My Ultimate Team: Daryl Powell names his best 1-13 including Castleford Tigers duo
Wakefield Trinity coach Daryl Powell is the next guest on Love Rugby League’s My Ultimate Team feature, selecting the greatest 1-13 of players he’s played with or coached with.
One of the finest players of his generation, Powell enjoyed a long and successful career as a player with the likes of Sheffield Eagles, Balmain and Leeds Rhinos.
He has also coached the Rhinos, as well as stints with the likes of Warrington Wolves, Castleford Tigers and Featherstone Rovers. And with so much experience in the game, Powell’s all-star team is, as you’d expect, full of legends..
1. Garry Jack (Balmain)
I played with some great fullbacks – and coached some good ones too, but Garry is an iconic one that stands out for me. I played with him at Sheffield too: which wasn’t quite as good! But I saw him do some things I’ve never seen any player do.
I once saw him get two teeth knocked out, blood coming out of his mouth.. and he picked the teeth up off the floor, give them to the physio and tell him he’d want those putting back in later, then just carry on with the game. That was for Balmain against North Sydney.
2. Martin Offiah (Great Britain)
It has to be Martin for one of the wings. He was so quick, if he got away there was no catching him. I roomed with him once and I’ve got some stories I’ll save for another day!
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3. Paul Newlove (Great Britain)
Paul was absolutely unbelievable. A really special player. That left-foot step was devastating. I played against him and with him and he was a freakish talent to be honest.
4. Keith Senior (Sheffield Eagles)
I’m really split for my second centre. Gary Connolly was outstanding but I will go for Keith. You used to get up from tackling him and you had to check that everything was still in place! He was a superstar for so many years.
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5. Paul Eastwood (Great Britain)
This might surprise a few people, this one. I played with Paul for Great Britain and Barney was a phenomenal goal-kicker. But we had a pretty good combination on our edge and I ended up putting him over for a fair few tries. I really enjoyed playing with him, he was a top-class winger of his time. I thought he was outstanding.
6. Garry Schofield (Great Britain)
I played with Garry for years and he used to really annoy me! But he was a really, really good player so he has to get the nod at six, I think.
7. Rob Burrow (Leeds Rhinos)
I can’t not include Rob. He was wonderful, how fast he was as a player, he was a phenomenal talent. I saw him at scholarship level and thought he was a bit small but he fizzed around the field. What a joy to work with.
8. Karl Harrison (Great Britain)
Props are tough. I played with some great forwards but Karl definitely gets the nod for me. When we played against Australia and they had a brilliant pack, we never lost anything in comparison. They were so tough, those boys, but Karl stood up to them every single time.
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9. Paul McShane (Castleford Tigers)
It’s Macca for me. I just think he can run a game on his own, Macca – I loved coaching him. Some of the things he’s done have been outstanding. He’s been such a great servant for Castleford and I really enjoyed coaching him.
10. Grant Millington (Castleford Tigers)
Another player I coached at Castleford, Grant has to be in. I’d probably have him at 13 in any other team but given who I’m putting there, I’ll move Millo to prop. I picked him at six a few times, to be fair! Some of the things he did were astonishing.
I loved what he could do for the team and the things he’d be able to produce.
11. Andy Farrell (Great Britain)
Andy is my first back-rower. He was a generational talent and the way it’s going now, he looks like he’ll be a generational coach, too. He could do anything – like Millo, you could play him at six.
12. Adrian Morley (Leeds Rhinos)
I would have left Adrian at back-row if I’d coached him because I thought he was so damaging. If you had to tackle him on that edge, you were in big trouble. To be fair, he did pretty well as a middle too, didn’t he!
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13. Ellery Hanley (Great Britain)
The last one needs no explanation, surely. One of the greatest of all-time.
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