FORUMS FORUMS






RLFANS.COM
Celebrating
25 years service to
the Rugby League
Community!
  
FORUMS > Warrington Wolves > Most underrated players for Wire in the SL era
83 posts in 7 pages 
<<   PREV  NEXT   >>
RankPostsTeam
International Star2455
JoinedServiceReputation
Mar 201114 years
OnlineLast PostLast Page
Oct 2024Oct 2024LINK
Milestone Posts
0
100
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Signature

:



After seeing the 2012 semi on facebook it got me thinking about players who were underrated (and even harshly criticized) by fans.

Trent Waterhouse is a name I'll throw into the ring.

CW8
RankPostsTeam
International Star3952
JoinedServiceReputation
Nov 201311 years
OnlineLast PostLast Page
Nov 2024Sep 2024LINK
Milestone Posts
0
100
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Signature

:



Grix spent most of his career underrated but was well rated eventually by the wire faithful. The rest of the league never seemed to get it though. Harrison was pretty underrated looking back. I agree with Waterhouse, I think we expected too much really when he came over and didn't appreciate what he did bring. I also think given how we look shy a proper big lad in the pack carvell probably didn't get enough praise at the time.

Toby King is underrated by a lot of our supporters now IMO.

RankPostsTeam
International Star2290No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Jan 201510 years
OnlineLast PostLast Page
Nov 2024Nov 2024LINK
Milestone Posts
0
100
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Signature
73453_1726091783.jpg
:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_73453.jpg



I was thinking about this myself the other day after watching the semi aswell, I forgot how much work Ben Harrison got through. Tackle after Tackle and never shied away from taking a drive forward. For his work rate alone i'd proberbly pick him. Played for England aswell which makes the way we seeminingly just F'd him off for no apparent reason even more bizzarre icon_sad.gif

RankPostsTeam
Moderator6036
JoinedServiceReputation
Feb 201213 years
OnlineLast PostLast Page
Nov 2024Oct 2024LINK
Milestone Posts
0
100
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Signature
66556_1331046115.jpg
:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_66556.jpg

Moderator


I must admit to not being Waterhouse's biggest fan at the time probably based on my expectation rather than what he was actually doing on the field. A player that rarely, if ever gets any plaudits from that same team is Chris Riley. He's not a Monaghan or Hicks but don't think he ever let us down, quite happy to put his body on the proverbial line for a 'small' guy and not a bad strike rate.

RankPostsTeam
Player Coach9882No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Apr 201015 years
OnlineLast PostLast Page
Nov 2024Nov 2024LINK
Milestone Posts
0
100
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Signature
50850_1311263484.jpg
:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_50850.jpg



Chris Bridge.

RankPostsTeam
Club Coach16265
JoinedServiceReputation
Oct 200420 years
OnlineLast PostLast Page
Oct 2024Oct 2024LINK
Milestone Posts
0
100
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Signature
10289_1326111229.png
Challenge Cup winners 2009 2010 2012 2019 League Leaders 2011 2016:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_10289.png



Riley for sure.

Usually fans have positive bias towards Warrington-born, Academy-produced talent and overhype the few that do come through. Riley never got much appreciation despite scoring a hundred odd tries, winning three Challenge Cups and holding down a place in our strongest team for decades. He never even got the hometown folk hero reputation that Mark Forster had. It felt like a lot of our fans didn't really think he was good enough and thought we could do better. You couldn't use the Fa'afili argument (he only got all those tries because of playing outside Gleeson) because most of the time he played outside Ryan Atkins, who everyone says never passed to his winger.

A few years before Riley emerged, we had Dean Gaskell, and it felt like the fans were always on his side, chanting 'Deano Deano' and willing him to make it, even though he never scored. Riley always scored tries but never had the same goodwill.

I wonder if some of it was because Kevin Penny emerged at a similar time, and most people would have preferred Penny because he was a more exciting prospect, but Riley won that selection battle as he was more consistent when Penny went through his flaky form. Possibly some fans thought that if we'd have persevered with Penny we'd have had a player with an extra yard of pace, and that Riley was like settling for the lesser option but I don't agree, Riley was better equipped to handle SL.

The other thing I really liked with Riley was he came back from being written off a couple of times. How often have we seen young players go through a bad spell of form, get dropped, sent out on loan and then their career disappears into the lower leagues. A narrative then often gets created around them that they were 'treated disgracefully' by whoever was coach at the time and they would have been a great if only we'd persevered with them. But that happened to Riley after we signed Joel Monaghan and he was sent off to Harlequins on loan, but he came back and won his place back in the team and was one of the top try scorers for the next couple of seasons. He also adapted to being moved from wing to fullback without fuss.

An excellent Wire winger icon_cheers.gif

RankPostsTeam
Club Coach16265
JoinedServiceReputation
Oct 200420 years
OnlineLast PostLast Page
Oct 2024Oct 2024LINK
Milestone Posts
0
100
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Signature
10289_1326111229.png
Challenge Cup winners 2009 2010 2012 2019 League Leaders 2011 2016:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_10289.png



Michael Eagar and Mike Forshaw - only spent a season with us but were impressive while here.

Danny Nutley was superb for us without getting much credit, signed for Cronulla and played State of Origin.

Brent Grose in his first few seasons was one of the better outside backs in SL without getting much fanfare. Tailed off in his last couple of years though.

Jon Clarke for a period in his later career was underrated. He'd been around a long time so everyone's opinions on him were probably fixed: fit athlete, hard worker, limited player. But for a season or two he was one of the top players in the league.

Chris Leikvoll was good too. He was like a throwback to the 80s props. He was a big man with good hands who had his head up looking to offload and be creative rather than just doing hit ups. He played in an era where everyone had moved to battering ram props that they would rotate on and off the field with the interchange, so through that lens, Leikvoll was seen as slow and lumbering but he was a good player, I'd have liked to see him play in TS squad later as I think he could have been effective like Solomona.

RankPostsTeam
Player Coach8019No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Feb 201015 years
OnlineLast PostLast Page
Oct 2024Oct 2024LINK
Milestone Posts
0
100
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Signature
49863_1309431041.jpg
Neither glass half full or empty. Just a realist.:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_49863.jpg



Quote: Uncle Rico "I must admit to not being Waterhouse's biggest fan at the time probably based on my expectation rather than what he was actually doing on the field. A player that rarely, if ever gets any plaudits from that same team is Chris Riley. He's not a Monaghan or Hicks but don't think he ever let us down, quite happy to put his body on the proverbial line for a 'small' guy and not a bad strike rate.'"

Hard to disagree with a word of that, UR.
I never got the "love in" for Waterhouse. Don't get me wrong, nowt wrong with the fella, he was just Gary Sanderson (again, nowt wrong with him), but imported on a Aussie International's payrate.

My underrated guy goes to Paul Wood.
When we saw peak Morley and Carvell, Wood often got forgotten about. What I saw on last night's screening of the semi from 12, showed another good outing for him.
Some balls to that fella....well, he did have


[sizesorry[/size

RankPostsTeam
Club Coach16265
JoinedServiceReputation
Oct 200420 years
OnlineLast PostLast Page
Oct 2024Oct 2024LINK
Milestone Posts
0
100
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Signature
10289_1326111229.png
Challenge Cup winners 2009 2010 2012 2019 League Leaders 2011 2016:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_10289.png



Wood was good for a long time. In the pre-TS era we were an inconsistent team and had a lot of players whose form went up and down, Wood was probably our most reliable performer every week over that decade. I think he's the Academy product that has given us the most over a full career since Mike Gregory.

RankPostsTeam
Player Coach2403No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Feb 200916 years
OnlineLast PostLast Page
Nov 2024Nov 2024LINK
Milestone Posts
0
100
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Signature
44022.jpg
'I've done things i'm not proud of. And the things i am proud of,.......well they're disgusting':44022.jpg



I can't believe anyone didn't rate warehouse when he was playing for us. The bloke was immense! I still cringe thinking about that thread on here where the majority of fans wanted us to swap him with Danny kirmond!!!
If he and hodgson had played in that 2013 grand final we would not still be getting mocked with always your year chants.

RankPostsTeam
Club Captain4307No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Aug 20186 years
OnlineLast PostLast Page
Nov 2024Nov 2024LINK
Milestone Posts
0
100
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Signature

:



Agree with Grix and Riley as being underrated/undervalued. I'd add Logan Swann, who new his way to the try line during the Cullen era.

RankPostsTeam
Player Coach8019No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Feb 201015 years
OnlineLast PostLast Page
Oct 2024Oct 2024LINK
Milestone Posts
0
100
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Signature
49863_1309431041.jpg
Neither glass half full or empty. Just a realist.:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_49863.jpg



Quote: MorePlaymakersNeeded " I'd add Logan Swann, who new his way to the try line during the Cullen era.'"

That right edge at that time, was immense
Swan
Gleeson
Fa'afili

RankPostsTeam
Player Coach2832
JoinedServiceReputation
Oct 200519 years
OnlineLast PostLast Page
Nov 2024Nov 2024LINK
Milestone Posts
0
100
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Signature
18243.jpg
Ettinghausen's gone ice skatin':18243.jpg



Not rating Waterhouse would make me question anyone's knowledge of RL...madness. I remember the ridiculous 'lazy' thread, someone wasn't watching his dummy runs, taking four into the tackle on every drive, great offloads and fantastic defence.

I know he wasnt underrated as such but watching the old games back reminds me of how good Atkins was in his pomp, brain farts aside...big game player.

RankPostsTeam
Player Coach2403No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Feb 200916 years
OnlineLast PostLast Page
Nov 2024Nov 2024LINK
Milestone Posts
0
100
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Signature
44022.jpg
'I've done things i'm not proud of. And the things i am proud of,.......well they're disgusting':44022.jpg



In his day, Atkins was as good as any centre in the league. Been very difficult to replace, which shows you how good he was.

CW8
RankPostsTeam
International Star3952
JoinedServiceReputation
Nov 201311 years
OnlineLast PostLast Page
Nov 2024Sep 2024LINK
Milestone Posts
0
100
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Signature

:



Atkins was very underappreciated by the wire faithful. My own dad is one of his detractors, the fact that he scored as many as he did would suggest to me that he was right to back himself so often. He scored a lot of tries that he had absolutely no right to score.

83 posts in 7 pages 
<<   PREV  NEXT   >>
83 posts in 7 pages 
<<   PREV  NEXT   >>



All views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the RLFANS.COM or its subsites.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure that news stories, articles and images are correct, we cannot be held responsible for errors. However, if you feel any material on this website is copyrighted or incorrect in any way please contact us using the link at the top of the page so we can remove it or negotiate copyright permission.

RLFANS.COM, the owners of this website, is not responsible for the content of its sub-sites or posts, please email the author of this sub-site or post if you feel you find an article offensive or of a choice nature that you disagree with.

Copyright 1999 - 2024 RLFANS.COM

You must be 18+ to gamble, for more information and for help with gambling issues see https://www.begambleaware.org/.



Please Support RLFANS.COM


2.40234375:5
RLFANS Recent Posts
FORUM
LAST
POST
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
11m
Film game
karetaker
4963
15m
IMG Score
Bent&Bon
59
34m
Its all gone a bit quiet
Benny Profan
3
Recent
DoR - New Coach - Investor & Adam - New signings
Hessle Roade
3635
Recent
Recruitment rumours and links
karetaker
3484
Recent
Pre Season - 2025
The games af
40
Recent
England Vs Samoa Test Series
ALAW
69
Recent
New Kit
MorePlaymake
57
Recent
England vs Samoa
NickyKiss
88
FORUM
LAST
VIEW
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
22s
Film game
karetaker
4963
25s
2024/25 out of season mind occupier 2
Boss Hog
9
40s
Game - Song Titles
Boss Hog
40438
2m
2025 Recruitment
Highlander
155
2m
BORED The Band Name Game
Boss Hog
62909
3m
Recruitment rumours and links
karetaker
3484
3m
Aston Banned
MP
5
3m
Pre Season - 2025
The games af
40
3m
2025 Shirt
MR FRISK
10
4m
England Vs Samoa Test Series
ALAW
69
FORUM
NEW
TOPICS
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
TODAY
Its all gone a bit quiet
Benny Profan
3
TODAY
England Beat Samoa To Take Test Series
RLFANS News
1
TODAY
McMeekan
Trojan Horse
13
TODAY
Englands Women Demolish The Welsh
RLFANS News
1
TODAY
Lee Kershaw
Big lads mat
9
TODAY
2025 Shirt
MR FRISK
10
TODAY
Home Shirt 2025
MattyB
1
TODAY
Uele contract extension
Khlav Kalash
5
TODAY
Squad for Match 2 v Samoa
rubber ducki
6
TODAY
2024/25 out of season mind occupier 2
Boss Hog
9
TODAY
Sky tv deals
ninearches
6
TODAY
2024/25 out of season mind occupier 1
Lord Tony Sm
24
TODAY
New Kit
MorePlaymake
57
TODAY
Memorable Games
Rugby Raider
6
TODAY
Hybrid rugby
moto748
11
TODAY
Pre Season - 2025
The games af
40
TODAY
England v Australia
karetaker
24
TODAY
The Aussies are coming
Bullseye
17
TODAY
England Beat Samoa Comfortably In First Test
RLFANS News
1
TODAY
England v Samoa
Captain Hook
33
TODAY
England vs Samoa
NickyKiss
88
TODAY
Trinity back on super league forum
RoyBoy29
4
TODAY
IN 2025 Maika Sivo - Expires 2028
batleyrhino
36
TODAY
Danny McGuire new head coach
Huddersfield
1
TODAY
What happens now
Start@1873
3
TODAY
Liam Kay
Wollo-Wollo-
53
TODAY
Coach announced
The Dors
14
NEWS ITEMS
VIEWS
England Beat Samoa To Take Tes..
258
England's Women Demolish The W..
245
England Beat Samoa Comfortably..
635
Operational Rules Tribunal –..
486
IMG-RFL club gradings released..
629
Wakefield Trinity Win Champion..
1260
Hunslet Secure Promotion After..
1482
Trinity Into Play Off Final Af..
1756
Wigan Warriors Crowned Champio..
1331
York Valkyrie Win Back to Back..
1604
Hunslet Book Relegation Play O..
1956
Penrith Panthers Secure Fourth..
1539
Wigan Humiliate Leigh For Gran..
1631
Hull KR Survive Warrington Fig..
1742
Warrington Wolves Break Saints..
1965
POSTSONLINEREGISTRATIONSRECORD
19.64M 1,394 ↑15180,15414,103
LOGIN HERE
or REGISTER for more features!.

When you register you get access to the live match scores, live match chat and you can post in the discussions on the forums.
RLFANS Match Centre
There are currently no matches to display.
Matches on TV
Sat 2nd Nov
MINT2024 3 England M34-16Samoa M
WINT2024 2 ENGLAND W82-0WALES W
Sun 27th Oct
MINT2024 2 England M34-18Samoa M
This is an inplay table and live positions can change.
Mens Betfred Super League XXVIII ROUND : 1
 PLDFADIFFPTS
Wigan 29 768 338 430 48
Hull KR 29 731 344 387 44
Warrington 29 769 351 418 42
Leigh 29 580 442 138 33
Salford 28 556 561 -5 32
St.Helens 28 618 411 207 30
 
Catalans 27 475 427 48 30
Leeds 27 530 488 42 28
Huddersfield 27 468 658 -190 20
Castleford 27 425 735 -310 15
Hull FC 27 328 894 -566 6
LondonB 27 317 916 -599 6
This is an inplay table and live positions can change.
Betfred Championship 2024 ROUND : 1
 PLDFADIFFPTS
Wakefield 27 1032 275 757 52
Toulouse 26 765 388 377 37
Bradford 28 723 420 303 36
York 29 695 501 194 32
Widnes 27 561 502 59 29
Featherstone 27 634 525 109 28
 
Sheffield 26 626 526 100 28
Doncaster 26 498 619 -121 25
Halifax 26 509 650 -141 22
Batley 26 422 591 -169 22
Swinton 28 484 676 -192 20
Barrow 25 442 720 -278 19
Whitehaven 25 437 826 -389 18
Dewsbury 27 348 879 -531 4
Hunslet 1 6 10 -4 0
RLFANS Recent Posts
FORUM
LAST
POST
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
11m
Film game
karetaker
4963
15m
IMG Score
Bent&Bon
59
34m
Its all gone a bit quiet
Benny Profan
3
Recent
DoR - New Coach - Investor & Adam - New signings
Hessle Roade
3635
Recent
Recruitment rumours and links
karetaker
3484
Recent
Pre Season - 2025
The games af
40
Recent
England Vs Samoa Test Series
ALAW
69
Recent
New Kit
MorePlaymake
57
Recent
England vs Samoa
NickyKiss
88
FORUM
LAST
VIEW
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
22s
Film game
karetaker
4963
25s
2024/25 out of season mind occupier 2
Boss Hog
9
40s
Game - Song Titles
Boss Hog
40438
2m
2025 Recruitment
Highlander
155
2m
BORED The Band Name Game
Boss Hog
62909
3m
Recruitment rumours and links
karetaker
3484
3m
Aston Banned
MP
5
3m
Pre Season - 2025
The games af
40
3m
2025 Shirt
MR FRISK
10
4m
England Vs Samoa Test Series
ALAW
69
FORUM
NEW
TOPICS
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
TODAY
Its all gone a bit quiet
Benny Profan
3
TODAY
England Beat Samoa To Take Test Series
RLFANS News
1
TODAY
McMeekan
Trojan Horse
13
TODAY
Englands Women Demolish The Welsh
RLFANS News
1
TODAY
Lee Kershaw
Big lads mat
9
TODAY
2025 Shirt
MR FRISK
10
TODAY
Home Shirt 2025
MattyB
1
TODAY
Uele contract extension
Khlav Kalash
5
TODAY
Squad for Match 2 v Samoa
rubber ducki
6
TODAY
2024/25 out of season mind occupier 2
Boss Hog
9
TODAY
Sky tv deals
ninearches
6
TODAY
2024/25 out of season mind occupier 1
Lord Tony Sm
24
TODAY
New Kit
MorePlaymake
57
TODAY
Memorable Games
Rugby Raider
6
TODAY
Hybrid rugby
moto748
11
TODAY
Pre Season - 2025
The games af
40
TODAY
England v Australia
karetaker
24
TODAY
The Aussies are coming
Bullseye
17
TODAY
England Beat Samoa Comfortably In First Test
RLFANS News
1
TODAY
England v Samoa
Captain Hook
33
TODAY
England vs Samoa
NickyKiss
88
TODAY
Trinity back on super league forum
RoyBoy29
4
TODAY
IN 2025 Maika Sivo - Expires 2028
batleyrhino
36
TODAY
Danny McGuire new head coach
Huddersfield
1
TODAY
What happens now
Start@1873
3
TODAY
Liam Kay
Wollo-Wollo-
53
TODAY
Coach announced
The Dors
14
NEWS ITEMS
VIEWS
England Beat Samoa To Take Tes..
258
England's Women Demolish The W..
245
England Beat Samoa Comfortably..
635
Operational Rules Tribunal –..
486
IMG-RFL club gradings released..
629
Wakefield Trinity Win Champion..
1260
Hunslet Secure Promotion After..
1482
Trinity Into Play Off Final Af..
1756
Wigan Warriors Crowned Champio..
1331
York Valkyrie Win Back to Back..
1604
Hunslet Book Relegation Play O..
1956
Penrith Panthers Secure Fourth..
1539
Wigan Humiliate Leigh For Gran..
1631
Hull KR Survive Warrington Fig..
1742
Warrington Wolves Break Saints..
1965


Visit the RLFANS.COM SHOP
for more merchandise!