Hypothetical question about 1997

[Chicken_Hunter]

why would anyone else have won the comp besides the broncos, sharks, knights or manly? They were the grand finalists so its out of them who turns up to play on the day.

 

[manly40gimps0]

One comment.

As we remmember - the North Sydney Bears were such a strong team then and throughout the 90's.
The Bears also agreed to relocate to Gosford -as they were instructed - and were given a regional licence.

Only in rugby league could it somehow be arranged that they get kicked out of the comp 2 years later AND then are prevented from re-entering for 11 years and counting.

And you wonder why rugby league has zero credibility?

 

[Rovelli]

Some real blasts from the past there.

Can't go past Brisbane or Canberra as winners.

 

[Eels Dude]

Some real blasts from the past there.

Can't go past Brisbane or Canberra as winners.

Canberra? If they couldn't even make the grand final of the Super League how were they actually going to win a GF or a combined competition. Brisbane were easily the best side in the SL... Manly and Newcastle were a lot closer. So it would be down to those 3 depending on on game day. But I reckon the Broncos were ultimately the best performers in 1997 and would have won the combined comp, hypothetically of course.

 

[mongoose]

Canberra? If they couldn't even make the grand final of the Super League how were they actually going to win a GF or a combined competition. Brisbane were easily the best side in the SL... Manly and Newcastle were a lot closer. So it would be down to those 3 depending on on game day. But I reckon the Broncos were ultimately the best performers in 1997 and would have won the combined comp, hypothetically of course.

Canberra were sensational on paper but stuart, daley, clyde and mullins were always getting injured during the late 90s. It was rare when they were all on the park at the same time.

 

[pantherz9103]

That Canberra side for a team with so many good players was highly inconsistent in the late 90's. They were beaten twice by the Sharks in the Super League finals at Shark Park- who were actually a very good team back them and entertaining as well under John Lang.

Definately Brisbane, Manly & Newcastle were the best 3 teams of either comp. Interestingly Penrith were a very good side at full strength but had poor depth and a poor defensive ethic. Royce Simmons was a club legend but he was not a great coach. Back then as a teenager I used to wonder why my team could thump the Bulldogs by 36 points but then get smashed by the Adelaide Rams by 20 the next week. That actually happened believe it or not. Funnily enough 1997 was Penrith's best year between 1992-1999 which was a very frustrating period to support them, arguably more frustrating than 2005-2009, 5 years of sweet fa in terms of making the 8.

 

[Sea_Eagles_Rock]

Manly had the defence to destroy the Broncos. In the 2 games in 95 and 96 Manly had easy victories with the Broncos struggling to cross the stripe.

If it had come down to Manly v Brisbane and I had to bet, I would have taken Manly for sure. Newcastle won the ARL grand final and had a better defensive record that year. I'd be comfortable it would have been an ARL team.

 

[MSIH]

Give Manly Ridge back, and we would've been a massive chance to take it.

Without Ridge though, I think we would've fallen short.

 

[Eels Dude]

Canberra were sensational on paper but stuart, daley, clyde and mullins were always getting injured during the late 90s. It was rare when they were all on the park at the same time.

Yeah exactly. That's why we shouldn't be looking at 'sides on paper' and hypothetically deciding who would have won 13 years ago, but injury issues, form, and team structure mean so much more. We can do that with 1997, we cannot for 2011.

 

[ANTiLAG]

There was talk at the time of the possibility of a 'superbowl' but it never eventuated. Probably would have decreased interest in each comp's "grand final". You'd have to be a punter to remotely suggest Broncos would not have taken it down. Their 97 forward pack was incredible and the backs were a fairly useful bunch themselves.

I would have to put the Broncos down as near certainties based on their 97 performances.

 

[timka4]

Newcastle to win the Grand Final ;-)

But probably not, Brisbane v Newcastle Final

Brisbane maybe win......maybe

 

[zombie jesus]

Manly.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

ahhh, the 9 million dollar duds if I remember, we flogged Norths in the first game and then the rest of comp including the crushers spanked us.

After everyone went through us like a cheap whore, we went on a big run right through to the Prelim final where Stu Kelly broke his leg and the refs handed drugcastle the win on a steroid covered platter.

 

[perverse]

There was talk at the time of the possibility of a 'superbowl' but it never eventuated. Probably would have decreased interest in each comp's "grand final". You'd have to be a punter to remotely suggest Broncos would not have taken it down. Their 97 forward pack was incredible and the backs were a fairly useful bunch themselves.

I would have to put the Broncos down as near certainties based on their 97 performances.

Brisbane would have won a superbowl type game for sure. the Knights wouldn't have been able to ride the emotion that far i don't think.

had it been a combined competition grand final you couldn't split them, though. the knights had a lot more going for them than just the team they put on the park.

inb4 drug cheats, steroids etc...

what we REALLY got robbed of was a Brisbane vs Newcastle Grand Final in 2000. instead we had to put up with the craptacular borefest that was Brisbane vs Roosters - which stands in my mind as easily the most boring Grand Final i've ever watched... and certainly the most boring game i've ever attended.

Newcastle and Brisbane were both shoe-ins for the Grand Final that year, and it would have been a dead set spectacle too. both teams were (arguably... but not really that arguably) the best, most exciting teams of the 97-03'ish era. the knights fielded a better team in 2000 than they did when they won it the next year.

we have one Freddy Fittler to blame for this. his brilliance against the knights in the prelim final in 2000 completely stole the show. the knights probably got a bit too lax after leading 14-6 at half time and yeah... freddy took the game by the balls with a brilliant intercept on a Johns cutout pass.

 

[Ulysseus]

Brisbane would have won a superbowl type game for sure. the Knights wouldn't have been able to ride the emotion that far i don't think.

had it been a combined competition grand final you couldn't split them, though. the knights had a lot more going for them than just the team they put on the park.

inb4 drug cheats, steroids etc...

what we REALLY got robbed of was a Brisbane vs Newcastle Grand Final in 2000. instead we had to put up with the craptacular borefest that was Brisbane vs Roosters - which stands in my mind as easily the most boring Grand Final i've ever watched... and certainly the most boring game i've ever attended.

Newcastle and Brisbane were both shoe-ins for the Grand Final that year, and it would have been a dead set spectacle too. both teams were (arguably... but not really that arguably) the best, most exciting teams of the 97-03'ish era. the knights fielded a better team in 2000 than they did when they won it the next year.

we have one Freddy Fittler to blame for this. his brilliance against the knights in the prelim final in 2000 completely stole the show. the knights probably got a bit too lax after leading 14-6 at half time and yeah... freddy took the game by the balls with a brilliant intercept on a Johns cutout pass.

lol, it wasn't the most exciting GF from memory, BUT it was THE defensive lesson to end all defensive lessons.
From Luke Phillips stopping certain 4 pointers to the broncos pack being basically a brick wall in the middle of the park it was at times the biggest grind I have ever seen, credit to the roosters for staying in touch during the game (if Phillips had missed 3 particular tackles though............) against what was some of the most well drilled opposition I have ever seen.

They were not exciting, but I remember watching that game over and over on tape to try and learn how to tackle like Tony Carrol, f**k Lockyer, he was THE man of the match that day, some of those hits were absolutely f**king brutal.
Despite watching it a sh*tload of times and watching his hits in slow motion, I never could replicate those hits though

As for Newcastle being able to beat Brisbane in the 2000 GF, f**k off, Brisbane would have put f**king 30+ on them, it was pure arse and Luke Phillips that stopped it happening to the Roosters, Brisbane were never going to lose that game.

 

[Dragon Slayer]

That Cronulla side looks pretty good on paper.

Bloody hell I'd kill for a side like that now......

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

1. David Peachey
2. Richard Barnett
3. Andrew Ettingshausen
4. Russell Richardson
5. Mat Rogers
6. Mitch Healey
7. Paul Green
8. Danny Lee
9. Dean Treister
10. Jason Stevens
11. Les Davidson
12. Chris McKenna
13. Tawera Nikau

14. Geoff Bell
15. Nathan Long
16. Sean Ryan
17. Craig Greenhill

 

[MightyBronco]

Broncs would win of course!

But my main observation from those team lists is...man there was a lot of talent in footy back in those days! More talent accross the board than before or since i reckon.

 

[BDH]

Broncos won Super League in 1997, won the World Club Challenge, and won the combined 1998 comp. Quit wondering, we all know Broncos would have and did destroy anything that came near them those seasons.

This thread should have a better question; If the ARL hadn't of been run by the same backward, redneck, inbred fools that are still meddling with it's affairs now, and had of agreed to terms with Super League;

1. How GREAT would Rugby League be now?
2. How many AFL and Union players would have left their codes to play in what would have been the most professional and richest sporting competition in the Southern Hemisphere (excusing IPL)?
3. Over the last 13 years, how much would Rugby League popularity have grown in other than QLD and NSW?

 

[Knightmare]

Calm down mate. You've got to be up early to write for The Courier Mail's sports section don't you?

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

I never watched a SL game so I couldnt tell you. Looking at stats and line ups, you would have to say that Brisbane would have won.