I'll take that as a compliment because my posts are so mature, sensible and thought provoking!

I was born in '82 so ET is my first real memory and only gets in because I saw him tear it up for Cronulla in later years!

Having seen him play for Aus and later Cronulla, I regard ET as one of the best players I've seen, but despite being 2 years older than you, I didn't really start going to matches until 1989, so I missed his spell in blue and amber.

Hmmm, a best players you've ever seen play (in the flesh) thread might be fun....

For Leeds just this once: 21st November 1993, V Leigh, Headingley, Won 27-18

I think I only got dragged along a few times before that but I vaguely remember ET, Schoey, Phil Ford, Gibbo, Creasser, Crooks, Maskill, Powell, Divorty.

Don't know if that lot were ever in the same side but in my head that's my earliest Leeds memories!

Having typed that - Roy Powell is my other bench man! Knew I'd forgotten someone! (forgot Furner as well to be fair!)

1. Harris
2. Bai
3. Carroll
4. Senior
5. Hall
6. McGuire
7. Burrow
8. McDermott
9. Buderus
10. Peacock
11. Ellis
12. Morley
13. Sinfield

14. Dunemann
15. Lauititi
16. Adamson
17. Leuluai

Best rugby players as opposed to best for Leeds/longest serving, and I only caught the very end of Holmes & Ward's career:

Ettingshausen

Grothe
Schofield
Senior
Hall

Harris
Coleman

Peacock
Lowes
Crooks
Lauititi
Morley
Hanley

McDermott
Dixon
Ellis
Sinfield

Coach: Murray

ettinghausen
atkinson
godden
schofield
hall
holmes
burrow
peacock
ward
mcdermott
morely
ellis
sinfield

roy powell
fleary
newton
furner

Thornett - A Smith - Schofield - Dyl - Atkinson - Harris - Burrow - Peacock - Simms - McDermott - Ellis - Haigh - Hanley
Subs
Holmes - Howard - Morley - Furner

Harris
E.T.
Innes
Senior
Hall
Mcguire
Burrow
Mcdermott
Diskin
Peacock
Morley
Jjb
Sinfield

Dixon
Ali
Schofield
Glanville.

Although i've left out some legends likes Holmes ,Atkinson ,Dyl ,i cant honestly say they were at their "peak" when i started watching and they were names my old man used to glow when talking about.
Also harsh on players like Roy Powell ,Godden ,Fallon ,Fleary ,Farrell ,Maskill ,Furner etc etc but it's hard to choos when the scope is so wide.
RE-Hanley not making it a fantastic player no doubts at all but i always have more fond memories of Glanville for some reason.

so tough to remember let alone choose a 17 going back to 78/79 but here goes:

Harris
Grothe
Schofield
Senior
Atkinson

Holmes / Lyons - head says Lyons as was old enough to appreciate him. Heart says Holmesy as first rugby hero but sadly never saw him (when i was old enough) at his absolute peak
Goulding / Burrow - unless I've missed someone obvious, just realised that we've not had a truely world class scrum half in my lifetime of watching

Peacock
Ward
McDermott
Laurie
Lauitiiti
Hanley

Subs - Sinfield, Morley, Ellis, Powell

Thornett
Smith
Schoefield
Senior
Atkinson
Jones
Stevenson
Robinson
Simms
Peacock
Morley
Ellis
Sinfield
hanley
McGuire
Holmes
Ali
I did a number of those out of sentiment ,but I still think its a fair 17as well as once again showng I'm an old bugger