How do you place a value on what a player brings to the game?
Its not just about how good they are. Its not just about what they can do on the football field. A players ability to capture the imagination of a sports fan, to generate buzz when ever someone mentions their name and to make you sit back in your chair and say “Wow” all goes into this ranking.
1. Benji Marshall – West Tigers (National Rugby League)
An excitement machine. Talk to anyone who saw his incredible effort against the Cronulla Sharks in 2005 and their face will light up. It doesn’t matter if they are 8 years old or 80, they will speak about Benji Marshall in glowing terms.
Benji Marshall is a well spoken young man you has a good head on his shoulder and who is an example for all other players to follow. On top of this, he is young, a brilliant player and someone that people turn up to see as they wonder what Benji is going to do next.
Most importantly though, Marshall has ever kid in the game trying to emulate his feats on the field. Try putting a price on that.
2. Darren Lockyer – Brisbane Broncos (National Rugby League)
The best player in the game today. Lockyer is a brilliant leader and has achieved nearly every honor in the game. Think about his value to the game of Rugby League in Queensland alone.
3. Sonny Bill Williams – Canterbury Bulldogs (National Rugby League)
He is young, good looking and a brilliant player. One of a new breed of footballers that have size, speed and skill.
Sonny Bill Williams could be here on the brilliant hits and barn storming runs alone. Big enough to play in the forward pack, fast and agile enough to play in the back. The fact that he can strike fear into the opposition as a back rower AND a centre says a lot.
But its his work off the ball, his ability to offload, his drive to win and the fact he can make an entire stadium gasp when he puts on a play that would even seem over the top on a playstation game that put him on this list.
4. Andrew Johns – Newcastle Knights (National Rugby League)
The heart and soul of the game in Newcastle. He still has the ability to dominate at every level and has few, if any, weaknesses in his game.
Andrew Johns is one of the few players that can strike fear into an opposition on pure skill alone. In 80 minutes of football he can pick apart an opposition with his kicking or passing game.
He is the ultimate on field general. A head coach in a football jersey. Few people can read the game like Andrew Johns and no one has the ability set about breaking down an opposition quite like he can.
5. Mark Gasnier – St George/Illawarra Dragons (National Rugby League)
With brilliant footwork, pace to burn and with one of the most famous names in the game today, Mark Gasnier finds himself in this list based mostly on the excitement factor alone.
Few players can make a crowd rise to their feet like Gasnier can when he gets the ball in his hands and room to work in.