Lockyer, Slater and Radlinski are the three best FBs i've evey seen. However the first and last are much better all-round players but Slater does come close to making up for that with his attacking.

How come Mathew Ridge didn't make the list?

Interesting. I never rated Lockyer at fullback. If you remember it was a tactic of GB to pressurise him when he played there as he was susceptible to errors when put under pressure. I have to say his deficiencies at fullback were covered somewhat by playing in awesome sides. Under pressure he was distinctly average. You can see this to a degree with his play at SO where he always plays well behind the line.

EDIT: Thought it best to point out that when I say "didn't rate" I meant in terms of this debate. He was obviously a very good player!

Phuzzy who would you put ahead of Lockyer at full back in the last 30 years?

Didn't you make the list?

LMAO

I thought Garry Jack was a better all round fullback. Slater has the same frailties as Lockyer but is a more potent attacking threat than Lockyer was from fullback. Again, for those who didn't get the chance to see much of Lockyer at fullback, you can still see this from his play at SO. He was never blessed with the blistering pace of Slater for example, and the reason he has been so successful from SO over the years has been down to his supreme ability at organising a team; in fact rarely does he ever need to get tackled. He never had that luxury from fullback except, as I say, courtesy of the time afforded him playing in a great team. Pressurise him and he was a different player. I think it's interesting that, despite the number of great 6's Australia have had over his time, Aussie coaches preferred him at SO at International level, even when he was playing FB at club level. Having said all that, he was (and still is) an excellent player whichever position he played. Just a better stand off than fullback IMO.

How you can do a greatest full back poll without Steve Hampson I don't know.

Dave

because i had posted something about Rads and somebody else stated that Webb and Slater where better, therefore i started this poll for those 3 players and added Wellens in for a laugh, now some unscrupulous so and so has added Mathers

For the older generation Graham Eadie in his pomp was a mighty full back

You could say that about every GB player for the last 20 odd years. They'd have received far better coaching at an early age.

This poll is pretty funny though, Radlinski is on par with Wellens in the great scheme of things, club greats and that clubs fans will laud them everyone else wonders what they are going on about.

Neither are on a par with Slater, and even less so with two better full backs in Minichello and Lockyer.

Is Garry Jack the blonde haired lad who played for NSW in the mid/late 80's? Managed to get a video of the 1987 and 1988 State of Origins I think, it was a while back and he was class!

Yes he played a bit for Salford too.

Minichello is a player who's career has been ruined by injury if ever there was one. At his peak he was an immense player and if it hadn't been for the injuries he could have been looking at going down as an alltime great.

It's been a shame not sseeing more of him over the years.

Quote ="Coventry Warrior!"Is Garry Jack the blonde haired lad who played for NSW in the mid/late 80's? Managed to get a video of the 1987 and 1988 State of Origins I think, it was a while back and he was class!'" Yeah, that's the one. Golden boot winner and unchallnged as the best fullback in the world for many years. Check this out: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garry_Jack Still the best there's been for mine.

Quote ="Coventry Warrior!"Is Garry Jack the blonde haired lad who played for NSW in the mid/late 80's? Managed to get a video of the 1987 and 1988 State of Origins I think, it was a while back and he was class!'" Yeah, that's the one. Golden boot winner and unchallnged as the best fullback in the world for many years. Check this out: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garry_Jack Still the best there's been for mine.

IMO, George Fairbairn is the best fullback I've seen play for Wigan, but the best fullback I've seen play is Graeme 'Changa' Langlands.

I was just about to post the same about George Fairbain. He was the most complete fullback I have seen at Wigan.

Great attacker, great defence and a good goalkicker.
He was also a good bloke to talk to, he used to come into the Poacher in Winstanley some Thursday nights and would always have a chat.

Not much between Gary Jack and Graeme Langlands but I too would take Langlands as he was great goalkicker.

Agree, and to win 'Man of Steel' in a relegated team speaks volumes.

Before my time Rogues so I'll have to take your word for it. I know in my time watching rugby I have never seen a more 'complete' fullback than Jacks. Perhaps the only one whose attack and defense were equally brilliant, which is why I rate him higher than the likes of Slater, Lockyer etc. despite them being world class in their own right. Certainly when considering "in the last 30 years" as was asked, I have seen none better.

If you moved Tomkins to fullback, I think he could potentially rival a few of these.

Maybe a new option should be added.

Really?

Really?

Really?

In a fullback I look at defence dar more than attack, and Rads wins it hands down over any fullback I've watched. He was immense under a high ball, he could take anyone down one on one and was as brave a players as I've watched.

Billy Slater easily the best full back on that list.... catches the majority of kicks on the fly, very good defensively, and is exceptional in attack, either through support play or the odd spectacular try, is prone to the odd mistake but he takes risk and so rare mistakes are inevitable, all the fullbacks on that list made/make the odd error.

Also people are mentioning slater not being as good defensively or under the high ball, but he plays in the best league in the world, and subsequently the Aussies attackers and kickers are far better than their SL counterparts.. so its hard to judge how good certain players were when they never played regularity against the best players in the world.

How's the weather at the Stoop?