Rampo was great with the high ball, the best I have ever seen.
Rads was better than Hampo in that he had pace to get him into the right positions.
Sam is better than Rads, his running, passing and evasive qualities edge it for me.

Radlinski for me. I couldn't see Tomkins playing for no fees.

Sam by a country mile. Radders was good but I wouldn't get to my feet when he had the ball. A great support player but he couldn't step and he would never ever beat the first man. Weirdly that was a skill that Wellens did possess despite his lack of pace. Defensively Hampo was better. Attacking Sam is better.

Sam by a distance.

Far, far more natural ability than Rads. Rads will a brilliant full back, but Sam is a one off, the lad is a freak.

Rads gets it for me. Sam's freakish ability to change a game with his attacking runs has been amazing at times but Rad would change & win games with an incredible tackle that no other full back would make. Both had different attributes but Rad's commitment to the club he loves can't be ignored. I'd put Rad as my all time favourite full back. As much as I loved watching Hampo, he's not in the same league as the other 2.

This isn't even close, Tomkins by an absolute mile.

Absence must make the heart grow fonder I guess. I can't believe this is even a debate, Tomkins is on a different level.

Radders for me and not just because Sam’s now gone, but Rad was a professionals professional, he might not have the attacking flair of Sam but he made up for it in other departments, and though it’s often said about other for me Rads was one of the very few real one hundred per.

Hampson.

Why?

Radz couldn't break wind let alone the line, yet outstanding in defence.
Sam is amazing in attack, can literally score from anywhere, but have defensive issues.

Hampson, while not as a good as Sam in attack, he wasn'y a million miles away, and could tackle and read the game better than any Wigan FB I've seen, nominated for the golden boot in the 80s.


in order...

Hampson
Sam
Connelly
Radz


That's just off the top of my head.

I think people should be made to post their age when answering this question, Hampson for me was the most assured and confident player I've seen pull a shirt on, and this is from someone who supports Warrington.

If I could replicate a fullback with the exact same skills set as Hampson, Tomkins would never play at 1 again for England

What about Radlinski's support game? Didn't he top the SL try scoring lists at least once?

this is the problem with this type of comparison, some posters were in nappies when Rads was playing from 95 onwards and were not even born when Hambo was in his element.......

One thing you have to factor in is that Hampson was fortunate enough to have 5/6+ world class players by his side and played against much weaker opposition week after week.

That's well and good in attack but fullback is an isolated position and your reputation lives and dies on your own ability.

Full back is one position where - with one or two noticeable short lived exceptions - we've always had some continuity with someone of quality holding down the spot for several seasons. It will be interesting to see who gets the gig long term after Bowen. As to the thread, Sam by a mile. Although if I had to pick a full back in a big game I would deliberate long and hard between Tomkins and Lydon, who could have been the best of all if he hadn't played a lot of his career in the 3/4s, and if he had given a damn in the lesser games.