Dale Shearer

[WCC 1989]

I remember going to Dewsbury in the CC (i think!) with my dad, Dale Shearer was full back. I was blowing a gale, there was bog roll everywhere! Does anyone remember when Shearer defused a bomb and just stood there pointing to ALL, yes ALL the Dewsbury players, telling them they all offside! Utterly brilliant. Top player Shearer. Just for the record, does anyone know which club in Aussie he played for ? 

[chris]

1985–89   Manly-Warringah
1987–88   Widnes
1990–91   Brisbane Broncos
1992–94   Gold Coast Seagulls
1995–96   Sth. Qld. Crushers
1997           Sydney Roosters
1998     Nth. Qld. Cowboys

[own brain]

would be my favourite ever widnes full back, infact behind offiah and myler i think the third finest back i have ever seen play for us. obviously not withstanding the fact he was a "guest" player, so therefore can never truly rank against some of the legends, he was a superb player.

[WCC 1989]

Best FB ive seen at Widnes. Tait was a gud un, but just imagine Shearer behind that back line! AWESOME

[Paul D]

Best full back ever to play for this cub.  My favourite memory was a league game against Bradford in '87 at home.  Paul Harkin had launched a huge bomb into our 20 m. Dale was sweeping back on his own, Bradford's two huge props Kelvin Skerrett and Brendan Hill were bearing down on him ready to make mincemeat of him.  He caught the bomb one handed (huge cheer from the fans) he side stepped Hill and Skerrett in one swivel of the hips and set off down field, 2 plays later we scored.   I have never forgot that moment.  Always wore my Manly shirt to games that season.  Not only thatI was told he rang Kurt up the night before we played Hunslet for the league title and told him that the team better not screw it up as he wanted a League winners medal which David Hulme took down under for him that summer.

[gpo1971]

Not had the best of luck of late has Dale. His Mrs died of cancer a couple of years ago, then he was critically injured in a car crash, then he was declared bankrupt. Not seen him in the News much lately so don't know how he is.

A superb player, he was named in the Aussie Indigenous team of the century, on the wing.

[Rickp]

Best FB ive seen at Widnes. Tait was a gud un, but just imagine Shearer behind that back line! AWESOME

We've so many great Fullbacks since I've been watching since the late 60's. Ray Dutton, Mick Burke & Bave Eckersley wearn't bad either. So to say he was the best we've ever had is a bit to high of an accolade for someone who only played a handful games.
Ray Dutton points record for the club & a try saving tackle at Wembley in '75 on the most potent winger in the game at the time. He gets my vote closely followed by his successor. Dave Eckersley probably te best attacking Fullback we've had. Signed as a Stand Off but made the Fullback position his own in our first ever Championship year. Before Mick Burke took over the reigns.

[rs]

Mick Burke gets my vote on best ever could defend like a lion, score tries, kick goals and had a great pair of hands.

My memory of Shearer was away at keighley in the Cup when he got MOM IIRC.

[John S]

For his size, and a crafty ciggy before kick off, Mick Burke was awesome and gets my vote--he could do everything.

Dutton played in an era when full backs, stayed back, and never ventured over the half way line, and at the time he was one of the best.

[WCC 1989]

We've so many great Fullbacks since I've been watching since the late 60's. Ray Dutton, Mick Burke & Bave Eckersley wearn't bad either. So to say he was the best we've ever had is a bit to high of an accolade for someone who only played a handful games.
Ray Dutton points record for the club & a try saving tackle at Wembley in '75 on the most potent winger in the game at the time. He gets my vote closely followed by his successor. Dave Eckersley probably te best attacking Fullback we've had. Signed as a Stand Off but made the Fullback position his own in our first ever Championship year. Before Mick Burke took over the reigns.

Fair point about the number of games Shearer played at Widnes, but i cant recall him having a bad game? Look at the BEST 100 AUSTRALIAN PLAYERS EVER TO PLAY THE GAME IN THE LAST 100 YEARS. Wikipedia it! SHEARERS IN IT, THATS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME. Dutton, Burke, Tait and Eckersley were good, but would ANY of them get into the best 100 British RL players ever? Doubt it.

[Rickp]

Fair point about the number of games Shearer played at Widnes, but i cant recall him having a bad game? Look at the BEST 100 AUSTRALIAN PLAYERS EVER TO PLAY THE GAME IN THE LAST 100 YEARS. Wikipedia it! SHEARERS IN IT, THATS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME. Dutton, Burke, Tait and Eckersley were good, but would ANY of them get into the best 100 British RL players ever? Doubt it.

It depends on who votes I suppose.
I'd say if asked the question to all Widnes fans past & present over the last 50 years or so, Dale wouldn't come into the reckoning.
If you asked all British RL Journalist to name their best players who've played in GB from GB or overseas. I reckon Dale Shearer wouldn' get a look in either.
I'd probably hazard a guess & if you asked the RL jounalists to name their greatest ever players. The only Widnes players (Home or Overseas) that would appear on that list would probably be Tony Myler(and Tony's not my favourite Stand Off either. I'd rather have Denis O'Neill), Martin Offiah & Kurt Sorensen.
I know its all hindsight what I'm saying. But as I said in my initial post Widnes have so many great players let alone Fullbacks. Imagine how many players the journalists would have to choose from. So Dale as good as he may have been gets the thumbs down from me as our greatest Fullback. Thats only my opinion of course. I'm sure plenty on here agree with you, and me for that matter.

[gpo1971]

Are you sure Shearer's in the Top 100 NRL players of the 20thC? I knew he was in the Indigenous Team of the Century.

[mick george]

To get a decent angle on who people thought wa the best Widnes full back you only need to take a look on the numerous best 13 Widnes players threads.
most go for Burke or Tait then Dutton with Shearer lagging in forth.

[Glynn]

To get a decent angle on who people thought wa the best Widnes full back you only need to take a look on the numerous best 13 Widnes players threads.
most go for Burke or Tait then Dutton with Shearer lagging in forth.

shearer is 1 of my all time favourites but you cant put him as best widnes fullback when he only played 12/14/16? games for the club.

[WCC 1989]

It depends on who votes I suppose.
I'd say if asked the question to all Widnes fans past & present over the last 50 years or so, Dale wouldn't come into the reckoning.
If you asked all British RL Journalist to name their best players who've played in GB from GB or overseas. I reckon Dale Shearer wouldn' get a look in either.
I'd probably hazard a guess & if you asked the RL jounalists to name their greatest ever players. The only Widnes players (Home or Overseas) that would appear on that list would probably be Tony Myler(and Tony's not my favourite Stand Off either. I'd rather have Denis O'Neill), Martin Offiah & Kurt Sorensen.
I know its all hindsight what I'm saying. But as I said in my initial post Widnes have so many great players let alone Fullbacks. Imagine how many players the journalists would have to choose from. So Dale as good as he may have been gets the thumbs down from me as our greatest Fullback. Thats only my opinion of course. I'm sure plenty on here agree with you, and me for that matter.

You'd rather have Denis O'Neill than Tony Myler!  That will do for me! A lie down in a dark room me thinks!