A simple question.. Was Edwards a great?

[slimshady]

Cant believe anyone as asked this question unless WW is Mick Ford. Played against Edwards all through senior school and without doubt he was different class, he had a great Rugby mind his work ethic was fanastic. He was brave not many players would fracture a cheekbone early in a game and play the full game. He has never forgot where he is from and I hope one day he will be back where he belongs.

And Slim for those saying he was not fast, what did you reckon when you played against him? I believe he even did a bit of schoolboy athletics too.

He was faster than me, I hardly ever got near him! I believe he did some athletics yes and he was chased by England Rugby Onion as well.

[slimshady]

Very quickly off the top of my head:

Hanley must be top

and in no particular order after that

Gregory, Miles, Kenny, Ella, plus a few more

Using the word great is something a little bit special.

Youve been drinking you say Gregory but not Edwards?? Ive got it you are Andy Gregory are'nt you, can I have your autograph?

[butt monkey]

Very quickly off the top of my head:

Hanley must be top

and in no particular order after that

Gregory, Miles, Kenny, Ella, plus a few more

Using the word great is something a little bit special.

How can you really include players with less than a full season in that list? At that time, Wigan (and other clubs too) had to wait for the end of the Australian season for their "stars" to make their temporary visits to this country. Miles was awful at his start of his career (remember his debut v stains in a Lancs Cup tie at KR?). Ella, was hardly that "impressive" (very good -yes, but to be called a "Legend" before the likes of Edwards), but like the Australians at that time, his all-round game saw him play very few representative games. Was he as good as Brett Kenny the previous season?

[Wigan Watcher]

I didnt know there was a rule that you had to play for Wigan to be a great player..

Ella's time with us was magic he scored in every game I think he played for us. Back in Oz he was known as a legend

Miles started slow but what followed was something very special, are you saying he wasnt a great or any of the players I have listed?

[Exiled Wiganer]

Edwards was not as naturally talented as a lot of players, but the reasons I think he deserves to be considered a great are -
1) that his drive and determination always made the team better. His exacting standards and will to win communicated themselves to the rest of the team. Our team today perfectly illustrates what happens if you lack players with those qualities;
2) for a period at the end of the 80s he combined knowledge of the game and drive with speed and was a fantastic 6 beside Gregory at 7;
3) as his speed went he worked on other aspects - support, organisation, kicking;
4) he played for the majority of a Wembley final with a broken jaw to defy the Wire; and
5) he was at the heart of the club year after year after year, not for a few good games like Myles (and he was laughably bad in half of his games so how he can be considered a great for us is beyond me), or even for a few years like Gregory and Hanley. Had Gregory and Hanley played for Wigan for a decade then they would merit being held a Wigan great ahead of Edwards. Better players, but they did not have the impact of Edwards.
Of the others mentioned, Ella was very good indeed but was only here a year and didn't do it when we needed it often enough for us to win either of the big cups. Kenny though was majestic genius every time (apart from once) he pulled on the shirt. I consider it a privilege to have watched him play.

[Wigan Watcher]

Edwards was not as naturally talented as a lot of players, but the reasons I think he deserves to be considered a great are -
1) that his drive and determination always made the team better. His exacting standards and will to win communicated themselves to the rest of the team. Our team today perfectly illustrates what happens if you lack players with those qualities;
2) for a period at the end of the 80s he combined knowledge of the game and drive with speed and was a fantastic 6 beside Gregory at 7;
3) as his speed went he worked on other aspects - support, organisation, kicking;
4) he played for the majority of a Wembley final with a broken jaw to defy the Wire; and
5) he was at the heart of the club year after year after year, not for a few good games like Myles (and he was laughably bad in half of his games so how he can be considered a great for us is beyond me), or even for a few years like Gregory and Hanley. Had Gregory and Hanley played for Wigan for a decade then they would merit being held a Wigan great ahead of Edwards. Better players, but they did not have the impact of Edwards.
Of the others mentioned, Ella was very good indeed but was only here a year and didn't do it when we needed it often enough for us to win either of the big cups. Kenny though was majestic genius every time (apart from once) he pulled on the shirt. I consider it a privilege to have watched him play.

Gregory and Hanley did not have the impact of Edwards
Hanley was voted the best players in the world!

Honestly that must be the statement of the year.

[Exiled Wiganer]

I was saying that, as far as their impact for Wigan was concerned because Edwards was a key member of great Wigan teams before and after those players left Wigan, as a Wigan player I consider his contribution greater. I don't think he was a better player than either of those but, for the reasons I gave he has an unanswerable case to be considered a Wigan great.
Hanley was also a great and was voted in the team of the century for Leeds and Bradford, and was considered a great by his Aussie clubs and of course for GB. He was the best British player I have ever seen. But Wigan went on to greater success after he left than when he was with us (eg Brisbane in Brisbane). Edwards was central to that.
I also played against Edwards and he was certainly faster than me (as he disappeared into the distance yet again).
He has the medals to prove he was a great for Wigan.

If the debate was who was the greatest player I have seen who happened to play for Wigan for however long or short then for mine it would be 1 Hanley 2 Kenny and 3 Jimmy Birts (sorry, I mean Farrell)

[butt monkey]

I didnt know there was a rule that you had to play for Wigan to be a great player..

Ella's time with us was magic he scored in every game I think he played for us. Back in Oz he was known as a legend

Miles started slow but what followed was something very special, are you saying he wasnt a great or any of the players I have listed?

Did I say that?
They all played for the club (unless your a troll and playing mind games).

However, Edwards was at and played to a very high standard for years at the club. The overseas you mentioned, were nothing more than "fleeting" appearances. How can you compare a "handful" of games and class the relative players as "Legends" for those 20-30 odd appearances, yet deny Edwards that status over his long and illustrious career at Wigan.

Ella was never as highly regarded as you state - his lack of regular "starts" in any representative spots cost him that. Unless your on about Mark Ella

Miles' was "special" after the opening 4-5 matches (and the signing of Offiah too ) To call him a "Legend" after only 29 matches though is also debatable.

[lucky 13]

Edwards was not as naturally talented as a lot of players, but the reasons I think he deserves to be considered a great are -
1) that his drive and determination always made the team better. His exacting standards and will to win communicated themselves to the rest of the team. Our team today perfectly illustrates what happens if you lack players with those qualities;
2) for a period at the end of the 80s he combined knowledge of the game and drive with speed and was a fantastic 6 beside Gregory at 7;
3) as his speed went he worked on other aspects - support, organisation, kicking;
4) he played for the majority of a Wembley final with a broken jaw to defy the Wire; and
5) he was at the heart of the club year after year after year, not for a few good games like Myles (and he was laughably bad in half of his games so how he can be considered a great for us is beyond me), or even for a few years like Gregory and Hanley. Had Gregory and Hanley played for Wigan for a decade then they would merit being held a Wigan great ahead of Edwards. Better players, but they did not have the impact of Edwards.
Of the others mentioned, Ella was very good indeed but was only here a year and didn't do it when we needed it often enough for us to win either of the big cups. Kenny though was majestic genius every time (apart from once) he pulled on the shirt. I consider it a privilege to have watched him play.

Gregory and Hanley did not have the impact of Edwards
Hanley was voted the best players in the world!

Honestly that must be the statement of the year.

Well that seems to sum it up then, but for me he was not!

No my friend you have won that with a bloody mile [

[fitzy]

wigan watcher what make's you say that Edwards wasn't a legend, and how do you personally define a legend?

personally I believe Edwards was a complete legend