It wasn't a case of night and day it was just that Mick was the complete footballer, everything he did in attack and defence was bang on. Quick, elusive, creative, brave, tough and filled with an indomitable spirit. All packed into a mere 13 stone, 5' 10" frame.

John Holmes summed Mick up nicely; [i"Mick Shoebottom was the best player I have ever seen. He was versatile, hard, had rare match-winning qualities and was an inspiration to everyone around him. 'Shoey' was absolutely superb."[/i

I have to go now I'm filling up.

How do you select two players who were simply the greatest ?

Easy. 'Shoey' at scrum-half and John Holmes at stand-off.

But for his tragic injury against Salford I'm certain that is the way things would have unfolded post-1971.

I've got the greatest respect for both Ray Batten and Ellery Hanley but I'm now leaning towards our greatest ever skipper (goalkicker ?) at loose-forward. And I'd include Iestyn if it's a 17-man line-up, too.

The thing about Holmesy is that he won medals at full back, centre and stand off half ...

*double post*

Didn't the club do something similar in the late 80s, week-by-week in the home programmes?

(I may be confusing this with the Joe Warham team that tvoc mentioned up-thread, but think I remember Stevenson and Clues being included).

Every player who got tackled by Shoey knew about it and the way he roughed em up some times they lost the plot and spent the rest of the game seeking retribution.
This is a great thread ,hope its not spoiled by troll's

There isn't a single player from the SL/Rhinos era worthy of consideration for inclusion in a greatest ever Leeds team.

IMMHO of course.

I guess that's one of the problem with these types of exercises. Do you stay faithful to a player's usually recognisable position/s or manipulate them to try and make them fit. Shoebottom also formed the perfect half-back combination with Barry Seabourne (one the whippet, the other the terrier) and I'd be loathed to split them up personally.

If anything I'd be tempted to go the other way and select John Holmes at full-back except that's an even tougher category with the likes of Jim Brough, Bert Cook, Ken Thornett and Bev Risman to consider.

Not that I am disagreeing but it's a strange comment as the current side have had much more success than any of their illustrious predecessors.

Perhaps in the case of the team over the last few years, the sum exceeds that of the individual parts ?

There are some that are worthy of consideration, it's just the players from the past that are in front of them in their respective positions outweight the current talents.

Perhaps so but it's hard to ignore the longevity, individual records and team achievements of the likes of Sinfield, Senior, McGuire and Burrow in particular.

Keith, save yourself the trouble of hashing out a hackneyed line about Stupor League etc etc. I won't be biting but I will be pressing the present team members claims sensibly with other posters.

I think if you did this exercise in twenty years time then Jamie Peacock would be propping in that team.

Also, in future years, if you're judging players you haven't seen on statistics (as you have with Joe Thompson) then Kevin Sinfield would be ahead of Ray Batten (and Ellery Hanley) whatever their respective talents.

when I was in the taverners suite I was fascinated by all the pictures, and there is a plaque which said legends of Leeds rlfc /rhinos.Does any one think the greatest Leeds rugby league team ever could already have been chosen?Remember the vote which took place for us becoming the Rhinos!.I am however very pleased that we are getting a hall of fame commemorating our history.