How do you rate the Knights 97 Premsiership?

[Cockadoodledoo]

Brisbane & Newcastle both won their comps that year anbd that is how it should stay!
Someone said something about a clayton's premiership? Well that would be the 2002 GF if ever there was a Claytons premiership the best team stripped of all their points and the Roorters get up for a "premiership victory:roll:".

Do you remember why trackhead?

 

[Green Machine]

Not bad value. Not as good value as Brisbane got from Tallis for a decade. Or Cronulla from Jason Stevens

Just think, if Gus won't have called Gordie a bench player, he could have played 10 years for the Dragons,

Still pre SL era. Keep arguing about which way you want to lose a point.

Lose a point? have you won a point yet?

That game restored the faith of the fans in the codes qbility to rise above any circumstance. Nothing Traitor League produced was anything more than an immature borefest with streamers - and turned thousands off the game. The Knights 1997 premiership brought 'em back. The SL organisation knew they were in trouble after round 1 with bumper crowds at Parramatta and Leichhardt, and knew they were totally f*cked after the GF.

And the sun shone down on the people and everyone lived happily ever after…....

What a load of sh*te. Super League had a good opening weekend as well. Brisbane V Auckland attached 42k at ANZ with ABC TV coverage. I went to the Sharks V Raiders Monday night game at the SFS which attracted a crowd of 22k. The Cowboys V Rams match in Townville attracted just under 18k. Sorry to blow that stupid theory out of the water. Crowds were bad for both organisations throughout the season. Rugby League was hard to watch on TV with the Packer organisation replaying Monday and Friday games at 9.30pm. The truth was that once Packer did a deal behind the ARL’s back with Murdoch in 1996, all that was left was for Neil Whittaker and Ian Frykberg to come up with a deal that satisfied all parties including Optus, with negotiations going though most of 1997. Those negotiations didn’t start the day after the Knights beat Manly. The first mention of that garbage that the Knights saved Rugby League came in a Roy Masters article about Tom Raudonikis inviting John Singleton into the 1998 NSW State of Origin camp to talk to the players. This was at a time when Singleton was criticising the 14 team NRL comp for 2000. He even suggested that AFL was about to take over in Sydney with the North Melbourne Kangaroos relocation to the Olympic Stadium after the games. He even dropped his station from calling Rugby League for the 1999 season. AFL was that successful for him in 1999 that he secretly negotiated for exclusive radio right to the same NRL 14-team competition for the 2000 season

Mystifying you isn't a great feat.

Telling porkies is your great strength

Parra opened up the chequebook when the paltry $1.6m capdies under the SL farce. Opportunism? Sure. Compared to Canberra's opportunism in selling their soul for Murdoch's millions - minescule. How much did you make? Around $30 million? And you still lost Stuart and Clyde!!!!!

I think Parra were referred as the $6m team at one time. We did rather well. We now have solid financial platform for the future. Stuart and Clyde left when they wanted to maintain their Super League level contract. Not unlike when Jason Smith left Parramatta for Hull or Jimmy Dymock left for London or McCracken left for the West Tigers. I thought Brad had his moments at the Dogs, but Ricky would have been better served going to England. I see as no different to how Manly have let Steve Menzies play out his career on top dollar for Bradford.

Dunno who Manly ended up with that was earth shattering. Easts wound up with Fittler after he was clubless because of Penrith's utter stupidity.

Don’t forget Barnhill, Gourley, Simon, Elsegood, Matt Sing, Cleary, Shearer and Costin. Not to mention the players who came in at the start of the 1995 season like Phil Clarke.
Manly bought well after they got beaten by the Dogs in 1995. The needed a hooker and a centre so there brought in Jim Serdaris and Craig Innes. I thought Innes was the best centre in Rugby League at that time. Craig Field was an interesting addition when they already had Lyons and Toovey.

:lol: Was that the News Ltd press in 1996?

Is this trick question? Yes and a Fairfax press as well, with the SMH, Newcastle Herald and Illawarra Mercery

They would have said anything. Brisbane bought an entire comp but couldn't keep Robbie Ross......:lol:

Brisbane bought entire comp? Are you saying the Broncos owned News Ltd in 1996?

Well, that answers your question about Ross you goose.

The only goose here is you. You had no idea that Robbie Ross played first grade for the Broncos in 1996, did you Misty? You thought he played reserve grade for the Knights, didn’t you?

Kimmorley went to hunter because at Newcastle he was never going to play first grade.

I’d agree with that, but it shows how little you knew of when the Mariners recruited their players.

And debuing at first grade doesn't mean you never play reggies again. How desperate you are to make a stupid point!

I can’t remember Scott Hill going back to reserve grade once he went up to first grade at the Dogs. You didn’t even know Scott Hill played for the Dogs in 1996

Yawn - you spent how many hours searching for that link?????

Just one search Misty. I just went to Google, clicked on Advanced Search, typed in Rodney Howe and added Widnes. It didn’t take long at all as I remembered he played in England before going to the Reds and I was pretty sure it was Widnes. Sorry to expose your lack of knowledge on Rodney Howe’s playing past

Wow. so after 6000 posts have you and Bobby worked out that the draft didn't exist in the ARL between 1995 and 1997?

Come on Misty, you have a made complete fool of yourself (again) in not knowing when the draft was introduced.

Sorry, they have two. Green and Sh*t.

No actually, they also have the colours of the ACT as well. Those sh*tty colours you are referring to are the same as Parramatta, blue and gold.

I think your credibility is now exposed as zero

 

[Big Pete]

The Super League actually outdrew the ARL.

 

[LazyDreamer]

So a competition had credibility because some team fluked a win and the other had no soul because a superior football team that had been kept back from the powers in the other league, rose to the occasion in front of a packed Brisbane crowd? ok, sure.

I think both teams are premiership winners and fans of those sides have every right to look back on those gfs as a great day in their history. But if we are comparing which team was better, You can't go past the Broncos. Won the league the next season, Beat the Knights convincingly in the "superbowl", Won Minor Premiership in their league, something the Knights failed to do, also won the World Club Championship as well, in the same season. Brisbane was easily the better side.

Dickhead, I take it you weren't around in 1997. As far as the average league fan went, nobody gave a flying figtree about the SL GF. The most common question about it afterwards was "Who won?" Becuase f***-all people gave a damn.

The ARL grand final was spoken about as if SL never occurred. Why? Because it was edge-of-the-seat stuff. because the ARL had heart (something you may need to google to know what it means) and because SL was a soulless whore of a comp. And the head whores saw this.

"Fluked a win"??? That's what footy's about. A bit of luck, the underdog playing their best game of the year to 'fluke' it over their more fancied rivals. Or does the 1989 grand final mean nothing too?

Again, to reiterate: Dickhead.

 

[Phil McGrawhan]

Dickhead, I take it you weren't around in 1997. As far as the average league fan went, nobody gave a flying figtree about the SL GF. The most common question about it afterwards was "Who won?" Becuase f***-all people gave a damn.

The ARL grand final was spoken about as if SL never occurred. Why? Because it was edge-of-the-seat stuff. because the ARL had heart (something you may need to google to know what it means) and because SL was a soulless whore of a comp. And the head whores saw this.

"Fluked a win"??? That's what footy's about. A bit of luck, the underdog playing their best game of the year to 'fluke' it over their more fancied rivals. Or does the 1989 grand final mean nothing too?

Again, to reiterate: Dickhead.

Are you related to Misty you bitter little man?
Im an average League fan...for nearly 40 yrs ..& i watched as much footy as i could in 97,like i do every yr.
I could see the good & bad on both sides,& watched both GFs...

I love how some bitter ,cant let go of the past fans think they speak for everyone...
You Don't...

 

[Loudstrat]

Green Machine.......

Tallis left St George mainly because he wanted the Bronco $, and didn't handle Brian Smith. Gus had no influence over any team that Tallis had anything to do with.

Don’t forget Barnhill, Gourley, Simon, Elsegood, Matt Sing, Cleary, Shearer and Costin

Barnhill and Gourley's best days were at St George. Sing had nowhere to go after Penrith shafted him. Shearer walked out on Manly. Simon was bought by Parra, sure, but your claim that SL was fantsastic for them had nothing to do with Simon transferring, and more to do with him wanting to play under Brian SMith again. Cleary was a journeyman. And Elsegood and Costin are hardly earth shattering signings. Of that lot, the only players who represented - apart from the wandering Shearer - were from memory Sing, Simon and Barnhill.

And compare them to the Broncos and Raiders squads of the time that you lot claim had the best players in the world between them!

Your waffle about the Mariners doesn't detract from the fact that they had a similar makeup to a typical reserve grade team. Ray Brown, for instance, once toured from Manly's reserve grade side.

Come on Misty, you have a made complete fool of yourself (again) in not knowing when the draft was introduced.

You are the one claiming the ARL had it in 94-95!

The Super League actually outdrew the ARL.

Yes it did Pete - mainly on the back of Brisbane who regularly got 50k+ crowds. Sl was massively promoted, and started their comp a week before the ARL's. SL's claim was that the ARL was finished because no one would watch them, claiming that clubs like Souths and Balmain - cash strapped cellar dwellers with poor rosters and poor crowds - would be forgotten in the glitz and glamour of SL. Remember the claims of making ET a household name all over the world?

Brisbane v Auckland opener in Brisbane got 44k - lower than they expected, but still a good crowd. With massive promotion and interest, they got good crowds in the first round.

The next week, the ARL promoted their season opener - Parra at home to Norths, and got a packed house. The ARL put all their eggs into that basket being the season opener between 2 top sides, but being severely weakened financially from the war, had little money left to promote other games, and the Saturday ARL games recieved little, if any, promotion.

So when - out of the blue - the biggest crowd in years turned up to Leichhardt to see Balmain play Manly - 18k in fact, that signalled that SL had far from killed the ARL comp. By seasons end, ARL games were killing SL in TV ratings. And SL did what they never thought they had to do - seek a peace deal with the ARL.

Now if - as you claim - SL had the best players, the right moral justification, the most talented sides - especially of the teams that missed the finals, the best administration etc - HOW COME THEY CRAWLED BACK AFTER ONLY A YEAR????????

Fact is they had the poorer playing stock, no moral justification, weaker sides and the most stupid and pathetic administration - and were on the road to becoming a sport with no FTA contract and no interest outside Brisbane.

And finally, when is Canberra going to use it's "solid financial basis" to actually produce a decent, competetive team??????????

 

[Loudstrat]

double post

 

[Bobby DIGital]

Old fella - You say SL couldn't produce a decent game. Well, the 97 Tri series final is easily one of the greatest games in history. 103 minutes long. While the ARL's 97 Origin series was an absolute joke. It didn't even make it on free to air TV in NZ. The best moment of the series was Johns getting knocked out.

Give it up mate, you're rambling and getting owned in the process. Just admit SL saved Parra. How many finals series did you make between 87 and 96 again? You were the biggest joke in Rugby League until you signed a quarter of the Dogs side.

 

[TheDalek079]

Wasn't that the triseries where they imagined a kiwi offside so the final would be NSW V QLD?? Blatant reffing errors to get a final which should be a ratings winner. Great stuff Super League!

 

[Green Machine]

Green Machine.......

Tallis left St George mainly because he wanted the Bronco $, and didn't handle Brian Smith. Gus had no influence over any team that Tallis had anything to do with.

You are full of sh*t. Brian Smith had nothing to do with Tallis leaving the Dragons. Brian Smith was out of job due to the proposed Dragons/Easts merger in mid 1995. Phil Gould was going to be the new coach and Brian Smith signed with Bradford. Tallis went down to Phillip St to sign up with the ARL and Phil Gould told he wasn’t worth the money and he was only a bench player.

Barnhill and Gourley's best days were at St George.

Barnhill and Gourley were both selected for NSW in 1995 in the year they signed for the Rooster. Try again Misty

Sing had nowhere to go after Penrith shafted him.

Sing signed an ARL loyalty contract and could not stay with the Panthers you dope. Try harder Misty

Shearer walked out on Manly.

You are an absolute joke. Dale Shearer left Manly at the end of 1989

Simon was bought by Parra, sure, but your claim that SL was fantsastic for them had nothing to do with Simon transferring, and more to do with him wanting to play under Brian SMith again.

You want to get off the drugs Misty. John Simon left Illawarra at the end of 1995 to play for the Roosters in 1996. That is right up there with some of the stupidest things you have ever posted

Cleary was a journeyman.

Ivan was a money man

And Elsegood and Costin are hardly earth shattering signings. Of that lot, the only players who represented - apart from the wandering Shearer - were from memory Sing, Simon and Barnhill.

Gourley not only repped for NSW but he also represented Australia. Costin repped for Country.
Jack Elsegood wanted to go to the Dogs, but because he had signed a previous ARL loyalty contract, Phil Gould intervened and made him play for the Roosters. It seems that Gus had a higher opinion on Jack than you and it is not like you to dispute what Gus says as gospel.

And compare them to the Broncos and Raiders squads of the time that you lot claim had the best players in the world between them!

There was so good ones in there, wasn’t there? A lot of greedy clubs wanted to get their mitts on our Raider players, didn’t they?
The majority of our players were developed juniors or players who never played for another Winfield Cup clubs.

Your waffle about the Mariners doesn't detract from the fact that they had a similar makeup to a typical reserve grade team.

I didn’t waffle on you goose. You said the Mariners were all were, “let me quote you; “stacked with the reserve graders from the 96 ARL comp” and;
“created in a hurry from whatever bits of players were laying around the other traitor league clubs”.
The majority I proved were far from that.

Ray Brown, for instance, once toured from Manly's reserve grade side.

There was no salary cap in the 1980’s. Ray Brown was also picked to play for NSW from the Manly reserves, but whatever that has got to do with this, only you would know

You are the one claiming the ARL had it in 94-95!

Where did I say the ARL had a draft in 1994-95?
You are the dope who said the draft was introduced in 1988, when it was introduced in 1991

Yes it did Pete - mainly on the back of Brisbane who regularly got 50k+ crowds. Sl was massively promoted, and started their comp a week before the ARL's. SL's claim was that the ARL was finished because no one would watch them, claiming that clubs like Souths and Balmain - cash strapped cellar dwellers with poor rosters and poor crowds - would be forgotten in the glitz and glamour of SL. Remember the claims of making ET a household name all over the world?

Have you got any evidence that Super League claimed the ARL was finished because no one would watch them?

Brisbane v Auckland opener in Brisbane got 44k - lower than they expected, but still a good crowd. With massive promotion and interest, they got good crowds in the first round.

Doesn’t that now put to rest your stupid claim about how the Knight saved Rugby League?

The next week, the ARL promoted their season opener - Parra at home to Norths, and got a packed house. The ARL put all their eggs into that basket being the season opener between 2 top sides, but being severely weakened financially from the war, had little money left to promote other games, and the Saturday ARL games recieved little, if any, promotion.

Had little money left? Your lies have no bounds.
So, Optusvision and PBL were not financially backing the ARL? You are a joke Misty

So when - out of the blue - the biggest crowd in years turned up to Leichhardt to see Balmain play Manly - 18k in fact, that signalled that SL had far from killed the ARL comp. By seasons end, ARL games were killing SL in TV ratings. And SL did what they never thought they had to do - seek a peace deal with the ARL.

More unsubstantiated claims? You are double a f**ken joke.

Now if - as you claim - SL had the best players, the right moral justification, the most talented sides - especially of the teams that missed the finals, the best administration etc - HOW COME THEY CRAWLED BACK AFTER ONLY A YEAR????????

They didn’t Misty. Whittaker and Frykberg nutted out a deal before the the end of the season

Fact is they had the poorer playing stock, no moral justification, weaker sides and the most stupid and pathetic administration - and were on the road to becoming a sport with no FTA contract and no interest outside Brisbane.

Are you saying that after the Packers and Murdoch’s did a media carve up in 1996 (behind the ARL’s back) and formed a joint company which became Foxsports, that PBL were actually going to drop a News Ltd venture? You need to get off the drugs

And finally, when is Canberra going to use it's "solid financial basis" to actually produce a decent, competetive team??????????

That is very good question. We spend up to the cap each season and I would not like us to go over the cap again as we did in 1990. Even though were about $70k over and other clubs like Parramatta were $40k over, I wouldn’t want hear all that belly aching from whingers like you again, but I’m happy with the squad they have at the moment. They have some young guys will real potential,

 

[$$Poor Boy Blues$$]

...I don't rate it

And I didn't rate sitting in the outter at ANZ in Brisbane in the pouring rain, either. And no fireworks due to it....sums up SL.....

How could something that "big" be happening in Brisbane!?

Ofcourse the situation is reversed now....suncorp is great. And brissy has come along leaps and bounds, minus the curruption....

 

[Bobby DIGital]

You are an absolute joke. Dale Shearer left Manly at the end of 1989

LOL, I was about to call him on that but decided to let him off since his memory is so hazy.