don't know if I am wrong but didn't Bill also used to be very good at kicking from hand and 40/20 nowadays would have been ideal for him

I saw every game he played for us and, IMHO, a fully fit Bill Ashurst was as good as the majority of posters on here suggest.

A fit Bill would have stood head and shoulders above any pack player. A fit Bill would not look out of place playing today.

Can't see why Brian Briggs was a blind side prop and a very good one, in those days' it was the no.10 that made the hooker look good.

Wigan had the best out of him before he came to us but even so the only player I've seen that could compare with him at BV was Bob Haigh and at a push Budgie Firth.

I'm not sure I've seen a second rower that can directly compare with him. He was 6'4" in an era when you were considered a big bloke if you stood 6'0. He was as hard as marble and regarded as someone you didn't cross, even Mills, Nicholas etc didn't take him on unless they had to. He was mobile and had decent pace but more importantly he knew how and when to time himself onto the ball. His kicking game was better than any forward I've ever watched (40 years) and as good as any back I've ever seen. His ability to ball handle was amazing, the deception, the variety, the delivery was all World class and he had the communication and leadership skills to organise those around him.



If he were around today he'd be the best second rower in the world imo