Best set of Wigan backs?

Discuss all things Wigan Warriors. Comments and opinions on all aspects of the club's performance are welcome.
Exiled Wiganer
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Joined: Wed Mar 02, 2005 1:18 pm

Re: Best set of Wigan backs?

Post by Exiled Wiganer »

CheshireWarrior wrote: Sun Jan 29, 2023 7:22 am 1. Ashton, 2. Calderwood, 3. McAvoy, 4. Vaealiki, 5. Richards, 6. Orr, 7. Dobson......don't get better than the 06 'survival squad'......cometh the hour! 💪🏻
😭😭😭
Wintergreen
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Joined: Wed May 20, 2015 2:13 pm

Re: Best set of Wigan backs?

Post by Wintergreen »

Sutty wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 10:35 pm I was just watching a video of us from 1994 and we had

Radlinski
Offiah
Connolly
Tuigamala
Robinson
Paul
Edwards

As our backs. I can't remember seeing a full set of backs that were so brilliant, certainly not since I first started watching Wigan in 1986. Yes, we've had other players of a similar calibre, but not all at the same time. I feel genuinely privileged to have seen some of the rugby that we played back then.
In terms of footballing ability that team, not just the backs would wipe the floor with any English Team before or after.

Any team before the late 80's would be totally destroyed by a modern team. The backs of a modern side are stronger than the forwards previously and the fitness levels are night and day.
Gerrumonside
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Joined: Tue Mar 19, 2019 2:58 pm

Re: Best set of Wigan backs?

Post by Gerrumonside »

Those really were the days with the likes of Steve Hampton, Joe Lyndon, Dean Bell & Franco Bottica just before those mentioned above…
morley pie eater
Posts: 3219
Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 2:01 pm

Re: Best set of Wigan backs?

Post by morley pie eater »

Wintergreen wrote: Sun Jan 29, 2023 1:22 pm
Sutty wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 10:35 pm I was just watching a video of us from 1994 and we had

Radlinski
Offiah
Connolly
Tuigamala
Robinson
Paul
Edwards

As our backs. I can't remember seeing a full set of backs that were so brilliant, certainly not since I first started watching Wigan in 1986. Yes, we've had other players of a similar calibre, but not all at the same time. I feel genuinely privileged to have seen some of the rugby that we played back then.
In terms of footballing ability that team, not just the backs would wipe the floor with any English Team before or after.

Any team before the late 80's would be totally destroyed by a modern team. The backs of a modern side are stronger than the forwards previously and the fitness levels are night and day.
You're obviously right about fitness and strength from full-time training, conditioning, diet etc.

But surely the point of comparing teams of the past is to look at the skills of players in the context of the era they played in? Would Billy B have stood out in any other era? You bet he would!!!

Here's a controversial thought: How good would our all-conquering team of 85-95 have looked if they hadn't been full-timers playing part-timers?

The truth is that we don't know. Everybody can have an opinion, but there are no definitive answers because it didn't happen. Equally we'll never see Billy B or Brian McTigue against Tommy Makinson or Alex Walmesley.

(Sits back and waits for the flak.)
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Fizz Bomb
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Joined: Sun Dec 13, 2020 1:55 pm

Re: Best set of Wigan backs?

Post by Fizz Bomb »

These backs were from 1959 —60. I would have liked to pick Alan Davis and Frank Carlton but they were just a little later.

1:- Fred. Griffiths

2:- Billy Boston

3:- Eric Ashton, mainly because he dominated the position but l think Billy B would have made any centre look good. Still l was very young ( about 10 at the time )

4:- Keith Holdeni

5:- Mick. Sullivan.
but moved to 6 to keep Murphy quiet when playing Sentelenz

6. David Bolton. but moved to 5 till Murphy got carried or send off along with Sullivan ( see above )

7. Rees. Thomas

Morley Pie Eater is right you can only judge players in the time they played and not compare them to modern full time professionals. They would have benefited from a full time environment

May not have been the most skilful unit but posed a threat across the field
We have the history Sentelins wish they had
PJC
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Re: Best set of Wigan backs?

Post by PJC »

The team of 88-95 were rugby entertainers. Fitness , strength and tactical awareness have all increased. You couldn’t and shouldn’t decrease those. However natural flair has suffered. To me it’s a problem with today’s game. How does off the cuff flair come back.
morley pie eater
Posts: 3219
Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 2:01 pm

Re: Best set of Wigan backs?

Post by morley pie eater »

Fizz Bomb wrote: Sun Jan 29, 2023 3:35 pm These backs were from 1959 —60. I would have liked to pick Alan Davis and Frank Carlton but they were just a little later.

1:- Fred. Griffiths

2:- Billy Boston

3:- Eric Ashton, mainly because he dominated the position but l think Billy B would have made any centre look good. Still l was very young ( about 10 at the time )

4:- Keith Holdeni

5:- Mick. Sullivan.
but moved to 6 to keep Murphy quiet when playing Sentelenz

6. David Bolton. but moved to 5 till Murphy got carried or send off along with Sullivan ( see above )

7. Rees. Thomas

Morley Pie Eater is right you can only judge players in the time they played and not compare them to modern full time professionals. They would have benefited from a full time environment

May not have been the most skilful unit but posed a threat across the field
I saw Frank Carlton an odd time or two, but never saw Punchy Griffiths or Rees Thomas. My Dad wouldn't let me go until I was 12, so my first match was in 63-64.

I think Dave Bolton left at the end of that season and he played mainly at full-back in the games I saw, before we signed Ray Ashby from Liverpool City Shillinglaw was another I didn't see more than a couple of times.
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Sutty
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Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2005 1:37 pm

Re: Best set of Wigan backs?

Post by Sutty »

PJC wrote: Sun Jan 29, 2023 4:08 pm The team of 88-95 were rugby entertainers. Fitness , strength and tactical awareness have all increased. You couldn’t and shouldn’t decrease those. However natural flair has suffered. To me it’s a problem with today’s game. How does off the cuff flair come back.
If you watch the Lee Briers podcast, that's something that he was bringing into the club last year, he was talking about how they encouraged the players to play what's in front of them and try different things and if it doesn't work, try something else. It was an excellent episode and really showed him in a new light.

https://youtu.be/Nj4zJMRaHpI


PJC
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Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2021 1:38 pm

Re: Best set of Wigan backs?

Post by PJC »

Thanks Sutty I will listen to it. I think we’ll miss him
Sutty
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Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2005 1:37 pm

Re: Best set of Wigan backs?

Post by Sutty »

Yep, I totally agree with you. If someone had told me 10 years ago that I'd be gutted about Lee going to Australia I'd have laughed at them :lol: :lol:


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