1 Tomkins
2 Barba
3 Slater
4 Bowen
5 Locke
6 Hayne
7 Boyd
8 Hardaker
9 Dugan
10 Hodgson

True, that would be Richards.

Potentially decent thread ruined by last sentence turning it into a "lets criticise the best player in SL". the top 3 that you mention are not just the best 3 full backs but possibly the best 3 players in the world, Sam is just outside that group, but the best northern himisphere player for quite some time, so lets give him praise rather than comparing him to billy slater just so we can knock him.

Hayne? Have you seen the eels over the last couple of seasons?

They are so deep in talent in Australia that Anthony Minicello will be the 3rd or 4th best full back at the world cup and he dosn't even get a mention.

I recently watched some footage of Berba. That guy's just amazing. I watched him beat three or four guys in his own dead ball area and then run it out the length of the field and I thought "wow' and then I watched him do it again, and they have Slater as well.

As for Sam. I saw him live in the last four nations having heard great things about him and the first thing I noticed was how weak he is under a high ball. His blunders this last season shows he has not improved since then. The teams in the WC will target him unmercifully.It';s alright scoring 70 yard tries but if the opposition can get a couple of cheapies in return because he can't field a high ball, then he's a liability. His tacking isn't so good either. Briscoe from Hull on the wing is another who can't field a high ball , not in Hall's class as an English wing.

I take no pleasure in pointing out these flaws. I want England to win against Australia before I kick the bucket but it's no good deluding ourselves about players when the evidence of your own eyes is before you.

Defensively, briscoe is the best winger England have...
Whilst i do agree about Tomkins weaknesses, the fact is that as a fullback, the few errors he makes are exagerated due to his position. Billy Slatter cost his team a match in this years state of origin, and cost the aussies the world cup due to his errors. At the end of the day, both players make more tries than they concede.

I will yield to your greater knowledge of Briscoe but when I watched him play for England against Australia at Wembley, he stood on his own line under a kick under no pressure whatsoever and dropped the ball and gifted Australia a try. England might just have won but for that. That's not international standard play.

One mistake makes him not international standard?

In fairness, Briscoe is an excellent defensive full back and he's ok coming into the line, but Tomkins is up another level by comparison.
his elusive running style is astonishing and he has the X factor.
Hodgson is not as good as Tomkins offensively, but IMO he's stronger in defence, but Tomkins on form is worth the admisssion money on his own and he scored one hell of a try at Wakefield this season, try of the season.

People HUGELY exaggerating Tomkins troubles in defence here. He puts bombs down sometimes, so does Slater, including if I remember correcty in the NRL grand final this year. Tomkins makes errors but the only two truly "bad" games he's had in defence that instantly come to mind are the 4 nations final and the Challenge Cup semi against Leeds.

So Lockyer (in his last ever game no less) and Sinfield got the better of him. Not like they're poor kickers.

On last years form im surpriaed Barba didnt top the list, or even Inglis, must have been a close call between those 3 this year. Good times for Oz

Tomkins is the 2nd best fullback in the world, according to the World XIII.

Lost Australia a WC Final, did you start watching RL last week?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un_gzndLF08 for me its gotta be Barba

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un_gzndLF08 for me its gotta be Barba

Barba is as bad as Tomkins defensively.