It’s very hard to pick a worst 13 from the SL era. Being able to pick the likes of Seijka, Thomas, Macani etc makes this so much easier haha. I’ll try do two teams.
SL
1.
Jamie Foster - I would have put Sykes here as he was shocking at FB for us but Foster for me pips him there. Shocking under the high ball, support play was rubbish when he played there and his last line of defence was non-exsistant. Didn’t play at FB much but when he did I thought he was poor. Platt was a contender but he had that one and half seasons there where he was class. Shad Royston also in with a shout but topped our try scoring and his support play was very good. Not a bad tackler either, just no pace. Marcus St Hilare is a strong 2nd place.
2.
Gareth Raynor - most famous moment was knocking Tomkins out. To be fair to him he came at the end of his career and was spent. Whether we didn’t see the best of him due to the team being poor, I’m not sure. Either way, he makes my worst team.
3.
Adam Henry - came to replace Keith Lulia. May as well have replaced the goal post, at least the posts are solid. Shocking attacking play and even worse defending. Good bloke though, met him vexed up in Pryzm with Dave Petersen the night before a 2015 Championship game. Bought me a ton of Maccies after haha.
4.
Toa Kohe-Love - only played 3 games? So maybe an unfair assessment. But can’t think of anybody else I actually saw. Sykes was a good centre as was Platt. No-one was as bad as Henry.
5.
Luke George - this is going to sound stupid but I can only remember two decent things he did at Odsal. He scored either an intercept or a loose ball and went the length of the field for us. And he scored a full length against us for Huddersfield. Came with a good reputation but was crap in our relegation season. Couldn’t tackle, couldn’t score. Couldn’t catch. The 2010 version of Reardon was close. As was the 2008 Tupou. However I am choosing the overall player and how they played for us and Tupou had a great 2007 and Reardon’s credentials in 2003 speak for themselves. Pryce was actually quite decent in 2012 even if he looked lazy.
6.
Kyle Briggs - this one maybe harsh as he hardly got a chance to prove himself. But again, he was the worst in a list of not bad stand offs. I’ll always remember his debut in the 2011 Magic Weekend where he played well and assisted a try with a kick. Inwas going to choose Addy but it wasn’t Addy’s fault and he hardly played with a proper half.
7.
Marc Herbert - need I say more. Disgrace to the stand off role. How he got a gig in the NRL I will never know. Should never be allowed to touch a rugby ball again haha. His best moment was in our biggest defeat ever against Salford (that highly embarassing 54-16 defeat) where he scored two tries. Lot of people put Orford here but I though onfield he was bloody brilliant for us. 4th in the league when he got injured and we tried to rush him back and played him with a busted shoulder. Southernwood was also a candidate but was nowhere near as bad as Herbert.
8.
Jamal Fakir - came with a good reputation and never lived up to it. Had one decent game against Catalans in the cup. Shame as I liked him but was never good enough for us and I’m struggling for actual bad props. Manuokafoa was close in his last year but I though he played well in his first and second year.
9.
Gareth Stanley - again a hard one as we have been blessed with great hookers in the SL era with Robbie, Jimmy, Hendo, Newton, Godwin, L’Estrange and Diskin! The only other two I could have put here is Aaron Smith (but he won the 2004 World Club Challenge and played well) or Stanley Gene and I’m sorry but this team is no place for the legend Stanley Gene.
10.
Phil Joseph - this is a difficult one because I looked into his career when we signed him and I wanted him to do well. He did have heart but unfortunately no skill, wasn’t fit and just couldn’t play. Kaufusi was a shout here but I think Joesph was a lot worse.
11.
Ian Sibbit - again we’ve been blessed with some great SR’s like Peacock, Gartner, Gilmour, Menzies, Morrison, Whitehead, Bateman. Even the lesser ones like Olbison was still solid. Sibbit gets in here just because he wasn’t mobile enough. Would have been a solid squad player in a better Bulls side but he wasn’t first team squad material for me. So unfortunately he’s in this team.
12.
Michael Worrincy - great going forward when he wanted too. But then was always suspect at dropping the ball or running into three men instead of a gap. However it is his non-existent defence which grants him a place here.
13.
Logan Swann - hard as we have had many great 13’s from McNamara, Mackay (greatest LF), Forshaw, Langley etc. Addy was a close second but he was a good ball playing LF. I didn’t mind Swann but couldn’t find anyone worse tbh.
Worst Ever:
1. Oscar Thomas
2. Iliess Macani
3. Adam Henry
4. James Mendeika
5. Johnny Campbell
6. Harry Seijka
7. Marc Herbert
8. Samir Tahraoui
9. Jean-Philippe Baile
10. Epalahame Lauaki
11. Lucas Walshaw
12. Colton Roche
13. Dave Petersen
14. Richie Mathers
15. James Davies
16. Jon Magrin
17. Vila Halafihi
18. Johnny Walker
19. Kevin Larroyer
20. Lee Smith
21. Rhys Lovegrove
22. Ben Kavanagh
23. Dan Fleming (not including this upcoming season).
24. Matt Ryan
25. Chris Ulugia (never really got a chance but never impressed).
26. Marc Herbert (not sure if I’ve mentioned him haha)
27. Rikki Sheriffe (scored a few belters to be fair)
