What about Alister Lauiti'iti Jean?

You need to communicate better with yourself Jean as I'm sure that Sir Kevin Sinfield would put Ali in there

He would pass that character test or whatever it’s called that they have so he would look like a reformed character who’s put his past behind him and all that rubbish. With Fifita, he’s talked about how he had severe depression and tried to kill himself so I think he gets away with it. Why would Barba ask to leave? He was playing very well and I imagine will have been settled.

A valid attempt to take sense with the moron, I salute you Baxendale.

Barba was skint and not getting paid while suspended, quite along time from the end of the season to 12 games (end of May) in.

Gallen didn’t get sacked when he racially abuse a player on the pitch or when he got suspended for taking performance enhancing drugs.

And of course Matt Lodge has a nrl contract.

Begrudgingly, I'd probably give it to Jamie Lyon. One of the few who went back to Australia afterwards and still played at a high level.

Lyon's about the only one in that list who NRL fans would recognise as being a star player at their peak who've gone to SL. Most NRL fans would think Barba was way below his career-best form at the Bulldogs even though he did win a GF with the Sharks.

IMO SL's problem is not getting enough players of just below that calibre at their peak - the likes of Richards etc - and there haven't been a lot of real quality older players coming over for a few years for a while either. That's purely down to economics, especially since the tax laws stopped NRL players effectively being paid tax-free for a couple of years work, and now the NRL cap making the gap between wages in SL and NRL enormous.

Not necessarily saying he is the best but I wouldnt have swapped Richard Swain for anyone else mentioned on this thread. Privilege to see that guy in the black and white.

Jason Smith wasnt bad either.

Jamie Lyon
Lesley Vainikolo
Ali Lauitiiti
Henry Paul
Robbie Paul
Matt Gidley
Trent Barrett
Stacey Jones
Steve Menzies
Joe Vagana


If he carries on as he is Barba will be in the top 5.

Regarding Henry and Robbie, Robbie actually says in his book Henry was the better player. Loved watching both of these play. Topics like these are always subjective, how can you compare Lauiti'ti, to Lyon, to Vaininkolo, to the Paul brothers. All were a joy to watch. In my own humble biased

opinion, Henry Paul is the most complete player i've personally seen. When you look some of the older footage and you see him booming a pass half way across the pitch right into the mans bread basket, i just don't see that level of passing in SL now. Imagine having NZ's two half backs play in SL now. It's not just the imports either, the British lot, the likes of Long, Sculthorpe, Mcguire, Farrell wouldn't be in SL now.

Regarding Barba, i love watching him play. I also think Holbrook has a lot to do with him playing so well. Imagine Barba playing under Cunningham

A lot of this will depend on what criteria is being used to judge. Going off last season Barba was unfit and poor so we are only talking about around a dozen games this year.

If we can call a player the greatest SL import off such a small sample of games then my vote goes to Andrew Johns.

There’s no doubting Barba’s ability, he’s right up there if not at the top with the best players in the league. As far as greatest imports go (and this is just my opinion) they should be playing at least a couple of full seasons before I’d consider awarding them that title.

That would be my list, although at a push I would be tempted to add in Shontayne Hape, I thought he was great for a good number of years at Bradford but rarely gets a mention for some reason.

IMO no player that jumped ship and swapped League for Union should get a mention. Disgraceful and unforgivable.

What a backward comment.

Then again, it's hardly suprising given it's from a fan of a club whose fans were asking on their site 'are we a big club again' after a few early season wins against poor sides.

Mods can anything be done about this poster? He constantly derails every thread he posts on and has been warned on numerous occasions about his posts. He brings nothing to this forum apart from constantly banging on about some meaningless game Widnes won 30 years ago.

Jason Smith a good shout, still behind the likes of Lyon though. How about Alfie Langer? didn't he play SOO after going back?

Obviously not in the same class but I always rated Danny Nuttley despite him playing for Cas. Would have loved him to see him inthe RW&B.

Swain at Hull was nothing short of a machine. Fantastic player.

Richie Barnett Snr for London and Hull was a very classy player.

cant believe nobody mentioned Alfie langer, the only player to play origin whist being a super league player. and a queensland legend fullstop. maybe not at his best for Warrington, but certainly a far better player than Barba.
Langer menzies Andrew johns Danny Buderos are by far and away the highest profile and best Australian players to play in Super league nobody else is held in such esteem out there.

Jason Smith was. Went back to the NRL and had a long career as well. SOO and Australian international beforehand. Probably tarnished his reputation somewhat after he finished playing though. Jamie Lyon was very good in Aus for a long time when he went back. Buderus was probably Phil Gould's love child as he always pumped him up but Cameron Smith was a far better contemporary and consistently outplayed him in SOO.

Andrew John played all of 3 games, one of which he got schooled by Paul Cooke.

With regards to the highlighted comment

Craig Fitzgibbon, Mark O'Meley, Shaun Berrigan, Matt Sing. That just form Hull

Matt King (Wire), Quentin Pongia (Wigan), Mason (hkr), Carroll (Leeds)

I'd say these would be held in the same esteem as the ones you mention.

You arer wrong on so many points.

Most important I have to inform you that the first player mentioned is in fact Andrew Johns. (You must have been thinking of the famous rugby union fly half [iBarry John[/i). Andrew Johns was a brilliant player who has never been schooled by anybody.

It can be argued all day whose been the best import across the board but as a Saints fan I feel blessed to have seen Mal Meninga, Jamie Lyon and now Ben Barba plying their trade in the red vee.

As a couple of other Hull fans have mentioned, Richard Swain was just outstanding. One of my favourite ever Hull players.

For me, the ones that stand out in no particular order and not including this season are;-

David Fairleigh, Jamie Lyon

George Carmont, Pat Richards

Ali Lauatiti, David Furner

A couple of other Saints player, they seemed to get the best out of Imports and dejected Wigan players over the years.

Post or 2 above?

Subjective nonsense! Joe Vickery.

Langer was effectively thought retired when he joined Wire. The fact he played Origin was entirely down to Queensland having virtually no options and Bennett needing something to perk the whole team up. BTW Buderus was not schooled by Cameron Smith in Smith's early days, it was very much the other way round as Buderus played in a NSW side that generally dominated Origin. Again though, by the time he joined Leeds it was seen as retirement.

What we'll never see again is short-term signings of the absolute best Aussies like we had in the 80s - Kenny, Sterling, Meninga, Lewis etc. Even if we moved back to winter rugby no stars would do it. Its a shame, it certainly brightened up RL in England, and on the flip side some of our best players got really good experience in Australia.