Absolutely brilliant attacking fullback, not so much by coming into the line, but by running the ball back after a kick. You just don't see his type of player anymore.

Billy Slater

I never get this thing about the fullbacks main job being the last line of defence. Fullbacks don't make that many tackles and when they are in a position of being last line of defence it means the line has been broken and more than likely there's a two on one so the fullback is not going to be able to do anything about that.

Last line of defence really only comes in when there's a breakaway where nobody has come in support of the attacker. When I was at school and uni that situation would happen quite often and a good fullback making a solid tackle would end an attack but in the pro game how often do you see that? Professional teams will usually have back up. Not saying its not a bonus if your fullback is a good tackler but I think its more important to be a solid tackler at centre.

In terms of defensive duties I think its more important for a fullback to be able to field a range of kicks, high, along the ground, bouncing, intersecting fullback and winger etc, and then return them well. The best way a fullback can help the team defensively is if he makes yards and takes the ball away from his line, especially if he can get out of his in goal or turn a kick fielded on the 5m mark to a tackle on the 25m mark.

I'd love a fullback in the Steve Hampson mould, that's about as dependable as you can get defensively, dealt with everything thrown at him.

Hampson was British men's trampolining champion I seem to remember which is why I think he always got so high jumping under the high ball.
Only remember him once dropping a high ball

I don't think I saw Whitehead play, can't remember when he stopped

Hesford, superb, but it's a TOTALLY different game, now. Pity for him, he had George Fairburn to contend with, internationally, or he'd have a bucketfull of GB caps

Johnson, again, superb. The most exciting FB I've seen in a Wire jersey

Lyon. Good. Reanable pace. Huge boot. Remember seeing him kick a goal v Stains from the half way line, and the ball was still rising when it went over the bar

Penny. Great, but had an allergy to passing the ball.

My memory seems to have erased Cardiss. Don't know why

Readon was a v good FB for us. Superb returner of a kick. Don't get the sniping he's received on here.

Grose. Good. For me, a little "over-loved" on these pages, like Nat Wood was/is.

Mathers. Bloody 'ell!!!! (Nah, that's harsh) he was good. But that's about it for me.To many love-ups for my liking

Hodgson. Superb.

Do I have a fav. No.

I'm STILL slightly jealous of Wigan (even after all these years). They had Steve Hampson. He WAS good. Seemed to have radar in his head, when it came to postitioning himself for downfield kicks. It seemed like he NEVER had to move more than 10 yards to receive a kick. Just a pity he had a body more fragile than Chris Bridge.

As an out-and-out full back, as opposed to a utility back like Davies or Harris, Johnson remains the best I've seen in a wires top; I don't deny some of my Wire memories are rose-tinted and hued with nostalgia but Johno was the real deal.

Nice to hear Penny get mentioned - he seems to have been tipp-exed out of some memories but he was a very, very good full back until a mars-bar diet caught up with him. I always thought Chris Rudd would have made a good FB, he may even have played a couple of times there for us, but alas he never quite hit the heights expected of him.

For other clubs the one who struck fear into me was Joe Lydon for Wigan, such an elusive runner. Not as telepathic defensively and astute in positional play as Hampson but much more dangerous going forward.

And don't get me started on that &£$^&^£% drop-goal in the Maine Road semi.

Please dont talk about joe lydon. He was a good centre poor fb and saying nothing else...I'll have a nightmare

He did have a huge boot but going for distance and missing touch cost us big time at Maine road. Everyone points to Lydons Drop goal, but Lyon missing touch gave Wigan possession, from which, If I remember Hanley made a break and put someone in for try in the corner which we were never coming back from.....

In general I agree with you, but I think a strong fb defensively can be the difference between being good and superb.

The likes of Radlinski and Wellens have throughout their careers pulled off some blinding try saving tackles, whereas Hodgson just isn't known for that. In fact he was often made to look rather silly as the last line of defence.

Me neither. 'Dispised' the guy for years after that, but he was good.

Frano Botica for me was one of the best f/b's, but that may have been due to his incredible goal kicking......... again denying us a title when we finished 3rd on goal difference to Wigan when John Dorahy was coach for the pies

Played full back sometimes but was more of a half-back.

Thought he was a centre[Botica]?

Just seen Botica's son plays for Harlequins RU, I thought Botica was a half back but could be wrong. He was some kicker though!

With all this talk about the merits of different full backs over the years, with a focus on the departed Hodgson, it got me thinking how we might play differently in some respects next season. Hodgson was a fantastic exponent of the full back assuming a third half back role, often joining the line to give a killer cut-out ball to create tries. The closest way we could replicate that would be to have Ratchford take his place at No 1 but he seems earmarked for the half back spot in Briers’ absence.

From what I saw of Matty Russell in the World Cup he is a very different full back, a dangerous runner and returner of kicks with real pace and strength and an ability to find gaps close to the line. He doesn’t seem to have, or at least didn’t show, that ability to become an additional pivot creating opportunities for others. Will this lead to us changing the way we play the game? I can see Russell thriving by following our offload game but wonder whether we will see any other changes in dynamics this season.