Fletch’s best 17

[milanja]

The fox team are being asked to put together their best 17 of the teams they have played for.

being over 100ys old, we could put together many different combos, My team is based on who I got to see from the late 80s and also who performed so well in a poor era.

who would yours be?

fletchers team.

1.Teddy
2.mini
3.harris
4.messenger
5.sing
6.fittler
7.hastings

8.salvo
9.friend
10.beetson
11.fitzgibbon
12.coote
13.ricketson

14.morely
15.brown
16.mcgahan
17.cordner

my team

1.teddy
2.mini
3.jennings
4.latrell
5.offiah
6.freddie
7.cronk

8.salvo
9.wing
10.morely
11.SBW
12.mcgahan
13.ricko

14.JWH
15.fitzy
16.Aubo
17.gillmeister

[zac]

Impossible to compare between eras, but I'd go for:

Teddy
Toops
Latrell
Hodges
Mini
Freddy
Cronk
Coote
SBW
McGahan
JWH
Friend
Artie

Wing
Morley
Tauks
Cordner

[Bruce Pickett]

Could never put Fat Hodgo in.
Love Horrie, but he's been supplanted by Cronk.
Gilmeister played well as Origin was about to near. The real Axe or his grandson, the Inflictor for me.
If Latrell had stayed and teamed with Manu to give a threepeat, they'd bypass Harris-Brass, but alas not to be, dammit. Can't believe they're both only 22.

[Random Rooster]

1. James Tedesco
2. Bill Mullins
3. Dave Brown (c)
4. John Brass
5. AnthonyMinichello

6. Brad Fittler
7. Cooper Cronk

8. Arthur Beetson (c)
9. Jake Friend
10. JWH
11. SBW
12. Boyd Cordner
13. Ron Coote

14. Kevin Hastings
15. Craig Fitzgibbon
16. Adrian Morley
17. Hugh McGahan

Theres no club that can boast a better lineup

Just a few back up players.... theres a lot more

Dally M!
Mitchell Aubusson
L.Ricketson
Ray Stehr
Ian Schubert
Andy Norval
Mark Harris
Harry Pierce
Dick Dunn
Bunny Reilly
Ferris Ashton
Kevin Junee
John Peard
Russell Fairfax
John Mayes
Kerry Boustead
Ryan Cross
And 238 first grade games and premiership winning halfback- yes folks Mitchell Pearce

[HBK]

1 Anthony Minichiello
2 Daniel Tupou
3 Dally Messenger
4 Dave Brown
5 Bill Mullins
6 Brad Fittler
7 Kevin Hastings
8 Andy Norval
9 Ron Coote
10 Sonny Bill Williams
11 Arthur Beetson (c)
12 Jake Friend
13 Ray Stehr

14 Jared Waerea-Waerea-Hargreaves
15 Adrian Morley
16 Mitchell Aubusson
17 Cooper Cronk

[SupermanSupportsEasts4Eva]

Wow this exercise was really hard. Difficult to leave out so many greats, so I picked a 30man squad instead. All immortals were an automatic pick in the starting line up, as was Freddy. The other critica to make the top 17 was that the player had to have won a comp with Easts - made it easier to slim the 30 into 17.

1. James Tedesco
2. Anthony Minichello
3. Dave Brown
4. Dally Messenger
5. Bill Mullins
6. Brad Fittler
7. Cooper Cronk
8. Ron Coote
9. Jake Friend
10. Arthur Beatson
11. Craig Fitzgibbon
12. Boyd Cordner
13. Sonnybill Williams
14. Luke Keary
15. Ray Stehr
16. Jared Warrea-hardware
17. Luke Ricketson

Coach: Jack Gibson

Assistant: Trent Robinson

Chairman: Nick Politis


Honourable Mentions

1. Russell Fairfax
2. Mark Harris
3. Mitchell Auboson
4. Dick Dunn
5. Craig Salvatori
6. Hugh McGahan
7. Craig Wing
8. John Peard
9. Adrian Morley
10. John Brass
11. Kevin Hastings
12. Daniel Topou
13. Harry Jersey Flegg

[Jacks Fur Coat]

Interesting topic. I might have a crack but will limit it to those I actually seen play, I think otherwise it's just a guess.

Three players I would find hard to leave out but haven't been mentioned:

Andrew Walker
John Ferguson
Luke Keary

[Tommy Smith]

During my time as a Roosters fan 1999-present:

1. James Tedesco
2. Daniel Tupou
3. Latrell Mitchell
4. Joey Manu
5. Anthony Minichiello
6. Brad Fittler (c)
7. Cooper Cronk
8. Jared Waerea Hargreaves
9. Jake Friend
10. Adrian Morley
11. Boyd Cordner
12. Sonny Bill Williams
13. Luke Ricketson

14. Sio Siua Taukeiaho
15. Craig Fitzgibbon
16. Mitchell Aubusson
17. Luke Keary

Not the bench mix you'd pick; so it was more about picking the most deserving players. A combination of quality and longevity. Craig Wing at his peak was an absolute superstar and would be the best hooker I've seen at the club, but Jake Friend isn't far behind and earns his spot through being a club legend. Similarly Aubo is almost a 300 gamer and a walk up start in that regard.

[HBK]

Thinking some more, we're judging old players on reputation, and there will be some form of recency bias. So how about a pre NRL and NRL era team? Freddy counts as NRL era and isn't eligible for the pre NRL era team

1 Russell Fairfax
2 Kerry Boustead
3 Dave Brown
4 Dally Messenger
5 Bill Mullins
6 Bobby Fulton
7 Kevin Hastings
8 Andy Norval
9 Ron Coote
10 Joe Pearce
11 Arthur Beetson
12 Sandy Pearce
13 Ray Stehr

14 Royce Ayliffe
15 Craig Salvatori
16 Hugh McGahan
17 John Peard

1 James Tedesco
2 Daniel Tupou
3 Michael Jennings
4 Shaun Kenny-Dowall
5 Anthony Minichiello
6 Brad Fittler
7 Cooper Cronk
8 Craig Fitzgibbon
9 Boyd Cordner
10 Sonny Bill Williams
11 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
12 Jake Friend
13 Adrian Morley

14 Sio Siua Taukeiaho
15 Jason Cayless 16 Luke Ricketson
17 Mitchell Aubusson

[Johnny Brass]

I'll have a throw at the stumps with those that I've seen.
1 Tedesco
2 Minichiello
3 Brass
4 Mitchell
5 B Mullins
6 Fittler
7 Hastings
13 Coote
12 SBW
11 Cordner
10 Beeston (C)
9 Wing
8 JWH

14 Fairfax
15 McGahan
16 Salvatori
17 Morley

[Kingbilly]

By the time they retire I think JWH and Sio Siua Taukeiaho could well be 2 of the greatest forwards ever to play for the Roosters
But hell we have had some very special ones over the years.

[Jacks Fur Coat]

1. Teddy
2. John Ferguson
3. Andrew Walker
4. Joey Manu
5. Brett Mullins
6. Freddy
7. Cronk
8. Morley
9. Wing
10. JWH
11. Beetson
12. SBW
13. Coote

14. Keary
15. SST
16. Cordner
17. Salvo

That was tough! But what a team. Couldnt leave Andrew Walker out even though not usually a centre. Toughest missed out...Mini.

[rented tracksuit]

As long as its got Fitzy, Moz, Freddy and Mini in it, Im a happy man.

[Kingbilly]

While Walker was brilliant at times, I just don't think he was consistent enough

[rented tracksuit]

While Walker was brilliant at times, I just don't think he was consistent enough

Bingo. Has Friendy ever been brilliant? IMO not really but he has been very very very solid, consistent and tough for many years.