Re: Hanley : Thu Mar 04, 2021 5:43 pm
Exeter Rhino wrote:
It's fair to say the Hanley signing was one of the reasons I started taking an interest in supporting Leeds. My parents had been fans since the 70s, and I was taken to games plenty of times as a kid but it wasn't until 1991 that the sport really clicked with me. Leeds were a much better side with Hanley in the team, and he seemed to score in every game. The Dannatt injury was sheer thuggery, but not uncommon in the sport at the time. Imagine what the Sky commentators would have made of it now!
I never saw Hanley in his pomp at Wigan, but I'm going to be controversial and say that Schofield seemed more important to get that Leeds team ticking. Like someone else mentioned earlier in the thread, Hanley was more of an exceptional individual, but Schofield ran the team, even though his pace had gone by then. Of course, having read about what was going on behind the scenes at Leeds (e.g. Laughton's autobiography), I'm willing to believe that Schofield's ego may have been one of the reasons we didn't pick up any meaningful silverware at the time. You've probably got to point the finger at Dougie as well, given the talent at his disposal, even if some of the players had a better time at other clubs. Hanley seemed to give his all for us though.
As for the best players in SL, it is ludicrous to suggest that Sam Tomkins would not be in the top 20. He was the hottest property in the competition for about 3 seasons, and is still highly influential!
I never saw Hanley in his pomp at Wigan, but I'm going to be controversial and say that Schofield seemed more important to get that Leeds team ticking. Like someone else mentioned earlier in the thread, Hanley was more of an exceptional individual, but Schofield ran the team, even though his pace had gone by then. Of course, having read about what was going on behind the scenes at Leeds (e.g. Laughton's autobiography), I'm willing to believe that Schofield's ego may have been one of the reasons we didn't pick up any meaningful silverware at the time. You've probably got to point the finger at Dougie as well, given the talent at his disposal, even if some of the players had a better time at other clubs. Hanley seemed to give his all for us though.
As for the best players in SL, it is ludicrous to suggest that Sam Tomkins would not be in the top 20. He was the hottest property in the competition for about 3 seasons, and is still highly influential!
Tomkins would definitely not be in my top 25 Super League players.
Remember, Super League is 25 years old, not 10.
Radlinski in a different league as a full back to Tomkins.
Brent Webb better as well.
