How about Runciman.
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How about Runciman.
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The rhetoric that often gets sprouted about Runciman is that he was only good in a few games against championship opposition when he first came.
Not true, first few games of 16 season against Hull, Hud and Wigan he was quite influential. For whatever reason the remainder of his stay here he was gash.
Confidence issues or did he just accept he wasn’t going be a top player so he lost interest in RL?
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How about Runciman.
</p> The rhetoric that often gets sprouted about Runciman is that he was only good in a few games against championship opposition when he first came. Not true, first few games of 16 season against Hull, Hud and Wigan he was quite influential. For whatever reason the remainder of his stay here he was gash. Confidence issues or did he just accept he wasn’t going be a top player so he lost interest in RL?
The problem was that he was on a decent contract after doing well in the championship, then he couldn't be arsed as no matter what he was going to get selected and never be dropped. A lot of the players from that era did the same. All down to BETTY who never knew how to develop players. Most where making the same mistakes week in week out for years and nothing was done to rectify it. Posters from the old forum know that I did not rate Paddy Flynn as he forever shot the line and wandered everywhere but BETTY never ever corrected it, in hindsight Paddy could have been a decent SL winger. That era stunk of complacency and with the players we had we should of built a strong platform and still be competing well in SL to this day. Too many to mention from the BETTY era who never fulfilled their potential.
Runciman was actually a promising player at St George, I think the cancer spread from Rule to the players. The players are not stupid when the budget keeps getting cut they knew that avoid relegation was a job well done.
Lloyd White another player who had a lot of potential and they were games were he ran the show but more often than not, he became a passenger. If Hansbury knew to catch or tackle then there’s no doubt he’d have been one of the best players in the comp.
That damned Hansbury fellow again!😅
How many other non-existent players over the years could we fashion a team from?
Steve Pickavance
Mel Asprey
Any others? (Sorry, too much time on my hands atm😆)
Hanbury's 'attempts' under the high ball and some of his token efforts at making a tackle became embarrassing in the end for a professional at the top level in UK.
May be a bit controversial for some, but Hanbury was our most exciting attacking player when he was on form and I only think he lost it under the high ball at the end of his Widnes career, for the most part I think he was one of the top players we had in the 2nd SL era....
Not necessarily for the 'potential' category but maybe for 'disappointment': James Webster?
May be a bit controversial for some, but Hanbury was our most exciting attacking player when he was on form and I only think he lost it under the high ball at the end of his Widnes career, for the most part I think he was one of the top players we had in the 2nd SL era…. Not necessarily for the ‘potential’ category but maybe for ‘disappointment’: James Webster?
I totally agree with your comments about Hanbury. For some reason, Hanbury was constantly criticised by a few fans who only seem to remember his poor performances and forget his class performances. At one game (against Warrington), I had the misfortune of sitting in front of a so called fan, who mouthed obscenities at Hanbury throughout the game. It was the one and only game my grandson attended with me and I can understand why he wouldn't come to any other games. Like the rest of the team in 2017 and 2018, players seemed to lose confidence and form and went on to the pitch in most games with a losing mentality.
With regard to players who disappointed and never reached potential. I would agree with Jimmy O'Neil (what happened to him), David Moran and Watts. I would also include Alex Gerrard and Lawton in this category, who never quite made it with Widnes.
Recently watched the Widnes v Salford 1990 Lancashire Cup final. David Smith looked a good player. Where did he go?
Unfortunately, Jimmy O'Neill and Dave Moran succumbed to serious, career injuries.
David Smith, like our prop Ashurst, just suffered from the quality of our team I think. Not sure where they went after Widnes.
Until Hanbury lost a yard of pace in his last couple of seasons with us he was fantastic. Don't forget he came in as a half back and ended up at full back. Not being a natural full back he lacked experience in defence and under the high ball. But as a modern style attacking full back he came into his own. Do you remember him taking players on, going on the outside and scoring so many long range tries? How many players in the last 20 years have we had that could do that? Happy to pay my money to see players like that.
Unfortunately, Jimmy O’Neill and Dave Moran succumbed to serious, career injuries. David Smith, like our prop Ashurst, just suffered from the quality of our team I think. Not sure where they went after Widnes.
Dave Smith played at Lancashire Lynx for a spell
Chris Ashurst was sold to Swinton during the mass clear out, he played at Portico Panthers alongside Paul Forber for a few seasons after that
Aaron 'back in two weeks' Moule
watched him go the length at a game in Melbourne v West Tigers before we signed him in early 2000's and thought he looked class
we all know what happened after that here in Widnes but there were glimpses of quality I thought
I totally agree with your comments about Hanbury. For some reason, Hanbury was constantly criticised by a few fans who only seem to remember his poor performances and forget his class performances.
Same mindset as the people who constantly, and personally, criticised Andy Currier. This is Andy Currier who won umpteen trophies, played for GB, and played in an NRL grand final. Anyone criticising Currier on a regular basis knew nothing about rugby league, simple as that.
With Hanbury, it's a little different as he wasn't a world class player like Andy and the club didnt have a trophy haul to hide the shortcomings of some players. However, the same applies. Look at what he brought to the club in his first few years - genuine attacking skill, pace and threat. There wasnt a team in SL who didnt seriously consider signing him from Widnes in those first few seasons.
I totally agree with your comments about Hanbury. For some reason, Hanbury was constantly criticised by a few fans who only seem to remember his poor performances and forget his class performances.
Same mindset as the people who constantly, and personally, criticised Andy Currier. This is Andy Currier who won umpteen trophies, played for GB, and played in an NRL grand final. Anyone criticising Currier on a regular basis knew nothing about rugby league, simple as that. With Hanbury, it’s a little different as he wasn’t a world class player like Andy and the club didnt have a trophy haul to hide the shortcomings of some players. However, the same applies. Look at what he brought to the club in his first few years – genuine attacking skill, pace and threat. There wasnt a team in SL who didnt seriously consider signing him from Widnes in those first few seasons.
The strange thing about Hanbury was that his defence and positional play never improved.I thought that when Brett Hodgson cane on board that Hanbury would be the complete FB with his defense, catching under pressure and his confidence sorted out but it got worse. Very strange occurence would love to find out what happened.
As an outsider looking in, is Ryan Ince heading towards being in this category? Last seen being shipped out on loan to Oldham having failed to even get a game at Leigh, not sure people would have predicted that a year ago.