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Keeping with the theme of teams that I can actually remember from day dot, it is the Brisbane Broncos’ turn for their top ten players.
As before I am basing this on impact at the club and rep duties.
I run this list by my brother, who is a Broncos supporter, and he gives it the thumbs up.
10. Wendell Sailor
Big Dell started with his Broncos in 1993 and was a part of that year’s grand final winning side.
Over his 189-game career for the club he would score 100 tries and be a back-up front rower due to his size, power and speed.
He would represent Queensland 14 times and played 16 Tests for Australia scoring 17 tries.
In 2002 he left the NRL for rugby union and also have success in that code, in 2009 he would return to the NRL for the Dragons and have his final game in 2010 playing in the first ever Indigenous All-Stars match scoring the first try in the first five minutes.
9. Justin Hodges
With 193 games for the Broncos, Hodges picked up two premierships with the club in the 2000 and 2006 seasons.
Identified as a special talent when he emerged for the Broncos in 2000, he went through some ugly growing pains to wind up one of the best centres of the modern game and captain of the Broncos in 2015.
Unfortunately the team would go down to the Cowboys in the 2015 grand final in what was one of the best grand finals ever and this would make him the only man to captain a Broncos side to a losing grand final.
He would represent Queensland 24 times, have 13 Tests for Australia and receive the Dally M for centre of the year in 2007.
8. Gorden Tallis
The Raging Bull and one of the most fear men of his time, Tallis played 160 games for the Broncos scoring 49 tries.
He started at the club in 1997 after his release for the St George Dragons, being part of the Super League premiership-winning team.
In the 1998 grand final against the Bulldogs he won the Clive Churchill Medal. In 1999 he took the Dally M Medal for the second rower of the year.
A strong and powerful brute, one of his most memorable moments was when he flung NSW fullback Brett Hodges like a rag doll over the touch line in 2002 State of Origin Series.
He represented Queensland 17 times and Australia 16 times, and retired in 2004.
7. Corey Parker
A member of the 300 club, Parker would go on after the Broncos’ heyday of the 1990s and become one of the new generation leaders of the club.
Starting in 2001 he played 347 games, scored 39 tries and kicked 586 goals for the club.
He appeared in the 2006 grand final win for the club and the 2015 grand final loss, being one of the limited few to win and lose a grand final for the Broncos.
In 2013 he won the Dally M for lock of the year and in 2015 received the Dally M for rep player of the year. Parker represented Queensland 19 times and Australia 13 times.
6. Petero Civoniceva
Love this guy, hate trying to spell his name right. Civoniceva was a dominant forward force in the new era of the Broncos from 1998-2007.
He played in the 1998, 2000 and 2006 grand finals, but then left the club for Penrith.
When you wanted reliability up front this is the bloke you turned to. He represented Queensland 33 times and Australia 45 times, the most of any forward at the club.
5. Shane Webcke
Yeah, I would really not want this guy coming at me at 100 miles per hour. Your old mate Big J is crazy not stupid, give me a croc to wrestle any day.
Webcke started at the Broncos in 1995 and went on to play 254 games for the club, a wrecking ball on game day and at training he always gave 110 per cent.
He was a dominant force with his outside partner Civoniceva and the pair were the upfront combo for the Broncos, Queensland and Australia.
He won four grand finals with the club and was the successor to Glenn Lazarus’ upfront duties when ‘The Brick with Eyes’ left the club in 1997.
Three times he won the Dally M front rower of the year award – for the 2000, 2001 and 2002 seasons. He represented Queensland 21 times and played 25 Tests for Australia.
4. Steve Renouf
Probably the centre of the 1990s, Renouf was a Broncos original, starting with the club in 1988.
He was a try-scoring machine with 142 tries in his 183 games at the club. His most famous try was at the 1992 grand final, where he made a great individual effort to seal the deal for the Broncos’ maiden title.
He won the ’92, ’93, ’97 and ’98 grand finals with the club, represented Queensland 14 times and Australia 10.
3. Wally Lewis
Hail to the King! Bow your head and pledge your allegiance. Lewis was the best player to ever play the game and came into the club as the captain in the 1988 season.
Despite everything that he did over his career he would only play three seasons at the club and be one of only a few members of the originals not to win a premiership.
With a class of skill that can never be copied, he did pave the wave for future champions at the club.
In 1988 he won the Dally M for five-eighth of the year and was named an Immortal in 1999. Truly the best ever to play the game. He represented Queensland 31 times and played 34 Tests for Australia.
2. Darren Lockyer
Lockyer came into the side in 1995 as a fullback but turned five-eighth later in his career.
He broke all records during his 355-game career, not only the most capped player for the club he also with Queensland with 36 appearances, and 59 Tests for Australia.
Lockyer won four grand finals with the club in, ’97, ’98, ’00 when he was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal, and ’06 when he was captain.
Lockyer kicked off the eight-in-a-row dominance of the State of Origin himself by scoring the winning try in the 2006 decider.
During his career he won several Dally M awards being five-eighth of the year 2006 and 2007, and rep player of the year 2006.
1. Allan Langer
Now many out there would argue that Lockyer or Lewis is the number one player, but I have gone with little Alfie.
The Prince of Queensland rugby league and the heir to Lewis’ throne, Langer was an original, joining the club in 1988.
After the departure of Lewis and Gene Miles, Langer took the captaincy in the 1992 season.
He led the club through their decade of dominance and captained the side to four premierships, in ’92, ’93, ’97 and ’98.
In the 1992 grand final he was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal. In 1996 he was the Dally M Player of the Year.
With 258 games for the club, a record at the time, 34 appearances for Queensland, including the comeback in 2002, 24 Tests for Australia, Alfie is the best Broncos player ever.
Do you agree with my list? Who is your favourite Broncos player?
Next up: the North Queensland Cowboys.
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