Ok so i have decided to do an all-time team with modern day included. The way i will do it is limited to nominees, particulaly with less modern day players as since they have been chosen in other survey's no point in adding others. For example, no point adding Brett Hodgson to the list of all-time as he did not get voted in modern day team, that was Hayne.
So first cab off the rank is Fullback with only three options. Again if i missed anyone i apologise. But also have to think if they are not going to win the survey is it worth having them?
Also, please let me know if certain positions should have a survey, for example 5/8 we all know who it is so would we rather i just name the 5/8 and move on or do we want a survey for that spot? Same with Lock?
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This an extract from Parra Pete originally produced on TCT....it is recorded here just to give our members some feel of the 1960's and the emergence of Australia in the game.
The powerbase of Rugby League throughout Australia, New Zealand, England and France began to move in a different direction in the early years of the sixties.
The game had been strong in England where it was based around big, tough and skilful forwards, and where sailing close to the wind in aggression was never a problem. England had some wonderful ball players with blokes like Brian McTigue able to create openings and opportunities for smart running forwards like the very mobile Dick Huddart
The 1963 Kangaroo team created history by being the first Australian team to win the Ashes against England, on English soil.
The Poms were the bench mark of World Rugby League before that series loss – with some of the best and toughest players ever to pull on the boots in its ranks.
Blokes like Neil Fox and his bother Don, Eric Ashton, David Bolton, Alex Murphy, Vince (The Wild Bull of the Pampas) Karalius, Mike Sullivan, Rocky Turner, Dick Huddart, Ken Gowers, Billy Sayer, and Cliff Watson were in the Lions team – to name just a few – and those players would have been champions in any era.
Alex Murphy, the St Helens legend loved a stoush, but boy he could play.
Parramatta tried to sign Neil Fox to its roster, but a huge transfer fee was a stumbling block. The Eels offered Wakefield Trinity twelve thousand five hundred pounds ($25000) but it was knocked back..Lot of money in 1965…
I looked up details of the 63-64 tour just to refresh my memory.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1963–64_Kangaroo_tour_of_Great_Britai...
The Australian Kangaroos had some great players also – Kenny Thornett at fullback, Ken Irvine and Peter Dimond on the wings, Reg Gasnier and Changa Langlands in the centres, a tough pivot Earl Harrison from Gilgandra, Queensland ‘tough man”Barry Muir (a Tommy Raudonikis style half back, who replaced injured Arthur Summons in the three Tests), Johnny Raper locking the scrum, Dick Thornett and Brian Hambly in the back row, with Noel Kelly, Ian Walsh and Peter Gallagher in the engine room. It was a great series, Australia winning two Tests to one.
My typo, Pops
Should have read "average backline" which is what Parra had at the time despite great forwards. He made those guys look really good at times..
As you say, his international record was superb.
I think we are saying the same thing, he was by far Parra's best fullback.
Ken Thornett every day of the week
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