Wally Lewis Discussion

[GCBRONCO]

Wally was brilliant in 1988 and 1989 for the Broncos and was not the reason for the Broncos sacking him as captain, 1990 saw him decimated by injuries which IMO ended his career. He would have been in NSWRL competition earlier if the QRL didn't do everything they could to prevent it.

 

[Gaz]

So broncos fans who were around for both unanimously say Wally is better than Lockyer?

I wonder if I can find old games. Any suggestions what games to start with?

Without a doubt. They didn’t call him the emperor of Lang Park for nothing. Incidentally when they first placed his statue at Lang Park it was at the southern end over looking the whole field - IIRC.

 

[GCBRONCO]

 

[theshed]

Sorry for the thread hijack guys. If any mods are awake it would be awesome if you could move this to a Wally Lewis thread because I would really enjoy discussing it further.

 

[GCBRONCO]

He would be 13 if he played today I think

He played a lot of lock early on and sometimes for the Broncos.

 

[GCBRONCO]

I’m watching game 2 1991 right now. Hopefully I can find game 3 on YouTube next

Hauff had a blinder of a series in 1991

 

[FaithinHook]

A few glorious moments in this highlights package. As well as being a genius attacking-wise, Wally was also a brutal defender (complete opposite of Locky there to be honest)

He just had it all.

 

[Foordy]

imagine how good Wally could have been in the professional era of today ... instead of an era where a beer, a pie and a smoke was considered recovery

 

[rnabokov]

Check out Game 3 of the 1991 SOO. It was my first exposure to RL and I fell in love with the sport on that night.

Pretty much the same for me. I'd been out of of RL for over 20 years till i watched Wally play. Instant rekindling of my love for the sport. Typified for me everything a class RL player was about. Still one of my icons.

 

[ZTop]

A few glorious moments in this highlights package. As well as being a genius attacking-wise, Wally was also a brutal defender (complete opposite of Locky there to be honest)

He just had it all.

Awesome to watch
Can't say I really had ever watched his highlights before. So I haven't appreciated his greatness. Just was the complete package.

How good are those broncos cheerleaders uniforms though

 

[FaithinHook]

Awesome to watch
Can't say I really had ever watched his highlights before. So I haven't appreciated his greatness. Just was the complete package.

How good are those broncos cheerleaders uniforms though

I know right! Also, just watching some of those Broncos plays/tries is enough to make you weep in the context of what we have become over recent years.

 

[Highwayman]

So broncos fans who were around for both unanimously say Wally is better than Lockyer?

I wonder if I can find old games. Any suggestions what games to start with?

I was around for both (although a young kid when Wally played). Pretty hard to compare eras, tbh. If Lewis were starting out today I don't doubt he'd rise to a high stature in the game. Probably play origin. Would he be remembered as one of the all time greats? Maybe. Impossible to say. If you go watch league matches from the late 80s, the game's so different it's practically a different code.

If picking a greatest bronco of all time for me it's between Lockyer & Langer.

 

[ZTop]

I was around for both (although a young kid when Wally played). Pretty hard to compare eras, tbh. If Lewis were starting out today I don't doubt he'd rise to a high stature in the game. Probably play origin. Would he be remembered as one of the all time greats? Maybe. Impossible to say. If you go watch league matches from the late 80s, the game's so different it's practically a different code.

If picking a greatest bronco of all time for me it's between Lockyer & Langer.

One thing that stood out for me in the first 32 minute video was how good Langer was

 

[Highwayman]

One thing that stood out for me in the first 32 minute video was how good Langer was

Yeah, he was brilliant. Not saying objectively the best, but my personal all time fav player.

 

[heartly87]

I went back and watched all the greats from the 90s but I never cared to look into the Wally hype because I’ve always hated his head and dry tofty personality Obviously I’ve seen footage here and there and heard all the stories but I never did a real deep dive.

Mate when I was young bloke, just after he had retired he came up to Mackay to do a little tour with the Broncos side of that year. He was an absolute Legend to me as a young bloke of about 6 or 7. Me and the family followed them around to a bunch of local bars and training fields and every place I was yelling Wally, Wally, he remembered my name, signed my shirts and ball, never once treated me like the pest I was.

In regards to his playing I remember the1991 Origin series I would have been 4. I still remember him standing up to MG. He was good on the ball, could hit in defence and was tough. If you can find the test where he scores under the post against France from memory he cops a head high and few punches in the face on his way over, pure determination and grit. I watched as much as I can find on youtube and its worth it. There are some full leghth vids of him playing for valley and wynnum on youtube that are worth a watch also.

 

[heartly87]

 

[heartly87]

@ 1:17 you can see the French or poms giving him hell as he scores, from the looks they gouge his eyes, punch and choke the bloke. What a tough guy he was.

 

[TheGreatCornholio7]

Greatest player to ever play the game. Dont let his on camera persona fool you

Wally was a hype job and not fit to tie Langers boot laces. Also he was a grub not adverse to spitting in the face of an opponent.