VOTE BroncosHQ's Best Ever - Second Row

[Big Pete]

Nominees
Brad Thorn
Gorden Tallis
Sam Thaiday
Alex Glenn
Dane Carlaw
Alan Cann
Corey Parker
Trevor Gillmeister
Mark Hohn
Matt Gillett
Brad Meyers
Gene Miles
Tonie Carroll
Darren Smith

Please select two of the nominated players listed above. If you select 'other' please identify the player/s here.

 

[Morkel]

Had to be Thorn & Tallis.

 

[GCBRONCO]

Do I make you thorny baby? Terrible I know, Tallis and Thorn.

 

[Big Pete]

Voted for Brad Thorn and Gorden Tallis.

Thorn is probably the most under appreciated player to come from the Broncos that I know of. Anytime I bring his name up to a non-Broncos fan it's always 'who?' or at best 'oh the guy who was an Aussie in League, but a Kiwi in Union'. None of them talk about his ability to push the defence back with his consistent 10m carries or how much of a handful he was close to the line. Or even how dynamic he was in his younger days. I think his return was an important ingredient in our 06 success and it really gave the Broncos a strong 1-2-3 punch with Webby, Civo and Thorn hitting it up.

On the other hand, everyone knows who Tallis is. What you saw is what you got from Gordie and from 1998-2000, there wasn't a better forward in the game. Usually when I go back and watch old matches, I'm usually disappointed in players but when it comes to Gordie, I'm always impressed with his confidence and never say die attitude. Thinking back, what I appreciated most is that Gordie always went for the win. I rarely get the impression that Gordie was willing to accept anything less than his best and if he had the pill, he was going to do everything and beyond to get the win. It's a rare trait, especially in second rowers.

Course he wasn't the same player after his neck injury in 2001 but I still think he was one of the better forwards in the game during that time period. Not many would have picked up and thrown Hodgeson over the sideline like a lasso or been able to rake the ball out of Stringer's hands and had the presence of mind to shift it out-wide. Tallis did and while his body couldn't produce the type of footy he liked, the will was always evident.

 

[Porthoz]

This is another example of quality choices and many deserving players, but I can't go past Tallis (unquestioned no. 1 imo) and Brad Thorn, for the reasons BP explained above.

Shocking that TC ends up missing out in both Second Row and Lock... but he will be on the bench surely!

 

[ningnangnong]

I went with Gordie and Carroll.

I know everyone's going to vote for Thorn (rightly so), so I felt a bit bad for poor old Tunza.

Gordie was just a beast. We've really missed a player like him over the last decade IMO.

Thorn probably had more of an impact than Tunza, but I'd just loved watching Tunza play. Plus I know no one else will probably vote for him, except bernie fartado.

 

[GCBRONCO]

It's alright, he deserves at least one vote. It's unfair though if he doesn't make the run on side, but then you look at the quality of the back 3 in the forwards, it's a tough task. I have to admit not hard to see by my Avatar I'm a big Thorny fan, Carroll was a delight to watch in his own right, I loved watching him cut down players with his tackling in the proper fashion.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Tallis and Thorn. No question.

 

[GCBRONCO]

What no votes for Brad Meyers or Jane Carlaw?

 

[Unbreakable]

I went Tallis & Thaiday to be different, he's been ordinary the last couple of seasons, but in his prime Thaiday was a weapon.

 

[Tera]

Thorn and TC for me.

TC is my favourite player of all time and I believe his combination on that right edge with Locky - particularly with acting in that "bodyguard" role is something we never recovered from when he retired.

 

[Morkel]

Thorn and TC for me.

TC is my favourite player of all time and I believe his combination on that right edge with Locky - particularly with acting in that "bodyguard" role is something we never recovered from when he retired.

I put Tunza at lock, but chose him over Parker for that same reason. No one stung like TC. Parker is a workhorse and has a fantastic tackling efficiency, but the teams attack was so much more potent with a fresh and sharp Lockyer, and having opposition runners fear going in that area went a long way towards that.

 

[Renegade]

I think there probably deserves to be a question mark over Tallis due to longevity - he was unbelievable from 97-2001, but rather ineffectual afterwards due to his neck injury.

Ultimately though, no one else in the list has really stepped up for a prolonged period of time outside of Thorn, so it's Tallis by default.

Thorn though, I love that guy.