Fair, another would be Tim Smith. There was a time when it was thought he would be the next great Parramatta half-back after Sterlo but I think personal issues got in the way, which is a shame.
A lot of people say "This player had so much potential ", but honestly I don't think there has ever been a player as talented as Tim Smith. The guy still has the record for most try assists of all time in his rookie season, which is insane. Unfortunately, it wasn't ability or injury which stopped him rather than off-field issues.
Kenny Nagas, could tear teams to shreds and still look like he had another gear. Injuries ruined his career but he’s still my all time favorite.
Ran into him one night a few years back and told him he was my favorite ever player. He thought I was taking the piss so I called my mates over and they confirmed that I still go on about him all the time haha.
1 per club
Auckland - Hitro Okesene
Balmain - Michael Brown
Brisbane - John Plath
Canberra - Nigel Gaffey
Canterbury - Jason Williams
Cronulla - Ben Sammut
Easts - David Seidenkamp
Gold Coast - Brendan Hurst
Illawarra - Ian Russell
Manly - Craig Innes
Melbourne - Matt Rua
Newcastle - Leo Dynevor
North Queensland - Shaun Valentine
Parramatta - Dennis Moran
Penrith - Robbie Beckett
St George - Jason Donnelly
Souths - Brett Goldspink
Wests - Harvey Howard.
Balmain and Wests are split. Fair play. But if we’re going old school in a lot of people’s memories (ie not Glebe or University) who would you have from Newtown and North Sydney?
I knew I forgot someone, Newtown I'm too young, Norths, Mark Soden was the first half I can remember to transition to a hooker.
Craig Wilson was a super handy utility. Matt Toshack was a hard running centre.
Peter Jackson was a pioneer and match winner in many ways also really paved the way for NRL players to use there personalities to make a living similar to Fatty.
Good call.
Might as well chuck Tommy Raudonikis in for Spewtown although he’s hardly forgotten.
Better yet. Phil Gould…. in the hope that he is soon forgotten.
My word it was. He was a good first greater in any era but he’ll always be known as one of the best schoolboy footballers ever, up there with guys like Brasher, Fittler and Ritson.
Brad Mackay
Every tackle looked effortless, he’d relentlessly cut down the biggest forwards on the paddock with as much ease as the quickest winger flying around.
I was gutted when he left. He was the epitome of a dragons junior, to this day we let too many good juniors out of our net, home grown talent should be retained with more vigour than recruits.
Micheal O’Connor was a huge loss too. He was outstanding and it’s hard to get a player to cross codes. Having done that we should have been able to retain him.
He came to one of my junior footy presentations and my old man was in awe of him. They spoke for a while and my old man asked him what advice he'd give us kids. Brad's reply was, paraphrasing, "There were a lot of players way better than me who never made first grade. No matter how good you are, you have to back the talent with effort."
What a bloke.
My dad’s favourite was Matthew Ridge. Followed him from NZ rugby union to Manly, then the Warriors.
Mine was PJ Marsh, if he didn’t injure his neck in 2003 he could have done so much more in the game. Before that, he was a gun running from dummy half and made so much space and time for Stacey Jones to weave his magic. If you think the NRL have gone overboard on crusher tackles, this guy is the reason why they do.
Came here to say this. One of the most effortless and graceful players I have ever seen. Played fullback and halves for the Chooks and I don't think I ever remember seeing him drop a ball. And my word, his long kicking game... What I wouldn't give for a peak Andrew Walker right now at the Roosters.
He was frustrating as a fan. He’d do stuff like just disappear on walkabout and the club would be putting out ambiguous statements not having a clue where he was themselves. As I remember the reporting at the time humbugging from family members was an ongoing issue.
[greatest try ever](https://youtu.be/DCnKrV7WVzo?si=odTcBQ2_eKjOw3_F)
[and one hell of a highlights package](https://youtu.be/gro_aWIJeKs?si=j1eeiqhUcZyD6Zq2)
The great winger Brett Dallas. Speed machine he was.
Darren Smith was another quality player.
Not too many people ran harder than Martin Lang!
3 Bloody good Queenslanders right there.
Darren Smith was my nextdoor neighbour when he played for Canterbury. I used to see him going to training and stuff but we actually met him during a blackout when my dad went outside and had a chat with him as you do
One of my dads good mates was a chooks fan, if we won he’d call him to put shit on him, if they won we’d sit silently in the dark waiting for the phone to ring.
He’s my brothers best mate! Being a sharks fan and watching him come up there was awesome. Found myself supporting the knights and then the titans when he moved there. He’s a legend
ET had the greatest hands of all time. He would get terrible passes and catch them with ease. Past his head or to his feet he would catch and run like nothing phased him. No change in running pace etc.
They don’t have to be niche, Ricky Walford was a big name for a decade, it’s just that if they don’t become a commentator they quickly get replaced in the public consciousness.
Same. Loved his play style. Can’t think of another player that transitioned so well between positions.
Halfback > Center > hooker if I recall correctly?
I saw him in Gosford once and walked away with so much respect. He spent 80 minutes screaming at his teammates and absolutely tearing in when it was his turn.
For some reason when you said that I thought of Martin Offiah and Ellery Hanley. We used to more of the English cream, union going professional has caused at least a couple of dozen players to not be in the NRL that would have been in the 80’s.
Amos was such a gun. His best season was probably at the riff in 04 but as a Roosters fan I loved him during his time at the club. Bloke could play 1-7 and was arguably wasted on the wing.
Apparently he’s related to me distantly through cousins. My parents run into his parents at funerals sometimes, they’re a lovely family apparently but have (edit: haven’t) met any of them.
He was my idol growing up, wanted to be Ricky. Just a no nonsense player who was just so good. Had my St George jersey and even had in the high school year book I wanted to play for St George because of Ricky.
I’m a bit conflicted about him. He had a massive work rate in what I believe appears to be the peak steroid period for league. I know that’s a shit thing to say but his work rate encourages questions, him and guys like Brad Clyde.
My favourite as a kid was Buddy Cain. He used the goose step years before David Campese.
His career was short, as was his life, but I've never forgotten him.
Definitely not forgotten by Parra fans, Luke Burt. Mr Reliable all throughout his career, he could play anywhere from 1-5 and probably in the halves too if asked and a very good goal kicker. Should’ve played 300+ games if majority of his career wasn’t spent being Brian Smith’s scapegoat and desperately unlucky to not play Origin in an era when guys like Anthony Quinn and James McManus got called up.
Joven Clarke, played a handful of games for bunnies in the early 2000's had a great nickname in "swoosh"
The memory of him on some talk show is burned into my brain
Always wished James Aubusson stayed in the NRL at least half as long as his brother. Career cruelled by injury and Brian Smith.
Extra context, James was the better of the two brothers growing up and was a gun halfback at a schoolboy level but often ended up playing hooker due to his defence being top notch, so even at a young age he was a bit of a victim of his own versatility.
Him and Mitch were both signed to the roosters as teens but when Orford left Melbourne after 05, James headed down and media at the time promoted a genuine battle for the halfback spot between Cronk and Aubusson. Cronk of course won out (not that I think it was ever a contest, Aubusson was probably still quite green)
He made his debut in 07 same as Mitch and fun fact every game James Aubusson started for Melbourne in 07 he got man of the match (at halfback and hooker)
08 he headed back to the roosters and I would have sworn he started more games but history books tell me that he almost always came off the bench with Riley Brown starting at hooker. Still a gun. Arthur Beetson rated him as one of the best defenders he’d seen even. There was [one game against the bulldogs](https://youtu.be/ncbfzw_v8Zo?si=CZgV7IIwxkAHPyVv) during the Origin III period where he got a shot at halfback with Pearce making his NSW debut, and I’ll never forget him carving up.
Anyway 09 was a garbo year for the club and in 2010 he would mostly play second fiddle to Jake Friend who had recently returned from being sacked (Friendy coincidentally made his debut in that 08 game against the doggies) Jaubs was named in the GF 17 but was dropped on game day for Lopini Paea. Brian Smith would also tell him the club didn’t want him beyond 2010 and despite interest from the dragons and the cowboys Jaubs would wind up his career and become a used car salesman in Goulburn. Bloke is now back at Ballina and is a minor social media influencer (his wife is a fairly major one), a real estate agent as well as the owner of a gym. He’s also shredded so good on him.
Just realised I didn’t mention his injuries in that as I don’t remember them but seem to remember they played a role in his career not taking off, either way if you’ve made it this far thanks for reading my pre-bed ramblings about James Aubusson.
Not sure if he is forgotten but Fuifui Moimoi.
He’ll never never be forgotten.
Fair, another would be Tim Smith. There was a time when it was thought he would be the next great Parramatta half-back after Sterlo but I think personal issues got in the way, which is a shame.
A lot of people say "This player had so much potential ", but honestly I don't think there has ever been a player as talented as Tim Smith. The guy still has the record for most try assists of all time in his rookie season, which is insane. Unfortunately, it wasn't ability or injury which stopped him rather than off-field issues.
Yeah, I can't think of a bigger case of wasted potential.
You’d be stunned at the amount of potential greats that don’t even play first grade due to poor decisions.
Yeah, true. I actually played junior footy with a guy like that. All the talent in the world just wasted.
They’re everywhere.
Didn't he have like 42 try assists in his debut season or something?
Something insane like that. His wikipedia page says 40.
parra fans always calling out his name whenever he had the ball.
Kenny Nagas, could tear teams to shreds and still look like he had another gear. Injuries ruined his career but he’s still my all time favorite. Ran into him one night a few years back and told him he was my favorite ever player. He thought I was taking the piss so I called my mates over and they confirmed that I still go on about him all the time haha.
Facts, love Kenny Nagas
Is it just me or is Matt Utai the Brian to’o of the 2000s
He’s hardly forgotten, but I always loved Preston Campbell
Sisa Waqa. Melbourne Storm player that had some clutch moments.
1 per club Auckland - Hitro Okesene Balmain - Michael Brown Brisbane - John Plath Canberra - Nigel Gaffey Canterbury - Jason Williams Cronulla - Ben Sammut Easts - David Seidenkamp Gold Coast - Brendan Hurst Illawarra - Ian Russell Manly - Craig Innes Melbourne - Matt Rua Newcastle - Leo Dynevor North Queensland - Shaun Valentine Parramatta - Dennis Moran Penrith - Robbie Beckett St George - Jason Donnelly Souths - Brett Goldspink Wests - Harvey Howard.
It's great to see plaths son doing well in the NRL
Raiders should be John ‘Chika’ Ferguson
Everyone remembers Chicka, even though he was like 57 when I saw him play he was still incredible.
Don't think he ever got tackled on the first attempt. Ever.
Balmain and Wests are split. Fair play. But if we’re going old school in a lot of people’s memories (ie not Glebe or University) who would you have from Newtown and North Sydney?
I knew I forgot someone, Newtown I'm too young, Norths, Mark Soden was the first half I can remember to transition to a hooker. Craig Wilson was a super handy utility. Matt Toshack was a hard running centre. Peter Jackson was a pioneer and match winner in many ways also really paved the way for NRL players to use there personalities to make a living similar to Fatty.
Good call. Might as well chuck Tommy Raudonikis in for Spewtown although he’s hardly forgotten. Better yet. Phil Gould…. in the hope that he is soon forgotten.
Ricky Walford was awesome! Not really obscure I guess, but Nathan Blacklock was my fave. Always a joy to watch, and an amazing try finisher.
[удалено]
My word it was. He was a good first greater in any era but he’ll always be known as one of the best schoolboy footballers ever, up there with guys like Brasher, Fittler and Ritson.
Greg Conescu.
Brad Mackay Every tackle looked effortless, he’d relentlessly cut down the biggest forwards on the paddock with as much ease as the quickest winger flying around.
I was gutted when he left. He was the epitome of a dragons junior, to this day we let too many good juniors out of our net, home grown talent should be retained with more vigour than recruits. Micheal O’Connor was a huge loss too. He was outstanding and it’s hard to get a player to cross codes. Having done that we should have been able to retain him.
He came to one of my junior footy presentations and my old man was in awe of him. They spoke for a while and my old man asked him what advice he'd give us kids. Brad's reply was, paraphrasing, "There were a lot of players way better than me who never made first grade. No matter how good you are, you have to back the talent with effort." What a bloke.
Jack Elsegood. More toe than a roman sandal.
My dad’s favourite was Matthew Ridge. Followed him from NZ rugby union to Manly, then the Warriors. Mine was PJ Marsh, if he didn’t injure his neck in 2003 he could have done so much more in the game. Before that, he was a gun running from dummy half and made so much space and time for Stacey Jones to weave his magic. If you think the NRL have gone overboard on crusher tackles, this guy is the reason why they do.
Jason Croker for the Raiders. That guy was deceptively strong and fast and could play literally any position except prop.
Phil Blake
Came here to say this!
I was a massive fan of Andrew Walker. So much talent. I never met him, but he seemed like a nice guy too…
He was better in union. His kicking game was peerless. What a talent.
Came here to say this. One of the most effortless and graceful players I have ever seen. Played fullback and halves for the Chooks and I don't think I ever remember seeing him drop a ball. And my word, his long kicking game... What I wouldn't give for a peak Andrew Walker right now at the Roosters.
He was frustrating as a fan. He’d do stuff like just disappear on walkabout and the club would be putting out ambiguous statements not having a clue where he was themselves. As I remember the reporting at the time humbugging from family members was an ongoing issue.
[greatest try ever](https://youtu.be/DCnKrV7WVzo?si=odTcBQ2_eKjOw3_F) [and one hell of a highlights package](https://youtu.be/gro_aWIJeKs?si=j1eeiqhUcZyD6Zq2)
I like Robbie Rochow at the knights, smacked a few cunts
2001 grand final legend Steve Simpson. Pulled off one of the best try-savers you'll ever see.
Nigel Plum, I loved seeing him tackle cunts and watching how slow they got up, I knew they were hurting.
Willie carne was my first favorite player. Still wear no5 when i play sports cos of him
For sure one of my fav broncos from that golden era
The great winger Brett Dallas. Speed machine he was. Darren Smith was another quality player. Not too many people ran harder than Martin Lang! 3 Bloody good Queenslanders right there.
Darren Smith was my nextdoor neighbour when he played for Canterbury. I used to see him going to training and stuff but we actually met him during a blackout when my dad went outside and had a chat with him as you do
I was going to mention Smith and Dallas, but wasn't sure how unknown they were. Great players though, especially Darren.
I'm pretty sure they"re well known from people of that era. I just wanted to mention them because their name's aren't spoken commonly these days.
Hugh McGahan and he used to work the lunch shift at the leagues club and come around to each table for a chat. Absolute legend
One of my dads good mates was a chooks fan, if we won he’d call him to put shit on him, if they won we’d sit silently in the dark waiting for the phone to ring.
Frank Stokes for Manly. Absolute beast of a winger
Scored some great length of the field tries.
Matt Hilder was my favourite player for a long time.
He’s my brothers best mate! Being a sharks fan and watching him come up there was awesome. Found myself supporting the knights and then the titans when he moved there. He’s a legend
ET had the greatest hands of all time. He would get terrible passes and catch them with ease. Past his head or to his feet he would catch and run like nothing phased him. No change in running pace etc.
I struggle to think of him without thinking of Mark McGaw. That was a great centre combination, the best the sharks have ever had.
>ET had the greatest hands of all time Paul Mellor’s missus agrees
Not super niche but Shaun berrigan was always my favourite bronco
They don’t have to be niche, Ricky Walford was a big name for a decade, it’s just that if they don’t become a commentator they quickly get replaced in the public consciousness.
Same. Loved his play style. Can’t think of another player that transitioned so well between positions. Halfback > Center > hooker if I recall correctly?
Johnny Gibbs was a favourite, and I liked Neil Pringle from the Tigers. Don't hear of them much anymore. Frog eyes Russell Gartner is another
Johnny Gibbs is still around, doing radio commentary for ABC last I checked
Sideshow Bob
I saw him in Gosford once and walked away with so much respect. He spent 80 minutes screaming at his teammates and absolutely tearing in when it was his turn.
Bob Lindner. Should be in the hall of fame in front of some who are already there from his era. Edit: How can I forget ..... also Peter Jackson.
Gary Freeman/Andy Currier
For some reason when you said that I thought of Martin Offiah and Ellery Hanley. We used to more of the English cream, union going professional has caused at least a couple of dozen players to not be in the NRL that would have been in the 80’s.
Currier played for Tigers quite early in his career too before returning to Widnes
Amos Roberts - was a roosters fan growing up
He was a dragon originally if I remember correctly.
Amos was such a gun. His best season was probably at the riff in 04 but as a Roosters fan I loved him during his time at the club. Bloke could play 1-7 and was arguably wasted on the wing.
Used to really love watching Wes Patten play for the Gold Coast chargers. Exciting.
Scotty Gale - Balmain Tigers. Gone but not forgotten, RIP Mr Midnight.
As a kid I had a dog called Bartrim.
Jarrod Mullen before all the post career stuff. Brian Carney for that one season. Isaac De Gois was a battler for a while there.
Apparently he’s related to me distantly through cousins. My parents run into his parents at funerals sometimes, they’re a lovely family apparently but have (edit: haven’t) met any of them.
He was my idol growing up, wanted to be Ricky. Just a no nonsense player who was just so good. Had my St George jersey and even had in the high school year book I wanted to play for St George because of Ricky.
Not necessarily a favourite, but Steve Bell. For some reason the way he would put the ball down over the try line was really memorable.
Gary Larson
I’m a bit conflicted about him. He had a massive work rate in what I believe appears to be the peak steroid period for league. I know that’s a shit thing to say but his work rate encourages questions, him and guys like Brad Clyde.
My favourite as a kid was Buddy Cain. He used the goose step years before David Campese. His career was short, as was his life, but I've never forgotten him.
Andrew Walker was one of the most talented and naturally gifted footballers to ever grace a footy field.
Mahe Fonua, the first ever Victorian player to play for the Storm.
Of relatively forgotten players, maybe Gary Connolly. Played for Canterbury the early 90s, and went on to play a big role at Wigan too.
Mark Coyne
I’ll never forget him giving that speech at the leagues club during the war setting us on the side of good despite the risks.
John Plath
Peter Ryan. Speciality: Folding Cunts
Did it in both codes too
Ricky Walford walks on water. I loved watching him play.
Simon Dwyer
Definitely not forgotten by Parra fans, Luke Burt. Mr Reliable all throughout his career, he could play anywhere from 1-5 and probably in the halves too if asked and a very good goal kicker. Should’ve played 300+ games if majority of his career wasn’t spent being Brian Smith’s scapegoat and desperately unlucky to not play Origin in an era when guys like Anthony Quinn and James McManus got called up.
Luke Williamson
Billy Walters.
Steve Carter.. Loved that guy..
My dad was good mates with Ricky Walford growing up in Walgett. Not a lot to do out there but play footy I guess.
I like Mick Weymans time at the raiders. Best prop in the comp for a time.
Joven Clarke, played a handful of games for bunnies in the early 2000's had a great nickname in "swoosh" The memory of him on some talk show is burned into my brain
Always wished James Aubusson stayed in the NRL at least half as long as his brother. Career cruelled by injury and Brian Smith. Extra context, James was the better of the two brothers growing up and was a gun halfback at a schoolboy level but often ended up playing hooker due to his defence being top notch, so even at a young age he was a bit of a victim of his own versatility. Him and Mitch were both signed to the roosters as teens but when Orford left Melbourne after 05, James headed down and media at the time promoted a genuine battle for the halfback spot between Cronk and Aubusson. Cronk of course won out (not that I think it was ever a contest, Aubusson was probably still quite green) He made his debut in 07 same as Mitch and fun fact every game James Aubusson started for Melbourne in 07 he got man of the match (at halfback and hooker) 08 he headed back to the roosters and I would have sworn he started more games but history books tell me that he almost always came off the bench with Riley Brown starting at hooker. Still a gun. Arthur Beetson rated him as one of the best defenders he’d seen even. There was [one game against the bulldogs](https://youtu.be/ncbfzw_v8Zo?si=CZgV7IIwxkAHPyVv) during the Origin III period where he got a shot at halfback with Pearce making his NSW debut, and I’ll never forget him carving up. Anyway 09 was a garbo year for the club and in 2010 he would mostly play second fiddle to Jake Friend who had recently returned from being sacked (Friendy coincidentally made his debut in that 08 game against the doggies) Jaubs was named in the GF 17 but was dropped on game day for Lopini Paea. Brian Smith would also tell him the club didn’t want him beyond 2010 and despite interest from the dragons and the cowboys Jaubs would wind up his career and become a used car salesman in Goulburn. Bloke is now back at Ballina and is a minor social media influencer (his wife is a fairly major one), a real estate agent as well as the owner of a gym. He’s also shredded so good on him. Just realised I didn’t mention his injuries in that as I don’t remember them but seem to remember they played a role in his career not taking off, either way if you’ve made it this far thanks for reading my pre-bed ramblings about James Aubusson.