Rugby league rookie cup: The class of 1991

The year is 1991. The Soviet Union is breaking up, but this talented group of rookie rugby league players is coming together.

To recap, I’m naming a 17-man team made up of first-grade debutants from each year of the 1990s, then pitting them against each other to decide the strongest vintage.

Why? Because nostalgia and lockdown-imposed free time are a dangerous mix.

For selection criteria and the 1990 line-up, read the first article, then find out how the class of 1991 lines up.

Fullback: Julian O’Neill
Before off-field incidents rewrote his biography, O’Neill was a boom rookie who’d lifted two premiership trophies before his 21st birthday. With few rivals for the number one jumper in this team, the integrity unit would be his biggest obstacle to selection.

Wingers: Daryl Halligan and Danny Moore
Danny Moore — best known for head-butting the fists of Manly teammate John Hopoate during the fiery MCG Origin in 1995 — partners North Sydney’s Daryl Halligan, whose cucumber-cool conversions will help this side in the close ones.

Centres: Ryan Girdler and Paul McGregor
Illawarra pair Ryan Girdler and Paul McGregor form an all-Steelers centre pairing that screams representative class. Kiwi Jarrod McCracken (Canterbury) can count himself unlucky.

(Photo by Matt Blyth/Getty Images)

Five-eighth: Jim Dymock
The surfeit of locks queuing up for the 13 jumper forces Jim Dymock to five-eighth, where there’s a distinct lack of quality options. Dymock debuted for Wests in 1991 before winning silverware at the Bulldogs — the same career path as Canterbury great Terry Lamb a decade earlier.

Halfback: Brian Smith
The playmaking stocks are similarly thin at number seven, but Balmain’s Brian Smith has plenty of pedigree. New Tigers coach Alan Jones brought in nine fresh faces during his first season, including his ex-Wallabies charge Smith, who also represented Ireland in rugby union.

Props: Carl MacNamara and Jason Croker
Professional Penrith prop Carl MacNamara won’t let you down, nor will Canberra clubman Jason Croker.

Of course, Croker only played one of his 318 games at prop — a 32-12 win over the Western Reds in 1996 — but he gets this job thanks to his two-try effort in that game, his extraordinary versatility (he filled every position bar halfback and hooker over his 16 years at the Raiders), and the abject lack of eligible front-rowers.

Hooker: Jason Death
Despite Steve Walters’ stranglehold on the Raiders’ dummy-half duties, ‘Sudden’ earned his excellent nickname off the bench at Canberra before becoming the main rake at North Queensland, Auckland and Souths.

Second row: Matt Adamson and Peter Ryan
Matt Adamson began his career with a single game on the wing for Parramatta in ’91, then found his calling as a fiery second-rower at Penrith. He’ll form a brutal back row with bone-crunching Bronco Peter Ryan, another convert from the 15-man code.

(Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

Lock: Luke Ricketson (captain)
1991 produced a great crop of lock forwards, including Dymock and Croker above, Wayne Bartrim (Gold Coast), John Cross (Illawarra) and Steve Reardon (Canterbury). But Roosters stalwart Luke Ricketson is the clear pick of the bunch, and our skipper.

Bench: Anthony Xuereb, Cecil Heron, Matt Nable, Gavin Orr
The first two subs are selected purely for their names.

Maltese international Anthony Xuereb (Penrith) possessed the one and only surname beginning with X in first-grade rugby league until Bronson Xerri joined (and quickly sullied) this exclusive club in 2019.

Even rarer, St George forward Cecil Heron is the only player to go by ‘Cecil’ in the last 84 years of the competition.

The last two bench spots go to players better known for their off-field talents. Manly’s Matt Nable can deliver the pre-game rev-ups Fox has made famous, while Easts back turned player agent Gavin Orr will be a popular inclusion if he can make sure his teammates get remunerated generously.

On ability rather than trivia, though, the versatile quartet of Jarrod McCracken, Wayne Bartrim, John Cross and Steve Reardon would get the call-up.

Coach: Graham Murray
The 1991 season welcomed many rookie coaches who won lots of respect but not a lot of trophies.

Illawarra’s Graham Murray is the pick for his work at the Steelers then Roosters and Cowboys, ahead of namesake Mark Murray (Easts), David Waite (Newcastle) and a rugby union convert by the name of Alan Jones, who enjoyed a handy radio career after his time at Balmain.

Verdict
The three-quarter line has points in them and the back row blends brutal defence with tireless effort. But a skinny front row and the absence of a genuine rugby league playmaker in the halves will cause headaches.

Next up, the rookie class of 1992 — the first of the contenders thanks to their even more fearsome forward pack.