'James Roby is in my top three as one of the greatest hookers of all time'
![James Roby is set to play his final home match for St Helens (Image: PA)](/upload/news/2023/09/30/105591.jpg)
Knowing James Roby will walk out for the last time on St Helens turf today got me thinking about amazing hookers I was lucky enough to play with during my own career.
When looking at British ones, the top three - in no order - would be Robes, Jimmy Lowes and Kieron Cunningham with an honourable mention for Terry Newton. I was fortunate enough to play with Jimmy as I was coming through at Bradford. He was a super smart player, a guy who had the IQ of a half-back but the toughness of a forward and was aggressive with it, too.
He was such a competitor and one of the reasons Bradford were so successful at the beginning of Super League. I played with Cunningham for Great Britain and he was hugely skilled but very powerful running the ball, too, and such a talismanic figure.
Tez (Newton) was another exceptionally tough, fit hooker with great ball skills. Robes’ level of consistency is immense; everyone recognises that now.
His standards are so high and he’s nine out of ten every week, playing in an incredibly difficult position in the middle where fatigue can have a big impact on your performance. Yet it never seems to impact Robes.
![Gay rugby league referee lifts lid on how coming out affected officiating career eiqrrikiqzzinv](/upload/news/2023/02/01/284_m.jpg)
He’s such a high skill level and is such an honest character. They made a statue of Cunningham outside of St Helens’ stadium but you could easily put a case forward for getting another for Roby as he prepares to retire. If he reaches another Grand Final he’ll go past our joint-record of 11 appearances but that doesn’t bother me.
Records are there to be beaten. I can’t think of anyone better to do that than Robes. We’re fortunate in this country to have been blessed with some magnificent No9s - and these guys I reckon stand the test against the greatest of all time.
BETFRED - PASSIONATE ABOUT SUPER LEAGUE
!['James Roby is in my top three as one of the greatest hookers of all time'](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article26183851.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/39_SL_LOGO_2022__PRIMARY_BF_LOGO_RGB-copy.jpg)
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus![](/upload/news/2024/07/05/176268_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/05/176264_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/02/176213_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/06/27/176126_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/06/176297_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/06/176296_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/06/176295_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/06/176294_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/06/176293_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/06/176290_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/06/176289_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/06/176288_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/06/176287_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/06/176286_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/06/176285_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/05/176284_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/05/176281_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/05/176279_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/05/176275_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/05/176274_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/05/176273_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/05/176271_m.jpg)
![](/upload/news/2024/07/05/176269_m.jpg)