We've got, potentially, the best pair of centres I can remember. The only problem, apart from them regularly seeing quality ball, is that neither of them appear to recognise just how good they are.

They are not in the same league as Senior, Gleeson or Connolly.

RG-Connolly and Senior were outstanding centres and to be fair Gleeson had 3 good seasons but Cudjoe and Watkins are much more dynamic and explosive than Gleeson ever was imo.
Plus both of the new lads have time on their side to improve further.

Every winger who played outside Gleeson scored tries by the bucketful.

Edit

Gleeson is one of the most over rated players ever. Don't recall more than a couple of good seasons from him. He was the equivalent of a Phil Hassan type player. Bothe Watkins and Cudjoe at this age are far superior to him.

Schofield (has there ever been a better centre) & Lydon (just a natural, gifted complete player).

Gleeson would have been run over by Inglis. Watkins handled him fairly comfortably physically, which can't be said of almost all the opponents he faces.

Watkins and Cudjoe both absolutely look the part physically - big and strong and quick. They are an absolute breath of fresh air to me. England's 1-5 are miles better than anything we've been able to put out for years (Mark Calderwood outside Lee Smith anyone?).

Watkins could become a real world class centre - its not just about him recognising how good he can be but Leeds as well. He's got size and speed but more importantly has great footwork for a big guy and looks to pass. He's got a lot to learn but he just looks a class player to me, especially with a good defender inside him.

Agree with Cudjoe taking the dummy, but its something England players as a bunch do too much of. I'm not sure why, when the best option in that situation is to smash Slater into the ground. Its the same with defence on the line not moving up. Has there ever been a time against any opposition when not moving off your line has been a good idea?

If Watkins can stay injury free and continue developing, I can see him NRL bound in a couple of seasons. Think Tomkins will make a pigs ear of his time down there and Kallum can be a back Aussies take to their hearts in the same way Moz, Burgesseseses and Ellis did for British forwards.

Senior is the best centre we have produced in at least 30 years, arguably the best player of the SL era for consistent brilliance. But he was virtually on his own. Both our current ones can be as good as him & have more natural talent, just not his belief. Gleeson had decent talent but squandered most of it through lack of application; he was very average internationally. Both are better than Gleeson now. Connolly was the best international FB we never had. A very good international centre but just remind me of his try scoring record?
Newlove had the natural ability to be the best but again lacked application, or bottle to be less polite. I probably saw nearly everyone of his international games but am struggling to remember much of it when it mattered.

In regard to class, Schofield was in a different universe to senior. I guess you never saw Schoey in his prime.

Joe Lydon wasn't a bad player either. Darryl Powell had a very good test career too.

Schofield was a better centre than Senior no doubt.

Loughlin by plenty

Schofield had the advantage of vision, which seemed to put him about two moves in front of everyone else.
I can't count the number of times he seemed to produce that X Factor moment, which I could not have predicted as a spectator, to apparently produce something from nothing. You can't coach that kind of natural talent.

The others we have discussed did not possess that rarest of gifts, found in the true footballers of the game.

I think the problem with trying to compare Senior and Schofield is that Senior had a long long career playing many games at the highest level. Schofield career wasn’t quite as long bust still a decent length but he aged very quickly in those last few years, and ended up a shadow of his former self playing in a different position.

It would be like asking who was the better fullback Brett Hodgeson or Iestyn Harris

Senior is easily the best centre of the super league era. Not sure about last 30 years though. Schofield and Hanley both started in the centre and where both better, Lydon was pretty good as well, but was a better fullback and should have played more there and he may have been the best fullbacks he game ever had.
Senior is way better than newlove and Connelly though,(without being disrespectfull of those two)

I suggest those too young to remember Schoey as a centre, or like me were quite young and want a re-cap, there's lots of good stuff on a certain video-sharing site. Exceptional player. More than reasonable 'tache too.

The difference between Hanley and Senior in this debate is that I don't think Hanley really earned his reputation as a centre. He was a 6 or 13 really. Mainly 13 for me.

My point was, though, while we can argue about the place of players like Slater, Inglis, Thurston and Smith in the pantheon of all time greats, it's been a fair while since we've produced anyone who will even be part of that discussion in years to come.

Looked at another way. If I were to select a world 13 for the 25-26 years I've been watching (I try not to dabble too much in rating players I never actually saw) I only end up with 3 Brits in it. I don't think any of them played any international RL in this millennium.

More to the point, none of the current crop even crossed my mind seriously to consider. The last who did was probably Sculthorpe, although he ends up well, well behind the likes of Hanley and Fittler.

Slater
Ettingshausen
Schofield
Meninga
Offiah

Lockyer
Johns

Webcke
Smith
Wiki
Tallis
Clyde
Hanley

I had lots of debates with myself. For instance, I can see people's point if they wanted SBW in there, but I've picked on actual achievement, not just potential, particularly in the international game. Anyway, Tallis would have mauled SBW and probably eaten him.

I would have had Laurie Daley before Schofield, Meninga, or Lockyer.

Fair enough. I thought about it.

Lots of debates like that. None of them involving English players.

I'd go with...

Slater
Sailor
Inglis
Maninga
Tuquiri
Lockyer
Johns
Webcke
Buderus
Wiki
SBW
Ali
Hanley

They were "different centres". Schofield, for all his world class displays there, was truly awful defensively. In fact, his defence consisted of "let try and intercept rather than tackle". He wasn't overly prolific at feeding his winger either.

Senior is vastly under rated by British fans. Gleeson always seemed to play very well in internationals. They were a good pairing.

But I see something special in Watkins. Comparing the full careers of retired internationals with a lad of his age isn't exactly equitable however I see no reason why he won't be something very special by the time he is done.

That's an impressive looking side. But would put Wally in at six ahead of anyone, and Tallis would have killed sbw.

Interesting to see no love for Brad Fittler, who for me would be ahead of both Daley and Lockyer. An inspirational player, much in the Peacock mould in the way he could drag teams to victory.

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