Really like this pole, the first on on RLfans that i had to think about for a while. IMO it was between Rads and Slater. I went for Rads as i think a full back should be more defensive, which Rads was, IMO the best in the world at his best.

I think the thing you have to think about, considering Slater is better on attack and rads was better in defence, but was Rads better in attack than Slater is in defence, I would say yes. So I'm voting Rads.

For all Rads' qualities it's comfortably Slater for me. Rad's would never have earned a single Aussie cap even at the peak of his powers.

I don't know about that even though i agree Slater is the better player. There must have been times when the Aussies have had to use the odd fill in player at fullback or have used out and out fullbacks not in the class of Rads.

I also believe if Rads had been Australian and at a club of his birth he could have been an even better player. The higher intensity compatition would have made him find ways of raising his game even further.

I agree with that although i also must agree with Jimmy that Radlinski would have found it very tough to secure a spot at the back for Australia, you only have to look at some of the great players that have also missed out due to the quality of Darren Lockyer and the ones that followed.

For the most part Radlinski never seemed to do himself justice when playing against Lockyer although you could probably say that about a lot of players.

He's a handy player, really don't see him as a 6 (and i doubt he does either lol), he's just not in the top class of NRL players and his injury record is a bit of a worry. Still, I think he'll do a good job for Bradford if he can stay fit and is played in the right position.

Don't get my wrong, I think Rads was a fantastic player and probably the closest thing we've had to an NRL style fullback back in his younger days when he was scoring plenty. Rads probably would have gone ok in the NRL, but I doubt he'd have achieved the same level of impact that Slater has for the storm, or Lockyer did for the broncos in the same period that rads was playing.

I guess it's not really an apples with apples comparison as they played at different times in different leagues, with different jobs being expected off them at fullback.

Slater.

No question of doubt.

But the Aussies Never needed a Full Back like Rads, they could afford to have expansive, attacking Full Backs.

How would Slater or Lockyer go on playing at FB for GB?England over the years with the other Aussies & Kiwis running at them & putting them under pressure 80mins every game and not allowing them to use their attacking abilities to their full potential?

Similarly, Rads playing for Oz would have been able to develop his attacking game more playing under a team that was allowed to attack more etc?

The thing is though mate, has having a defensive fullback actually achieved anything, or have we still been mostly whooped? (and badly)

Lockyer, Slater and Radlinski are the three best FBs i've evey seen. However the first and last are much better all-round players but Slater does come close to making up for that with his attacking.

How come Mathew Ridge didn't make the list?

Interesting. I never rated Lockyer at fullback. If you remember it was a tactic of GB to pressurise him when he played there as he was susceptible to errors when put under pressure. I have to say his deficiencies at fullback were covered somewhat by playing in awesome sides. Under pressure he was distinctly average. You can see this to a degree with his play at SO where he always plays well behind the line.

EDIT: Thought it best to point out that when I say "didn't rate" I meant in terms of this debate. He was obviously a very good player!

Phuzzy who would you put ahead of Lockyer at full back in the last 30 years?

Didn't you make the list?

LMAO

I thought Garry Jack was a better all round fullback. Slater has the same frailties as Lockyer but is a more potent attacking threat than Lockyer was from fullback. Again, for those who didn't get the chance to see much of Lockyer at fullback, you can still see this from his play at SO. He was never blessed with the blistering pace of Slater for example, and the reason he has been so successful from SO over the years has been down to his supreme ability at organising a team; in fact rarely does he ever need to get tackled. He never had that luxury from fullback except, as I say, courtesy of the time afforded him playing in a great team. Pressurise him and he was a different player. I think it's interesting that, despite the number of great 6's Australia have had over his time, Aussie coaches preferred him at SO at International level, even when he was playing FB at club level. Having said all that, he was (and still is) an excellent player whichever position he played. Just a better stand off than fullback IMO.

How you can do a greatest full back poll without Steve Hampson I don't know.

Dave

because i had posted something about Rads and somebody else stated that Webb and Slater where better, therefore i started this poll for those 3 players and added Wellens in for a laugh, now some unscrupulous so and so has added Mathers

For the older generation Graham Eadie in his pomp was a mighty full back

You could say that about every GB player for the last 20 odd years. They'd have received far better coaching at an early age.

This poll is pretty funny though, Radlinski is on par with Wellens in the great scheme of things, club greats and that clubs fans will laud them everyone else wonders what they are going on about.

Neither are on a par with Slater, and even less so with two better full backs in Minichello and Lockyer.

Is Garry Jack the blonde haired lad who played for NSW in the mid/late 80's? Managed to get a video of the 1987 and 1988 State of Origins I think, it was a while back and he was class!

Yes he played a bit for Salford too.

Minichello is a player who's career has been ruined by injury if ever there was one. At his peak he was an immense player and if it hadn't been for the injuries he could have been looking at going down as an alltime great.

It's been a shame not sseeing more of him over the years.

Quote ="Coventry Warrior!"Is Garry Jack the blonde haired lad who played for NSW in the mid/late 80's? Managed to get a video of the 1987 and 1988 State of Origins I think, it was a while back and he was class!'" Yeah, that's the one. Golden boot winner and unchallnged as the best fullback in the world for many years. Check this out: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garry_Jack Still the best there's been for mine.

Quote ="Coventry Warrior!"Is Garry Jack the blonde haired lad who played for NSW in the mid/late 80's? Managed to get a video of the 1987 and 1988 State of Origins I think, it was a while back and he was class!'" Yeah, that's the one. Golden boot winner and unchallnged as the best fullback in the world for many years. Check this out: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garry_Jack Still the best there's been for mine.