2020 marks the 21st year of the 21st century. Just over two decades is a long time in rugby league, with some calling players from the last few years the greatest crop in the sport's history.
Theย Zero Tackle are ranking the 15 best players from every position from 2000 onwards, starting today with fullbacks. Some are future immortals, premiership winners and Origin heroes, and some are nearly villains now with their careers in tatters, but left a mark on the field in their time.
Without further ado, these are the 15 greatest NRL fullbacks of the century...
15. Ben Barba
This livewire fullback will forever be remembered for THAT season in 2012, winning the Dally M as the Indigenous All Star led Canterbury to a minor premiership and their first Grand Final appearance in eight years.
Unfortunately off-field discretions saw his career fade away, however his status in the game will be solidified by his last ever NRL game, winning the maiden premiership for Cronulla in 2016, scoring a memorable try on the night as well.
14. Luke Patten
A veteran of 282 NRL games (225 of which with Canterbury), Patten was a silent achiever in an era of superstar fullbacks, however scoring 100 tries in the top grade is no easy feat.
Started at fullback in the Bulldogs' 2004 Grand Final victory over the Sydney Roosters, and while he never played for the Blues, consistency was always a major focal point of Patten's, was part of the furniture at Canterbury during his decade long stint there.
13. Clint Schifcofske
His name was hard to spell, but he certainly wasn't hard to watch. Schifcofske is best known for his time with the Canberra Raiders, playing 139 NRL games for the Green Machine.
In fact, Schifcofske picked up the Dally M Fullback of the Year in 2006, his final year in the NRL. Unlucky to never win a premiership, however he did play two games for Queensland in the early 2000's.
12. Brett Hodgson
He'll unfortunately be remembered for that pass in Origin III, his last game for New South Wales, however Hodgson was dynamic, scoring two tries for Parramatta in the 2001 Grand Final, scoring over 1,250 career points.
Crowning achievement would have to be the 2005 premiership with the Wests Tigers, picking up the Dally M Fullback of the Year that season, a career overshadowed by a single Origin brain snap.
11. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
Joins the likes of Ruben Wiki, Benji Marshall and Stacey Jones in the 'best Kiwi player of all time' debate.
Won a premiership on the wing with the Roosters in 2013, before transitioning to fullback fulltime in 2015, winning the Dally M Fullback of the Year in his first full season there. The 2018 Dally M medal will sit in his trophy case for a long time, and could be the man to deliver the Warriors their first premiership.
10. Rhys Wesser
'Rhys Lightning' was as slippery as they come, forever breaking tackles on his way to a career 129 tries, including 25 in 26 games in 2003.
Winning a title early in his career, Wesser would play 177 games in eleven seasons at the foot of the mountains, before reuniting with John Lang at South Sydney to finish a glistening career, which included a few Maroons jerseys as well.
9. Darius Boyd
Hopefully the twilight of Boyd's career won't define how he's remembered - because at his best, Boyd is one of the most dangerous players in the comp.
A veteran of over 300 games, Boyd stunningly played 23 games for the Kangaroos, and never lost one! He has had some notable highlights, the first-minute intercept of a Shaun Kenny-Dowall pass in Brisbane's 2015 prelim against the Roosters, his Clive Churchill performance in St. George Illawarra's singular premiership, and those cut passes to Corey Oates.
Won two Grand Finals, countless Origin series, a World Cup, he's simply a modern day legend.
8. Greg Inglis
The only reason GI isn't higher on this list is the fact that he only played a limited amount of his career in the number one jersey.
Fans still remember his first game at the back for Souths in 2012, steamrolling Luke Walsh to score a 40-metre stunning solo try. And the transition only got better, winning the 2013 Dally M Fullback of the Year before going on to score the best solo try in the history of the game against Brisbane in 2014, the year South Sydney broke a 43-year drought.
Paved the way for 'big' fullbacks, and close to the best physical specimen we'll see in the game. Unstoppable on his day.
7. James Tedesco
Give him a few years, and this bloke will be challenging for the top spot.
Teddy was cursed early in his career, tearing his ACL on debut for the Tigers, with the club failing to play a single finals game in his six years in the top-grade, however he did make his Origin debut whilst with the club, but it was a change of scenery that catapulted him.
Since joining the tricolours in Bondi, Tedesco has won two premierships, two series for the Blues, made his Kangaroo's debut, scored an Origin-series-winning try, and the Grand Final match winner on his way to the 2019 Dally M medal.
If he can maintain this level of productivity for the next few years, we might have a new man ruling the roost.
6. Darren Lockyer
Another low on the list because he didn't play his entire career at fullback, Lockyer was a phenomenal custodian. Similarly to Cam Smith, Lockyer has an enormous understanding of the game and his job, and can execute at a high percentage.
In his six years in the NRL era at fullback, Lockyer picked up the Dally M Fullback of the Year award three times, scored 67 tries and won two premierships. Had great pace early in his career, and had a knack of just seeing what he needed to do to win Brisbane the game, and doing it. Absolute freak and a future immortal.
5. Matt Bowen
A fan favourite, Bowen's combination with Jonathon Thurston was something else. They were on the same wavelength. Thurston puts in a grubber, a banana kick, there's about $1.07 odds of Bowen being the man to plant the ball down.
Unfortunate not to win a premiership in his career, Bowen's 'highlight moment' is undoubtedly that golden point intercept for Queensland, no one could create something from nothing like 'Mango'.
4. Anthony Minichiello
'The Count' probably would've played 400 games if it wasn't for a run of injuries that saw Mini play just 33 games in four seasons between 2006 and 2009.
The Roosters' most ever capped played with 302 games, Minichiello played in a whopping six Grand Finals, winning two premierships in the process. As safe as houses under the high ball, the fullback played 18 games for Australia between 2003 and 2005, though with four injury riddled years following that period, Mini never played for the Kangaroos again.
It's a great 'what if question', what if Minichiello never got hurt? Just before Billy Slater hit the international side, it would've been a battle for the ages to win that jersey.
3. Brett Stewart
The prince of Brookvale.
'Snake' was certainly not without controversy in his career, but when you were an opposition fan sitting in the stands and saw Brett Stewart's name on the team sheet, especially at Brookie, you got nervous.
The sixth highest try scorer of all time with 163 tries (a 0.7 tries per game average across is 233games is phenomenal), Stewart would score tries, save tries, set tries up, he did it all. Injuries cruelled him late in his career, but at his peak he was something else. Won two of his four Grand Finals, including the 40-0 win over Melbourne in 2008, had a fantastic combination with brother and Manly lock forward Glenn Stewart, Brett was a winner, and didn't he prove it.
2. Jarryd Hayne
Say what you want, but Jarryd Hayne was different. His legacy may have been tarnished from 2015 onwards, with failed NFL and Rugby 7's stints followed by an unsuccessful 18 months with the Titans and a year back with Parramatta before criminal charges pretty much ended his career.
But before 2015... Wow. We all remember the 2009 season, where he picked up the Dally M, and won a second in 2014. He carried Parramatta on his back late in that 2009 season, and did the same for the Blues in Game I, 2014, securing a much-needed first game win on enemy soil in Brisbane, and earning the state their first Origin shield in nine years.
He'd catch the ball a metre out from his line, and you'd be worried he'd go the length and score every time. He was fast, strong, agile, when he turned it on, there was no one on his level. If only he stayed in league and focused more on consistency instead of trying to go big in the NFL. Sigh.
1. Billy Slater
Who else?
Slater's 2017 may be one of the best comeback stories in rugby league. After playing eight games in two years, Slated returned early in 2017, with many saying 'Billy the Kid' should just hang the boots up. Walk away.
Slater returned, took out the Dally M Fullback of the Year gong, and won a premiership before returning to the international side and winning a World Cup. Scored a whopping 190 tries, second all-time and just 22 behind Ken Irvine. In fact, seeing as Slater only scored less than 10 tries in seasons where he played 20+ games twice, it's fair to say Slater would have surpassed Irvine in his final year.
Billy changed the way the game was played, if you've been to a live game that Billy has played in, you'll notice how much he talks from the back, setting his side's defensive structure. Doesn't drop a catch, he is everywhere on the field, and there never has been and never will be another like this future Immortal. A class of his own.
