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2001 Andrew Johns Clive Churchill Medal

King hit

King hit

Coach
Messages
14,118
I watched the 2001 Grand Final last night where Joey put on that master class performance and you guys won another GF against the odds. Joey got the Clive Churchill medal after a great performance. He only had the 1 try assist but his kicking in general play limited the dangerous Eels backline superbly well, he ran hard and directed the team like a boss and came up with some great tackles. People say he didn't deserve it as Ben Kennedy had an terrific performance destroying the Eels left hand fringe and Bedsy and Matt Parsons dominated through the middle.

I'm quite interested in a Knights supporter view of this if you thought the Joey was the best or not?. IMO Johns was a deserving winner for reasons listed and kept going the whole game whilst Kennedy imo dropped of a bit in the second half but had a great performance nonetheless.
 
mozza91

mozza91

Coach
Messages
14,477
Whenever there was a loose ball in that Grand Final Johns was on it, as you mentioned his kicking game was top shelf and was great defensively. He was worthy I think, although I still would've given it to Simmo for making one of the greatest try saving tackles ever at a key moment of the game.
 
Noname36

Noname36

First Grade
Messages
7,067
It probably could be argued that a couple of others might have offered slightly more on the night but really Joey got us to 2 grand finals so I don't think anyone would possibly begrudge him the medal.

He was the greatest ever. Would seem strange if he retired without one.
 
Rod

Rod

Bench
Messages
3,771
King hit said:
At least Joey did deserve his, Thurston's was one of the most undeserving awards I've ever seen in my life.
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Bang on. If Joey wasn't the best on field in 2001 he was second or third best. Thurston was about the 9th best player on the field in 2015. Cringeworthy they gave it to him and still annoys me a little bit to this day haha.
 
King hit

King hit

Coach
Messages
14,118
Thurston getting the award was purely sentiment. He was obviously wasn't the best and he has admitted that.
 
King hit

King hit

Coach
Messages
14,118
Burns said:
Steve Simpson made the most greatest tackle in history, he would have been very deserving.
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He almost scored 2 tries as well. Scored the Knights second try and might've gotten the ball down in the 2nd half but Harrigan ruled he was held up and didn't go to the video. He might've been right in the end.

The tackle on Andrew Ryan was just epic and one of the best. Was a throwback seeing Ryan playing for Parra
 
A

Alex28

Coach
Messages
12,021
I haven't seen the game in ages, but I still think BK deserved it. Absolutely epic in the first half.
 
Yosh

Yosh

Coach
Messages
12,015
Was rugby league better back in the late 90s and early 2000s? Or is it just me? Maybe I'm influenced because our team sux?

Like our first try in the 2001 final. Today it would have been called obstruction or whatever. Gone up to the video ref and taken years to come to a decision etc etc. Back in the day, if you didn't directly block a guy from making a tackle, it was all good. Now you gotta be like a robot and avoid all contact...

Edit: Just added some more stuff to the post.
 
Still Nutty

Still Nutty

Juniors
Messages
870
Yosh said:
Was rugby league better back in the late 90s and early 2000s? Or is it just me? Maybe I'm influenced because our team sux?
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I've been watching league since the early 70's and my favourite era of football was actually the early to mid 80's during the domination of the Eels and the Bulldogs...followed by the late 80s and early 90s.

I dunno....maybe it was the fact that my younger days were playing juniors and school boys footy with and against players like Brett Kenny (the most naturally gifted player I have ever seen and I hope he gets through his battle with the big C), Peter Sterling, Steve Ella, etc. and going from competing with and against them on the field to seeing them on TV and competing at the highest echelons has probably influenced my memories.

From my memory, the footy played before the salary cap came in and really impacted on club rosters were some of the best eras I can remember because teams could put quality squads together that played week in and week out and built club eras.

This meant a club squad for several seasons that could have a backline like Peter Sterling, Brett Kenny, Mick Cronin, Steve Ella and Eric Grothe or the Broncos halves and backs that included Langer, Lewis, Lockyer, Miles, Renouf, etc. or the Raiders squad that included Bradley Clyde, Ricky Stuart, Laurie Daley, Peter Jackson, Mal Maninga, Gary Belcher and so on (I acknowledge that some that time was when a cap was supposed to be in force).

One of the great things about the league of yester-year for me was the dynasties and eras of club sides dominating over a period - that was part of the tribalism and history that gave league another level of mystique that I don't see as much in the modern game.

As much as I hate to admit it, the closest thing in the modern era is the Qld domination of the SoO
 
Zoidberg

Zoidberg

First Grade
Messages
6,526
Yosh said:
Was rugby league better back in the late 90s and early 2000s? Or is it just me? Maybe I'm influenced because our team sux?

Like our first try in the 2001 final. Today it would have been called obstruction or whatever. Gone up to the video ref and taken years to come to a decision etc etc. Back in the day, if you didn't directly block a guy from making a tackle, it was all good. Now you gotta be like a robot and avoid all contact...

Edit: Just added some more stuff to the post.
Click to expand...
I do agree it was better back then. Less of the structured attack and more enjoyable to watch. Knights during those years were very fun to see play and throw the ball around.
 
O

Old dog

Bench
Messages
2,676
Video killed the footy star.
Everything is so controlled by TV etc and replays from lots of different angles, decisions based on someone not at the ground.
Coaches and players spending hours formulating game plans etc.
Gone is the spontaneity, football was much better before all that, not the players but the system.
 
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