Agree with most of what you say. Do not understand your point about Murphy's build though.

Although I agree with your general point about comparing different generations, I would make the following observations.

I remember both Murphy and Karalius at the start of their careers. If that makes me older than you imagined, so be it, but then I do not know how old you imagine posters to be. I base my opinions on players I saw play and not on what I have read or what my dad told me.

Gallen would probably not be worried about Vinty but then I doubt if any of the players I picked would be worried about Gallen

The players mentioned were playing when we used to beat the Aussies.

I think it was in fact the early seventies when we last beat the Aussies.

Vinty did not look like a raging bull. He was described as "The wild bull of the Pampas" by the Australian media when he scattered the Australian pack in Australia. Alan Prescott, the captain, played on in the same series with a broken arm.

Today's players are bigger, fitter and faster than in those days but, given today's fitness regimes, I think Murphy, who I do not like as a bloke, would be just as great and I still do not know what you are talking about with regard to his build.

Great Britain last won the Ashes on July 4th 1970.

although i am not old enough to remember most of these old players that some of you have picked in your sides,i would like to add that imo garry schofield,ellery hanley and paul sculthorpe would walk into any gb side that ever existed and in any era too,they are the best 3 british players that i have ever seen without a doubt

3 Great players. But I can only use the example of time frames within my own family. The best player I have seen in a Salford shirt was Paul Charlton,but my Dad said Gus Risman was better only for Grandad to say no! James Lomas.Over a 50 year span this is almost an impossible task.

Three worthy contenders in an impossible choice.

I remember the first time I saw Sculthorpe playing for the Wire. He was only a young kid but I thought "OMG we have unearthed a world beater" Sadly in a short time he was on his way to Saints. I hate Saints

Paul Charlton would probably be my full back of choice.

I do not remember Gus Risman but remember his son, Bev Risman.

I think David Watkins was probably the best Salford player I remember.

David Watkins was a great player. Paul Charlton was world class.

I cannot argue with that

It's easy some posters to make direct comparisons with today's players as above saying a 'Gallen' would basically wipe out a Vince Karalius, however it is the impact they have among their peers that really decides how great a player is.

Whilst Gallen is a very good player he wouldn't rank in the top 20 Australian forwards over the last 50 years, maybe not even in the top 30 or 40. That's a measure of his quality, good but not a 'great'. That the likes of VK, Huddart, McTigue et al get mentioned by a lot of knowledgeable posters here is enough to convince me that they are the superior players.

at the end of the day it is safe to say that you cannot compare players from different era's,and with any proven credibility too as it's all purely conjecture based on peoples opinions of each players ability



due to the fact that any such player mentioned and that they never actually played against any other player mentioned and from a different era too,does that not make it impossible to compare these great players?



if so then that has ruined all future debates on these matters

As KnockersBump MkII says on page 8, the only real point of reference is judging players by reference to their own generation. As he said, looking at things in those terms the likes of Karalius was different class to Gallen. You also need to factor in that British Rugby League in the '50s was way, way stronger in terms of talent than now. As someone who hails from Widnes, a place that has produced some great and tough RL players and several captains of GB, no player has ever had the respect there that Vince Karalius had.