All rou d, Sterlo is one of the Rugby League greats on and off the field. Was my favourite through the 80s, never got enough cred. But I think his real genius is in commentating and analysis the game. Astute and insightful, and able to convey the complexities of the game where others would just call a name, or mention a pass or tackle. Never a bad thing said about the man. Humble as. Champion👍
I don’t know why sterlo isn’t an immortal. He changed halfback far more than johns did. Before sterlo halfback was just a link from dummy half to 5/8 after sterlo it was game management, kicking, running. Sterlo changed it all. He and Alfie and johns are the greatest halfbacks ever and all 3 should be immortals.
Underrated?? No chance, quite the opposite. He was a really good player no doubt but any half would look good in that Eels side. If he didn’t maintain his profile as a commentator I doubt he would be mentioned with legends of the game. Very good player but come on
Sterlo was tough himself. In the Parrra v Dogs clashes in the 80’s the dogs would kick off straight to Sterlo and he wouldn’t pass to a forward he would run into the heart of the Dogs of War himself. Now that’s tough
Bullshit! J G I've been hearing that since I was a kid in the 70's. "By 2000, soccer will be the biggest sport, or after the Olympics." Soccer even changed its season to summer so it didn't have to compete with the other footy codes! Rugby League is only the second biggest sport behind Aussie rules! Soccer is so fuckin boring!
@J G football has gone backwards in Australia. A-League peaked around 2010-2013 and since then, interest has dwindled. It's gonna take a while for football to get back to where it was and then where it should be. Just remember, not long before Covid, the Women's T20 Big Bash rated better than the A-League. Kinda says it all in terms of how irrelevant football still is here in Australia...
Especially later in his career when Parra had lost a lot of stars and had a pretty weak pack. He got bashed every week but kept going until David Gillespie finally finished him. Tough as nails.
Sterlo is such a great interviewer and interviewee that articulates succinctly and specifically. Must admit too that tag 'Dogs of War' is one helluva name!
If anyone would know it’s Sterlo. I was impressed his list had Wally Lewis in it. I hated him growing up as a NSW supporter. But only because he was so bloody good and tough.
In fairness, Sterlo was halfback on the 1986 undefeated Kangaroos Tour, so Pete had plenty of opportunities to see how good Wally was as a leader. They worked well together actually - with Brett Kenny playing inside centre too. With either Gene Miles or Big Mal running outside centre. What a formidable backline.
I’d have to include Gordon Tallis and Geoff Toovey. Tallis was obviously a powerhouse and aggressive, Toovey probably the smallest player to ever succeed at the level he did and his mental and physical fortitude was something to behold. If Toovs was the size of Tallis I couldn’t begin to imagine the damage he woulda done.
I saw that tackle from the stands Sterlo, knew it was game over for you mate. You had a bung shoulder and Cement put you on it hard. I cheered at the time being a Wests fan but looking back on it just glad i was there for the memories.
Yeah I was there as well. As soon as Cement hit him you knew it was all over. And agree it was a great hit, we all cheered not realizing we had seen the end of a legend.
In the 80s the best games were Canterbury verses Parramatta, and as a Dogs supporter the best one was when the dogs lost. In the last 10 minutes Canterbury were within 15 feet of the try line and kept the ball going left to right then right to left, back and forth trying to get the winning try by getting through the Parra defence but all to no avail. This lasted for the whole of the 10 minutes
Off topic but one of my favourite bits of co-comments from Sterlo was in an Origin match, fights breaking out and Elias and K. Walters were having a go at each other....Pete couldn't wait to say "there's a couple of blokes who don't like each other"
Sterlo was right about King Wally,a fierce competitor, Terry Lamb and David "Cement" Gillespie. I remember when Gillespie put a good hit on St George's Nathan Brown which caused Brown to knock the ball on in a hit up. It was the 1996 Grand final Manly vs the Dragons. Another premiership medal for Cement
The toughest memory I have of Peter sterling was after he retired on the footy show when they fired a paintball gun into his stomach, fatty and the chief took 1 shot each and were in pain, sterlo let them empty the magazine and acted like it was nothing
Have you heard of Buck Shelford? Hes considered the toughest Rugby union player of all time(he also played rugby league)ironically he and Mark Graham had a charity boxing match. I think Buck won the fight but besides that two awesome legends of New Zealand rugby.
I remember reading an article on the injuries that Mark Graham suffered and it was ridiculous, he must have fractured and broke every limb , every bone, every rib. He mentioned a case where he broke his cheekbone and air seeped in via the nose and his face blew up like a balloon. I also saw him take the biggest hit I've ever witnessed, night game at Seiffert Oval so the lighting wasnt great, he made a long break down the centre , down on the 22 getting attention was Dean Lance , who promptly got up from his knees and bull rushed him, Graham didnt see him obviously and was cut in half so badly he got stretchered off.
Also Wally is the best I've seen. 4 tackles out of 6 on the line for Qld, both sides of the field, 3 sets in a row. Then in attack he could monster you from 10 out or put anyone over from anywhere, just a beast
I’m surprised he left Allan Langer of there. Pound for pound as tough as they came and were developing a great rivalry. But Alf came on towards the end of Sterlo’s career whereas the others were there throughout most of it. So fair enough I guess.
Gillespie wouldn't often top the tackle count. Very much an avoided tackler. I'd often marvel how he would position himself at the channel where the opposition were going to put a runner off a short pass.....very often that runner would look to change direction so as not to be tackled by Gillespie. Having good timing, he knew when to lay on a big hit too, often just putting in solid regulation tackles. When the hit was on, he invariably nailed them! His timing was occasionally shown on attack when he would hit holes supporting a break down the middle.
Didnt think Id see a better half than Sterlo - than along came Langer - Johns - Cleary. Still I think in the days of 'rugby league week' when they gave ratings out of 10 - Sterlo I think is the only one who got 5 - 10 out of 10 performaces over his career - Langer/Johns may have one maybe 2. RLW was no longer around when Cleary started - but would go close.
I’m glad someone else pointed Chris out. When Penrith bought him, a lot thought he was past his prime. But Gus brought him in to show young guns MG,and Cartwright how the job gets done. And he’s a terrific bloke off the field as well.
A Manly supporter told me his nickname was "Labrador" ... big and yellow and loafs on the blind. For sure he was hard to contain with the ball in hand; high stepping, good fend and fast for a big man. Good hands. As Sterlo said, they are all tough. No disrespect to Cleal, but "tough" is perhaps not his category. He was more a damaging wide running foward. Not so much a gritty hard tackling intimidating foward with a high work rate that more defines fowards as "tough". Or a player who "plays above his weight"; Cleal was a big fast foward, often used to good effect running wide against smaller backs, as P. Sterling will attest.
I like how every time someone says Wally Lewis was the greatest but they always show that one same try in his QLD Jersey. Overrated in my opinion. He was only good when he played in QLD not in the NSWRL
Ray Price would have to be at number 1 every day and twice on Sundays. He would have died for the Parramatta, NSW and Australia. He put his body on the line every time, played well above his weight at 86kg and got up and continued to play every time he was concussed. It's disappointing that the guy that protected you Sterling from so many big hits was not even mentioned. Shame on you Snorkella.
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Peter Sterling is underrated unbelievably humble a legend who treats everyone as an equal
All rou d, Sterlo is one of the Rugby League greats on and off the field.
Was my favourite through the 80s, never got enough cred.
But I think his real genius is in commentating and analysis the game. Astute and insightful, and able to convey the complexities of the game where others would just call a name, or mention a pass or tackle.
Never a bad thing said about the man. Humble as.
Champion👍
Excellent...Dogs and Eels games in the 80s were very special,so many stars on both sides
Peter Sterling is the best player Ive seen in my 44 years watching rugby league.Nice to hear him talk so passionately about the game.
I don’t know why sterlo isn’t an immortal. He changed halfback far more than johns did. Before sterlo halfback was just a link from dummy half to 5/8 after sterlo it was game management, kicking, running. Sterlo changed it all. He and Alfie and johns are the greatest halfbacks ever and all 3 should be immortals.
@@troystaunton254 u have to be a drug taker these years to become an immortal
Andy Gregory is the best scrum half of the last 40 years
@@troystaunton254 Mortimer was doing that before Sterlo.
@@stephenmannion1638 great joke!
A Bag of Cement is a very good description of his defence
Underrated?? No chance, quite the opposite. He was a really good player no doubt but any half would look good in that Eels side. If he didn’t maintain his profile as a commentator I doubt he would be mentioned with legends of the game. Very good player but come on
Sterlo’s era was the greatest rugby league era, period. By far.
Sterlo was tough himself. In the Parrra v Dogs clashes in the 80’s the dogs would kick off straight to Sterlo and he wouldn’t pass to a forward he would run into the heart of the Dogs of War himself. Now that’s tough
Bullshit! J G I've been hearing that since I was a kid in the 70's. "By 2000, soccer will be the biggest sport, or after the Olympics." Soccer even changed its season to summer so it didn't have to compete with the other footy codes! Rugby League is only the second biggest sport behind Aussie rules! Soccer is so fuckin boring!
I remember him against England, doing his shoulder in the first half - destroying Great Britain in the second half.
@J G football has gone backwards in Australia. A-League peaked around 2010-2013 and since then, interest has dwindled. It's gonna take a while for football to get back to where it was and then where it should be.
Just remember, not long before Covid, the Women's T20 Big Bash rated better than the A-League. Kinda says it all in terms of how irrelevant football still is here in Australia...
@J G I agree. Dave Beckham at Man City was good to watch
Especially later in his career when Parra had lost a lot of stars and had a pretty weak pack. He got bashed every week but kept going until David Gillespie finally finished him. Tough as nails.
Peter and the Fatt brought the game into the lights..the big pays of today are owed to these pair
Sterlo is such a great interviewer and interviewee that articulates succinctly and specifically. Must admit too that tag 'Dogs of War' is one helluva name!
Geoff Robbo, my first Ever and All Time Favourite player May He Rest In Peace 💙🤍🙏🏻🤍💙
If anyone would know it’s Sterlo. I was impressed his list had Wally Lewis in it. I hated him growing up as a NSW supporter. But only because he was so bloody good and tough.
@J G Knock that chip off.
In fairness, Sterlo was halfback on the 1986 undefeated Kangaroos Tour, so Pete had plenty of opportunities to see how good Wally was as a leader. They worked well together actually - with Brett Kenny playing inside centre too. With either Gene Miles or Big Mal running outside centre. What a formidable backline.
Wally Lewis, Steve Mortimer, Terry Lamb, Noel Cleal and David Gillespie
I would of put Alf Langer in their too.
When ever Sterlo has something to say..people listen. A wealth of knowledge for the game and would have made a great teacher.
One thing not mentioned with Canterbury players in 80s-early 90s that helped the hard defence was the resin added shoulder pads
I’d have to include Gordon Tallis and Geoff Toovey. Tallis was obviously a powerhouse and aggressive, Toovey probably the smallest player to ever succeed at the level he did and his mental and physical fortitude was something to behold. If Toovs was the size of Tallis I couldn’t begin to imagine the damage he woulda done.
@@patrickcross5195 lol, the time flies!! Never actually thought about the timings🤦🏻♂️
Toovey absolutely, Tallis....well he seemed to pick his battles.
I've heard ex players say Toovey was the toughest player pound for pound.
They didn't play in Sterlo's day.
Tallis wouldnt have played sterlo...Toovey was fantastic and maybe only played against each other for a couple of years
I saw that tackle from the stands Sterlo, knew it was game over for you mate. You had a bung shoulder and Cement put you on it hard. I cheered at the time being a Wests fan but looking back on it just glad i was there for the memories.
Yeah I was there as well. As soon as Cement hit him you knew it was all over. And agree it was a great hit, we all cheered not realizing we had seen the end of a legend.
Great list and good to see Rugby AM up and running
Most forwards were tough back then, two that come to mind are Steve "Blocker" Roach and Mario Fenech, both tough as nails.
If he had to pick a player that he played against and with, it would be Ray Price.
The first man to ever earn a RLW 10/10
85 to 95 was simply the best era in league
Well said sterlo as a para fan you were one my footy heroes!!
He was very well respected by all fans
@@glenchapman3899 as he should be
Good to see Terry Lamb in there.
A nugget of solid steel that one
Steve Mortimer pulled off some of the best try saving cover tackles in the history of the game.
In the 80s the best games were Canterbury verses Parramatta, and as a Dogs supporter the best one was when the dogs lost. In the last 10 minutes Canterbury were within 15 feet of the try line and kept the ball going left to right then right to left, back and forth trying to get the winning try by getting through the Parra defence but all to no avail. This lasted for the whole of the 10 minutes
Remember it like yesterday, never felt so shattered at the final siren than at the end of that game
Off topic but one of my favourite bits of co-comments from Sterlo was in an Origin match, fights breaking out and Elias and K. Walters were having a go at each other....Pete couldn't wait to say "there's a couple of blokes who don't like each other"
The chief vs marty bella,i think..
It was Steve Walters and Elias who had that Origin fight. And Elias was well out of his weight and skill level there.
@@hannotn Ta for the correction
God I miss sterlo in the commentary box. Pure professional and outstanding analysis
And of course when it was Sterlo v Mortimer it wasn't just Parra v Canterbury - it was Coota v Wagga. And THAT was a real rivalry.
In those days if you kicked a bush in Cootamundra a Mortimer would jump out
Sterlo was right about King Wally,a fierce competitor, Terry Lamb and David "Cement" Gillespie. I remember when Gillespie put a good hit on St George's Nathan Brown which caused Brown to knock the ball on in a hit up. It was the 1996 Grand final Manly vs the Dragons. Another premiership medal for Cement
The toughest memory I have of Peter sterling was after he retired on the footy show when they fired a paintball gun into his stomach, fatty and the chief took 1 shot each and were in pain, sterlo let them empty the magazine and acted like it was nothing
I was at Sterlos last game.
Wests Vs Parramatta.
Cement hit him so hard.
Steve Turvey Mortimer my favourite Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs player
Mark Graham definitely the toughest kiwi ever!!
And the inspiration for the Australian film " Broke"
Have you heard of Buck Shelford? Hes considered the toughest Rugby union player of all time(he also played rugby league)ironically he and Mark Graham had a charity boxing match. I think Buck won the fight but besides that two awesome legends of New Zealand rugby.
@@sonnyblack6121 if I didn't know who shelford was, I would be embarrassed!! And yes he should have been on the 1991 world cup team
I remember reading an article on the injuries that Mark Graham suffered and it was ridiculous, he must have fractured and broke every limb , every bone, every rib. He mentioned a case where he broke his cheekbone and air seeped in via the nose and his face blew up like a balloon. I also saw him take the biggest hit I've ever witnessed, night game at Seiffert Oval so the lighting wasnt great, he made a long break down the centre , down on the 22 getting attention was Dean Lance , who promptly got up from his knees and bull rushed him, Graham didnt see him obviously and was cut in half so badly he got stretchered off.
Mark Graham was a War Dog !!!!
It was cool to be thinking of Cement before he mentioned him, some of his hits were absolute bone rattlers.
Gee a name like that means Pain
Also Wally is the best I've seen. 4 tackles out of 6 on the line for Qld, both sides of the field, 3 sets in a row. Then in attack he could monster you from 10 out or put anyone over from anywhere, just a beast
Sterling played through a brutal era and got the job done without being a grub like Mortimer and Lamb.
Stirlo, was a tough bastard, he looked f all.
Sterlo, the legend number 7
Said the greatest ever commentator
Craig Young, absolute beast!!!!
But have to agree, Noel Cleal, a monster !!!!!!!!!!
I’m surprised he left Allan Langer of there. Pound for pound as tough as they came and were developing a great rivalry. But Alf came on towards the end of Sterlo’s career whereas the others were there throughout most of it. So fair enough I guess.
I have langer, sterling and johns as the 1a, b, c. Best halfbacks ever.
@@troystaunton254 Agreed. But I’d throw In Thurston with that group.
@@philipgreenaway5631 nope. Couldn’t defend. How can you be a good player when you only are playing half the game?
Cronk is far better
@@troystaunton254 Langer was always outplayed by Ricky Stuart LOL
It’s his list go away
Toovey v langer rivalry was great.
Gillespie wouldn't often top the tackle count. Very much an avoided tackler.
I'd often marvel how he would position himself at the channel where the opposition were going to put a runner off a short pass.....very often that runner would look to change direction so as not to be tackled by Gillespie.
Having good timing, he knew when to lay on a big hit too, often just putting in solid regulation tackles. When the hit was on, he invariably nailed them!
His timing was occasionally shown on attack when he would hit holes supporting a break down the middle.
Steve folkes wasn't as big as cement but his tackling technique was impeccable also
@@jasonfrisken7606Yeah, good player Folkes.
Didnt think Id see a better half than Sterlo - than along came Langer - Johns - Cleary. Still I think in the days of 'rugby league week' when they gave ratings out of 10 - Sterlo I think is the only one who got 5 - 10 out of 10 performaces over his career - Langer/Johns may have one maybe 2. RLW was no longer around when Cleary started - but would go close.
Sterling was the best halfback in the world. Up there with Langer and Joey.Make him an immortal.
Chris Mortimer is another. The bloke was just not normal...
I’m glad someone else pointed Chris out. When Penrith bought him, a lot thought he was past his prime. But Gus brought him in to show young guns MG,and Cartwright how the job gets done. And he’s a terrific bloke off the field as well.
@@daveo2882 MG always goes on and on about those standards that he introduced them to as well as his toughness. Chris Mortimer was just not normal...
Stirling & Mortimer…both started playing the game in Wagga.
Sterlo i was there when cement got you, at parra stadium, very humble of you to give him this accolade,
But you were targeted,
I remember watching the game while on magnetic island. Sad way for him to end his career
Great list, but for toughness as Stirlo defined you have to include Ian Roberts. Monster, super aggressive and hard as. Great person.
100% mate . Big fan of Ian
As he said there are different types f tough.
I agree! Paul The Chief Harragon was a beast as well 👍
Anyone that can take it up the arse regularly is pretty tough.
Yes he is on Gary Jacks list for sure
Stirlo pretty tough himself .
When the Manly forward pack got Noel Cleal angry - he was suddenly very difficult for oppositions to handle.
A Manly supporter told me his nickname was "Labrador" ... big and yellow and loafs on the blind.
For sure he was hard to contain with the ball in hand; high stepping, good fend and fast for a big man. Good hands.
As Sterlo said, they are all tough.
No disrespect to Cleal, but "tough" is perhaps not his category.
He was more a damaging wide running foward. Not so much a gritty hard tackling intimidating foward with a high work rate that more defines fowards as "tough".
Or a player who "plays above his weight"; Cleal was a big fast foward, often used to good effect running wide against smaller backs, as P. Sterling will attest.
Steve Rogers Cronulla champion was my favourite player
hey Pete you didnt put Craig Young on the list remember him waking you on the chin when you were playing the ball in the 80s cheers
Sterlo didn't put him on his list because, after all, it is Sterlo's list not yours.
Could also add folkes, langmack and Peter Kelly to that list, but it was only a list of 5
great top 5 im glad i never got tackled by cement doesnt soumd like fun
Crusher cleal!
I like how every time someone says Wally Lewis was the greatest but they always show that one same try in his QLD Jersey. Overrated in my opinion. He was only good when he played in QLD not in the NSWRL
mate ray Price was tougher than all five of them
I think you will find he never played against Price.
The Mastro "Sterlo" at his prime
Terry Randall?
All Aussies
Noel Cleal was a beast!
What I remember he was pretty quick as well
Toovey
Lot of dogs players in that top 5.
3 doggies oh how the mighty have fallen
wow 3 bulldogs out of the 5
Tommy Raudonikous
You're kidding, Sterlo ... Mortimer ahead of Terry Randall?
What about Tommy ridiculous
do not sell your self short Peter for likes on TH-cam.
Wow, 3 bulldogs players on his list.
mal meninga
Ray Price would have to be at number 1 every day and twice on Sundays. He would have died for the Parramatta, NSW and Australia. He put his body on the line every time, played well above his weight at 86kg and got up and continued to play every time he was concussed. It's disappointing that the guy that protected you Sterling from so many big hits was not even mentioned. Shame on you Snorkella.
agreed
Toughest he has played "against".
he never played against Ray Price
That shows how much u know about this legend...jump in ya bike n ride away...
Played against!
so many tough men play this game, and it's an unanswerable question.