Andy Gregory? Seriously?

Couldn't pass any distance to his left. Hardly indicative of a world class half-back.

I think if you were looking for one player to stabuild a side around I would go for Ellery Hanley. Probably no such thing as best ever player given the different roles players have and the fact its a team game.

From England Boston and Murphy. Both were players who as good as any in their own positions but could equally slot into others.
Murphy played at #3, #6 and #7 in major finals Boston played at #2, #4 and #6. In todays game I expect Murphy to be a #6 and Boston a #1

From Australia Andrew Johns and Brett Kenny. Whilst Lewis was undoubtedly a great player Kenny had outstanding pace that just edges it IMO.

This thread is hopeless. I explained why Andrew Johns was the best player of all time: he possessed an array of attacking and defensive skills that no other player has possessed. Nobody has been able to refute my argument. Instead everyone just emotes about how good some other player was in one or two skills.

Andrew Johns had all the skills of a rugby league player in abundance. No other player has had all of them.

I question with so many right answers (and probably twice as many wrong one). I remember watching Murphy play, Allan Langer being so quick of mind he left his teammates guessing, Mal Meninga, You need to ask how you measure a good player. if you look at a great player being a player who was asked to do a job and did it far better than any other ................ Brian Bevan. Honestly I would not personally call him the greatest as he only had one role.............but god, didnt he do it well. Trying scoring ability, nobody to touch him.

Look, I know he's the greatest player you've had since Neil Fox but he did have off-days and this was one of them. I was there to see it and as a neutral so there's no bias from me.

Gary Freeman scored 2 tries in the 24-8 home win and Lewis got Wakefield's consolation effort - it was 5 tries to one in favour of Castleford.

I gave the main reason why it happened previously - the 'King' had been on the pi55 all night. If Freeman didn't 'run rings round' Lewis he certainly out-played him.

It was exactly that lack of professionalism that cost Lewis his place in the test team on the '82 Kangaroo tour - even though he was vice-captain. He didn't even make the sub's bench when Australia won the opening test at Boothferry Park.

Wally Lewis played with a level of vision and awareness that I've rarely seen, probably 2 or 3 other players in 40+ years of being involved in one way or another. His passing game was the best I've ever witnessed and I'm not just talking about his famed long passing ability which was peerless and sublime but his short passes, disguise and offloads were equally refined, he rarely took the wrong option or threw a poor pass.

Another remarkable quality was his pace over 20 - 30 metres, due to his obvious ability he was often closed down which rarely worked on him as he could step and accelerate into the holes left behind an advancing defender, once into the clear he found the support by varying his pace and angle, buying time until he could pick his pass.

I've seen front row forwards try to take him out and come off second best in collisions, even when Lewis got hit, cut and bloodied he maintained his involvement at the highest level and just got on with it, he was as tough as they make them.

Defensively he was right up there with anyone you wish to name and he often covered from touchline to touchline in order to prevent breaks.
His kicking game was a masterclass for anyone who wants to learn the art of controlling a game through territorial dominance and he also had a superb short kicking game, either a chip or a grabber over and through the defensive line.

He carried players over the try line in their threes and fours even at SoO and Test level, such was his balance, footwork, power but more importantly his will!

He was proud of his reputation, took the field ready to play and never shirked the responsibility his name and status placed upon his shoulders.

For me the best I've ever witnessed and certainly several classes above Andrew Johns

And he was such a brilliant half-back that 12 of his 26 test appearances were as a hooker - to accommodate such as Toovey, Langer and Kimmorley. Not indispensable (or an automatic choice) at scrum-half then was he ?

Those who go on about Johns' ability to 'tackle like a forward' miss the point - the truly illustrious half-backs like Murphy had the searing pace that elevated them from the merely outstanding. The absence of outrageous pace prevents me from nominating the genial Peter Sterling.

Brett Kenny is the best, most effortlessly brilliant player I've seen (sheer class, like poetry in motion, especially on the biggest of occasions) with Darren Lockyer right up there, although the older generation might go for Reg Gasnier, Johnny Raper or perhaps Bob Fulton.

Come on Andy. You and I both know that Gregory could pass a long distance to his left if he turned his back to the opposition.

It didn’t impede him much.

I’ve seen lots of scrum halves that can throw a long pass in either direction and most aren’t as good as Gregory was.

Or did you just watch him at Leeds?

Augustus John Ferdinand Risman

Has Jean hacked your account?

Doesn't count if you're going on history books. We all know he's a Hall of Fame original.

Did you see him ? And at his peak ?

JONATHAN DAVIES