Is Locky better than Lewis?
- Thread starter Charmamba
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OXY-351
NRL Player
- Oct 1, 2008
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Re: Is Locky better then Lewis
How many people on here were actually old to enough to remember Wally Lewis during his prime playing days though? As Coxy has suggested, I don't think the Broncos or Gold Coast were those days, so we're probably talking mid 80s. I'm not talking about seeing highlights of how good he was, but actually sitting down and watching full games.
Game was a lot different back then to todays game, so it would be hard to compare players from different eras even if you could remember them playing.
I dunno though. It's a hard one. I'd be happy to call them equal.
How many people on here were actually old to enough to remember Wally Lewis during his prime playing days though? As Coxy has suggested, I don't think the Broncos or Gold Coast were those days, so we're probably talking mid 80s. I'm not talking about seeing highlights of how good he was, but actually sitting down and watching full games.
Game was a lot different back then to todays game, so it would be hard to compare players from different eras even if you could remember them playing.
I dunno though. It's a hard one. I'd be happy to call them equal.
Re: Is Locky better then Lewis?
I have seen both play a lot. However I will not be drawn into a definitive opinion one way or the other as I do not believe it is possible to compare players of different eras. Who knows how good Wally would have been had he played in an era of full professionalism, full time training, specialist coaches etc etc etc. Also who knows if Lockyer would have been as good had he not had the aforementioned? Plus they both have such different strengths and weaknesses (also probably in part to the style of the play in their respective eras) It is a worthless arguement IMO. All I will say is that I feel very privledged to have been able to see 2 such greats ply their trade on a footy field and even moreso that they both played for teams I support/ed.
*And yes I know this could be seen as a cop-out but it is 100% the way I feel.
I have seen both play a lot. However I will not be drawn into a definitive opinion one way or the other as I do not believe it is possible to compare players of different eras. Who knows how good Wally would have been had he played in an era of full professionalism, full time training, specialist coaches etc etc etc. Also who knows if Lockyer would have been as good had he not had the aforementioned? Plus they both have such different strengths and weaknesses (also probably in part to the style of the play in their respective eras) It is a worthless arguement IMO. All I will say is that I feel very privledged to have been able to see 2 such greats ply their trade on a footy field and even moreso that they both played for teams I support/ed.
*And yes I know this could be seen as a cop-out but it is 100% the way I feel.
SSS
NYC Player
- Mar 11, 2008
- 163
- 20
Re: Is Locky better then Lewis?
Who is the best player? Very hard one to call, guess we just need to be thankful that these two amazing footballers both played for Qld and the Broncos.
If the question was...Which player was better for the Broncos? Then that would simply be Lockyer.
Talking about a statue of Locky...Was the Wally statue organised by the Broncos or the QRL???
Who is the best player? Very hard one to call, guess we just need to be thankful that these two amazing footballers both played for Qld and the Broncos.
If the question was...Which player was better for the Broncos? Then that would simply be Lockyer.
Talking about a statue of Locky...Was the Wally statue organised by the Broncos or the QRL???
Re: Is Locky better then Lewis?
Well SSS when you ask which player was better for the Broncos - you need to define your parameters. I would argue Lewis was the best for the Broncos because without his signature we would not have got Miles, Langer, Dowling, Concescu and a number of other players - all of whom were set to sign with other clubs either remaining in the Qld Competition or moving to Sydney, until Wally signed with the Broncos. In fact Wally himself was extremely close to signing with a Sydney based club for 1988 - that would have been a big kick in the guts for the Broncos before they even started. He gave the club much needed credibility and ensured a platform of success from the very first. Without Wally, the Broncos could very easily have been similar to the Cowboys (who let's face it have really struggled for the most part of their lifetime and battled for many many years to be considered seriously), the early incarnations of the Gold Coast teams, or the Crushers.
Yes on-field Lockyer has probably put in more top-notch performances than Wally, but Wally was at the back end of his career (about where Locky is now) when the Broncos first came into being.
Well SSS when you ask which player was better for the Broncos - you need to define your parameters. I would argue Lewis was the best for the Broncos because without his signature we would not have got Miles, Langer, Dowling, Concescu and a number of other players - all of whom were set to sign with other clubs either remaining in the Qld Competition or moving to Sydney, until Wally signed with the Broncos. In fact Wally himself was extremely close to signing with a Sydney based club for 1988 - that would have been a big kick in the guts for the Broncos before they even started. He gave the club much needed credibility and ensured a platform of success from the very first. Without Wally, the Broncos could very easily have been similar to the Cowboys (who let's face it have really struggled for the most part of their lifetime and battled for many many years to be considered seriously), the early incarnations of the Gold Coast teams, or the Crushers.
Yes on-field Lockyer has probably put in more top-notch performances than Wally, but Wally was at the back end of his career (about where Locky is now) when the Broncos first came into being.
- Mar 4, 2008
- 10,553
- 5,390
Re: Is Locky better then Lewis?
never really saw lewis play.
Im biased as hell as well, so to me Langer and Lockyer are the 2 best players I have ever seen.
never really saw lewis play.
Im biased as hell as well, so to me Langer and Lockyer are the 2 best players I have ever seen.
lynx000
State of Origin Rep
- Jul 28, 2008
- 6,590
- 8,811
Re: Is Locky better then Lewis?
I watched Lewis play from a 17 year old and saw most of the matches he played. I have also followed Locky's career closely over his career. Lewis and Lockyer I rank equal in terms of their vision and being able to see the play a couple of plays ahead. I agree with an earlier poster that Lewis was a far better defender than Lockyer and he did have a bit more of a physical presence. Lockyer was a far superior ball runner than Lewis, Lewis slightly better as a ballplayer.
Kicking game I think Lewis is probably just on top. Locky is a far better athlete than Lewis ever was. In terms of leadership I think Wally is marginally ahead of Locky but not by much (if at all). The capacity to turn games and pull the game out of the fire at the last minute I would rank them even. Lewis dominated in the Brisbane competition in the 80's, but it was a weaker competition than the Sydney comp at the same time. Locky has played his entire career in the toughest competition and pretty much dominated. I agree with Coxy that we never really saw the best of Lewis in the Sydney comp. Lewis was probably more dominant at Origin level and Locky more dominant at International level. Locky has been able to dominate the best competition in the world in two different positions, Lewis dominated in one. At the end of their respective careers (that is the last few years of their careers) I would rank Locky a far better player than Lewis. Lewis seemed to go off more towards the end of his career, I think because he was not a natural athlete and his training discipline was never as good as Locky.
Weighing all of that up, it is hard to avoid a conclusion that they are probably about equal. With all due respect to Ginger Balls, I think they are both above Johns.
I never saw enough of Fulton play (or really saw Langlands, Gasnier Raper etc) to say they are the best ever, but in the last 30 years, I would definitely say they are.
I watched Lewis play from a 17 year old and saw most of the matches he played. I have also followed Locky's career closely over his career. Lewis and Lockyer I rank equal in terms of their vision and being able to see the play a couple of plays ahead. I agree with an earlier poster that Lewis was a far better defender than Lockyer and he did have a bit more of a physical presence. Lockyer was a far superior ball runner than Lewis, Lewis slightly better as a ballplayer.
Kicking game I think Lewis is probably just on top. Locky is a far better athlete than Lewis ever was. In terms of leadership I think Wally is marginally ahead of Locky but not by much (if at all). The capacity to turn games and pull the game out of the fire at the last minute I would rank them even. Lewis dominated in the Brisbane competition in the 80's, but it was a weaker competition than the Sydney comp at the same time. Locky has played his entire career in the toughest competition and pretty much dominated. I agree with Coxy that we never really saw the best of Lewis in the Sydney comp. Lewis was probably more dominant at Origin level and Locky more dominant at International level. Locky has been able to dominate the best competition in the world in two different positions, Lewis dominated in one. At the end of their respective careers (that is the last few years of their careers) I would rank Locky a far better player than Lewis. Lewis seemed to go off more towards the end of his career, I think because he was not a natural athlete and his training discipline was never as good as Locky.
Weighing all of that up, it is hard to avoid a conclusion that they are probably about equal. With all due respect to Ginger Balls, I think they are both above Johns.
I never saw enough of Fulton play (or really saw Langlands, Gasnier Raper etc) to say they are the best ever, but in the last 30 years, I would definitely say they are.
Re: Is Locky better then Lewis?
Oh dear, I can't believe there are so many numbnutz on here even remotely suggesting Lockyer can be compared to Lewis in terms of their playing ability. The only thing Locky has over Lewis is that off the field, he is a much nicer, humble guy. Lewis was, in his heyday, an absolutely arrogant, stuck up tool.
So again, summing up, for those peeps saying Lockyer is number 1, stop acting like spastics!
Oh dear, I can't believe there are so many numbnutz on here even remotely suggesting Lockyer can be compared to Lewis in terms of their playing ability. The only thing Locky has over Lewis is that off the field, he is a much nicer, humble guy. Lewis was, in his heyday, an absolutely arrogant, stuck up tool.
So again, summing up, for those peeps saying Lockyer is number 1, stop acting like spastics!
- Mar 5, 2008
- 9,600
- 1,305
Re: Is Locky better then Lewis?
Bit silly to compare them really. Langer and Lockyer have been the best I have ever seen. If I was born 10 years earlier I'm sure Lewis would have been the best I've seen.
Bit silly to compare them really. Langer and Lockyer have been the best I have ever seen. If I was born 10 years earlier I'm sure Lewis would have been the best I've seen.
- Feb 27, 2010
- 29,672
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Re: Is Locky better then Lewis?
I profoundly dislike Lewis for his arrogance and undisguised bias against the Broncos, while I admire Locky for his leadership and attitude on and off the field, but as others have already said it, it's impossible to compare players from different era's.
Would Lewis be capable of the same performance in today's age? I don't know. Would Locky have gone as far in the 80's as now? Idem ditto.
The only fact available is that sports performances keep improving with time with new science and technology, while full professionalism also weighs in, which probably gives Locky an advantage.
As for a statue, Wally deserves his thorughly for what he did for QLD. Lockyer deserves one for what he did AND DOES for the Broncos!
I profoundly dislike Lewis for his arrogance and undisguised bias against the Broncos, while I admire Locky for his leadership and attitude on and off the field, but as others have already said it, it's impossible to compare players from different era's.
Would Lewis be capable of the same performance in today's age? I don't know. Would Locky have gone as far in the 80's as now? Idem ditto.
The only fact available is that sports performances keep improving with time with new science and technology, while full professionalism also weighs in, which probably gives Locky an advantage.
As for a statue, Wally deserves his thorughly for what he did for QLD. Lockyer deserves one for what he did AND DOES for the Broncos!
- Mar 5, 2008
- 30,142
- 19,144
Re: Is Locky better then Lewis?
Than.
Than.
