The level of success these players have achieved is incredible. They will only be truly valued by some when they have retired and we have a period without winning a trophy. I imagine the 70s side wouldn't be held in quite such high regard had we continued winning trophies in the 80s and 90s - the long period with little to no success increased their legendary status.
Players such as Sinfield, Burrow, McGuire, Jones Buchanan, Peacock, Senior, Lauitiiti will go down as legends compared with any era. Ablett and Hall should be on that list for me as well but coming through slightly later they doesn't appear to be held in quite such high regard. Leuluai and Webb won't be far off either and should Hardaker and Delaney stay at Leeds for long and in more they'll be in a similar bracket.
Bailey and Kirke will always be remembered for winning trophies.
Now all four of these wonderful players have either retired or left the club, like the other topic I hoofed, this could well be worth a read as well as a revised opinion perhaps with the benefit of time having now alapsed.
Burrow & McGuire now need to be classed in the same bracket as Sinfield and Peacock. You could arguably put JJB in there too. Hall, Watkins, and Ablett are now the leaders of the next generation i.e. Sutcliffe, Ward, Golding, Walker and Singleton.
Senior, McGuire, burrow, sinfield, peacock, Jjb, hall, are all no doubt club legends super league legends and club hall of famers. Sinfield, Peacock are/will be RL hall of fame, Morley too. McGuire is probably knocking at the door too after Saturdays iconic display.
Hall too could get there, although he is not the force he was a few years ago, but well on his way to bring the alltime Gb/England try scorer.
The success we have had over such a long period has had some interesting effects. Looking back on the 2009 comments its funny to think how memories of the likes of Senior and Ali, who back then seemed bolted on as legends has faded a little bit. One thing's for sure, back then we were tentatively comparing the players of the Golden Generation to the likes of Lewis Jones and John Holmes - today nobody can argue that in terms of achievements they have surpassed every previous generation of Leeds players.
Here is a fair question at this point. greater Leeds centre - Watkins or Senior?
Senior - 365 apps 171 tries (for leeds) 1999-2011
Watkins - 223 apps 128 tries 2007 - present
stats wise Watkins is well on course to surpass Keith for tries scored in less games but of course Keith was a wingers dream and must have had far more assists than Watkins over the course of his leeds career.
Here is a fair question at this point. greater Leeds centre - Watkins or Senior?
Senior - 365 apps 171 tries (for leeds) 1999-2011
Watkins - 223 apps 128 tries 2007 - present
stats wise Watkins is well on course to surpass Keith for tries scored in less games but of course Keith was a wingers dream and must have had far more assists than Watkins over the course of his leeds career.
Id say Senior as he dealt with a better quality of player. The likes of Newlove, Renouf, Gleeson, Lyon and Hape.
Whereas now you have Watkins running round the likes of Gelling, Percival and the new world 'hide and seek champion' Shenton.
Different types of player, Senior all power with some pace, Watkins the more technically gifted & skillful. Both great to watch in their different ways.
Senior for me by a great distance. He didn’t need to be spoonfed “good ball”. He made himself part of the action. He also brought every winger who played outside of him up a few levels
It took him a while to develop any kind of skill in setting up his winger. He was very much a biff and barge merchant early on. Also, whilst he didn't need to be 'spoonfed' he clearly enjoyed the physical side of the game, getting the ball at times when he was clearly going to get hit hard. As a result he was a far easier target than Watkins, who needs to get the ball in space. Its horses for courses. Someone mentioned Steve Renouf - you could never give him the kind of crash ball Senior got.
Anyway, there's no doubt if you were picking a team of the era, Watkins and Senior would be the centres.