Alan Davis has already been mentioned as one of the best centres ever to play the game, he was also a member of one of the greatest R/L teams that I ever saw.

Alan played for Oldham during one of the most dominant periods one team can have over another, from the start of the1952/53 season until the end of the 1957/58 season Oldham defeated Wigan in 12 consecutive league matches.
During this period the only match I remember Wigan winning against Oldham was a 3rd round R/L Cup win at Oldham in March 1958 (this was a famous match played in a blizzard which Wigan won 8-0)

That Oldham pack was truly awesome, the pack I remember was 8 Jackson, 9 Keith, 10 Duffy,11 Winslade, 12 Little and 13 Turner, during this run another great forward Don Vines came into the pack.

I admit I have done a bit of research to confirm the number of consecutive matches Oldham won against Wigan, but the names of the members of that pack have remained with me all these years.

One particular match that stands out during that run was a match at Central Park during the 1955 season, I went on the bus with a mate and his Dad, at Ince Bar we had to get off the bus and run the rest of the way, due to the traffic.
The match had been going on for 15 min and the score was 15-0 to Oldham, they went on to win 48-23 and in my young eyes at the time it was unbelievable .

As I have said one of the best teams that I ever saw in my early years of watching Wigan and certainly the best team never to appear at Wembley.

Agreed. Mike was a great player, Sorensen a brutally uncompromising prop (they don't make them like that any more) and Kevin Ward was a fantastic player (it always amuses me when Saints fans dismiss their teams from the pre-SL modern era forgetting they had players like Ward - if Ward in his prime were playing today he'd be the best prop in SL.)

The greatest player I've seen, certainly while wearing the green and gold - at times he was unstoppable. Powerful, deceptively quick for a big man and great hands. Had the knack of always being there at the end of games to kill off GB's dreams. That puts him above Hanley for me and recent and current Aussie greats - others may have impressed in the NRL/Origin but at international level big Mal was unequalled. What a player (and captain) he was.

When he was "coaching" at Wigan he wasn't even allowed to pick the team, so his hands were tied a bit! Spoke to him a few times, and like most real hard men he was a real gent.

Walsh had the best shoulder to shoulder tackle I have ever seen. He could flatten opposition players without breaking his stride. And they stayed flattened!

Sorrenson was always one of my favorites. Also always loved to watch Ronnie Gibbs when he was at Cas.

Gary Schofield and Lee Crooks were awesome players, and I also had a lot of time for Lee Jackson.

Slightly out of left field I used to love to hate Paul Bishop, Saints and later Fax scrum half, the Sean Long if his time. Gary Mercer and Paul Cullen just double hard bwards also. Paul Newlove was another great strike centre.

Too many to list every time I try to stop I think of some more.

I've never disliked an opposition player more than Paul Bishop...

...Except Shane Cooper

May 1986 - Paul Bishop kicked 5 drop goals in the Premiership semi at Central Park.
I never liked him much apart from that, though

I remember traveling down to Wembley and seeing a sign in the back of one of the Saints fans coaches:

12 Saints 1 Bishop.

Said it all really.

I hated his Dad too !

Of the players I have seen play against my team Saints I would go as follows.

Radlinski
Robinson
Connolly
Senior
Monaghan
Sinfield (Had to fit this guy in, destroyed us his kicking game in 4 Grand Finals)
Lam
Fielden
Newton
Morley
Ellis
Peacock
Farrell

Emosi koloto, joe grima and David and paul hulme. Wigan knew they had been in a game whenever they played widnes amazing team in the late 80s.

Saw him in sainsbury's yesterday(Hull) he's working with PNG.It was absolutely in down but he was still wearing shorts and flip flops.

Quote: Deano G "The greatest player I've seen, certainly while wearing the green and gold - at times he was unstoppable. Powerful, deceptively quick for a big man and great hands. Had the knack of always being there at the end of games to kill off GB's dreams. That puts him above Hanley for me and recent and current Aussie greats - others may have impressed in the NRL/Origin but at international level big Mal was unequalled. What a player (and captain) he was.'" Whenever I saw Meninga kick goals the ball always seemed to be rising when it passed the crossbar, no matter where it was kicked from. Still remember him shepherding an Australian winger home in a GB/Aus match at Old Trafford by pushing an approaching GB defender out of the way, ref was miles behind play and the touchjudge was otherwise engaged so nothing was given. Every great team should have a Vince Karalius to take charge on the pitch. Great obituary here: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituar ... alius.html The last two sentences are very illuminating. Any man would be proud to have a career like that. Bruce Burton from Cas, master of the chip and chase. Much more danger of being clotheslined in those days.

Quote: Deano G "The greatest player I've seen, certainly while wearing the green and gold - at times he was unstoppable. Powerful, deceptively quick for a big man and great hands. Had the knack of always being there at the end of games to kill off GB's dreams. That puts him above Hanley for me and recent and current Aussie greats - others may have impressed in the NRL/Origin but at international level big Mal was unequalled. What a player (and captain) he was.'" Whenever I saw Meninga kick goals the ball always seemed to be rising when it passed the crossbar, no matter where it was kicked from. Still remember him shepherding an Australian winger home in a GB/Aus match at Old Trafford by pushing an approaching GB defender out of the way, ref was miles behind play and the touchjudge was otherwise engaged so nothing was given. Every great team should have a Vince Karalius to take charge on the pitch. Great obituary here: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituar ... alius.html The last two sentences are very illuminating. Any man would be proud to have a career like that. Bruce Burton from Cas, master of the chip and chase. Much more danger of being clotheslined in those days.

I'd put Wally Lewis's name in there rather than Meninga.

I thought Meninga when he played for Saints was a bit of a bully due to his size.

Took 'Westie' to bring him back to Earth.