Way off the mark, Barnett is not even in the same "league" as the five mentioned especially with longevity at the highest level in both attack and defence.

Wellens 231 tries
Radlinski 183 tries
Hodgson 147 tries
Dorn 178 tries
Tomkins 159 tries

Barnett 59 tries

As for grandpa Wellens him and Hodgson are probably the best full backs at taking the high ball, they didn't call Wellens "Mr Radar" for nothing especially with those ears.

Why are people putting tries scored up to show how good a full back might be?

Leave the tries to the wingers. What about, first and foremost, defence? Hands under a high ball? Spotting plays from the opposition and organising the defence in front of him to combat that? Kick returns? Link up play as a third pivot?

But certainly, unless a player is an excellent tackler, especially on his own line, he shouldn't be anywhere near that list.

Is Slaters game based on Defence?

Shaun briscoe
Steve Prescott

I think Dorn has been an asset at whichever club he's been at and because it's never been at one of the big 4 I think he's often underrated.

I'd add Harris, Briscoe and Webb to the list of top full backs in SL.

I played full back for a number of seasons (amateur level, granted), and I see the fullback position as predominantly one of attack, rather than predominantly defensive.

Obviously, every position in a RL team is a mixture of the two, I just feel the mix for fullback should be more attacking minded, it should be your most potent weapon. Broken field running, chiming into the line either as a pivot or finishing moves, and support play on the shoulder. Speed, guile, agility, balance, good hands - the list of requirements for a fullback I higher than any other.

That's why all the top fullbacks mentioned (even Wellens, who we all think of as being defensively excellent first and foremost) scored a hat-full of tries.

There are defensive attributes they must have of course; fielding bombs and kicks, reading the play and marshalling the defence, but if a fullback is making a shed-load of one on one tackles, serious questions have to be asked of the team's defence.


Hull have had some very good FB's over the years: Prescott, Briscoe & Shaul are up there, but probably not in the same league as those mentioned originally.

Gary Connolly was always a favourite of mine.Not sure how much FB he played during the SL years though, probably mostly centre due to Radlinski.

Wellens
Hodgson
Radlinski
Webb
Greenshields

(In no particular order btw)

Dorn has been very good, but not sure he belongs here, for me Tomkins is too young to be on this list, considering he didn't spend all his time at fullback. For the same reason I wouldn't have Hardaker on there.
Webb was the best in this country before injuries crippled him, but like Tomkins wasn't the best defensively.

Someone who I've not seen mentioned on here is Clint Greenshields who I thought was excellent for a number of years at the dragons.

You have blundered in your analysis by failing to take account of the fact that Richard Rohan Barnett was in Super League for only a very short time -- two years -- unlike the other dreary characters you mention who spent their entire careers there. That is why comparative try tallies are irrelevant.

Richard Rohan Barnett did not have lengthy career in first grade rugby league, because he was living in New Zealand before the expansion of the now fabulous NRL. He first made his name as a winger at the Cronulla Sharks and subsequently at the Sydney Roosters. He came to prominence as a full back -- the best in Super League -- during his twilight years with the London Broncos. He had lost some of his speed but not his sidestep, which bamboozled the opposition in a way that straight running Kristopher Radlinski or the boring and painfully slow plodder Grandpa Wellens never could. Richard Rohan Barnett captained New Zealand from full back in the 2000 World Cup.

There is only one player in Super League who could dazzle at full back like Richard Barnett, and that was another former London Bronco named Mark McLinden.

In that case I can amend Barnett's try tally to 13 trys in 2 seasons at full back for the Broncos, which is pretty poor for an attacking full back.. Always better to judge a career over a long period of time for consistency in that position, I don't think Barnett is on the same page for comparisons, so I'm going to leave it at that to avoid consistent minority viewpoint.

greenshields is a good call.

you've blundered in your analysis by ignoring the fact he played 4 years in superleague, 03/04 at hull fc.

And whilst we're on about it, i'm pretty sure he played centre mostly over here.

Tomkins' defensive frailties and competency under the high ball has always been overstated since a couple of high profile errors in the 2012 CC semi. He's nowhere near as bad as some like to make out. The OP obviously has an agenda but I'll bite anyway - how anyone can question his passing game and making out he offers nothing chiming into the three quarter line is beyond me! The 4 seasons between 2010-2013 he scored 89 SL tries and created another 90 - not bad for someone who's nothing more than a broken field runner.

I'm with Wigg'n, if I was offered Tomkins at his peak or Radlinski at his it would be ST everyday of the week.

Barnett & Best were one of the best centre / wing partnerships at Hull in a long time .

I thought Mark McLinden was a very good player for London/ Harlequins .

well, was looking at the squad list for hull in that period, it was pretty impressive, and under mcrae looked like you'd kick on, but then you had your weird blips and then the coach is coming out saying there's a cancer in the club? wtf is going on then? That period should have been your launch pad imo.