The Super League War is a distant memory to some and will never be forgotten by others. It was quite simply the most tumultuous time in the long history of this great game.
It has been 16 years since the split competitions of Super League and the Australian Rugby League. It was a difficult time for most and nobody paid more than the fans.
While Super League and its supporters were continually vilified, the breakaway competition did drag rugby league kicking and screaming into a new era.
State of Origin suffered too.
In 1997 the ARL kept with the original Origin format, despite a serious erosion of depth and talent. Super League, on the other hand, went with a tri-series competition containing New South Wales, Queensland and New Zealand.
For some, the memory of Super League still burns. But enough water has now flown under the bridge to recognise the representative caps these players received.
When looking through Origin records, startling omissions sit in the 1997 column.
Fringe players at their very best in a united competition, the likes of John Simon and Michael Buettner were selected for New South Wales in ARL’s series and will forever be branded Origin players.
Yet Super League players like Laurie Daley, Andrew Ettingshausen, Glenn Lazarus, and Brad Clyde are still not recognised for their efforts for New South Wales in the tri-series.
With the Super League-aligned Brisbane Broncos boasting so many representative players, Queensland’s ARL squad was severely ravaged.
Who were some of these guys handed Maroons jumpers? Good question.
Remember Danny Moore, Neil Teirney, Jeremy Schloss or Stuart Kelly?
What about Tony Hearn or Clinton O’Brien?
You can’t blame them for being selected and you can’t question their pride as Queenslanders and you’re sure as hell not going to try and take their Origin jumpers away from them.
Yet Queensland legends like Allan Langer, Kevin Walters, Wendell Sailor, Darren Lockyer, Gorden Tallis and Steve Walters all still boast an asterick next to their representative records.
Is it not time for all these men to be remembered for the games they played for their respective states too?
Where is their recognition?
Let’s not forget the quality of those games in ’97 either.
While the ARL series was played out over three dour struggles, the Super League tri-series culminated in one of the great forgotten marathons of the modern era.
In front of over 35,000 fans at Brisbane’s ANZ Stadium, Queensland and New South Wales battled to a 22-all draw after 80 minutes.
Canberra Raiders flyer Brett Mullins bagged a hat-trick, while Queensland’s Steve Renouf crossed for two tries.
After another 20 minutes of extra time, the teams were still locked at 22.
Finally, in the 104th minute, Noel Goldthorpe slotted a booming field goal in the driving rain to hand New South Wales victory.
Blues great Mark Geyer, who was playing for Super League’s Western Reds that year, agrees players from both New South Wales and Queensland’s tri-series competition should be remembered.
“Of course,” Geyer has told The Roar.
“It was what it was. If a joint and harmonious league existed I dare say there’d be players on both sides (of the war) lucky to have played origin.”
Imperious
Guest
The Super League SOO had Harrigan as ref so sure they were going to be spectacles...
Renegade
Guest
The NRL basically is the Super League....it doesn't seem to have dissolved.
george
Guest
NO WAY
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Spin doctoring as a basis for opinion is shaky at best. Super League 'greed'? ARL 'traditions'? Geez... The ARL was not the 'last bastion of traditionalism' as I once read they were. They were forced to adopt that image since Super League had obviously run with the 'progressive' line. The war was nothing more than a territorial battle with one side being forced to protect a pond and the other side trying to steal a lake.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
They flew away.
Raugeee
Guest
I still can't work out what happened to the Northern Eagles?
fishes
Guest
For me the super league war will never be fully resolved until something happens with the BEARS... it is the last unresolved piece of the disgusting super league puzzle
Raugeee
Guest
I think the 3 team structure should be seriously considered. If we're serious about growing rugby league the great football nation of NZ deserves a better deal. Young Kiwi kids should have the option of the big origin money and to playing for their country. OZ Kangaroos always have the experience of Origin when they meet NZ in tests. NSW, QLD, NZ play each other once with a final = 4 games. Would have to eat into the NRL season but could be worth it.
Rod
Guest
There maybe some good that came out of Super league, but super league and following few years the game was a glorified game of touch with unlimited interchange.The game is probably 10 years behind where it should be IMO. If it was not for super league, I may never have begun to follow Rugby. I have many mates all in there late thirties early forties, who's kids are following Afl and rugby. My old man used to think afl was a game for Shielas he now loves the swans as much as the bunnies. All because of the good old super league
Griffo
Guest
Queensland won in 98 and then retained in 99 with a drawn series. Unless you're talking about 95, in which case that was the year that nobody gave Queensland a hope yet they won 3-0
seven dollers worth
Guest
Super league ruined the game we see today. To many changes went through the ropes and not enough life came back out the other end. If super was able to continue, league would have disolved very fast in Australia.
Haz
Guest
OIkee, you're just saying that because Manly would have died with the ARL.
Curtis Woodward
Expert
It wasn't a complete waste of time. The game you see today was born partly from Super League.
seven dollers worth
Guest
Super league was a stupid waste of time.
Tiger
Guest
Always makes me laugh when I think of Super League and how they were painted as the bad guys trying to get rid of inner city clubs and destroy the games traditions etc.. The reason that Super League even came in to existence was because of the ARL, under Athurson and Quayle, expansion plans..that was that inner city clubs would be eventually swallowed up by a one city one team concept. They didn't expect the inner city clubs to hold on so passionately so the quality of players and games began to suffer..which is the complete opposite to what they thought or hoped would happen..hence walked in Murdoch and his big cheque book to buy the best of the, well, mostly best and put the players in teams on the new emerging pay tv. So the ARL saints Quayle and Athurson were not so saintly after all..if anything they were probably a little a bit devilish! Ps yes all deserve to be counted as official rep players!
Robz
Guest
Yep and while we're at it, it's also time to official acknowledge Brisbane's 1997 premiership. It has always rankled a bit that while Newcastle and their players are (rightflully) credited their premiership, the Broncos premiership is either not credited at all or has an * put beside it
Renegade
Guest
Super League had the right idea just not the right execution.
fishes
Guest
Exactly. When talking about NSW Origin greats Danny Lee always gets forgotten!
Johnno
Guest
How can you say super league were greedy, players just wanted more money, it was the old ARL that no longer exists today, that were greedy, they wanted to continue a monopoly on the game the sydney clubs kid by Arko and Manly, in it for themselves, and player's rights were neglected for years. Murdoch took the player's seriously and offered them real money. Arko and them didn't care about the battler in the street, they were anything but battler's, please. George Piggin's was a multimillionaire.
Chris Hardiman
Roar Rookie
Oikee, I know it is Origin time but Super League booted Souths and probably had a big hand in the Crushers demise so WTF?