Re: NZ fullback : Sun Nov 11, 2018 8:40 am  

JIMMY MAGNETS wrote:

I liked Preston was quick in open space but like others have said Offiah just had that bit extra and could weave in and out and beat people on the outside and made it look so easy as of Myers R.I.P he was a good winger but never really got the chance after we signed his mate Offiah

Myers RIP? Must have missed that.

Re: NZ fullback : Sun Nov 11, 2018 10:23 am  

Fujiman wrote:

Myers RIP? Must have missed that.

He died driving a lorry a few years back. If I recall correctly he was meant to have suffered a heart attack at the wheel. My first Challenge Cup Final was 1991 when he scored after Phil Vievers dropped the ball in the tackle bringing the ball out.

Re: NZ fullback : Sun Nov 11, 2018 11:57 am  

If ever there was anyone who could swerve round players at full speed, it's surely the Kiwis' #1 full-back, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. I have seldom (ever?) seen footwork like his.

DWZ is a pretty decent replacement, and is pretty quick, but I've never heard him described as the quickEST.

Re: NZ fullback : Sun Nov 11, 2018 12:23 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

He died driving a lorry a few years back. If I recall correctly he was meant to have suffered a heart attack at the wheel. My first Challenge Cup Final was 1991 when he scored after Phil Vievers dropped the ball in the tackle bringing the ball out.

a van it was on the thelwell, had cocaine in his system also.

Re: NZ fullback : Sun Nov 11, 2018 12:24 pm  

The_Enforcer wrote:

Offiahs raw speed was a bit over rated IMO. Yes he was very fast but it was how he could swerve around players whilst maintaining full speed that made him such a deadly finisher.

Both Andrew Ettinghausen (spelling?) and Kevin Iro ran him down multiple times in International games.

Mark Preston was rapid but didnt have that swerve that Offiah had.

My original post was that the Kiwi fullback is faster and i maintain that. I have never seen anybody cover ground as quickly as he did returning the ball last week.

happened once then Offiah skinned him the test after when Schofield put him through, Offiahs raw speed was crazy and could be seen best when he didnt have the ball and he had to chase back. Was like a blur.

Re: NZ fullback : Sun Nov 11, 2018 4:20 pm  

Pieman wrote:

a van it was on the thelwell, had cocaine in his system also.

IIRC it was a motorway bridge just before Sandbach Services. He crashed into the pillar after collapsing at the wheel.

The incident ended in further tragic circumstances. The accident caused a traffic jam where a young family of six were stopped in a car and were subsequently killed by a speeding lorry only minutes later.

Re: NZ fullback : Sun Nov 11, 2018 5:30 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoNvtByqSWI&ab_channel=widneswidnes

2:50 in

You tube has plenty of RL matches just highlighting how bad our game is at the moment .25 years ago we had loads of stars in our team and so did others. Leeds final when Offiah rounded Tait for 2 tries was a classic Leeds had some stars in their team.

Re: NZ fullback : Fri Nov 16, 2018 6:06 am  

Offiah went round players in a way I've never seen before or since - one game vs Widnes he took the ball about 20m in and literally ran around the Leeds backs on our right to score (including John Bentley, who was no slouch). I'd say it was his elusiveness at speed but also his absolute confidence in what he was doing/about to do that made him unique. Right at the tail of his career he played for London vs Leeds in the CC final 1999 (aged 33), way past his best but he scored a try and skinned our fullback with utter ease from a fair way out. What was amazing that the second he got the ball you knew it would be a try despite having to beat the winger and a well-placed fullback.

In terms of pure speed he definitely wasn't the fastest - Phil Ford caught him over a distance at headingley, and he lost that sprint challenge in Australia as well. But there was something about him that made him seem superhumanly quick.

As an aside from that 92 series there's a try scored by Steadman in that 1992 Melbourne test where he showed amazing pace as well. That 92 touring team was easily the best we've sent in the last 40 years.

Re: NZ fullback : Fri Nov 16, 2018 9:40 am  

BrisbaneRhino wrote:

Offiah went round players in a way I've never seen before or since - one game vs Widnes he took the ball about 20m in and literally ran around the Leeds backs on our right to score (including John Bentley, who was no slouch). I'd say it was his elusiveness at speed but also his absolute confidence in what he was doing/about to do that made him unique. Right at the tail of his career he played for London vs Leeds in the CC final 1999 (aged 33), way past his best but he scored a try and skinned our fullback with utter ease from a fair way out. What was amazing that the second he got the ball you knew it would be a try despite having to beat the winger and a well-placed fullback.

In terms of pure speed he definitely wasn't the fastest - Phil Ford caught him over a distance at headingley, and he lost that sprint challenge in Australia as well. But there was something about him that made him seem superhumanly quick.

As an aside from that 92 series there's a try scored by Steadman in that 1992 Melbourne test where he showed amazing pace as well. That 92 touring team was easily the best we've sent in the last 40 years.

he slipped in the aus sprint challenge at the start and Phil Ford? Offiah scored 10 tries v Leeds when he was fullback. Skinned him with utter ease.

Re: NZ fullback : Fri Nov 16, 2018 5:35 pm  

MattyB wrote:

IIRC it was a motorway bridge just before Sandbach Services. He crashed into the pillar after collapsing at the wheel.

The incident ended in further tragic circumstances. The accident caused a traffic jam where a young family of six were stopped in a car and were subsequently killed by a speeding lorry only minutes later.

Remember it was quite a big story at the time on the news, Always thought he was a good player