The only thing that Offiah could do was run. And he was very good at it.

Boston used to smash his way over the line dragging 3 and 4 players with him in his later days, Voll was also quite powerful. Bevan was actually often scared of getting tackled, but again he was stunning when on the run and very fast.

I remember Bevan actually throwing the ball into touch once at Wilderspool when Billy was closing in to tackle him.But you don't score the amount of tries he scored, without any talent.

The main reason for me as to why Offiah got all those tries in his best season was, he had the brilliant Gene Miles on his inside feeding him the ball.

Offiah was a 'speed merchant' and could easily run the full length of the field.

I agree, this is a myth that has developed over the years.

For some reason people feel the need to balance anything they say about Offiah, he was that great that they feel they need to say something negative, and this idea has developed that he was a gaping liability in defence. I just saw him as a standard winger in defence, you wouldn't say he was the best tackler on your team but he was competent.

Problem is nowadays when any young winger emerges that can't tackle, Offiah gets brought up as an excuse. "Yes the lad can't tackle but who cares about defence, Offiah couldn't tackle either". I've heard that said about loads of our players, Nicky Royle and Kevin Penny being classic examples, neither of whom were within ten leagues of Offiah with ball in hand (although they might both have been able to pip him in a straight footrace), and neither of whom were half as good as him in defence.

Offiah was quick without a doubt but what set him apart (and I have never seen any player come close in this regard) was his ability to find space, manoeuvre without losing speed and just beat players with movement as well as pace. Of course once he had half a yard on someone, he wasn't getting run down.

Jason Robinson was not far behind Offiah tbh but a very different player. Robinson was more explosive and more likely to create space out of nothing from a standing start. He was another player in a different league to anything around today.

He said on twitter that he thought home and away games in the playoffs would work

I liked him better when he was playing cause everytime he says something it's wrong the guy is clueless

Ahh the familiar polarising opinions of Offiah.

For my money, the greatest finisher I have ever seen in either code and, despite what people like to think, not a bad defender either.

In response to an earlier post, he played a grand total of 15 games outside Gene Miles. 15! Not sure we can therefore attribute that many of Martin's 500 career tries to the big Aussie.

If he isn't announced as the RL Wembley statue today I'll be stunned

He played outside Miles for less than half a season so that excuse is shocking.

He could do far far more than just run, his change of pace, the in and out was something I've not seen any other winger do in the 25 years I've watched the game. He had an ability to spot a gap and know he could get through it. If the gap may not have been there had he just run flat out, his ability to pull players inside and create his own space on the outside was something I've never seen anyone else do. He could use that touch line like no other player, he was unique plain and simple. Today's wingers wouldn't have a clue how to do what he did.

If you read the post I say in his best scoring season.

Where did I say he was outside Miles throughout his career ?

IMHO John Ferguson was a better winger than Offiah.

Boston certainly was, as he was as fast as Offiah in his early years.

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His best scoring season for Wigan was 1994-95 when he scored 53 tries. He also scored more than 30 tries in both the 1992-93 season and the 1993-94 season as well.

At Widnes he scored 181 tries in 145 games. He totalled 20 tries in 26 games in the NRL.

He played with Gene Miles for 15 games in 1991-92.

By Martin's own admission, Miles made his job easy but I'm arguing he was quite capable of scoring for fun whoever he had at centre.

PS I loved 'Fergie', he was my hero at Wigan, but I would pick Offiah over him. I am too young to have seen Boston and he must have been incredible, but of the players I have seen in almost 30 years of watching both codes, Offiah is the finest wingman.

..not seen any player who was

I enjoyed the programme tonight. Offiah was articulate and funny. If I was picking my ALL TIME Wigan team (from the players I have seen) Offiah would get the #5 jersey. Billy B would have the #2.

That's how good Offiah was. Could't tackle, ridiculous, go check the stats of tries scored directly against him.

Whenever doing that "all-time" team exercise, I tend to fluctuate between Offiah and Robinson on the other wing to BB. Such completely different styles it's hard to choose.

Personally I couldn't stand the man. Offiah only thought of himself. How often did you see Shaun Edwards waving his arms to tell him to touch down nearing the posts when he was scoring a try. I squirm with embarassment for him, every time I see him score that try at Wembley - dropping to the ground and covering his face with his hands - talk about a drama queen; Joan Crawford couldn't have done better!!

The best wingers I have been lucky to see are, in order of preference:-

Brian Bevan
Billy Boston
Jason Robinson
Martin Offiah (Oh yes, I still rate him even thought I didn't like him)

We are lucky to have so many great wingers to consider and Martin Offiah has to be one the greatest wingers that played at the club. Watching his 10 try game against what (on paper) was not a bad Leeds team still beggars belief. Yes he had speed, but he also loved scoring tries and knew exactly where to be.

He took some belts in his time, not least Sonny Nickel and Alan Hunte's attentions and I remember Castlefords St John Ellis trying to run through him and dropping the ball from Offiahs hit. I always admire his fondness for rugby league, the North of England and especially Wigan, which is something for us to be proud of. I have to laugh when Sam Tomkins winds up oppositions fans with his little bit of show boating, when compared with the stuff Shaun Edwards and Martin Offiah used to get up to.

Of the wingers I've seen at Wigan, Boston, Ferguson, Gill, Robinson and Offiah all did special things and all had that ability to create a sense of anticipation in the crowd. But if I was to choose two wingers on summer time pitches it would be Boston and Offiah