Slater v Thurston v Smith V Lockyer. What order do you rank them?

[mikey127]

Personally I think we are getting a little carried away with Thurston. This is my order

1. Slater: Greatest player I have seen

2 Lockeyer: Close but just ahead of Smith
3 Smith: Heart says 2nd head puts him just behind Lockeyer

4 Thurton: Great player but a fair way behind the top 3.

What o others think?

 

[western royboy]

1. Wally Lewis
2. Jonathon Thurston
3. Darren Lockyer
4. Cameron Smith
5. Billy Slater

Last night was a fairytale that came true for Thurston - he got what he deserved.

 

[mikey127]

1. Wally Lewis
2. Jonathon Thurston
3. Darren Lockyer
4. Cameron Smith
5. Billy Slater

Last night was a fairytale that came true for Thurston - he got what he deserved.

Western Royboy normally I really like your post but Slater last???? Have you seen him play he is amazing.

 

[western royboy]

Western Royboy normally I really like your post but Slater last???? Have you seen him play he is amazing.

Many, many times, but this is a hot field, we are talking the best of the best here.

Lewis had no peer, he could play in the backs, centres or as lock forward. As an inspirational leader - there is none finer. They are all great players - but that's how I see them, cigarette papers between each one.

 

[mikey127]

I agre o Lewis but I think Thurston is a great player but not as good as the other 3

 

[western royboy]

I agre o Lewis but I think Thurston is a great player but not as good as the other 3

who do you follow?

 

[mikey127]

who do you follow?

I a a Storm fan but I have not seen a better player than Billy Slater, Didn'tfollow league till Storm came in. To prove I'm a fair man I have Lockeyer just ahead of Smith.

 

[royboy2]

Andrew Johns was better than Slater

 

[Vekgib]

1) Wally Lewis
2) Andrew Johns
3) Darren Lockyer
4) Steve Rogers
5) Johnathon Thurston

Only caught Bob Fulton at the end of his career. Had I seen more, he'd probably be 1st or 2nd

 

[western royboy]

I didn't consider NSW players - Fittler, Fulton, Kenny, Johns & Stirling would figure - Steve Rogers was just before my time

 

[Allezjuel]

1. Thurston - Confirmed himself greatest player of the modern era last night. Place him above Smith as he has able to get a rather mediocre side to a premiership in comparison to Smith which had Slater and Cronk along side him.
2. Smith - Greatest hooker to ever play the game and a possible immortal. His influence on the team isn't as noticeable as Thurston but when he's not playing you can definitely notice the difference.
3. Lockyer - Great captain and leader. Cool in a crisis and an invaluable member of the team. However he lacked the ability to tear a team apart individually like Joey or Thurston could.
4. Slater - Again great player, most likely best fullback of all time. However since 2012 he has lost a yard of pace and is nowhere near damaging as he once was, whereas the players above have maintained their form at the back end of their career.

 

[Tigger Please!]

1. Lockyer
2. Smith
3. Thurston
4. Slater

 

[mikey127]

1. Thurston - Confirmed himself greatest player of the modern era last night. Place him above Thurston as he has able to get a rather mediocre side to a premiership in comparison to Smith which had Slater and Cronk along side him.
2. Smith - Greatest hooker to ever play the game and a possible immortal. His influence on the team isn't as noticeable as Thurston but when he's not playing you can definitely notice the difference.
3. Lockyer - Great captain and leader. Cool in a crisis and an invaluable member of the team. However he lacked the ability to tear a team apart individually like Joey or Thurston could.
4. Slater - Again great player, most likely best fullback of all time. However since 2012 he has lost a yard of pace and is nowhere near damaging as he once was, whereas the players above have maintained their form at the back end of their career.

I hear what you are saying about Slater but a fullback is going struggle more than a player in the halves or a hooker when they loose pace. I actually thought adn still hink maybe we should do a Lockeyer and move him to 5/8th and play Munster Fullback.

 

[Sydney Bloods]

Andrew Johns: he is the greatest player of all time, he basically carried NSW to victory over a much more talented QLD for 3 series, nobody did what Johns did prior to his arrival and nobodies done it since. the man was a freak.
Darren Lockyer: the greatest fullback of all time, none come close
Cameron Smith: greatest hooker to ever play the game. i wish i could put Smith higher, The way smith is changing the way a hooker plays is on par with what lockyer did with the full back position. if johns or lockyer were not in my top 5 Smith would be number one.
Shane Webcke: The greatest forward to ever play the game. I know people have a habit of ignoring front rowers when picking top players but jesus christ you cannot miss Webcke he did everything. he makes arty look second rate, More then anyone its Webcke who deserves the next immortal spot, But he wont get it because people overlook the contributions of fwds.
Wally Lewis: wally is only so far down this list because of the talent above Lewis is and always will be a great of the game i'm not trying to diminish his role in way this shoud be looked at as just how highly i rate those above him.

outside of those your have ET, Langer, Fittler, Buderus and Thurston fighting it out for the next few spots. Thurston's a great player but he's not a top 5 player, If he gets made an immortal ahead of Webcke, Smith or Lockyer it will be a disgrace.

 

[balmainforever]

Cam Smith will go down as storm's greatest player so has to be ranked above Slater.
1.smith
2,Lockyer
3.jt
4. Billy

 

[KissKiss]

I fully admit to being fairly new to the sport and mostly only watch the Storm play. As such I won't try and rank players that I haven't seen a lot of. On the storm players Smith > Slater.

 

[KissKiss]

I hear what you are saying about Slater but a fullback is going struggle more than a player in the halves or a hooker when they loose pace. I actually thought adn still hink maybe we should do a Lockeyer and move him to 5/8th and play Munster Fullback.

Been talking to a few people and this has come up a lot. I wasn't sure that Billy should play another year but we really need to hang onto Munster, so I see this the best way to play both

 

[Jatz]

I'm a Newcastle supporter (so this might explain my view) but Johns is still ahead of Thurston for me.

It's nothing against JT (who is freakish in his own right) but some of the stuff I got to witness Joey do was unbelievable. It was the first half of the 01 GF, the Origin series comeback etc etc. So many moments where my jaw would drop and just wonder how the * that just happened?!

With all that said, watching Thurston has been amazing. His defending is his real big let down for me. Bit of a speed bump. His offense is right up there though!

 

[Philosrog]

I'd place them all behind Ellery Hanley.
To those who think think Slater is the best they have ever seen. Remember the 20th century?

 

[Philosrog]

Cam Smith will go down as storm's greatest player so has to be ranked above Slater.
1.smith
2,Lockyer
3.jt
4. Billy

Do they play rugby in Carcassonne?

 

[meltiger]

I actually thought adn still hink maybe we should do a Lockeyer and move him to 5/8th and play Munster Fullback.

2-3 years ago. Yes. If he could have had developed a decent kicking game he'd have been a great 5/8 who takes on the line.

Ships sailed on that but.

 

[meltiger]

Cam Smith will go down as storm's greatest player so has to be ranked above Slater.
1.smith
2,Lockyer
3.jt
4. Billy

On what score you do rank them but?

Pure talent - JT
Ability to pull off the game winning play when needed - Locky
Absolute consistency - Smith

All have claims to being the best if the last 15 years

 

[meltiger]

the first half of the 01 GF, !

Smith defending Jason Taylor in the line helped immensely that night. I'm sure the moron still dreams of Ben Kennedy running over him again and again.

Such a wonderful GF it was. s**t fail club

Joey whilst an immortal will never get the real cred he deserves in the public eye thanks to Kimmorly taking slot of his rep jerseys. + the off field s**t that shouldn't have any relevance

 

[western royboy]

Smith defending Jason Taylor in the line helped immensely that night. I'm sure the moron still dreams of Ben Kennedy running over him again and again.

Such a wonderful GF it was. s**t fail club

Joey whilst an immortal will never get the real cred he deserves in the public eye thanks to Kimmorly taking slot of his rep jerseys. + the off field s**t that shouldn't have any relevance

I'm a Roosters fan - from my time in Sin City during the middle to late 90's that encompassed Super League. I went to the Easts (they'll always be Easts to me) v Newcastle Prelim final at the SFS 2001 I think. Sat on the 20m line. Newcastle were all over us and lead into the second half. Newcastle were bringing the ball deep out of our territory, it was regulation stuff. Suddenly Fittler went and pushed Wing out of his spot in the defensive line (near the Centres) and you could sense something was up so I watched intently, Johns threw a cut out pass - Fittler read it and intercepted and strolled over for the best try I have ever seen - simply because of the genius of Fittler. Definitely a Kodak moment. Johns was a great player but I've got others higher.

 

[meltiger]

Mate Johns was a maestro. One great read from an equally gifted genius doesn't change that.

You'd also be biased a tad being a Rooster Booster


Is funny though, you do bring up another sheer giant of the game who possibly due to coaching career/gimpish behaviour on tv again doesn't get the real cred he deserves.

Was what 18yo in his first grand final?

edit thinking back. Remember the 02 GF? Game on edge, result could go either way at the point the Warriors smashed him. Gets up and leads Easts to their first premiership in over 20 years. Genuine great.

Though these two lads are really the generation before.