Knocker always used to say to me that when he was playing for that great mid 70s Cas side against Hull in his Wheldon Road days, that all the focus was always on stopping Boxall, The Cas changing room call was "We stop 'Box' we stop Hull" furthermore he said that Keith Boxall being a Hull player was one of the attractions of joining Hull.
For me, as a spectator I saw "Box" make more 30 and 40+ metre barnstorming runs after breaking a tackle and finding a gap then any 2nd row I recall. No-one even comes close in that dept.
As has been said by others "Box" played in a particularly poor era for Hull, he was an international class 2nd row who's loyalty to Hull meant more to him than chasing glory at a more successful club of that era. If he had signed for a club sitting at the top table in those days he would have been a RL legend in my opinion never mind a Hull legend. If we'd have seen Box in his pomp play for his top years in a good Hull Pack he would without doubt have been a shoe in for Hulls best ever 2nd row. The shame is we never really saw what he could have been in a Hull shirt, but his best anyway was still good enough to make the Legends Team. He still loves Hull FC today, attends the Ex-players get togethers and it it all means more to him than just his playing days. Hull FC is in his blood.

Top post, I've always said Keith was my favourite player as a kid, and you're right, that we didn't really get to see him in a top Hull side was a shame though still scored 7 tries in the 79/80 season. Would have topped over 100 tries were it not for only 4 appearances during 73/74.
As it is I'd have him in my 17 every single time, the type of forward that would make it in any era & would have busted tiring defences apart in SL, throw in loyalty and 100% endeavour and you have a very special player/person. I'm almost persuading myself to vote for him instead of Crooksy

Charlie Birdsall was another fine 2nd rower.

Lee Radford.......nah Stephen Kearnney. SL era anyway.

Shane Mc Menemy was definitely the most underrated but for me one of the best. Keith Boxhall was a favourite. Chris Chester was also a class act, played like an extra centre and made up for Yeamo's lack of passing ability.
Sammy Lloyd couldn't tackle !! Noel Cleal ?
How do we classify Steve Norton and Mick Crane ? they always played in the same team so one played second row, can't get beyond either of those two. Best back row forwards I've seen in a Hull shirt.

Shane Mc Menemy
willi manu
Stephen Kearney
grimaldi....wasn't he LF?

i'll throw the mick crane one out there for discussion - i always thought of him as a classic loose forward, it was the presence of knocker that forced him into the back row on numerous occasions. grimaldi for me was more of a 13 than a second row though he played both positions for us

Thing about Knocker and Craney is that they weren't really Second Row forwards , they were just that good at 13 that they were so hard for Arthur to leave out, especially when we had an injury they'd be right in there at 11 or 12 but they still played a ball handling game. Having such outrageous class on the bench seems crazy I know but it happened in those heady days when we were spoilt rotten, and this was before rolling interchanges so like in football today subs didn't always get much game time.

anyone one who saw terry kirchin would say he was the best ball handling second row we had, plus paul rose was somebody who would rip it up today and hard bloke to, john muggleton to, lots to choose from really

i'll sort out the proposed 6 nominees tomorrow, so if you think of any more deserving cases please speak up

Knocker is a shoe in for the loose forward position,so how can you not have mick crane in your side,for me an r/l genius,my all time favourite.

i think with all due respect to knocker and crane, there may well be another candidate for the LF

That's gonna be a tough one to call .

Not for me.

Danny Washbrook?