To those of you travelling to the Warrington game on Friday, Andy Gregory will be signing copies of my new book, 'Rugby League, A Critical History: 1980-2013', on Friday evening between 6 and 7pm in the Warrington club shop, WolfWare.

Copies are currently on sale at the Rhinos club shop and at Philip Howard books on Street Lane in Roundhay.

The book examines rugby league from 1980 to the present day, looking in depth at the international game, the domestic games in Britain and Australia as well as State of Origin. As well as providing a conventional history, the book takes you through all of the major off-field decisions that have been taken by the various governing bodies since 1980 in particular, of course, the formation of Super League and the move to summer rugby.

There is also a list of the best 100 players in the last 33 years (16 of them played for Leeds) with a short biography on each player and there is a huge statistical round-up of all the major games played on both sides of the world.

Contents list:

Introduction
Foreword by Garry Schofield
CH1 International RL 1980-95
CH2 International RL 1996-2012
CH3 British RL 1980-1996
CH4 The Super League War
CH5 Super League
CH6 Summer Rugby - Has it Worked?
CH7 Australian Rugby League
CH8 The History of State of Origin
CH9 The Story of The Golden Boot
CH10 The 100 Greatest Players (1980-2012)
CH11 Full Statistical wrap-up - full match details of all GB & England internationals, major finals, award winners & a full list of World XIIIs from 1980

Sounds a good read.

It does. Any chance you get him down to the Railway Club with a couple?

for a pint i'm sure he'll waddle down

Unlikely! But there'll be copies available in the club shop after the signing if 6-7pm is too early.

Had a think of who these might be, without seeing the list:

Definites:

Garry Schofield
Ellery Hanley
Andy Gregory
Dean Bell
Cliff Lyons
Andrew Ettingshausen
Kevin Iro
Bradley Clyde
Eric Grothe Snr

I'm missing another seven, some possibles below. Some I'm a bit doubtful about. Am I missing anyone obvious? They have to be retired by the beginning of this season.

Lee Crooks
Peter Tunks
Lee Jackson
David Furner
Darryl Powell
Paul Dixon
Roy Powell
David Hulme
Andy Goodway
Brett Mullins
Ian Kirke

We saw what you did there Bullseye

Well he's as good as retired isn't he?

Do they have to be retired? Otherwise would say Lauititi, Buderus, Peacock and Sinfield at least.

Other than that, also without seeing the list, would guess:

Ellery Hanley
Garry Schofield
Andy Gregory
Dean Bell
Kevin Iro
Andrew Ettingshausen
Bradley Clyde
Eric Grothe
Cliff Lyons
John Holmes
Lee Crooks
Roy Powell
Andy Goodway
Keith Senior
James Lowes
Iestyn Harris


(Other possibles: David Ward, Tony Currie, Tonie Carroll, Mick Crane. Not all of them for their exploits with Leeds.)

Yep they have to be retired according the criteria in the book. Of the 23 Brits in the 100 I'd say about 16 are indisputable but after those there is a bit of difference in ability compared with others that might have got in.

Same applies to those players who turned out for Leeds. The first 9 we agree on but after that the others are a mixed bag of great club players who didn't do as well internationally.

I was surprised there were only 14 Kiwis in the 100 too.

Good guesses. You've both missed a Lance Todd winner though...

Gary Connolly?