Well I saw nearly every game that Brian Bevan played between 1947 and 1962. Apart from the excitement every time he touched the ball, the reason he was the greatest was that he took a generally mediocre team - Warrington - and made them into a team who were always contenders and sometimes worldbeaters. Boston, Vollenhoven and Hanley were all greats but all of them played in great teams and none had the transforming effect that Bevan did. Neil Fox was the nearest to Bev in those terms. Bevan could do things which were technically impossible and there has never been anyone remotely like him since.

Well, quite. Utter nonsense from jdrocket as is often the case. In the period Bevan was at Warrington, they won the title 3 times, were runners up twice, won the Cup twice and the Lancashire League several times. That is not, by any stretch, mediocrity - indeed, it is almost certainly the most gilded period in the club's entire history.

come on Sal stop it If I could be ar$ed I can dig up a post where Rogues thinks Billy Mcginty at Wigan was better than Mike Gregory..............

he's a joke and you know it your just cutting him some slack in order to the wire fans off like you like to do in your own little way.

Its funny that some of the best wingers ever to play the game - Bevan and from an earlier era Rosenfield and Eric Harris - were all Aussies who most Aussies have never heard of because they played the vast majority of their rugby in England. Its a real shame that Australia didn't/wouldn't (can't remember why) pick players based in England. IIRC Bevan only every played for Other Nationalities at a time when GB was regularly beating Australia?

Sal, we'll just have to agree to disagree.

I would like to quickly clear up a few things, though.

Rogues didn't say that Bevan 'wasn't the greatest of all time' he said, and I quote,
That isn't debating that is just baiting Warrington fans who believe he is the greatest player to play for us. I never saw Bevan, obviously, but I understand what he means to the club and his stats emphasise how great he was. You cannot say that Rogues wasn't belittling the input of Bevan. Come on, Sal, you can't play the ironic devil's advocate on that one.

Rogues is starting to get on my tits with his constant one eyed pie e. The constant put down of the youth team, the old boy's club comments, the Bridge incident. He's like a Woody toy, but instead of pulling the string and getting 'there's a snake in my boot', you get 'all your best players are over 30'. That is the truckload of e spewwing from him, which I was referring to. (I may not be the best but considering what this guy is supposed to know about rugby- he doesn't show it)

Finally, I will repeat, I never really understood the Richards thing and I can't remember what I said at the time. I thought Graham or Monaghan were front runners for the MOS that year and was surprised Pat Richards won it for goal kicking. I don't hate him for it (as you said other kickers have won- I don't know much about that) and I don't think he is 'just a great winger', he's a great player and means something to the Wigan team. I would direct your ire on this subject towards someone who did then and still holds a grudge.