The Millennium Masters - Forwards
Moving up to the engine room the two props came from different eras. Some quality to choose from here. Kel Earl and Arnie Long, Dave and Brendan Hill, Kelvin Skerrett and Jon Hamer, Huddersfield brothers Ian and Gary Van Bellen, Colin Forsyth from York, David Hobbs, who won the Lance Todd Trophy with Featherstone and today's triumvirate of McDermott, Anderson and Fielden. Finally the judges settled on big Frank Whitcombe and Jimmy Thompson. Charlie Ebbage is in no doubt as their right to be included.
"Frank was very much the 'Genial Giant'. Always had a smile on his face and could take on a whole pack on his own as the Aussies found out. In a game that is played by 'Hard Men', Jimmy Thompson was probably the hardest of his time. He was a steady influence in the pack when things were going awry and he knew when to take the ball up and take the tackle."
Hooker posed the judges with one of the most difficult decisions. So much character and quality in so many. Could it be Vic Darlison, who hooked throughout the 1940's. And what about Peter Dunn? GB star Tony Fisher had two spells at the club and then there was ''Nobby'. But when you look at everyone on that impressive list you quickly realise that it has to be 'Jimmy'. James Lowes, unwanted at Leeds, who preferred Mick Shaw, came to Bradford and within three months was the best hooker in the game. Kicking, passing, running and enthusiasm the 1997 'Man of Steel' just has everything. Jimmy Lowes is what Super League is all about.
Second Row Forwards used to come in pairs, a runner and a tackler was the ideal combination. Paul Medley, he could run! The much loved Roy Powell, 'Basil' Rathbone, Graham Joyce, International Centre Neil Fox, who was in the second row by the time he came to Odsal, Karl Fairbank, Mike Forshaw and Bernard Dwyer, the list is endless, the quality abounding. They were all possibles for one spot only, because one man's inclusion was a foregone conclusion; Trevor Foster.
Charlie Ebbage talks about his friend of 60 years.
"Trevor was thirty years ahead of his time. He was the complete athlete. Big, strong with tremendous pace, he would have been tremendous in today's game. He was like a Centre playing in the pack and he is without doubt Bradford's greatest ever player.
"To partner him we went for Jeff Grayshon. In later years, when he moved to Prop, it was sometimes easy to forget that he had plenty of pace and his handling skills were on another level. He could slip a pass under the most extreme pressure."
Loose Forward. Style and grace, Handling skills, rugby brain. The Loose Forward has to have them all. Some wonderful footballers to choose from. Ken Traill and Jack Scroby, who both ended up at Thrum Hall, Stan Fearnley who won a cup winners medal with Leeds. Bob Haigh, 'finished' when he came to Odsal but he was all class and proved them all wrong. Len Casey from Hull, John Pendlebury and Dave Heron, at the back end of his career when he came to Odsal. Super League gave us Steve McNamara and Brad Mackay but really, for all the undoubted claims of everyone else there could only be one choice; Ellery Hanley CBE!
Ellery was the greatest player of his or any other generation. Elusive, strong and with the sheer will to win, he was unbelievable. Played for Bradford and his country on the Wing, in the Centre, at Stand Off and Loose Forward and came closest of all to breaking Jack McLean's record. Put him anywhere and you got exactly the same from Ellery; Guts, determination and skill. If he was in your side, then he would have to be Captain.