Rugby league rookie cup: The class of 1998

With Super League and ARL calling a truce and the new re-unified comp kicking off, 1998 whiffed of renewal.

And a quality crop of debutants contributed to those spring-time vibes.

The class of 1998 features three Indigenous stars in the spine, three indefatigable forwards in the pack, and three-quarters who don’t quite match the quality of their teammates.

Here’s how they line up.

Fullback: Rhys Wesser
Luke Patten — an Illawarra rookie in ’98 before becoming a beloved Bulldogs clubman — was unlucky to debut in the same campaign as Penrith’s Rhys Wesser, whose brilliance earns him the number one jersey. Wesser’s 25 tries in the Panthers’ 2003 title win is a solo haul that hasn’t been topped since.

Wingers: Lesley Vainikolo and Colin Best
Powerful Raider Lesley Vainikolo and lanky Shark Colin Best form an odd-couple wing combination.

Centres: Ryan Cross and Josh Hannay
Ryan Cross was the original Joseph Suaalii: a schoolboy fullback who escaped rugby union’s clutches to debut for the Roosters as a teenager. Fingers crossed Suaalii enjoys better luck with injury, and doesn’t go back to the dark side like eventual Wallaby Cross did. He’s joined by dependable Cowboy turned perennial interim coach Josh Hannay.

(Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

Five-eighth: Preston Campbell
There was no more exciting player in the early 2000s than Preston Campbell. Well, besides maybe his cousin Nathan Blacklock. Campbell began his career where he ended it — on the Gold Coast — sandwiching the 2001 Dally M Medal at Cronulla and the 2003 premiership at Penrith in between.

Halfback: Scott Prince (captain)
The third member of this Indigenous spine trio is Scott Prince, a 300-gamer who began at North Queensland. He produced his best alongside Benji Marshall in the Tigers’ 2005 premiership and he’ll relish partnering another live-wire five-eighth here, too.

Props: Petero Civoniceva and Anthony Seibold
Two people could hardly sit further apart on the popularity spectrum in Brisbane, but here they are together in the front row. Petero Civoniceva boasts one of those bulging CVs shared by a small number of dynasty-defining Queenslanders of this era.

Raiders rookie Anthony Seibold doesn’t, but can claim one accolade Civoniceva never got his hands on: an international cap for Germany.

Parramatta’s Michael Vella was clearly a better prop than Seibold, but starts on the bench for a good reason explained below.

Hooker: Craig Wing
South Sydney rookie Craig Wing was rugby league biggest sex symbol since Martin Bella bristled his moustache or Paul Vautin wobbled his head. The future Rooster and Japan rugby international beats Canterbury clubman Corey Hughes to the number nine in this team.

Second row: Craig Fitzgibbon and Nathan Hindmarsh
There won’t be any tackles left for anyone else with these two toilers in the back row. While Nathan Hindmarsh played each of his 330 games for Parramatta, new Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon began at the Steelers before hitting his long-legged stride at Bondi Junction.

(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Lock: Ali Lauiti’iti
Auckland’s Ali Lauiti’iti supplies the razzle-dazzle behind the two workhorses. The second-rower never played an NRL game at lock but can do the job for the class of ’98 with no recognised 13s banging down the door.

Bench: Michael Vella, Joe Galuvao, Luke Stuart, Joel Caine
Parramatta’s Michael Vella played all ten of his Origins off the bench, so he’ll be well prepared for the impact role in this team.

Joe Galuvao began his long and winding career path as a Warriors fullback before becoming a second-rower at Penrith, Souths, Parra and Manly, joined on the bench by honest ex-Rabbits teammate Luke Stuart.

Finally, St George first-gamer Joel Caine — better known as a Tigers winger, then better still as an odds hawker — heads up the team’s punters club.

Coach: Steve Folkes
The late, great Steve Folkes coached the first of his 11 campaigns at the Dogs in 1998, engineering an extraordinary run from ninth place to the grand final via an inscrutable ten-team finals system.

Verdict
Entertainment galore in the spine and three tireless forwards might be enough to drive them into the top five. Let’s ask Joel Caine to frame a market.

Finally, it’s time to party like it’s 1999.