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Joined August 2020
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Rugby League. History. Culture. @themessengerrl on Instagram and Twitter.
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In selecting a side of the best players to make their NRL debut in the first decade of the new millennium, the temptation is to simply steal Mal Meninga’s State of Origin team sheet and name 17 Queenslanders who went on to run roughshod over New South Wales.
New millennium. New faces. Same old selection debates.
Blake Ferguson and Josh Dugan haven’t shared a dressing room since they thought the ideal preparation for the 2017 Origin decider was an eight-hour session at the Lennox Point Hotel.
As rugby league celebrated its 100th anniversary in Australia, the cake was decorated with new candles that burned brightly but fizzled fast.
Like the 99 premierships that came before it, the 2007 campaign introduced a new generation of players that went on to entertain, enthral and enrage us.
The class of 2006 is the weakest team named in this series so far.
While Benji Marshall was flick-passing his way to the Wests Tigers’ first premiership, this generation of bruisers were just beginning their NRL careers.
The class of 2004 will be a favourite of tabloid editors, though less popular with the integrity unit.
The class of 2003 is the first in this series to feature a player still running around in the NRL today.
There are three names in this squad — two on the team sheet, and one in the coaches box — that make the class of 2002 very difficult to bet against.
After crowning a champion team of the 1990s, it’s time to assess the various rookie classes that emerged in the first decade of the new millennium.
Naming a team of the best players who made their NRL debut in the 1990s feels like an exercise in indulgence.
Welcome to the pointy end of the rugby league rookie cup, part of an ongoing series when the strongest debutant class of the 1990s will be crowned.
While the number of NRL teams shrunk in 1999, the quantity of debutants who went on to forge top-class careers didn’t.
With Super League and ARL calling a truce and the new re-unified comp kicking off, 1998 whiffed of renewal.
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 next time someone tells you rugby league isn’t an international sport, show them this team.
With four new teams in the comp and the Super League War breaking, first-grade debuts were handed out as easily in 1995 as sin-binnings are these days.
When Queensland went on their eight-series winning streak between 2006 and 2013, the NSW selectors had plenty of decent players to choose from. But were they good enough to out-gun the Maroons? And was it worth shuffling them out of position to shoe-horn the most talented players into the squad?
Fair call — a lot of love for Morris in particular.
The best rugby league rookies of the 2000s
Gasnier and Hodges seem like the crowd’s addition to the three-quarter line, for sure.
Hodges off the bench is a thought — tireless dummy-half runner too.
The best rugby league rookies of the 2000s
Parker in 2015 was probably the best forward in excellent Queensland and Brisbane teams. Very unlucky to miss. Eighteenth man for sure!
I love that back row you’ve posed — skill and mongrel. Glenn Stewart was a favourite.
The best rugby league rookies of the 2000s
My initial thought was the ’80s, but I think that’s coloured by fabled old Origin highlights and Tina Turner commercials and all that. But then like you say, guys like Lewis and Mal Meninga too sneak into the ’70s.
Then I can’t claim to have anywhere near enough knowledge to stretch further back than that.
The best rugby league rookies of the 2000s
Yeah I agree that Hodges and Parker are the big exclusions (personal bias preferred Lyon and Graham on the bench).
Also I’m definitely not claiming this to be the best decade ever — simply that these are the best players to have made their debut within this decade.
The best rugby league rookies of the 2000s
Good read — I love the approach to finance.
Reggies, expansion, the conference system and the Amco Cup
That’s true, but he formed a potent combination with Inglis at his peak. Brett Morris and Brent Tate are the unlucky ones to miss.
The best rugby league rookies of the 2000s
I think you’re on the money with both — the two keeping them out (Lyon and Graham) are shameless personal favourites. A less biased selector would adopt your recommendations.
I’m weighing up 2010s or 1980s next. Each have their own challenges (2010s because careers haven’t fully formed; 1980s because eligibility is muddy and my memory doesn’t stretch back far enough).
The best rugby league rookies of the 2000s
Winger was one of the weaker positions for depth — I had Brett Morris and Manu Vatuvei as the next two specialists who played a full career on the wing.
The best rugby league rookies of the 2000s
One of my favourites… possibly for different reasons 😂
The best rugby league rookies of the 2000s
It would be a classic match to watch — the teams ooze rep quality. Class of 2000 is certainly the stronger team across the park but I agree that Bellamy is an integral factor.
What was the best NRL rookie class of the 2000s?
That’s fair — 2000 is certainly the strongest team one to 17, especially with those established combinations taken into account. Personally though I’d find it too hard to bet against any side with the three huge names 2002 boasts.
What was the best NRL rookie class of the 2000s?
I might — this series started as a lockdown project, and seven weeks later that doesn’t show any signs of letting up, so I might just keep going!
I’m also tempted to go back to the ’80s but that might be stretching my knowledge too thin.
What was the best NRL rookie class of the 2000s?
😂 😂 I forgot to take tongue-twisters into account!!
What was the best NRL rookie class of the 2000s?
In the ’90s, I backed the more even class of ’92 (with monster forwards right through the bench) over the Andrew Johns-led class of ’93 — but the two future Immortals in the 2002 team convinced me to flip that logic this decade.
Love the Glenn Stewart comment 😂 and I agree, ’03 is definitely the first team I’m buying a ticket to watch.
What was the best NRL rookie class of the 2000s?
Thanks for the kind words! Really appreciate the positive feedback.
Rugby league rookie cup: The class of 2009
Is a suplex a sinbin-worthy offence in 2021?
Rugby league rookie cup: The class of 2009
I’m referring to McGuire — he’s had the reverse Midas touch in 2021.
I’m with you on Ah Mau, very dependable player for a long time.
Rugby league rookie cup: The class of 2009
Given his win-loss record this season, he’d be lucky to get a start in the 17!
Rugby league rookie cup: The class of 2009
At least the coach isn’t responsible for recruitment here!!
Rugby league rookie cup: The class of 2008
I suspect Lyon would’ve fared better against Inglis than some of the others NSW picked, but I don’t think it would’ve derailed Queensland’s dominance. So even if he put his hand up for selection, he would’ve been on a hiding to nothing.
Definitely looked better carving up opponents in a Manly jumper than licking wounds in a NSW one.
The best rugby league rookies of the 2000s