Just off the top of my head I would put Hall as a better winger than, Williams, O'Davis, Tahu, Nagas, Rooney, and Sing. And they are only ones that have played for Australia, not mentioning all the ones who have played highly in the NRL.

Richards is only rated highly because of his scoring, and the fact he is a world class goal kicker. Much the same as when Daryl Halligan was playing, anyone would have wanted him in their side, but he was a pretty average player. Put Richards in a Crusaders, or Salford side, and not many would be rating him, but because of the number of chances at try's and kicks he gets at Wigan it is a different story.

Agree 100%. I think Hall would have to be a truly outstanding winger for an Aussie club to consider him. He's not - just good. Of course I hope he stays with us, though.

Hall is an outstanding winger IMO. The best in the game, IMO.

I reached this opinion by watching wingers play rugby, without reading any statistics.

It must take some time attending all those games, and money.

For a change I can't think of anything to argue about in the above post. IMO peoples view of Richards is influenced by his kicking

Quote ="G1"The best in the game, IMO.'" That would be Brett Morris for me. (Although he's not much of a fighter - if you watch the clip to the end www.youtube.com/watch?v=By3uv7uKj7E&NR=1) I also enjoy watching another winger on that clip - Jason Nightingale. They'd be my two best wingers in the game if I had to choose right now.

Quote ="G1"The best in the game, IMO.'" That would be Brett Morris for me. (Although he's not much of a fighter - if you watch the clip to the end www.youtube.com/watch?v=By3uv7uKj7E&NR=1) I also enjoy watching another winger on that clip - Jason Nightingale. They'd be my two best wingers in the game if I had to choose right now.

Not watched enough NRL to be honest but IMO Hall is best winger in SL at the moment

To clarify, I meant Hall is the best winger in SL also. I rarely watch any NRL.

Quote ="tvoc"That would be Brett Morris for me. (Although he's not much of a fighter - if you watch the clip to the end www.youtube.com/watch?v=By3uv7uKj7E&NR=1) I also enjoy watching another winger on that clip - Jason Nightingale. They'd be my two best wingers in the game if I had to choose right now.'" I agree, St George are being terribly greedy.

Quote ="tvoc"That would be Brett Morris for me. (Although he's not much of a fighter - if you watch the clip to the end www.youtube.com/watch?v=By3uv7uKj7E&NR=1) I also enjoy watching another winger on that clip - Jason Nightingale. They'd be my two best wingers in the game if I had to choose right now.'" I agree, St George are being terribly greedy.

Nah ! For the true definition ( in the classic John Atkinson mould ) that would be Broughton.

Unlike Hall, Broughton will never end up at centre or back row. He will always be the archetypal classic winger

Nah, I have a television set and access to the internet.

I'm sure that'll be a great comfort to him while he's spending the next ten years having a trophyless career as a journeyman pro at mediocre clubs.

Or he will be a revelation in the NRL ... My crystal ball is obviously more optimistic than yours ( if not more prescient ).

thats a complete myth. he was top try scorer and goal kicker and the way he returns the kicks, his workrate helping his forwards out is second to none. He is the complete player and those that dont watch wigan week in week out may not appreciate this. He never takes a back wards step, solid defensively, solid under the high ball. I would have him over any winger in super league hands down.

Have to agree. Look at Yorke and Cole in their Man Utd days. They were highly rated but thats because of the service they got. Stick them in a poor team and they'd have done bugger all.

wingers rely on service. put any winger in a poor team and they'd do bugger all. Put a great half back behind a beaten pack and he'll do bugger all. Its a team sport. Any one position will falter if the rest of the team isnt up to scratch.

Quote ="tvoc"That would be Brett Morris for me. (Although he's not much of a fighter - if you watch the clip to the end www.youtube.com/watch?v=By3uv7uKj7E&NR=1)'" From watching the NRL I'd have to agree agree that Brett Morris is probably the best out and out winger in the game at present tvoc That clip of the twins pretending to fight is comedy, although Child would have probably sent both players off! Regarding SL wingers IMO Ryan Hall is by far the best winger in the comp. I hope he doesn't move to the NRL, although i certainly wouldn't blame him if he did wish to test himself at the highest level. I believe that he could handle that level of footy and would also prove to be a huge success over there.............I don't think he will go though!

Quote ="tvoc"That would be Brett Morris for me. (Although he's not much of a fighter - if you watch the clip to the end www.youtube.com/watch?v=By3uv7uKj7E&NR=1)'" From watching the NRL I'd have to agree agree that Brett Morris is probably the best out and out winger in the game at present tvoc That clip of the twins pretending to fight is comedy, although Child would have probably sent both players off! Regarding SL wingers IMO Ryan Hall is by far the best winger in the comp. I hope he doesn't move to the NRL, although i certainly wouldn't blame him if he did wish to test himself at the highest level. I believe that he could handle that level of footy and would also prove to be a huge success over there.............I don't think he will go though!

Matt Sing was better than Hall - have a look on NRL forums to see the overall view of him. Tahu is/was primarily a centre but still a better winger IMO. As was Rooney before he left for Union. O'Davis was a fullback.

Hall is a good solid player and may be the best English winger, but is nowhere near world class. That sums up English outside backs completely and goes a long way to explaining the gap between Australia and England.

I'm still not convinced he is the best English winger (not this season anyway). But it does nothing at all to sum up the gap between Australia and England. Because he is still more than good enough to walk into the side of I would guess every single NRL side to play on the wing.

Let's not get all self righteous about the NRL. They have many an average winger playing in their sides. To be honest it does not matter too much, because to me the wing job is much easier to put people in than other positions. But Hall, Briscoe, Smith, Fox, Cudjoe, Evans, Goulding, Foster, Watkins, there all good enough to play that position in NRL sides.

Hall would not 'walk' into any NRL side at all. Just as with some of the other players you've listed, he would definitely be able to get a gig somewhere. I'm not arguing he's a pretty good player - just that he would not be a 'star' in the NRL. He's not alone in that, and the fact that no other English winger would be a star either DOES say something about the relative standards in the NRL and SL. There are a lot of NRL wingers who would be stars in SL OTOH.

At least we have a couple of players who can hold their own on the wing - there is an aboslutely enormous gap between the best Australian centres and the best of SL.

I'm sorry but that is just ballacks. Please list the NRL wingers playing each week, and you will see exactly what I am saying.

Nobody said anything about a star. Are you trying to suggest that every player in the NRL is a "star". All that was said is that he would get into an NRL side and play on the wing each week. Although personally I still think they would push him into the backrow due to seeing his potential there.



I thought we were talking wingers? what have centres got to do with it? I don't think anyone will argue with you on that score.

When i look through the entire NRL sides playing rosta's and with the quality of centres around at each club, i reckon you could remove any winger and from any club and Hall would fit in easily into any of these sides and would score plenty of tries too!

I'm not saying that he is a better player at present than the one he would replace, but given the quality service he would receive from his exquisite centre partner, would IMO enable Hall to finish with plenty of tries and thus deemed a success

Im not sure what else people are expecting Hall to do. Yeah he's no steamroller like Vatuvia, similarly he is no out and out speedster like Uate, What he is, is a big, strong, fairly fast lad who knows his way to the line, he has decent hands, safe under the bomb (You have to beat him in the air to win it), is good under pressure and he has a fantastic work rate.

Hall compares very well with a player like Chris Hicks who had a long fairly successful NRL career and has returned to the NRL.

Would he go over there and immediately be a 'star' winger like Nightingale, Vatuvie or Morris? no probably not. Would he go over there and be a first team player? certainly. Would he be one of the better wingers in the league? in my opinion yes. Could he improve to be a 'star' winger? in my opinion maybe

Gotcha - you reckon he'd 'walk' into any NRL side. THAT is bollax. You are seriously underestimating the quality of wingers here if you think that's the case. Just because a lot of them may not be household names doesn't mean they're not good players.

I'm not saying Hall wouldn't get a game, but he wouldn't 'walk' into any NRL side at the moment (not the Broncos for example). With a bit of NRL experience he'd become a better player and almost certainly a regular NRL player. But he is MILES behind the real star Australian wingers - and the problem is that generally they do have such players available. Yow Yeh, Boyd (even though a fullback as he's behind Slater), Morris (and his brother), Hayne (on the wing as he's behind Slater), Tuqiri are all far better wingers than Hall. So yes, the fact that Hall may be the best of British says a shedload about why we struggle to contain Australia out wide, let alone pose a threat.

If you then look at the best British centres and compare to the best Australians, the gap is embarrassing. Hall and Briscoe at least are close enough in ability to hopefully contain their opposites. I can't see any British player capable of holding the likes of Inglis or Gasnier in the centres.

BTW McNamara ought to try to convince Jack Reed to change his mind and opt for England. The guy is nowhere near Origin standard (barring injuries to 3 or 4 Queensland centres) but he's a solid player and an actual centre who at least wouldn't be caught out by simple plays and would hit hard in defence.

That's just silly, you have been brainwashed mate.

I asked you to list the ones playing each week and you list 4, two of which are fullbacks. Yet there is 30 wingers playing every week in the NRL, but you don't think he is as good as them.

What about players like, Blake Ferguson, Reece Robinson, Matthew Wright, Jordan Adams, etc? Seriously are you still sticking to the same line?

Any winger, and I repeat any winger could look great outside a Justin Hodges or a Greg Inglis, but how good would that same winger be outside a Michael Platt, or Vince Mellars?