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THE RL1908 BLOG
News, Reviews & Opinion - Sean Fagan - RL1908.com
Sean Fagan is a member of the Team of the Century voting panel (which met to debate and vote on
10 December 2007 - the Team will be announced on 16 April 2008).
Of course, it is stating the obvious, but no one can from personal experience offer up and discuss their observations of the greatest footballers across 100 years.
Harold Horder.
Star winger for South Sydney and North Sydney, NSW and Australia during the 1910s and '20s. |
There are men who have been labelled great in their generation, and we have read about them, been told all about their football powers by men who have seen them in action and admired them.
But they are for all of us, for the most part, footballers we have never seen.
There are few people remaining today that have a recollection of the game and players from before the 1940s.
Film is scant – and what there is, doesn't reveal sufficient for us to form any real opinion.
The great players from the 1950s onwards are more familiar to us, and many people can provide opinions as to who are the best, and why, which compliments the more abundant film footage of Tests and Grand Finals available.
So how do we decide who the greatest players are? The century gone has bared witness to countless brilliant and highly gifted players across NSW and Queensland rugby league.
The term “great” is flexible and indefinite when it comes to footballers – it conveys to different people different ideas.
We can look at the men who have left an indelible imprint on the record books – not so much in points scored, but in important club and representative victories.
We know they were great measured by their selection and performances in Australian teams.
We can recognise that every generation had its champion footballers who stood apart from their peers, who were feared by their rivals. They have all been champions in their turn.
We can't give a bias towards the most recent decades. If a stop-watch and a tape measure were used as assessment tools, we all know that modern players would win hands down. Yet, in the case of some, we know that the last 25 years has produced players that none from the preceding 75 years could match.
Contrasting eras, rules and conditions make it even more difficult. When the footballers of widely-separated periods in the game's history are compared, firm conclusions are more or less an unattainable dream.
Utilising a voting panel of 30 men from across the spectrum of the rugby league mill will provide a “bulk of opinion” that should present a balanced and representative result.
To perhaps offer a voice and valuable opinion on the period before the 1940s, let's turn to the reflections of J.C. Davis.
A noted Sydney sports journalist and editor, Davis covered rugby league from its inception in 1908 for The Referee under the pen-name of The Cynic, and in the early-1930s reflected back upon the best men he had seen and admired.
Davis' one over-riding consideration in his selections was “all-round” performance – his greatest players had to offer the best in attack and defence.
Half-back: Chris McKivat (Glebe). A brilliant man. McKivat developed into one of the most skilful, artful, and reliable all-round scrum half-backs Australian rugby (league) has ever known. You could bank on him doing the perfect thing in the hottest of positions. The most brilliant attacking scrum-half of Australia was Duncan Thompson. On attack he was unequalled. In defence though he was not equal to McKivat or ‘Pony' Halloway, particularly behind beaten forwards. Other great half-backs were ‘George' Anlezark, Arthur Butler, Jimmy Craig, and ‘Chimpy' Busch – the latter rivaled Thompson for attacking flair.
Five-eighth: William ‘Billy' Farnsworth (Newtown). The best all-round NSW five-eighth. On his day he was fit for any team in the world. As a tackler he was unsurpassed, tackling like a demon, never taking a dummy. On attack he could fend and keep fighting through the thick to bring his supports along. Eric Weissell was second, but not as impressive as Farnsworth.
Centre: Dally Messenger (Easts). The greatest individualist and match-winner, and the most sensational of all centres seen in this country. His football cast a glamour over the game. Simply a genius on the football field. Herb Gilbert ranks next, then John Hickey, Viv Farnsworth, Sid Deane, Dinny Campbell, and Queenslanders ‘Nigger' Brown and Tom Gorman.
Winger: Harold Horder (Souths & Norths). The most glorious ever. The most brilliant, most elusive, most successful, and most extra-ordinary wing three-quarter I ever saw. He had the speed of an even-timer, and sprung into his speed instantly. He had the speed and turn of a hare, quick-moving mind and anticipation. Ranks with Messenger as the most fascinating footballer I ever saw. Other great wingers were Dan Frawley, Albert Broomham, Albert Rosenfeld, ‘Boxer' Russell, Cec Blinkhorn and Benny Wearing.
Fullback: Howard Hallett (Souths). Superior to any contemporary fullback. He was orthodox, but truly an artist. Frank McMillan (Wests & Balmain) was more artful and dangerous, more open to the possibilities in attack.
Forward: Frank Burge (Glebe, Grenfell, St George). Possessed uncanny anticipation. An unparalleled career. One of the mightiest forwards of rugby of any brand, in any country.
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Sean Fagan is a member of the Team of the Century voting panel (which met to debate and vote on 10 December 2007 - the Team will be announced on 16 April 2008).
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