Wigan in talks to keep Green

[butt monkey]

Rads was a great of his era for Wigan but in terms of becoming the key pivot like Sam T or even like Rocky he could not hold a candle to either and yes he did other things better / much better than they could BUT we are talking now and he would not have even been selected at FB IMO. Far more likely wing or centre.

Amazing you claim Radders would not have been able to play the extra half back role yet you also at the same time state that Ryan Hampshire can do. Hampshire cannot even get a regular first team place anywhere in this side for starters.

Now ignoring your obvious next reply that "Wane is unfair" and "Wane hasn't given him a chance" etc etc I would surmise the only reason Hampshire was originally moved to full back was it was seen as a natural progression into the side for him, rather than the best position for him to make his mark long term. For example, Had Sam Tomkins stayed and fulfilled his 5 year deal then Hampshire would have kept playing in his five-eights position would he not? Or do you think moving to a position were a team is all ready well covered is not exactly forward thinking for a player?

Btw I am not arguing over Hampshire's ability to play full back, just asking should he really be playing there?

As for Radders. I shake my head at you.

You have great knowledge and sometimes some really great ideas but also fall into the similar DaveO hated stance of "if they are sold then they were no good anyway". You are in denial and are thinking just because they did't play this "modern style" of rugby (which you yourself claim is of a very poor standard) then they wouldn't have been a success in this current team

[nathan_rugby]

I am also inclined to agree with cpwigan.

Look at the more successful fullbacks in superleague. Hardaker, Hanbury, Tomkins, Lomax, Hodgeson... All known more for their silky skills, and quick feet rather than the strength, bravery and tackling ability of past fullbacks such as Radders, Briscoe, Wellens, Withers etc

[Owd Codger]

And prop forwards are slimmer and fitter than they used to be while hookers no longer hook!

[TrueBlueWarrior]

First of all CP you make some great points about why Rads could not play FB in today's game, however I still disagree. For me and for the majority of top coaches out there including the NRL, defence still wins games and the teams with the best defence win competitions in general. Rads was a fantastic defensive FB and I would argue that he would currently be picked at FB for most if not all SL teams. He could have easily adapted his game to become more attacking like the FB's of today in my opinion, especially as you said he could have made a good centre/winger in todays game so he did have an attacking prowess.

[Wigan_forever1985]

I think its too simplistic to say "rads could not have played Fb today because modern full backs play a different game"

I would argue that he could and would be successful because he was an adaptable player.

It depends on how you view being able to play in the modern game and what that means.

Look at it this way for every try Sam Tomkins can score that Radlinksi couldn't, I could probably show you a try conceded due to a missed tackle or dropped kick that radlinksi wouldn't have.

Lets not forget also that in his prime radlinksi was known as a try scorer aswell as saver he scorer on average a try every 2 games for us in his playing career.

Now I accept that the game has changed but youre not being fair here, yes razzle dazzle skills look good but I look at these "modern" fullbacks of which you speak so highly and half of them cough up numerous tries by dropping balls and missing tackles. You have to look at the complete game and not just one facet.

Do I think radlinksi would be the best fullback in the world as he was in his day if he was playing now? no, probably not

but to say he "couldn't" play today is a disservice to him.

[Wigan_forever1985]

The most perfect example of the fullback role changing is over the hill where the once considered "best fullback in the world" struggles to make an impact and is often seen playing off the bench in a "Utility" role ......Paul Wellens.

Wellens has been moved because he has reached the end of his career and can no longer play 80mins plus his pace was an issue he was never fast but he lost even more in his latter years.

Its funny you should use him as an example considering he has actually been played a lot at "scrum half"

Lomax ( a halfback) now occupies the no1 jersey. Wellens doesn't and never will be a ball player who can pick and choose a pass like the modern fullback.

other way round lomax was always a fullback and they moved him to half back to cover the unexpected loss of eastmond.

Brett Hodgeson? He was Warrington's fullback up until last year and he started a career off as a scrum half!!

Hodgson was always slight and pretty nimble so I think with him it was always a case of he would go for as long as his body would let him[/quote]

[southportcdm]

Why doesn't somebody ask him? Seriously, Kris is a nice approachable bloke who thinks about the game and I'm sure that he'll have an opinion on how he'd fit into today's team. I'm sure that somebody who knows him could present the question in the correct way. I'd love to know what he thinks and I'd accept his valued opinion.

[Wigan_forever1985]

Why doesn't somebody ask him? Seriously, Kris is a nice approachable bloke who thinks about the game and I'm sure that he'll have an opinion on how he'd fit into today's team. I'm sure that somebody who knows him could present the question in the correct way. I'd love to know what he thinks and I'd accept his valued opinion.

Kris i would guess would say he couldn't play today, simply because he is incredibly modest and wouldn't like to speak of himself in that way.

I think you have to look at the whole picture here if someone said someone playing the role of a fullback from radders era playing that way today wouldn't be very good then I would say yes you have a point. However this is saying that Kris Radlinski couldn't of played the modern day fullback role is IMO ridiculous.

Look at Radders qualities in his prime;

1) Speed (he was quick)
2) Positional Play (faultless)
3) Defence (ridiculously good)
4) Under the Bomb (only ever saw him drop about 3 in his career)

Radders made his name by putting himself on the shoulder of offloads to finish moves as a try scorer, his support play was brilliant.

So with that in mind I fail to see with those qualities how he would not be able to play in the modern day role. The only quality he would need to do that is maybe passing and possible kicking, I don't remember radders being a shocking passer and I don't remember him kicking for us to judge.

Like I said before radlinksi could score tries we know this he proved it, ok he couldn't score "some" of the tries that Tomkins might score but like I said how many tries are conceded by Tomkins or as a result of him dropping the ball or missing a tackle? things that radlinksi wouldn't do.

If you could win a game 20-16 because of a wonderful Tomkins try for example but he dropped a ball which led to a try conceded. Would it be any less of a mark to say in the same game radders catches the ball he drops and they don't concede that try but doesn't score the try either score is say 14-10 instead. Does that mean Radders has done less to earn that win?

[Panchitta Marra]

Full backs old era, current time.
Surely most players of the calibre mentioned would have been able to adapt to the training methods and playing styles to achieve a required level.
i know its moving away from the post slightly but Tuigamala was a million miles off being a rugby league player, so was Jonathan Davies but they turned it round with hard effort and self dedication to become fantastic league players.
I couldn't imagine Rads NOT being a good full back in today's game.

[The booze hound]

Totally agree. Rads was coached and trained to play a certain way, which he became world class at. I'm sure if he was coached/trained to play the "modern" way he could. Don't forget when he was playing fullback he was playing it the modern way for that time.