Yes but when they played for us they were poor. It is no good saying that when Brent Todd went back to Aus he was brilliant. That is of no use to us Wakey fans!

I seem to remember Ella had a decent first half of the season, but both Todd and Graham were poor?

Not having that sir! You cannot tar Zip Zip with the same brush as Brent Todd.



It was not true that we won all our games later in the season - we won the first 3 and stood top of the league. Zip Zip also played in the double header over xmas against Fev which turned our season around.



Of the 3 named, one was held in high regard by most, one was seen as an opportunity lost and one was hounded out of town. Deffo not having the 3 mentioned as the same!

Both Todd and Graham were gone November ish. The former after an alleged coming together with a local journalist.

Mark Graham was carried off the field on the shoulders of the fans after we beat Wigan at home to go top. I remember the away game against Fev. Ella was magnificent... at stand off... which is where I remember him playing for us.

We had just been promoted and were looking to make a big impression...

Mark Graham was the keynote signing backed up by Steve Ells... who signed afetr another failed attempt at King Wally... but we also lined up Mark Elia and Ian Roberts... both pulled out of the deals after they were announced... Todd was a direct replacement for Roberts and was signed on the advice of Mark Graham.. In the early season both Graham and Ella were excellent... however when it turned sour for Todd it seemed to have a detrimental effect on Mark Graham... and over the course of the winter lost interest... (although I believe he stayed well into the new year!)

Graham was a fantastic player who never really settled.. Todd was a young, bnrash Kiwi who came over on holiday and never did the hard work. Ella was all class!!


And for the record for Jason... I dont know if you remember Phil Fox but he was an excellent, excellent winger for us who gave several years sterling service to the club!


Are you thinking about Peter Fox... ???

I remember Laurie Daley also signing and never actually making it here!

because his club canberra won about 8 games on the trot to get in the play-offs when it looked like they had no chance

gotta speak up for the quality of Mark Graham on the field. Putting aside him letting the club down by quitting his contract early. On the field when he performed he was peerless I thought, strong, intelligent and a leader.

Phil Fox did a very good job for us - boy did that guy know where the corner was. Lot of time for him. I don't think they kept lots of stats back them but I bet his tries to chances ratio was amongst the best of his peers. Did he play outside Mason or Eden (can't remember)

Phil Eden! What a player he could have been, so much potential. Remember him destroying Castleford at Wheldon Road one season.

I thought he played outside Andy Mason to be honest but either way I agree with both these comments.
I remember Andy Kelly coming back to us in the season Mark Graham and Steve Ella played and suddenly found himself in a gap everytime he got the ball. He just followed Graham everywhere and the ball got to him every time.

I remember Eden scoring a try at Salford I think when we were on the wrack and he intercepted and ran the length to win the game. Ray Price was quoted as saying he had never been so happy to see a big fat 'bottom' running away from him.

Also remember Eden getting stood on and having an injury that looked like a bullet hole in his chest. (Think I have photographic evidence somewhere!)

Name another centre who punched holes through the line like he did. He wasn't the best passer but he broke the line, no doubt about that.
and as I had already named Keith Smith and Andy Mason who were the only other two centres to represent England while playing for Wakefield (in my viewing time) I think it is justified.......but I appreciate your point of view is different.

Phil Fox, played in a different team to the rest but personally I liked him. He scored tries, that's good enough for me....but I went for speed in front of him anyway.

Actually now I've seen this post I feel less bothered to justify mine. I hope it is an ironic post



Of course he played centre, that was his main position. He only played loose forward when people realise we needed him to be more involved in the game, and stand off was just a stand in job.
.........he always said he preferred back row cos he was more involved but debuted and played a long time after at centre.

I preferred Ellis in the centre. I know he wasn't involved as much, but I felt he did some real damage out wide, similar to JD a few years ago.

Ged Byrne was another good centre we had, think he was only there for one season?

No space for Nigel Wright in any of these teams?

Partners Brough in mine on the first page.

As good as Nigel Wright was, never considered him to be a great.

Great debate so I will throw this in. The best centre partnership in the modern age at BV JD and Domic.

You have a far better memory than me. My main memories of Ellis is in his season at stand off.

I like that. No one will ever say they are all time greats, but these two broke the line so many times, Domic especially off the Solomona pass.
We dipped a bit when Sid left.

To be honest I think he probably moved inside during games before he officially moved positions. Especially in defense.

Ged byrne, wan't he a record signing? Come to think of it he still might be. I remember the galmour of signing a player from Wigan. His inventive half back partnership with mark Conway will stay in the memory for a long time. Who'd have thought that after nearly 100 years of RL it took these two to come together to invent the 'walk around' - shame it didn't develop to be more effective than its close cousin the 'run around'!

Byrne was most famous for his wind ups. They had to retake the official team photo in his season as he had sneaked his 'pork sword' out of his shorts when no one was looking. Caught on camera and they decided it would probably be best to retake!?!?

Not sure about the record signing bit though.

Now Tracy Lazenby could do the run around