In 1997, as we know, the Australian rugby league scene was a divided wasteland with two professional opposing competitions taking place.
The Optus Australian rugby league season run by the ARL up against the newly formed Telstra Super League Cup run by the News Limited-owned Super League. This meant that for the first time in Australian rugby league history two premiership winners were crowned with legitimate claim to being the best side in the country.
Unfortunately, due to each factions’ pure hatred of the other and a lot of other yahoos, these teams never faced off against each other. Who would have won, who has the most legitimate claim to the 1997 season?
Loyalists will tell you it’s the Andrew Johns-led Knights team and Broncos fans will tell you otherwise. Let’s settle it once and for all now and face them off against each other.
Brisbane Broncos 1997 season statistics
Ladder: 1st, 29 Points
Games Played: 18 (Won 14, Drew 1, Lost 3)
Points For: 481 (26.72ppg)
Points Against: 283 (15.72ppg)
Points Differential: +198
Form
The Broncos had a strong run of late-season form winning their last six matches crowning them Minor Premiers with two rounds to spare, having held onto the first position since Round 5. In the finals, the Broncos had to face up to just two matches, with both against the Cronulla Sharks.
In the first match The Broncos crushed the second place Sharks 34-2 with the game all over at halftime 30-2 before cruising to victory. Two weeks later they would face up again, this time in Brisbane in front of nearly 118,000 heads at QEII Stadium. Again the Broncos proved to be too good and following a 55th minute try giving them a two-score lead they were never really headed winning 26-8.
Newcastle Knights 1997 season statistics
Ladder: 2nd, 29 Points
Games: Played: 22 (Won 14, Drew 1, Lost 7)
Points For: 512 (23.27ppg)
Points Against: 320 (14.55ppg)
Points Differential: +192
Form
Knights entered the finals on the back of five straight victories and carried that into the first week of the finals overcoming the Eels 28-20. In Week 2’s pointless game seemingly there for practice, they came up well short ahead of future grand final opponents the Sea Eagles 27-12. The following week they ran out 17-12 victors over Jason Taylor’s Bears to book themselves a place in the big dance.
In a classic Optus Cup clash, remembered mostly for Andrew Johns’ short side raid to slip Darren Albert through with seven seconds left, the Knights came back from a 16-8 deficit to claim the title 22-16.
The Telecom Bowl
The Telecom Bowl, so named after the major sponsors of each competition, would have pitted the Knights up against the Broncos. Representing the Telstra Division, the Brisbane Broncos and for Optus, the Newcastle Knights. Assuming everyone backs up and the Knights toned down their postseason parties, the teams for the Bowl would have been as follows:
Broncos
Fullback: Darren Lockyer
Wing: 18 Michael De Vere
Centre: 3 Steve Renouf
Centre: 4 Anthony Mundine
Wing: 5 Wendell Sailor
Five Eight: 6 Kevin Walters
Halfback: 7 Allan Langer ©
Prop: 10 Brad Thorn
Hooker: 23 Andrew Gee
Prop: 21 Shane Webcke
Second Row: 11 Gorden Tallis
Second Row: 12 Peter Ryan
Lock: 13 Darren Smith
Interchange: 15 Tonie Carroll
Interchange: 9 John Plath
Interchange: 2 Michael Hancock
Interchange: 16 Ben Walker
Coach: Wayne Bennett
Knights
Fullback: 1 Robbie O’Davis
Wing: 2 Darren Albert
Centre: 3 Adam MacDougall
Centre: 4 Owen Craigie
Wing: 5 Mark Hughes
Five Eight: 6 Matthew Johns
Halfback: 7 Andrew Johns
Prop: 8 Tony Butterfield
Hooker: 9 Bill Peden
Prop: 10 Paul Harragon ©
Second Row: 11 Wayne Richards
Second Row: 12 Adam Muir
Lock: 13 Marc Glanville
Interchange: 15 Troy Fletcher
Interchange: 16 Scott Conley
Interchange: 19 Steve Crowe
Interchange: 18 Lee Jackson
Coach: Malcolm Reilly
So, who would win? The bowl would have been played the week following the Knights’ win on Sunday the 5th of October, meaning the Broncos have had a two-week break to clear niggles, although this means they’ve played just two games in nearly six weeks before the Telecom Bowl meaning rustiness could be an issue.
Really though, all it comes down to, is the coach and his players and what we see here is a match-up of the locally talented Knights outfit verse the well-oiled star-studded Broncos juggernaut. This Broncos side was dominant and would have kept the Knights attack well in control with their staunch defence and their backline would have dominated the Knights backline, with the forwards battle being even.
The saving grace for their Knights would have been their pluckiness, but the Broncos would have run out winners by 12+. 8/10 times the Broncos would have won in my books, with the other two times relying on an Andrew Johns masterclass to pull them over the line.
Your 1997 Telecom Bowl champions: the Brisbane Broncos.
James Ditchfield
Roar Rookie
Did an article recently on The Roar about the Broncos - Knights 'feud' during this time. From what I gathered, I reckon Brisbane would've been easy money to defeat the Newcastle in the so-called 'Telecom Bowl'. They had class all over the paddock, and although the Knights outgunned Manly and were a very passionate side, I doubt they would've had what it took to overcome the Broncs of '97. Would've made for a hell of a game though.
Knight Vision
Guest
A John = Knights win.
Sammy
Guest
Lets not forget that the 1997 ARL and Super League competitions had slightly different rules: 1. Ball Strip - the ARL allowed (and encouraged) a one-on-one strip, but Super League used the old 1991-96 rule of no ball stripping allowed. (The NRL later adopted the ARL amendment). 2. Striking at the Play-the-ball - the ARL prevented markers from striking the ball in the play-the-ball, but Super League allowed markers to strike. (The NRL later adopted the ARL amendment). 3. The 40-10 Kick - the ARL introduced the 40-10 kick rule but Super League did not use this rule. (The NRL later adopted this rule as the 40-20 rule). 4. Zero Tackle Rule - Super League introduced the zero tackle rule reducing the extent of scrums after a dropped-ball, but the ARL did not use this rule. (The NRL later adopted this rule). 5. Kick-off Following Points - Super League amended the kick-off rule so that the non-scoring team would receive the kick after points were scored. The intention of this rule change was to prevent runaway score lines and create a more even contest, however the rule was never adopted by the ARL or NRL. 6. Video Referee - Super League introduced the Video Referee (which was later adopted by the NRL), but the ARL relied on the on-field referee to make a decision.
Aussie Boxing Fan
Roar Rookie
nah, the Storm would of got them eventually
mushi
Roar Guru
I've never really understood that, other than to fit the lazy reasoning.
Aussie Boxing Fan
Roar Rookie
1998 was a repeat of 1988, Manly were the best until the Broncos came along
Superspud
Roar Rookie
If Super League would have run for Ten years the Broncos would won ten premierships
Superspud
Roar Rookie
The Broncos would have won easily. Manly were the best ARL team for all but the last ten minutes of the season and the Broncos easily beat them first up the following year. I was a neutral at the 1997 ARL GF but cheered with the best of them at the end great game great finish. However I was left feeling particularly flat the following season when the Churchill Medallist and at LEAST two other knights tested positive to drugs. I felt cheated.
Superspud
Roar Rookie
I think it is a chicken and egg thing. Super League didn't pick the Broncos as much as the Broncos were Super League and invited others to join.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
Not much of an obstacle. Andrew Johns hadn’t reached his peak by that stage. Langer was definitely a superior halfback to John’s in 1997. John’s only got selected for 2 of the origin games that year and when he did play, he played both games at hooker.
Aussie Boxing Fan
Roar Rookie
would of beaten them to.
mushi
Roar Guru
That Broncos team would have given a rest of the comp side a run.
Aussie Boxing Fan
Roar Rookie
exactly good memory, dont forget Uncle Rupert had a lot to do with that. It's a shame that channel nine's Parker v Murdoch tv series didnt mention the super league war.
Shane
Guest
Because it was inside a Brisbane Broncos boardroom meeting that Super League was born......they got sick and tired of being told by Arkjo and Quayle "this is our rugby league comp, if you dont like the way we do things, go play your own comp"....so they did.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Unfortunately the super league is still seen as an illegal comp, so it is never mentioned by the NRL or the QRL.
Aussie Boxing Fan
Roar Rookie
Broncos would have and did smack the living daylights out of the Knights. Why do you think Super League picked up the Broncos first for the competetion.
PGNEWC
Roar Rookie
You would have found out for certain if the Chief and the Manly bosses hadn't lured most of the knights back from the Super league. Even though Brisbane may have been a better side the ARL Grand Final was such a classic its the one we remember -- it over shadowed the Superleague GF by miles and helped the Parties come to the table in the following year
FatsDontCrack
Roar Rookie
I'm a Queenslander, nothing wrong with taking the first shot at yourself.
BigGordy73
Roar Rookie
As a Crushers fan at the time, and with the Knights 97 GF win still being one of my favourite GFs, Brisbane win this match up every time. They were a far better team in the tougher comp that year. Also what’s with the latent anti-Qld bias with the 118,000 heads comment, why not just keep to the facts and say close to 60,000 in attendance, completely unnecessary cheap shot in an otherwise solid debut article.
Jason Cave
Guest
The Telecom Cup would have to be played under the two-referee system, which means that Bill Harrigan (Super League Grand Final referee) and David Manson (ARL Grand Final referee) would be in charge of the game, with Mick Stone being the TV match official.