Top 50 Super League players - No 1, Keiron Cunningham
NO 1, KEIRON CUNNINGHAM: Better than all the rest. A remarkable performer whose brilliant consistency from the very start of the Super League through to the present day marks him out as a very special - dare one say, unique player. The one pity with Cunningham is that he never quite made the impact for Great Britain that he could have done because of injuries and withdrawals. For St Helens, he has never been less than immaculate in well over 300 Super League appearances as part of five title-winning Saints teams. A Man of Steel award has eluded him and yet those three words characterise his long and prodigious career. A mighty presence at hooker, he could easily have been a prop or half back - sometimes he has been all three in a game. Cunningham at his best invariably means Saints are at their best. He got to lift the Challenge Cup last year - another trophy he has won six times - as captain for the first time. James Roby has understudied the great man and St Helens will still prosper when he has gone. There will be the memories - and a bronze statue in the town of Keiron, the number one man.
Read on for the top 50 list in full ...
50 Sam Burgess
49 Steele Retchless
48 Adrian Vowles
47 Lee Gilmour
46 Terry Newton
45 Peter Gill
44 Michael Withers
43 Andrew Dunemann
42 Stanley Gene
41 David Solomona
40 Tevita Vaikona
39 David Fairleigh
38 Paul Anderson
37 Brian Carney
36 Stacey Jones
35 Jason Smith
34 Barrie McDermott
33 Bobbie Goulding
32 Gareth Ellis
31 James Roby
30 Terry O'Connor
29 Lee Briers
28 Paul Deacon
27 Tommy Martyn
26 Rob Burrow
25 Darren Albert
24 Gary Connolly
23 Shontayne Hape
22 Kevin Sinfield
21 Henry Paul
20 Stuart Fielden
19 Adrian Morley
18 Apollo Perelini
17 Jason Robinson
16 Kris Radlinski
15 Leon Pryce
14 Jamie Lyon
13 Paul Wellens
12 Iestyn Harris
11 Chris Joynt
10 James Lowes
9 Keith Senior
8 Robbie Paul
7 Paul Newlove
6 Sean Long
5 Paul Sculthorpe
4 Andy Farrell
3 Lesley Vainikolo
2 Jamie Peacock
1 KEIRON CUNNINGHAM
Chris, would you care to elaborate on your bizarre comment ???
Posted by: Smitty | 1 Aug 2008 00:16:41
Clearly who ever made this list knows nothing about rugby league stick to what your used to commenting on rah rah games.
Ive never read such rubbish in all my days!!!
Posted by: Chris | 1 Aug 2008 00:03:05
This is a bad listof the top 50 players. how can you have players on the list who have played in super league for 2 seasons? Paul Sculthorpe hasn't played proper for 4 seasons aswel. Andy Farrell should be at number 1 for me he is a true legend closely followed by Cunningham for me them 2 are the best 2 by some way. I agree with simon that cunninghams attitude towards internationals is awful that is why i would have him at number 2.
Posted by: Lee Webster | 29 Jul 2008 11:29:28
Needs more Kiwis tbh
Posted by: Duncan | 29 Jul 2008 01:32:59
im not bothered what you think mozza has been playin super league for a few years gleeson (martin) has played for much longer and plays for england n great britain n let me remind u three against france so let me rejog ya memomry lee briers cnt make gb or england but gets a menchion .. terry o connor finished retired in league 1 is that super league ladd ... he is a mint player best forward goin but thats not superleague is it matee ......
Changing the subject THE FRANCHISE IS A **** UP and superleague is a mes where did the licence grades cum in to it then ..???
lets leave it at dat ;)
Posted by: THE WIRE BARMY ARMY | 26 Jul 2008 00:53:47
The only choice. Keiron has been recognised as the best hooker in the world game for the best part of a generation. He is SL's number one player and deserves to be recongised as such. King Keiron; RL legend
Posted by: Paul Corrigan | 24 Jul 2008 16:32:23
MY GB Top ten in no particular order
Jason Robinson
Gareth Ellis
JP
Brian Carney
Mozza
Keith Senior
Scully
Faz
Barry Mac
Lee Gilmour
Posted by: Darren Precious | 24 Jul 2008 12:17:15
Who would make a top 10 GB side in the SL era. Erm no one.
It's easy to say Long and cunningham have not played alot for GB, but no one has played well against the aussies for years. You would have to go pre super league for a consistently good GB player.
Long played well in bits , as did farrell and sculthorpe and on or two others but to be honest no one stands out. You can pick a couple who played well last year but the NZ team they played were a shadow of the team that beat the aussies in the Trinations and so you can't read much into that.
Posted by: Mark Billington | 23 Jul 2008 21:11:59
The sane choice. Cunningham has been the goliath of Super League and McDermott the midget. Sorry Mike Hunt but you are so aptly named!
Posted by: Smitty | 23 Jul 2008 20:20:04
Hmm always open to debate but at first glance seems to be a St Helens balance - think to be classed as a great player you have to do it on the international stage and as stated in the article Cunningham, Long and a few others on the list have never performed even consistently at this level, appreciate this is not the emphasis of this list but who would be the top 10 GB players of the Super League era
Posted by: Darren Precious | 23 Jul 2008 18:19:30
Clearly it should have been bazza Mac (tongue in cheek) No a good choice overall, now lets get on with other issues bored to death of this feature
Posted by: mike hunt | 23 Jul 2008 12:52:58
Having seen how Jimmy Lowe is coming on as a coach, I wonder how Kieron will do when his time comes. The hooker is now such a key part of modern RL that hooking greats may well produce some great coaches. Mind you, "hooker" is now a total misnomer for this position.
Posted by: LondonLouis | 23 Jul 2008 10:22:52
totally agree - #1 during the SL era; wish he'd been born in warrington!
Posted by: Simon, Harrogate | 22 Jul 2008 08:02:42
Cunningham is quite right SL's number one player. However, I have been disappointed with his attitude to Internationals over the years. I certainly believe he could have made all the difference for Wales in their WC qualifier with Scotland last Autumn. Even if he didn't wish to go to Aus in 08, he could have ensured his countrymen made the cut.
Posted by: Bob Salisbury | 21 Jul 2008 20:39:13
Can't argue with your choice Chris. As much as i hate him as a Saints player he is without doubt a player that oozes talent and ability.
Posted by: Martyn | 21 Jul 2008 18:21:39
I hate to say it but me and Casual Ste all thought Cunnigham would be the number 1 player.
He is still going strong in his mid 30's and could play on for another 2 years easy.
Posted by: Army Man of the Hawthorn Pub , Warrington Town | 21 Jul 2008 13:13:50
Good, can we now get on with thinking about something that actually matters like tomorrows franchise decision?
Posted by: Loiner | 21 Jul 2008 11:34:11