Project Debut

[Mysterio]

Ps. Always thought BJ was a big head who rated himself far higher than his ability actually was. Am I wrong?

[cogito ergo sum]

I'm not sure about his own view of himself, but he was one of the best ball handling props around. Fans from the 80's and fellow players certainly rated him highly. He was a target in those days, and a Featherstone player TS broke his jaw in what most viewed as a deliberate act. He was never quite the same again, and had it broken a second time.

[The Fox]

It was absolutely deliberate - he nutted him on the floor after tackling him and stopping him getting up for a quick ptb.

[cogito ergo sum]

It was absolutely deliberate - he nutted him on the floor after tackling him and stopping him getting up for a quick ptb.

I know, I was attempting to be even-handed. The Featherstone player in question had quite a reputation for foul play.

[cogito ergo sum]

Just been researching the tackle in question. There is an interesting thread about it on RL fans in 2012 entitled "Worst Tackle Ever"

[heppy]

The worse tackle ever Dixon(halifax) on Shoebottom(leeds) which gave him brain damage

[fast hands]

The worse tackle ever Dixon(halifax) on Shoebottom(leeds) which gave him brain damage

Don't think it was a tackle, a kick to the head I believe. Shoebottom didn't deserve that, but I remember Shoebottom kicking Chuck Hardisty when he had touched down for a try and it broke Chucks' arm, when there was no reason to kick out.

[tigerfeat]

I'm not sure about his own view of himself, but he was one of the best ball handling props around. Fans from the 80's and fellow players certainly rated him highly. He was a target in those days, and a Featherstone player TS broke his jaw in what most viewed as a deliberate act. He was never quite the same again, and had it broken a second time.

I always thought he should have got a international cap he was one of best ball handling props around for a time

[lurcher]

it was a fev player who was a taxi driver

[orrsome]

I'm not sure about his own view of himself, but he was one of the best ball handling props around. Fans from the 80's and fellow players certainly rated him highly. He was a target in those days, and a Featherstone player TS broke his jaw in what most viewed as a deliberate act. He was never quite the same again, and had it broken a second time.

I always thought he should have got a international cap he was one of best ball handling props around for a time

Watched a few games on YouTube and he didn’t get involved a great deal but tried to be more of a pivot for others forwards to run the ball in. For me that’s all well and good if he would be willing to do the hard yards too - like Millo for example. Not my idea of a good forward

[tigerfeat]

You cant compare probs then to likes of milo its a different game he was man opposition tried to rattle anyway

[orrsome]

You cant compare probs then to likes of milo its a different game he was man opposition tried to rattle anyway

The comparison to Millington was only because he can distribute as well as do the hard yards. Something that BJ never tried to do.

[cogito ergo sum]

Bill Ashurst broke Chuck's arm in the act of scoring, in the cup tie 1969. Chuck returned for the semi-final.

[Mysterio]

Yes, all I ever see from Barry Johnson on old clips is him trying to look like something dead special but all he is doing is handing th ball on lol.

Was this taxi driver called trev?

[fast hands]

Bill Ashurst broke Chuck's arm in the act of scoring, in the cup tie 1969. Chuck returned for the semi-final.

I know at my age the memories get clouded but, I remember Shooie kicking Chuck, it was at Headingley, Boxing Day. I know your correct with the Ashurst incident.

[Di]

Yes, all I ever see from Barry Johnson on old clips is him trying to look like something dead special but all he is doing is handing th ball on lol.

Was this taxi driver called trev?

no Tim

[The Fox]

I'm not sure about his own view of himself, but he was one of the best ball handling props around. Fans from the 80's and fellow players certainly rated him highly. He was a target in those days, and a Featherstone player TS broke his jaw in what most viewed as a deliberate act. He was never quite the same again, and had it broken a second time.

I always thought he should have got a international cap he was one of best ball handling props around for a time

Watched a few games on YouTube and he didn’t get involved a great deal but tried to be more of a pivot for others forwards to run the ball in. For me that’s all well and good if he would be willing to do the hard yards too - like Millo for example. Not my idea of a good forward

You never got to see the famous "try" move that Cas used to do most games where BJ would go to the ptb (instead of Kev Beardmore) and would do numerous dummies and steps and then somehow find Kevin Ward at absolute full belt who invariably scored, often diving over the defenders near the line. In time they then had to adjust the move as other teams became aware of it, so they set it up exactly the same and then switched the ball out wide and usually one of the centres scored - either Gary Hyde or Tony Marchant.

But BJ was in a class of his own at that time, very few props could do what he could do, it's so different now but back then........

[orrsome]

I'm not sure about his own view of himself, but he was one of the best ball handling props around. Fans from the 80's and fellow players certainly rated him highly. He was a target in those days, and a Featherstone player TS broke his jaw in what most viewed as a deliberate act. He was never quite the same again, and had it broken a second time.

I always thought he should have got a international cap he was one of best ball handling props around for a time

Watched a few games on YouTube and he didn’t get involved a great deal but tried to be more of a pivot for others forwards to run the ball in. For me that’s all well and good if he would be willing to do the hard yards too - like Millo for example. Not my idea of a good forward

You never got to see the famous "try" move that Cas used to do most games where BJ would go to the ptb (instead of Kev Beardmore) and would do numerous dummies and steps and then somehow find Kevin Ward at absolute full belt who invariably scored, often diving over the defenders near the line. In time they then had to adjust the move as other teams became aware of it, so they set it up exactly the same and then switched the ball out wide and usually one of the centres scored - either Gary Hyde or Tony Marchant.

But BJ was in a class of his own at that time, very few props could do what he could do, it's so different now but back then........

Having a ball playing prop is obviously a good thing and I saw BJ quite a lot with his set plays, but I still think that one of the main jobs of a prop is to make the hard yards, something that he just didn’t do.

[Spanishtiger]

Different game then, 5 yards not 10 metres and teams usually kicking from within their own half. Props and hookers had to win the ball in the scrums and there were loads of them. Fullbacks had to catch and tackle, wingers had to be fast and were hardly ever faced with the high cross kicks. Halfbacks and loose made all the play.

I remember Cas losing one of the semis against hull simply because we didn't have a fit hooker and got murdered in the scrums therefore no possession. In those days there was a scrum after the sixth tackle so hull didn't kick in general play at all.

[orrsome]

Different game then, 5 yards not 10 metres and teams usually kicking from within their own half. Props and hookers had to win the ball in the scrums and there were loads of them. Fullbacks had to catch and tackle, wingers had to be fast and were hardly ever faced with the high cross kicks. Halfbacks and loose made all the play.

I remember Cas losing one of the semis against hull simply because we didn't have a fit hooker and got murdered in the scrums therefore no possession. In those days there was a scrum after the sixth tackle so hull didn't kick in general play at all.

So are you saying that one of the main jobs of a prop wasn’t to run the ball in in those days? If so that’s utter rubbish
I agree about contested scrums with props playing a major role in winning the ball but it was then and is now a prerequisite of a prop to physically take on the opposition’s forwards which BJ never did. In fact he generally played as a ball distributor only, not a prop forward. Had he been a bit quicker he would have been ideal as a hooker.