There’s a chance here that posts in this thread have been a bit vague on who qualifies as wasted talent. Players like Paul Cooke and Martin Gleeson aren’t in the same league as Karl Pryce and Jordan Tansey. Two of them have had notable achievements in the professional game whilst the other two have looked like amazing prospects at times.

I think we need to try and be a bit more constructive in defining wasted talent. Do we include people who have fulfilled their talent in some way but have wasted it in other ways?

Leroy Rivett scored four tries in a challenge cup final and he didn’t do much after that. Does that make him a wasted talent or was he just lucky for one day?

Then there’s Kevin Penny who was a onetime Super League Dream Team member.

With so many things to consider, I’ll get back with my list of ‘wasted talent’ once ‘wasted talent’ is defined a bit better.

Not really a wasted talent..... however a very bad boy in his early days at Bradford

Ellery Hanley

Peter Fox bailed him out of Odsal nick on a sunday morning so he could play!! or so the story goes

when i started the post i was thinking of players who could have achieved much more, but didnt through either attitude, alcohol or discipline away from the pitch.

I remember that. Mind you I also remember him getting destroyed under the high ball, I suspect that did for him.

I'll second Bobby Goulding and Karl Pryce.
Pryce did a season for us, should have been demolishing people on the pitch, as it is the only thing he demolished was the food van when he was off it. Double fried chicken and chips, twice in a game.

Was the first name that came to mind when saw this thread.

Shaun Ainscough.

Ainy never had much talent to begin with, he just scored a bag full of tries in a good Wigan side, but was never a good player. Good finisher, and strong dummy runner, but apart from that, nah.

Went to wakefield last season with Hull and couldnt believe what i saw when he came out onto the pitch.
looked like mr blobby, surprised Kear actually played him. what is he doing this season ?

Dave Halley. Came to Keighley last season after leaving Br*dford with the view to impressing and getting another Super League contract elsewhere.

He was so bad he lasted about 4 games before being dropped from a Championship 1 team. He once even knocked on whilst running the ball with nobody within 10 metres of him.

Saw him last week for Bulls U-20s against Hull FC's U-20s playing full-back.Still hasnt improved.

More down to constant injuries as opposed to being a deadbeat, how about Nigel Wright? Very classy player, but good god he never off the operating table.

Agree there.Remember Haughton bursting onto the scene around 95ish-and bursting through the Saints defence (and others) time and time again.Seemed to have everything for a second-rower including a terrific hand-off.Recall an incredible try he scored at Cas were he seemed to hand half the Cas team off on his way to the line.Suppose you can't coach desire.

Paul Round had a great season at Saints in 86/87 then faded quickly.

Dimitri Pelo!

Hickey is playing golf, trying to keep/get fit and watching TV while using up David Hughes' money. He must be well frustrated, poor guy.
#jhickey

Luke Robinson

Had real potential when he broke through at Wigan.

He started believing his own hype on a massive scale. His inability to successfully navigate roundabouts and his tell tale attitude with regards to his teammates stunted him.

He could have been world class.