17 for 17
Hooker.
Now to complete the forward pack. There are only two candidates this time, purely because there have only been two hookers to have played a full season. I could've slipped in a token nomination for Danny Williams, Nathan Friend, James Aubusson or Ryan Hinchcliffe, but, there would just be no point because none of them played more than half a year at hooker.
Richard Swain (2001). The first hooker to be our player of the year which started a tradition of sorts (if you include Hinchcliffe as a hooker then 8 of our 16 awards have been won from this position). Swain made over 1000 tackles for the 3rd year in a row in 2001, he had his equal best try scoring year with 5 and he represented New Zealand - a big year in anyone's language.
Cameron Smith (2007). The current version may have a few more tricks, the 2010-2012 version may have had his finest hour as a leader, the 2006 version was the one who got the dally m, but, 2007 was the year Smith won the golden boot. That's hard to go past, he became the sole leader of the club, lead us to a grand final win, was leading point scorer, captured his 3rd consecutive player of the year award and captained Australia for the first time.
It has to be Smith, but, at just about any other club after 17 years, it would be Swain, he's unfortunate that his immediate successor was the greatest player in the position of all time according to many judges so he'll never get the plaudits he deserves.
Now to complete the forward pack. There are only two candidates this time, purely because there have only been two hookers to have played a full season. I could've slipped in a token nomination for Danny Williams, Nathan Friend, James Aubusson or Ryan Hinchcliffe, but, there would just be no point because none of them played more than half a year at hooker.
Richard Swain (2001). The first hooker to be our player of the year which started a tradition of sorts (if you include Hinchcliffe as a hooker then 8 of our 16 awards have been won from this position). Swain made over 1000 tackles for the 3rd year in a row in 2001, he had his equal best try scoring year with 5 and he represented New Zealand - a big year in anyone's language.
Cameron Smith (2007). The current version may have a few more tricks, the 2010-2012 version may have had his finest hour as a leader, the 2006 version was the one who got the dally m, but, 2007 was the year Smith won the golden boot. That's hard to go past, he became the sole leader of the club, lead us to a grand final win, was leading point scorer, captured his 3rd consecutive player of the year award and captained Australia for the first time.
It has to be Smith, but, at just about any other club after 17 years, it would be Swain, he's unfortunate that his immediate successor was the greatest player in the position of all time according to many judges so he'll never get the plaudits he deserves.
Team listing update:
1.?
2.Geyer (1999)
3.Chambers (2012)
4.?
5.?
6.?
7.Kimmorley (1999)
8.Kearns (2003)
9.Cameron Smith (2007)
10.J.Bromwich (2014)
11.Kearney (2001)
12.Hoffman (2012)
13.Nikau (1999)
14.Hinchcliffe (2010)
15.?
16.?
17.?
Coach?
1.?
2.Geyer (1999)
3.Chambers (2012)
4.?
5.?
6.?
7.Kimmorley (1999)
8.Kearns (2003)
9.Cameron Smith (2007)
10.J.Bromwich (2014)
11.Kearney (2001)
12.Hoffman (2012)
13.Nikau (1999)
14.Hinchcliffe (2010)
15.?
16.?
17.?
Coach?
Left Wing.
Our outside backs have been phenomenal over the years. You could make up 5 or 6 backlines that any club would love to have.
Marcus Bai (1998). Do you remember that first home game? The one where a player from PNG became a cult hero by running over the top of his opposite numbers from North Sydney. I do. He was aggressive, he hit in defence and he ran hard with the ball. Oh, and he lead our try scoring with Scott Hill too.
Anthony Quinn (2008). It was always fun watching Quinny run the ball back, he never conceded that a tackle was over. 2008 saw him make his origin debut too and although most people will just remember the try Folau scored over the top of him, his double in game 1 was a real highlight. Size and injury caught him in the end, but, nobody could ever doubt his efforts.
Justin O'Neill (2012). The year he stayed on the park. The year we saw what he was capable of. The year that teased. We finally saw him string some games together and it was good. Just too fast when he gets into open space. The highlight though, has to be the grand final try scored off a Cooper Cronk cross field kick.
3 very different players here. I loved Quinny and O'Neill was very good, but, I just can't go past Marcus Bai, he was part of the reason I started to enjoy the Storm. I went along with a friend during high school in 1998 and I really didn't have much of a club affiliation anywhere (I was Fitzroy in the AFL and we all know how that ended) and Marcus Bai running over that Bears player early on just brought the game to life for me and I've been a fan ever since.
Our outside backs have been phenomenal over the years. You could make up 5 or 6 backlines that any club would love to have.
Marcus Bai (1998). Do you remember that first home game? The one where a player from PNG became a cult hero by running over the top of his opposite numbers from North Sydney. I do. He was aggressive, he hit in defence and he ran hard with the ball. Oh, and he lead our try scoring with Scott Hill too.
Anthony Quinn (2008). It was always fun watching Quinny run the ball back, he never conceded that a tackle was over. 2008 saw him make his origin debut too and although most people will just remember the try Folau scored over the top of him, his double in game 1 was a real highlight. Size and injury caught him in the end, but, nobody could ever doubt his efforts.
Justin O'Neill (2012). The year he stayed on the park. The year we saw what he was capable of. The year that teased. We finally saw him string some games together and it was good. Just too fast when he gets into open space. The highlight though, has to be the grand final try scored off a Cooper Cronk cross field kick.
3 very different players here. I loved Quinny and O'Neill was very good, but, I just can't go past Marcus Bai, he was part of the reason I started to enjoy the Storm. I went along with a friend during high school in 1998 and I really didn't have much of a club affiliation anywhere (I was Fitzroy in the AFL and we all know how that ended) and Marcus Bai running over that Bears player early on just brought the game to life for me and I've been a fan ever since.
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brisbanestorm
- Hail Storm
- Posts: 294
- Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2012 7:25 pm
I'm too young to really know a lot about Richard Swain but the one thing I can remember was that before he left us he had played in every single Melbourne Storm game. Given the workload that you've pointed out, the fact that he didn't miss a game is a phenomenal effort.Mattpoet wrote: Richard Swain (2001). The first hooker to be our player of the year which started a tradition of sorts (if you include Hinchcliffe as a hooker then 8 of our 16 awards have been won from this position). Swain made over 1000 tackles for the 3rd year in a row in 2001, he had his equal best try scoring year with 5 and he represented New Zealand - a big year in anyone's language.
Fullback.
Another position where we've been very lucky over the years. I have managed to squeeze out a third nomination this time because Slater had a forgettable 2006.
Robbie Ross (1999). Without Robbie Ross, you could mount a strong argument that there would have been no Billy Slater at our club. He was more than just a custodian who could run the ball back with a bit of pace, he could pass and set others up too. In 1999, he scored 20 tries of his own, won a premiership and played for New South Wales and Australia.
Greg Inglis (2006). Got a chance at the back due to Billy's combination of injuries and brain fades and boy was he good. When Inglis gets involved and shows urgency, he's fantastic to watch. He has arguably the best fend I've ever seen, he's fast, he's big, he's a nightmare for the defence.
Billy Slater (2013). This may seem like a strange year to nominate him for. After all, he was golden boot in '08, Dally M winner in '11 and runner up in '08, club player of the year in '08 and '09 and RLIF international player of the year in '08 and '11. So why the 2013 version? He still scored lots of tries, he still broke lines and tackles, but he was also at his best with try assists and line break assists. If you want to see an example of a player who worked and worked to add a skill to their game, watch Slater try to pass in the early days and watch him now. He stills sprays them, sure, but, he also has that magic one in him too.
And it's Slater, without a doubt, I loved Ross, but, Slater just has more strings to his bow.
Another position where we've been very lucky over the years. I have managed to squeeze out a third nomination this time because Slater had a forgettable 2006.
Robbie Ross (1999). Without Robbie Ross, you could mount a strong argument that there would have been no Billy Slater at our club. He was more than just a custodian who could run the ball back with a bit of pace, he could pass and set others up too. In 1999, he scored 20 tries of his own, won a premiership and played for New South Wales and Australia.
Greg Inglis (2006). Got a chance at the back due to Billy's combination of injuries and brain fades and boy was he good. When Inglis gets involved and shows urgency, he's fantastic to watch. He has arguably the best fend I've ever seen, he's fast, he's big, he's a nightmare for the defence.
Billy Slater (2013). This may seem like a strange year to nominate him for. After all, he was golden boot in '08, Dally M winner in '11 and runner up in '08, club player of the year in '08 and '09 and RLIF international player of the year in '08 and '11. So why the 2013 version? He still scored lots of tries, he still broke lines and tackles, but he was also at his best with try assists and line break assists. If you want to see an example of a player who worked and worked to add a skill to their game, watch Slater try to pass in the early days and watch him now. He stills sprays them, sure, but, he also has that magic one in him too.
And it's Slater, without a doubt, I loved Ross, but, Slater just has more strings to his bow.
Anderson was better than Donnelly only because he didn't give away as many penalties as Donnelly. He dropped the ball in the play the ball as much as Donnelly. I have celebrated a player leaving the Storm only twice - Donnelly and Anderson.
As for Lomax he was a good player but was about 400 years old when he picked him up.
As for Lomax he was a good player but was about 400 years old when he picked him up.
Left Centre.
Tony Martin (1999). Scored the try that got us going in the 1999 grand final, but, he was best known as a defensive centre. Underrated for his attacking prowess though. In 1999, Martin was completely locked in as a member of our first grade team as the sort of player Bellamy would've loved to have coached.
Matt King (2007). Matt King was a part of the tactical revolution that the Storm introduced which every other club has copied - big, athletic outside backs who can jump being kicked to by a specialist who can do a flatter, AFL-style drop punt to their position so they get to compete one out. In 2007, King scored 20 tries (still wasn't our leading try scorer somehow) and played for Australia and New South Wales whilst also scoring a try in our grand final win.
Greg Inglis (2009). GI made a permanent move to centre in 2009 and it was such a success that he claimed the golden boot that year. Two moments stand out as highlights from that year for him, sending Soward into the front row as he fended him off to score a try in round 1 (albeit at five eighth) and scoring a try in the grand final when a midfield bomb went up and Hayne flinched as Inglis came through to score under the posts.
It's a tough choice between King and Inglis, so similar in so many ways. I've gone for King though, even though Inglis won a golden boot, I think it was his name that got it for him as much as anything and King did play the whole year at centre (Inglis played the first 6 at five eighth). So it's Matt King at left centre.
Tony Martin (1999). Scored the try that got us going in the 1999 grand final, but, he was best known as a defensive centre. Underrated for his attacking prowess though. In 1999, Martin was completely locked in as a member of our first grade team as the sort of player Bellamy would've loved to have coached.
Matt King (2007). Matt King was a part of the tactical revolution that the Storm introduced which every other club has copied - big, athletic outside backs who can jump being kicked to by a specialist who can do a flatter, AFL-style drop punt to their position so they get to compete one out. In 2007, King scored 20 tries (still wasn't our leading try scorer somehow) and played for Australia and New South Wales whilst also scoring a try in our grand final win.
Greg Inglis (2009). GI made a permanent move to centre in 2009 and it was such a success that he claimed the golden boot that year. Two moments stand out as highlights from that year for him, sending Soward into the front row as he fended him off to score a try in round 1 (albeit at five eighth) and scoring a try in the grand final when a midfield bomb went up and Hayne flinched as Inglis came through to score under the posts.
It's a tough choice between King and Inglis, so similar in so many ways. I've gone for King though, even though Inglis won a golden boot, I think it was his name that got it for him as much as anything and King did play the whole year at centre (Inglis played the first 6 at five eighth). So it's Matt King at left centre.
1.Slater (2013)
2.Geyer (1999)
3.Chambers (2012)
4.King (2007)
5.Bai (1998)
6.?
7.Kimmorley (1999)
8.Kearns (2003)
9.Cameron Smith (2007)
10.J.Bromwich (2014)
11.Kearney (2001)
12.Hoffman (2012)
13.Nikau (1999)
14.Hinchcliffe (2010)
15.?
16.?
17.?
Coach?
2.Geyer (1999)
3.Chambers (2012)
4.King (2007)
5.Bai (1998)
6.?
7.Kimmorley (1999)
8.Kearns (2003)
9.Cameron Smith (2007)
10.J.Bromwich (2014)
11.Kearney (2001)
12.Hoffman (2012)
13.Nikau (1999)
14.Hinchcliffe (2010)
15.?
16.?
17.?
Coach?
Five Eighth.
This was the hardest position to decide. Although Scott Hill was the long term standout, we have had many, many more five eighths than we have had players in any other key position. To that end, I've listed 5 this time.
Scott Hill (1998). Scott Hill was the first player to star for us in an individual game, Round 1, 1998 vs Illawarra when he scored a double. In 1998, Hill was our equal leading try scorer alongside Marcus Bai and quite simply, too big and too strong for his position which eventually lead to him being picked at lock at representative level as an extra playmaker.
Tasesa Lavea (2000). Lavea was an interesting player, there and starring one minute, gone the next. 2000, was the year he starred. He was our leading point scorer (including 7 tries comprising 3 doubles and a single), rookie of the year and a New Zealand representative.
Greg Inglis (2007). Inglis was switched to five eighth when Scott Hill went to super league for the 2007 season. He was a different type of five eighth, an extra fullback more than the traditional half that occupied five eighth for decades. Undoubtedly, his highlight was his double and Clive Churchill medal in the grand final.
Brett Finch (2009). Finch stepped in the side for the ANZAC game after moving from Parramatta a couple of weeks earlier and within weeks had formed a brilliant partnership with Cooper Cronk that took us all the way. Double figures for both try assists and line break assists and an instant cult hero, his pass to lay on Hoffy's try in the grand final is still a favourite moment.
Gareth Widdop (2012). Looking at Widdop statistically is interesting, in his 71 games (including the 2013 World Club Challenge) he scored just 10 tries, but had 36 line breaks, 32 line break assists and 42 try assists. In 2012, he had double figures in all of these stats and a try saving chase and tackle in the grand final.
Who do you pick? 5 very hard to split years and 5 very good players on their day. In the end, I've picked Finch, he turned our season around and his leadership during Origin was first class.
This was the hardest position to decide. Although Scott Hill was the long term standout, we have had many, many more five eighths than we have had players in any other key position. To that end, I've listed 5 this time.
Scott Hill (1998). Scott Hill was the first player to star for us in an individual game, Round 1, 1998 vs Illawarra when he scored a double. In 1998, Hill was our equal leading try scorer alongside Marcus Bai and quite simply, too big and too strong for his position which eventually lead to him being picked at lock at representative level as an extra playmaker.
Tasesa Lavea (2000). Lavea was an interesting player, there and starring one minute, gone the next. 2000, was the year he starred. He was our leading point scorer (including 7 tries comprising 3 doubles and a single), rookie of the year and a New Zealand representative.
Greg Inglis (2007). Inglis was switched to five eighth when Scott Hill went to super league for the 2007 season. He was a different type of five eighth, an extra fullback more than the traditional half that occupied five eighth for decades. Undoubtedly, his highlight was his double and Clive Churchill medal in the grand final.
Brett Finch (2009). Finch stepped in the side for the ANZAC game after moving from Parramatta a couple of weeks earlier and within weeks had formed a brilliant partnership with Cooper Cronk that took us all the way. Double figures for both try assists and line break assists and an instant cult hero, his pass to lay on Hoffy's try in the grand final is still a favourite moment.
Gareth Widdop (2012). Looking at Widdop statistically is interesting, in his 71 games (including the 2013 World Club Challenge) he scored just 10 tries, but had 36 line breaks, 32 line break assists and 42 try assists. In 2012, he had double figures in all of these stats and a try saving chase and tackle in the grand final.
Who do you pick? 5 very hard to split years and 5 very good players on their day. In the end, I've picked Finch, he turned our season around and his leadership during Origin was first class.