Exactly that, all super league. Just like 16 and 17.
..

The 05 semi-final performance against a very good Saints team at the time has to be one of our best?

Shane McMennemy got man of the match in that vintage performance. He was an unsung hero for us in those two years. A guy who wore our shirt with pride.

They had some great players, korkidas, Jeffries, Rooney, a young Gareth Ellis, tadulala, Domic, Solomona, Demetriu

Yeah, good team. Did a job on us that night.

That was a great day and a great team performance, apart from my ticket had fallen out of my jeans back pocket before departing our coach. Cost me for another ticket to get in.


We had a great pre-game in Gas Club, Bradley Mills and Rickys, all sadly gone now as I mentioned a few weeks ago.

I’d fancy our 16/17 team. We oozed confidence and had players at the top of their games. Great times.

One of my favourite performances was away at St Helens when we got beat in the 06 play off's before we played them again in the final.

I think they finished top and we finished second and we played them for a place in the final. It was one of our best defensive performances I've seen. It finished something like 10-8 or 12-8. That was probally Saints best ever team in the Super League era. I think Francis Meli scored a late one to win it.

We then had to beat Bradford at home to get to the final. Which we did with Washbrook starring in that game.

But that game at Saints was top class defensive rugby.

Wembley '83 is a nightmare without end for me. I have never come to terms with the defeat even 41 years on! To this day I still cannot work out how such a fantastic team could freeze so badly when it mattered the most.

As a measure to how deep the scars still remain from that day; when I was sat at Wembley in 2015 watching Leeds hammer a very sorry rovers side, all I could think about was how we should have done exactly the same to Featherstone all those years ago!

Even the victories in 16/17 haven't fully eased the pain and shock of '83. Time, for me, has not been a great healer where this match is concerned. The 82/83 side is unquestionably the best Fc team I have watched, but sadly they fell at the very final hurdle. But all things considered that team tops both the 2004-06 and 2016/17 sides.

I'll try to put the two best thirteens lined up against each other from those days. Yeaman could make both teams but I'll put him in just one side.


05/06

Briscoe

Blacklock
Whiting
Yeaman
Raynor

Cooke
Horne

Dowes
Swain
Carvell

Mcmenemy
Kearny
Radford

Vs

Shaul

Fonoa
Tuimivave
Griffin
Talanoa

Kelly
Sneyd

Taylor
Houghton
Watts

Manu
Minichello
Ellis

Time hasn't healed the pain. I can remember it like it was yesterday. Hobbs destroying us.

You've re opened the Briscoe/Tony debate with that 05/06 team

Tony didn't know his best position but Briscoe could have some good games at Full back. I'd go with Briscoe, but Tony did have a few big moments in our colours.

Best & Barnett we're a joy to watch.

Like Ratu, those players that seemed to come and go quickly.

Richard Swain vs Gareth Ellis. It's tough to call which one of those skippers would have got their team home to victory against each other. Two of our very best.

Close call, very close call here. Think I would have Ellis shading it. I've never seen an Fc player whose mere presence on the pitch seemed to lift everyone around him. Truly believe that, without him, we would still be forlornly waiting for that Wembley win.

The difference between how he influenced our team and the complete lack of leadership last Sunday is staggering.

I think the 16 final there was no stopping us, that team was on such a roll and just didn't know when they were beat. Ellis was fantastic in that 17 final against Wigan though Ellis was hunting everything that was moving. But then you've got Swain's charge down on Sinfield's drop goal for the draw. That should be mentioned in the same as Houghto's tackle 52.

Never watched that game, but I'm sure I'll find it online. It's one I want to watch to see why we lost it. I know we were champions that year.

There was rumors the team were on the p1iss the night before the game and didn't take Fev to seriously . Loosing Harkin didn't help either .

You'll find it on the horror channel.

You'll find it on the horror channel.

Wembley 83 was terrible. I was once told by a former player who played that day that we thought we were going to walk it plus half the team had been out on the pizz the night before

Wish Ratu would have stayed on. Considering he switched over to league late he got to grips with the game quickly and was unstoppable at times.

Possible the fastest winger we have had?

That was the rumour at the time.

I'd liked to have seen Ratu v Best in a race . Ratu was just a train , Once he got going , he wasnt going to be caught .
Best just cruised along , Never looked like he was going that quick .