Whino in peace. I've said before on the Leeds board that Sam is the best player I've seen (followed RL from early 90's).
Is that justified? Interested in the thoughts of those who've seen an awful lot of him, and know about his influence on the field....

He doesn't ever come close to being the best player,i would say that Hanley is the best that i have seen followed by Edwards and Gregory

Henry Paul was special also

Hanley was before my time so never saw him at his best.
Tomkins mental fortitude and desire to win was unrivalled in my eyes.....

I'd say if you were putting together a top 5 or 10 over the last 25 years he'd be in the conversation. Depends whether you're assessing him at this peak or over the course of his career. 2012 he was unplayable. Absolutely certain that we win it that year if he stays fit. Shame that his career in the NRL and subsequently SL was curtailed so badly with injury.

I guess we have to judge them at their best for these types of discussions. I've never been more relieved than when news filtered through he was missing 2012 playoff semi!

Hard to judge really, how do you compare him and Andy Farrell when they had totally different roles? Plus do you only consider him at his peak, or his whole career? He did have a couple of down years after he returned, and didn't take the NRL by storm even though he wasn't as bad as people made out. I'd say in the time I've been watching that Andy Farrell was better because he never had a bad season. I didn't get to see Hanley live but I think most tend to say he was the best. 09-13 he was unplayable though, it was like playing a video game on 'easy' mode watching him skip past defenders.

Hanley.

He's the best fullback I've seen at Wigan in well over 60 years of watching.

Agreed. In my top three (British Wigan Players)

1. Hanley
2. Gregory
3. Tomkins

He’s so underrated it’s unbelievable.

Makes me laugh when people are putting all time dream teams together for super league and are debating Wellens/Radlinski/Webb etc. It’s Tomkins by a country mile.


The best ball runner in super league history. Electric.

Summed up nicely.

He’d underrated because he rubbed too many opposition players up the wrong way and even some of our own fans at times. He was majestic between 2009 and 2013 and I’m glad to see that whilst his style of play is totally different, he is back where he belongs as one of the leagues best players.

I’ve seen debates about who should be England’s fullback in the World Cup. Tomkins, Evalds, Ratchford, Hardaker and Connor all getting mentions. Do me a favour! He is streets ahead of those guys and his game nowadays may well suit international rugby more than it did in those years he was skinning everyone. His creative game has come on leaps and bounds.

Oh for sure, if we're going off 09-13 anyway. Although I tend to cheat and put him in at 6 to accommodate Radlinski

The more I think about it, he's the best I've seen by miles, not even close....
And I've grown up watching Mcguire and Burrow!

Gene Miles was the best centre and Offiah the best winger