I'm basically making this the 'old Broncos match thread'.
Was waiting to 'acquire' some new television shows so decided to pop on a GF since it's been ages since I've seen us win anything of note. Decided to go with 1997 GF since it was featured in Big League last week and truth be told I'd never watched it in full before. Couple of notes...
- One of the most noticeable attributes about the game is the SL exclusive rules. '0' tackle and the scorers kicking off was a little tough to wrap my head around after spending so many years watching it the other way round. Retroactively it's funny watching the commentators explain rules that are now commonplace in the modern game. Sterlo had to explain in depth why the first try may have been controversial as it was only in Super League you weren't allowed to tackle a player in the air. I didn't know that was an exclusive rule...but in hindsight it's a pretty damn good one.
- The Broncos team sheet lied. Always thought Gee played at hooker etc. but really there were a bunch of changes including...
4. Darren Smith
6. Anthony Mundine
9. Kevin Walters
13. Andrew Gee
Choc gets a bad wrap IMO. My perception was that he was a total passenger out there. He may have been during the season but in the GF I thought he was one of our best on field. Created plenty of opportunities and came up with some good options. I think Mundine's public persona and Walters' forced move is what causes a lot of angst looking back.
- Game itself was a dogs breakfast. Cronulla made too many mistakes and didn't have enough class out-wide to threaten the Broncos. Meanwhile, Brisbane never really got into any kind of rhythmn and despite being comfortably a class above it took them around 60 minutes to really put Cronulla away.
- To me the game is about two unsung heroes at the club - Peter Ryan and John Plath. Plathy was such a stirrer and it was a crack up listening to him claiming innocence off the field. Fans like to bag out Ennis but honestly he was just a more polished version of Johnny. Meanwhile, Ryan deserves to be right up there with TC & Gilly as the best one on one defenders at the club. The shot he put on Peachey won the game for us, no doubt about it.
Are there any memories you guys have of this game?