Opinion
While the number of NRL teams shrunk in 1999, the quantity of debutants who went on to forge top-class careers didn’t.
This vintage of wingers, centres and back-rowers is particularly impressive, as is the calibre of interchange specialists raring to give their side some punch off the pine.
Here’s the tenth and final side to contest the rugby league rookie cup.
Fullback: Lote Tuqiri
Rookie fullbacks were thin on the ground in 1999, so I’m asking Brisbane’s Lote Tuqiri to fill the breach. The Fiji-born flanker played a handful of games at the back for the Broncos as well as the Bati at the 2000 World Cup.
Wingers: Timana Tahu and Eric Grothe
Newcastle’s Timana Tahu and Parramatta’s Eric Grothe lead a strong harvest of wingers, which includes New Zealand international Francis Meli, journeyman speedster Chris Walker and point-scoring Parra clubman Luke Burt.
(Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images)
Centres: Phil Bailey and Shannon Hegarty
Manly product Phil Bailey — better known for his time at Cronulla — and Roosters rookie Shannon Hegarty claimed all their Kangaroos caps together in 2003, beating an unlucky pair of Kiwi opponents — Clinton Toopi and David Vaealiki — into this line-up.
Five-eighth: Shaun Berrigan
Brisbane’s Shaun Berrigan began his career swapping between centre and five-eighth alongside Kevin Walters and Allan Langer — good enough pedigree for the Broncos’ Mr Fix-It to fill the number six jersey for the class of ’99.
Halfback: Brent Sherwin
The Bulldogs’ Brent Sherwin defeated opposite number Brett Finch in the 2004 grand final and he repeats the dose over the Raiders first-gamer here too.
Props: Paul Rauhihi and Mark O’Meley
Future Canterbury teammate s Paul Rauhihi and Mark O’Meley kicked off their careers at Newcastle and North Sydney respectively, and the hairless hard men re-unite in this team.
A potential clash with 1996’s bald back row of Ben Kennedy and Awen Guttenbeil will be one for the Advanced Hair marketing gurus to keep an eye on.
Hooker: Monty Betham
Warriors enforcer turned pro boxer Monty Betham completes a formidable, fiery and entirely follicle-free front row.
Second row: Steve Simpson (captain) and Dane Carlaw
Newcastle’s Steve Simpson and Brisbane’s Dane Carlaw are a pair of one-club stalwarts who were coincidentally rewarded with 13 Origins each, not to mention the accolade of representing their debutant class in the rugby league rookie cup.
Apologies to Roosters rookie David Solomona and Tigers favourite Ben Galea.
Lock: Luke O’Donnell
The oft-suspended Luke O’Donnell — who debuted with Balmain — completes a combustable forward pack that will need the support of a decent bench when the judiciary charges inevitably accrue.
Bench: Wairangi Koopu, Kylie Leuluai, Richard Villasanti, Jamie Feeney
1999 could give us one of the great trivia benches, beginning with Canberra’s trail-blazing Frenchman Jérôme Guisset and mystery American import Greg Smith, whose NFL background — exaggerated or not — helped him earn one game for the Knights.
They’d be joined by the Cowboys’ Craig Smith — the third player by that name to debut in the ‘90s, following the Storm’s 1999 grand final winner and the Dragons’ 1999 grand final loser — and Auckland winger Odell Manuel, who’s now a professional powerlifter about double his playing weight.
But this team has four quality bench specialists who have to be picked. Warriors forward Wairangi Koopu played 74 games of his 171 off the pine, while Dogs debutant Jamie Feeney played 96 of 132 there.
Balmain rookie Kylie Leuluai made 61 of 78 NRL appearances from the interchange, representing five different clubs in his first five seasons, before becoming a Super League trophy magnet at Leeds.
His fellow Tigers first-gamer Richard Villasanti played 59 of his 116 matches as a sub, including the 2002 grand final, in which he delivered the momentum-shifting high shot on Brad Fittler.
Coach: Mark Graham
The coaching gig is a race in two between Auckland’s Mark Graham and Manly’s Peter Sharp.
Neither had an impressive coaching record, and although Sharp lasted longer, Graham’s standing in the game — he is perhaps New Zealand’s greatest ever player — earns him the job.
Verdict
The class of ’99 is a deep squad — their B-team would feature three-quarters and back-rowers that would get into rival rookie cup line-ups. But the lack of a genuine fullback could cost them a higher spot on the ladder.
Speaking of, in my next article, I’ll reveal how all ten teams finished, and which side is crowned the best rookie class of the 1990s.
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