Ken has spent a lot of time, effort and money to bring the giants into the top flight. We have seen a lot of players over the years who have been fans favourites (or scapegoats). We have also had our share of journeymen. Players who came with big reputations- had glittering careers at other clubs, perhaps had international honours but never lived up to the reputation when they came to hudds- they came for the pension, took to the field and did nowt special. We have also had plenty of players who came quietly, put 100% into the cause each and every week but never really got the big plaudits- the grafters.
Who are yours?


Journeymen ( this may upset a few folk)
Shane elford
Paul loughlin
Paul Dixon
Neil harmon
Paul rowley- never a patch on Danny Russell who he replaced.

Grafters
Adrian toole
Paul Jackson
Tony Bowes (bony toes)
Andy Raleigh
Dave Atkins
Danny kirmond
Matt sturm

I think the grafters got the plaudits they deserved, it's nice that sometimes RL fans can recognise the hard, un flashy work done that makes all the difference

I'll totally agree about Rowley. One of Kears favourites pushed out one of the stand out players from our first stint in Super League

Can we have a category of over the hill wasters?

OTHW

Paul Loughlin
Garry Schofield
Ian Pickavance.

Players who came with big reps and underperformed:

Gvin Clinch
Gene Ngamu
Dale Laughton


Under-rated

Ben Barton
Martin Aspinwall

Fairly sure Tony Smith signed Paul Rowley not John Kear.

Kear's favourite was Johnny Lawless who was far, far more useless than Rowley.

You're right

On both counts

A journeyman is by definaition an average player who has played at several clubs. The likes of Dixon and Loughaln were not jorneyman. They were top class internationals.
They just came to us at the back end of their career when they were past their best but i would say this is very different to a journeyman.

As for grafter i would include the likes of
Martin Aspinwall, Andy Raleigh, Jim Gannon,Hefin o Hare, Stuart Jones and Paul Jackson. Not the most gifted playes in the world but would never give less than 100% in a Giants shirt.

...............that fella that replaced Ali Davys --cant be sure was it Chris ORR

Wow he was a star !!

Chris Orr was truly awful as was Andrew Tangata Toa

John Bentley was woeful during his short spell at the Giants.

I can forget it cos it didn't happen. He was injured that day, thank god, and didn't play. You are of course entitled to your opinion of Garry Schofield but the facts are that Schofield was woeful in his final years playing for Leeds, if he'd have been a horse he would have been shot long before he played for us. I have no idea who told Ken Davy that spending £135,000 on him was a good idea but it really wasn't.

cant think of many ' journeymen' off the top of my head but can think of plenty who didnt put in their share of the graft !
as for the grafters ...Stuart Jones, Stephen Wild, Danny Russell, Dave King, Adrian Toole, Paul Reilly, are the 1st ones that come to mind although there have been plenty of these that just maybe lacked the talent to be a great player.

paul reilly the ultimate grafter, stuart jones and darren turner aswell

tangata toa and ben kusto garbage

and john bentley even worse!

Daz- don't agree with you on Danny Russell and Paul Reilly- they WERE great players and certainly got the plaudits they deserved- my definition is for those players that didn't.
Technically a journeyman is one who has the skills but does not excel- I'm looking for those who - in your opinion should have but didn't.
Anyway my thread my rules. Why isn't there a sticking your tongue out smiley????

sorry, i meant some of them listed weren't great players naturally but certainly gave their all...obvs Danny and Paul come into both