Every time an English import strings together some good games they’re hailed as the best arrival at the colony since Malcolm Reilly.
Sam Burgess and James Graham cop the compliment, with the rider Reilly is always rated Pom No.1.
But who would be in the best team of English visitors?
Burgess is playing No.13 for Souths, and is perhaps the best forward going around, but lock is reserved for Reilly, so the versatile Burgess can slot into his familiar role as a prop.
There have been some great front-rower visitors; the late Cronulla hard man Cliff Watson and Kevin Ward during his Manly stint, but Graham shades both on his best days because of his ball-playing skills.
There is one that rates above them all, however.
Different times, different games, but Brian McTigue is acknowledged as the finest English ball-player of all time, his skills evidenced in two winning Lions tours Down Under.
He couldn’t get out of a trot when he went to Bathurst, aged 37, but the fact that he ran on Australian soil qualifies the legend.
Canberra’s Josh Hodgson is a star with all the skills and Manly and Norths’ John Gray would be a contender as either prop or hooker, but Mike Stephenson would be dummy half, and hooker if proper scrums were called for.
Dewsbury’s Stephenson excelled in Great Britain’s winning 1972 World Cup campaign before joining Penrith on a then-record $39,000 transfer, and he held the Panthers together through seasons of turmoil.
There have been a plethora of backrowers, Adrian Morley, Gareth Ellis, Lee Crooks, Phil Lowe, Steve Norton, Doug Laughton and Bill Ashurst among them. But, as McTigue is acknowledged as the best English ball player, Dick Huddart is considered their best running forward.
He was with McTigue on those two winning tours and although he scored a try in the grand final and capped his career as a member of St George’s 1966 premiership team, he was past his best by them.
Like McTigue, his status in history gets him a guernsey, however.
The skilled and tough Brian Lockwood can earn the other backrow spot for his stint with the Bulldogs and Tigers, and as representative par excellence of the type of English forward that once flourished.
[latest_videos_strip category=”rugby-league” name=”League”]
Graham Williams was a creative and dynamic halfback with Norths, returned to England after he lost his wife in a parachuting accident, then returned to play with Manly in premiership years, before tragically losing his own life in a motorcycle accident.
Halfback Gary Stephens saw premiership service with Manly but there can only be one choice – the pugnacious Tommy Bishop, after his stint with Cronulla.
St George’s Gareth Widdop carries on a tradition of impressive English pivots including Roger Millward, the late and underrated Dave Topliss and the Welsh wizard Lewis Jones with Wentworthville in the second division, but Dave Bolton is up there with McTigue and Huddart in English annals.
Bolton had almost seniors status but was still man-of-the-match in Balmain’s famous 1969 grand-final upset against Souths and has to be five-eighth.
Ellery Hanley and Gary Schofield pick themselves as centres.
It’s forgotten that in 1966, the Riverina staged a mini Super League forerunner and Junee attracted England winger Mike Sullivan as captain-coach.
Sullivan had seen his best days by then but those had included 46 Tests – a record he shares with Schofield – and a record 44 tries.
The late Sullivan was also an accomplished stiff-arm merchant from the days when men were men and scrums were scrums.
Speed merchant and crowd-pleaser Martin Offiah maintained his tryscoring average in short stints with Easts and St George but had his defensive deficiencies, which puts him the great tradition of show-pony wingers decried by forwards.
Brian Carney was impressive in his short stint with Newcastle but frequent representative visitor and former Rooster Joe Lydon can have the other flank.
George Fairbairn and Steve Hampson rate up the front from fullback but the little Welshman Jonathan Davies, remembered for a short and successful stint with Cantebury and a less successful one with the Cowboys after injuries, can be the custodian.
He is best remembered for his 60-metre try, which highlighted a 12-man hosts’ 8-4 Wembley win over the Kangaroos in the first Test of the 1994 tour.
Order a pint of English bitter and start the disagreements.
LEO O'MARA
Guest
MALCOLM REILLY AND PHIL LOWE GREATEST PLAYERS TO PLAY IN AUSTRALIA
LEO O'MARA
Guest
GREATEST ENGLISH TO PLAY IN AUSTRALIA WAS MALCOLM REILLY BY COUNTRY MILE HE COULD PLAY SECOND ROW LOCK CENTER BRILLIANT .BURGESS NOT IN HIS CLASS BEST FRONT ROWER DICK HUDDARDT BEST HOOKER JOHN GRAY BEST HALF BACK TOMMY BISHOP .CURRENT PLAYERS WOULDN'T MAKE 50s to 80s' teams i was involved very HEAVENLY league in that period regards LEO O'MARA PROVAN STANTON BEST COACHES WHY HAVE TODAYS NOT COACHED SIDE STEP
Rellum
Roar Guru
I am sure that is has nothing to do with Joey being beaten on the way as to why he thinks it's the greatest try he has seen.
Matt H
Roar Guru
Nice!
nerval
Guest
Take 3: 2 mins and 2 secs!
nerval
Guest
Make that 2 mins and 20 secs!
RoryStorm
Guest
I saw Tommy Bishop and Cliff Watson play in an end of season game for Cronulla Sutherland against Auckland in 1973. The game was played at Carlaw Park in the usual mud that was Carlaw Park by the end of the season. I can't remember who won the game but I was excited to be seeing a game with both these Pommy stars playing at the back end of their career. The highlight of the day for me was seeing the Cronulla Sutherland players trudging down the backstreet form Carlaw Park to their hotel, still in their playing gear, boots in hand because the showers at the ground were cold in the visitors rooms. They weren't happy either. Maybe that is an indication of who won that day, I can't remember. While most of the Sharks players were in a hurry (running) to get back to their hotel because it was a cold day, Bishop and Watson were happy to take a slow walk back to the hotel with a host of supporters trailing along hanging off every word that came from the mouths of these English superstars of the day. Great memories.
nerval
Guest
What a wonderful story about Dick Huddart, The Barry. He was a Cumbrian too, not from Lancashire or Yorkshire. There was a time when that county produced some of the most feared players in the game According to Joey Johns, here's the greatest individual try of all-time - at 2 mins and 20 secs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt4AIRMzJ2o
steveng
Roar Rookie
WoW, I didnt know that he was living in Australia? He was born in 1940 which makes him 77 born 15 October 1940, he should show his melon more often as he has got allot of fans (me included) in the game still, hope he does that soon! Where are you Tommy B??? lol
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
Stevenge, yes my mate Spiv from Surfers told me last year that Tommy was living up at Redcliffe in North East Brisbane on Moreton Bay. I was just doing the sums in my head and I reckon that Tommy must be in his late 70's by now. By my standard that still makes him a young bloke, so I expect he spends most of his time out windsurfing on the bay ! I have a vague memory of him being at the funeral or wake of Arthur Beetson which was held at the Redcliffe Dolphins footy club, where Beetson kicked off his top level career. So my tip is he's putting his feet up in north Brisbane.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Yeah 'Hard Yards' and please don't remind me of Dave Bolton and the 1969 Tigers side lol and I say it again, please don't remind me (that was a shocker for us) as the Tigers still have the wood on us until this day!!! And WoW, those were the days!!! But, little Tommy all 5ft 2in of him, was an unbelievable player as every time he got the ball (in those tests between the Kangaroos and GB) he was such an electric, dynamic plater that something always happened, brings back some great memories, sitting on the hill at the SCG and watching those tests (to a full house) but, its very unfortunate that Tommy Bishop is hardly ever mentioned in the NRL today, what's happened to him and why???
Fairdinkum
Roar Rookie
There's been plenty of good ones but for me none better than Reilly.
Albo
Guest
I go back a bit earlier than you Baz, so I would throw into my team a few earlier guys like Mike Stephenson who was terrific for the Panthers '74-'78 , Mal Reilly '71-'75 & Phil Lowe '74-'76 for Manly, & Brian Lockwood '75-'77 for Balmain. My team: 1. Joe Lydon 2. Martin Offiah 3. Hanley 4. Schofield 5.Carney 6. Topliss 7. Bishop 8. Morley 9. Stephenson 10. Sam Burgess 11. Lockwood 12 Phil Lowe 13. Mal Reilly Bench - Bill Ashurst, James Graham, Roger Millward, Shaun Edwards, Cliff Watson, Lee Crooks, Dave Bolton, Gareth Ellis, Josh Hodgson, Elliot Whitehead, Gary Stephens.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I’d have Hodgson, Graham, Whitehead, Sam Burgess and possibly the twins ahead of Widdop. He’s terrible as often as he’s great. No way has Sam Burgess been over rated. Starting to slow down a bit now but has been a big man who plays massive minutes and does everything at high velocity with little regard for his own safety and has some skill with the ball. It’s a shame he had his two year rugby break when he did because he was at the peak of his powers. His discipline has let him down a little at times but when you play the way he does that’s bound to happen occasionally. Hanley is the best Englishman who I’ve seen play out here (still couldn’t match it with Baa) but I reckon Burgess is my number two.
Forty Twenty
Guest
Bozo is a Pom
Rellum
Roar Guru
Was Garry Connelly was pom wasn't he? He was a very good centre for the Bulldogs for a while there. I would pick Hanley as the best I have seen.
kk
Guest
Every member of the GB Lions Touring team of 1946. WWII was over and it was a great way to celebrate peace. I understand the boys praised the trip for years to come especially the hospitality guided by Bumper Farrell.
Arcturus
Roar Rookie
Excellent list. Bill Ashurst was a standout for me growing up and watching league. He did things that I never saw other forwards do. He played more like a five-eight at times and was brilliant to watch.
buttery
Roar Rookie
I remember the Kangaroo tour of Great Britain in 1967, one of the funniest things in first or second test was Tommy Bishop kicking Dennis Mantiet( think that how it was spelt) in the arse, he turned around & went for Tommy who shot off up the sideline with the big fella after him,
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
I was lucky enough to attend the 1973 Grand Final Manly v Sharks. Bishop was superb. Cliffy Watson too. So was the Manly lock Mal Reilly, who was absolutely smashed by Rocky Turner. Reilly went off for a bit for of the magic sponge, but it was clear he wouldn't go the distance. I guess the Manly Coach Ron Willey told him to return to the field and go all Allah Akbar for 20 minutes and just inflict casualties. Which he did before hewas replaced. It was beautiful to watch if you like that sort of thing. Manly liked Poms. Phil Lowe was an absolute unit in the second row, and Steve Norton come out to play lock , and from memory a bloke called Gary Stephens to play half back. Those three pulled on the maroon and white in about '76 or '77 to great effect. Dave Bolton was a very tidy halfback for Balmain in the late'60s. He played the '69 grand final against Souths, which the Tigers won 11-2. Bolton kicked a couple of field goals in the days when a field goal was worth 2 points, and a try 3 points.