Martin Offiah - Fastest Player? : Sat Aug 01, 2020 10:45 pm  

Can anyone remember Offiah having a race against another player (possibly an Australian) at Central Park?

Pretty sure the other player beat him too but does anyone remember the name of the player?

Re: Martin Offiah - Fastest Player? : Sun Aug 02, 2020 4:51 am  

Lee oulderyn something like that, offiah slipped at the start and was in Sydney, offiah skinned him in the game though, it’s on YouTube somewhere

Re: Martin Offiah - Fastest Player? : Sun Aug 02, 2020 6:38 am  

By far the fastest winger, I have ever seen in all the time I have supported the game.

Never understood why Wigan never signed him ahead of Widnes after seeing him playing for Rosslyn Park in the Rugby Union "Middlesex Sevens" on television. I said to my Wife that he would be a sensation in Rugby League and Coach Doug Laughton evidently said the same as he was signed by Widnes within a week or so.

As a result of not signing him straight away, the club ended up paying £100,000 in a transfer fee to Widnes to secure him playing for Wigan.

The try he scored against Leeds in the 1994 Challenge Cup Final when he collected the ball near in his own twenty meter area, raced downfield and then turned full back Alan Tait inside out will live forever in my memory.

Even though he is from a Union background and now lives back in the London area, he is still described on television as a Rugby League player.

Re: Martin Offiah - Fastest Player? : Sun Aug 02, 2020 6:48 am  

Ruddy Duck wrote:

By far the fastest winger, I have ever seen in all the time I have supported the game.

Never understood why Wigan never signed him ahead of Widnes after seeing him playing for Rosslyn Park in the Rugby Union "Middlesex Sevens" on television. I said to my Wife that he would be a sensation in Rugby League and Coach Doug Laughton evidently said the same as he was signed by Widnes within a week or so.

As a result of not signing him straight away, the club ended up paying £100,000 in a transfer fee to Widnes to secure him playing for Wigan.

I’ll think you’ll find we had to pay around £440k for him

Re: Martin Offiah - Fastest Player? : Sun Aug 02, 2020 7:10 am  

I seemed to remember a french player around the time of Offiah as well who was supposed to be faster. Claude Servant I think but can’t remember who he played for. Anyone?

Re: Martin Offiah - Fastest Player? : Sun Aug 02, 2020 7:45 am  

Fujiman wrote:

I seemed to remember a french player around the time of Offiah as well who was supposed to be faster. Claude Servant I think but can’t remember who he played for. Anyone?

Claude Sirvent played for Saint Gaudens, I remember him playing for France a few times but thats about it, he didn't appear to be anything special but i can only go off what i saw of him.

Re: Martin Offiah - Fastest Player? : Sun Aug 02, 2020 12:47 pm  

Dwain Chambers?

I think Dallas beat Oudenryn in a race too, in the 90s. Darren Albert was probably quicker than Dallas though after Dallas' hamstring injuries.

Josh Ado-Carr is ridiculously quick, can't think of anyone in SL faster than him currently.

Re: Martin Offiah - Fastest Player? : Sun Aug 02, 2020 1:18 pm  

There was a lot of money staked on Lee Oudenryan that night to win the race. Particularly by the touring party.

Re: Martin Offiah - Fastest Player? : Sun Aug 02, 2020 3:07 pm  

Wigg'n wrote:

Dwain Chambers?

Thats stretching it a bit claiming he was an rl player

Re: Martin Offiah - Fastest Player? : Sun Aug 02, 2020 10:57 pm  

hatty wrote:

I’ll think you’ll find we had to pay around £440k for him

You are indeed correct!

Memory is not what it use to be, but it may happen to yourself one day!