeznez was the one who got all the wraps. Tim Kelleher if I recall had brother too David Kellehar who was a more than handy rugby player. From memory he certainly played for Randwick, don't know if David Kellehar played for the tah's. Tim Kellehar, like Pat Howard, and Scott Bowen, seemed to be mucked around or put in no man's land when they hit big time. In my time Ryan Cross was the rage, wow he was good for schoolboy level. Was quite big but not massive but he just accelerated so fast, over the 1st 5 metres, and was elusive , and strong. And Willie Gordon was the rage too. And up in QLD it was all about Elton Flatley, he was almost what you'd call school prodigy in rugby. Gonna be the next Mark Ella, Tim Horan, everything, this and that, this and that. Never reached the heights of either, but was a decent player but not outstanding by any means at the pro level, and got a lot of head knock's. When I left school about 2 years later Morgan Turuni, was seen as the next big thing. Tom Bowman got big wraps, as did Mark Strebina, he was gonna be the next big thing Mark was. Julian Huxley no one thought would ever be a wallaby, Criag Wing got a few wraps but more for his rugby league career as he did both in school, and was of a leaguiey who only played rugby for sydney High in his last year, as by then his league career at souths was taking off in the juniors.

jeznez thanks mate, good memories I know mate. Old school a lot of these names, and many grew up in and played some amateur days, and then cross-overed in early days of professionalism. Al Baxter was a big bloke and highly intelligent , the lads on the rugby club always point that out and give him a ribbing, the architect , a piggy trapped in an academic mind lol. Been Robinson is still a good player, but many forget before all those injuries around 2011, he was rated the best prop in the world, by many. His loss if we all remember it was seen as a massive loss in our world cup campaign. I still think if we had him and a fully fit Wycliff Palu, we could of laid a challenge down at the world cup to NZ, and also a fully fit Drew Mitchell who had to leave too, we may not have won but we would of been more competitive. He has lifted his work rate the last month, and is in good form. Baxter for such a big bloke, his scrummaging is lousy, a poor man's Andrew sheridan. And let's all remember, yes Big Al was in the 2003 world cup squad, but he only got his opportunity in the semi-final, and the final , because of Ben Darwin's serious injury just before the tournament that ended his career, who knows if Ben Darwin had been fit we may of beaten England in 2003. I still think if that final vs England in 2003 was on a dry track we would of beaten the pom's. They were an old team, dad's army many said, and the world cup the weather was fantastic except for 2 critical moment's. The England VS France semi-final was raining and wet and cold, and the grand final it was and cold, and blustery. If the night had been clear, and even a touch humid as it was in spring, and it had been hot all world cup, I reckong the younger aussy team a good mix of experience and youth, George Smith and Phil Waugh would of run an ageing Neil Back, and Maritn Johnson and Daliligeo , ragged . But the weather gods saved the palms I reckon, Lote tiquri would have had a field day on a dry track, Jason Robinson was the only bloke the aussies truly feared on a dry track, that english weather style for the finals united them. Oh well not meant to be. But back to Al, yes a good servant a decent super rugby player, but give me Benn Robinson or Ben Darwin any day of the week.

Love it Johnno. Still plenty I disagree with but so many names I am so happy to be reminded of. Great to see you recognise Robinson but he is still a fair way behind Baxter. 130 for Fuse, the Tahs website shows Robinson on 110. I will be so over the moon if Fat Cat overtakes Baxter. A lovely bloke and a great servant of NSW but such a poor scrummager I will be happier if a strong scrummager like Benn has the most capped prop record. Benn if you read the Roar, please stick around and be the most capped Tah prop ever. Thanks, your friend in front rowership, Jez.

Can't think of too many backs more dissimilar than Tim Kelleher and Tim Donnelly. Well recalled though. TK was the most dominant schoolboy player I ever saw, was pleased he got some caps. Someone as dominant as he was while younger deserved higher recognition.

Albo it is good fun , old school well here is my re-modelled team after all of today's comments, some good additions by jeznez too. Note some players I have picked didn't always have the best wallaby careers, but focusing more on there efforts and impact at the tah's. 15)Matt Burke 14)Campo 13)AAC 12)Nathan Gray 11)Lote Tiquri I will go with over Dell he was more consistent overall than Dell (but Dell's 2006 season was superb) 10 Matt Roger's. He did have a sublime 2006 season then got injured and did play for the Wallabies at 5/8 in 2006 too 9)Steve Merrick 8) Palu , just can't leave him out such a good player 7)Phil Waugh (captain) 6) Wille O, (beating off a strong challenge from Rocky Elsom) 5) Tim Gavin 4)Dan Vickerman 3) Link 2)Kearnsey 1) Ben Robinson (Beats off Andrew Blades,. Has now played 110 times for the tahs which could be the record, he has done more than Blades over a longer period of time, and the year the wallabies won the world cup in 1999, they didn't play the AB's in the world cup, and that year in the tri-nations results were split 1-1, and the wallaby scrum got spanked in Auckland that year). And Ben Robinson has held his own vs the AB's plenty of times too, remember Ben Robinson didn't play at RWC 2011 he was injured so was not part of the semi-final thrashing. Unlucky: Rocky Elsom, Tony Daley,John Welborn, Warick Waugh, Drew Mitchell, Dell, Jason Madz, Richard Tombs, Christian Warner, Chris Whittaker, There's my team

Darren Junnee, wow there is another blast from the past, he narrowly misses out but there is another one. Peter Playford was handy too, as was Peter Jorgenson. Both Junee and Jorgenson had good rugby league careers, but booth made the wallabies. I remember Junee coming on vs the AB's in 1994 sydney test the night of Gregan's tackle. So many good players for the Tahs where have they all disappeared too. You know who was also I forgot this is real old school, Fiji and Manly marlins centre Meli Nakauta lol. He was awesome in his little cameo in the 90's for the tahs, big bloke, good ball player, and tackled hard. Some real from the Vault players this whole article has been, good article Albo a lot of fun. Remember GPS Riverview's Willie Gordon, and Brendon Williams lol. 2 player's who were destined for big things wallabies, but never made it but for a brief career at the tah's. Brendon Williams the fleet footed winger ended up playing in Italy, and don't know what happened to Willie Gordon. Willie Gordon was the Kurtley Beale of GPS rugby in 1996, 10 years before Beales time. He was destined for big things, but it wasn't meant to be. Stu Pinkerton lol. He was actually the tahs captain for a while.

I remembered Tombs but he didn't make it into consideration. If memory serves correctly he and Knox were part of the RWC squad in 1991 and they were the only two who never got to take the pitch.