The Super League War-ravaged 1997 season gave us the Adelaide Rams, the Hunter Mariners and another crop of rookies to mould into a 17-man line-up.
The class of 1997 boasts a quality core of Kiwi forwards and no shortage of hookers, but you need to be as creative as a Roosters accountant to spread the talent evenly across the team sheet.
Although the real stuff was split across two comps, the Super League and ARL boys join forces here to contest the rugby league rookie cup.
Let’s start with an ARL man who punched well above his weight.
Fullback: Brett Hodgson
Getting rag-dolled by Gorden Tallis is an unfair way to remember Wests’ Brett Hodgson, who’d rather we focused on his integral role in Parramatta’s 2001 campaign, his 308 points in the Tigers’ charge to the 2005 title – the second-highest single-season haul in history – and his 2009 Super League man of steel gong.
Wingers: Marcus Bai and Jason Moodie
Papua New Guinea winger Marcus Bai debuted on the Gold Coast before becoming Melbourne’s first cult hero, joined on the other flank by Newcastle’s Jason Moodie.
Centres: Michael De Vere and Mark Hughes
Like Hodgson, Michael De Vere’s career is overshadowed by a single Origin moment: getting a staple gun jammed in his brow in a toe-curling act of bravery. Accompanying the no-fuss Broncos centre is dual Knights title winner Mark Hughes, who took bravery to another level in retirement throughout his battle with brain cancer.
Five-eighth: Matt Geyer
Mark Geyer’s little brother spent most of his 268-game career on the wing for the Storm. But his first six games for the Western Reds in 1997, plus a grand final win at five-eighth for Melbourne two years later, qualifies him to wear the No. 6 in this team.
Halfback: Danny Buderus (captain)
Legendary Newcastle hooker Danny Buderus is of course a hooker, but he gets this gig because the class of 1997 isn’t exactly flush with playmakers, and the decorated dummy half did flirt with the No. 7 jersey throughout his career – he played six NRL games at halfback and teamed up with Trent Barrett in the halves for the 1995 Australian Schoolboys. Plus surely some Joey Johns magic dust rubbed off on him.
(Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images)
Props: Nathan Cayless and Jerry Seuseu
Parramatta’s Nathan Cayless and Auckland’s Jerry Seuseu form a teak-tough front-row combination that played Tests together for New Zealand.
Hooker: Luke Priddis
Hooker is the one position where 1997’s rookie class was spoilt for choice. With Buderus at halfback, 315-game journeyman Luke Priddis, who began his career behind Simon Woolford at Canberra, takes the dummy half duties. Tireless tacklers and premiership winners Richard Swain (Mariners then Storm) and Simon Bonetti (Roosters) are unlucky.
Second row: Bryan Fletcher and Tony Puletua
Alongside Joe Galuvao, Penrith’s Tony Puletua was one half of the ‘hair bears’ back row that powered the Panthers to the 2003 title. Roosters rookie and Fox funnyman Bryan Fletcher has the follicles and the form to match him.
Lock: Logan Swann
The Warriors’ Logan Swann made his debut for the Kiwis in 1996 before he’d even graduated from Auckland’s reserve-grade side, so he’s a walk-up here.
Bench: Daniel Wagon, David Kidwell, Luke Williamson and Garth Wood
St George’s Daniel Wagon and Adelaide first-gamers David Kidwell and Luke Williamson supply stacks of versatility off the bench.
But this team might cop a few beatings in the rugby league rookie cup, so they need Garth Wood – one of 15 Rabbitohs debutants in 1997 before becoming a professional boxer – to help them at least win the fight.
Coach: Mal Meninga
Andrew Farrar (Illawarra), Rod Reddy (Adelaide), Frank Endacott (Auckland), Dean Lance (Western Reds) and Steve Bleakley (South Queensland) all picked up a clipboard for the first time in 1997, but Raiders talisman Mal Meninga wins this posting, so long as right-hand man Michael Hagan can take care of all the tactical stuff.
Verdict
With no recognised halves, Big Mal isn’t building any dynasties with this squad.
Will the class of 1998 give them some company near the foot of the ladder?
The Messenger
Roar Guru
Great idea - I'm just not sure I trust my knowledge stretching back that far!
Josso
Guest
TM, alongside the 90s decade, you could run a 70s, 80s, 2000 and 2010. Then each decade winner could go into the old Bo5 to come up with the ultimate rookie windfielf cup.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
You're right. I think he played in the World Club Championship in 1997, but no one counts that.
The Messenger
Roar Guru
'98 I believe.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Didn't Petero debut in 1997?
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
It is as good a way as any in blocks like that. One way would be the ARL premiership era of 88 so you get broncos, knights and the first Gold Coast. Or the modem sort of era from 82 when it really went from more then a Sydney comp. All those teams has made the league stronger, it shows the success’s of a string club, the struggles of weak, how to survive with merger.
The Messenger
Roar Guru
They did indeed. Some of the early '00s teams will be stacked.
Duncan Smith
Roar Guru
Good idea to divide it into blocks of ten. But you could easily do 2011-2020, doesn't matter if their careers are still developing. You could probably do the 1980s as well. As a Storm fan, it's a shame that Smith, Slater, and Cronk will be in different teams, as I believe they debuted in 2002 / 03/ 04 respectively!
The Messenger
Roar Guru
I reckon a 10-team comp for the '90s, then a 10-team comp for the 2000s - crown a champion of each decade, then maybe pit them against each other. So that would take us up to 2009. Debutants from 2010 and later are difficult to assess because their careers are ongoing, and anything earlier than 1990 is well and truly beyond my memory/experience. And if Sydney's lockdown continues to linger, I might have to come up with a different concept to keep myself occupied!
Duncan Smith
Roar Guru
How many of these teams are you going to do? Will you go right up to, say, 2015 or thereabouts?
The Messenger
Roar Guru
Great yarn. They strike me as two of the good guys.
The Messenger
Roar Guru
Pleasure! Thanks for reading.
The Messenger
Roar Guru
Yep, not sure they're playing finals.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
My abiding memory of Buderus and Hughes was sharing a bus with them late on a Saturday night in Newcastle. They were in Sgt Pepper's outfits taking everyone's smartalec comments with good humour. Probably helped that they were just as drunk as everyone else. Of course, they'd won earlier that evening.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Losing the game and the fight after, even with Garth Wood.
R N
Roar Rookie
Really enjoying this series The Messenger! Thanks for taking the time.
Duncan Smith
Roar Guru
Not many superstars. Making up the also-rans.