I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, but running my eyes over the history books I noticed something.
The only year we have had a better record after 7 games was 1991, where we had a 6-1-0 record (ironically with a draw against Newcastle).
If we win next week against the Tigers, we will equal our record from 1991 (lost to Wests in round 8)
If we can make it through to round 12 without another loss, we will eclipse the record of the 1991 team. With matches against the Tigers, Sharks, Cowboys & Titans coming up, our game against Manly in round 12 could be our shot at history.
I’m not really talking about a premiership. I’m referring to the short term goals of having a better start than the 1991 side (which would be a good foundation for a premiership)
Running my eyes over the history books again, we are on the cusp of creating more history.
If we win next week, it will be the best performance in the regular season since the undefeated Dragons of 1959.
Even if we lose, we are still the best since Manly in 1995 (2 losses).
While some may argue about the shortened season, the average Minor Premiers lose approximately one quarter of their matches (which would equate to 5 losses this year). Even some of the greatest teams of the past have lost 3-4 matches during the season.
Regardless of what happens next week, we will go down as the best team in 25 years, probably the best in 60 years.
Impossible to make comparisons especially against eras but to win a Premiership puts any team and player in a class of their own.
This years squad (2020) have done some remarkable things and should be very proud of what they have achieved but the holy grail for them is yet to be attained
If this team can go on to win the GF…its record and list of achievements will put them in a class of their own.
What about Jack Hetherington, will that be a record, the only player to start the comp with a premiership winning club, play for an opposition team mid season and return to the said premiership club before the finals start?
I’d be cautious, Kev, about betting on the Clive Churchill. In 1991 the system couldn’t stop a team from Soweto, oops I mean from the unwashed West, from winning the GF (although they tried with the sin-binning of Geyer), but the Clive Churchill was another matter. That was a choice, a subjective matter. I always thought that it was more or less automatic to select the best player from the winning team. But that was until Penrith won. And we can’t have that can we?. Sure, Bradley Clyde played well, but what a slap in the face for our club. Of course, over the years, we have learnt how the system works. Like how Easts Rorters always seem to be able to find the money, and avoid salary cap restrictions, to pick up any star player on the market. Bit like how Brisbane could consistently field a virtual state-of-origin side; no wonder they won so many premierships. It’s wonderful now useful good accountants are.
Even the Canberra side of 1990, while being a top team, shouldn’t have actually existed, if the rules hadn’t been broken. This subtlety clearly escaped the Canberra halfback R. Stuart, with his ‘This Time it’s Personal’ T-shirts.
Last nights win gives us the equal third longest winning streak in the game (with Souths 1908-9 & Easts 1912-13).
If we win our next game, we move into equal second alongside the Bulldogs 17 in a row of 2002 (tainted by their salary cap breach).
Only longer streak is Easts in 1975 with 19.
Either way, what we have achieved so far could be considered the best winning streak in history, given that the Bulldogs tainted run was the only one as long or longer in the full time professional era.
Nathan Cleary’s penalty goal made him our third highest point scorer, overtaking Michael Gordon, and his final conversion took him past 800 points. He is still well behind Ryan Girdler & Greg Alexander, but has time on his side.
Have been thinking about our current run of form, and from memory it has been at least 25 years since a team has had such a good run over 30 games as we have, the last being Manly circa 95-6.
Our current rolling 30 game record is 26 wins, 1 draw & 3 losses, 737 for, 296 against. A win next week eliminates the 22-6 loss against the Roosters in 2019. The loss against the Roosters is also the only time we have lost by more than 6 points during that time.
My hunch that Manly were the last team to have a run as good or better turned out to be correct. They won 43 from 50 games over the 1995 & 1996 seasons, and regularly had a 27-0-3 rolling record during that time.
A win this week would put us ahead of that, giving us a 27-1-2 rolling record over 30 games.
If we can keep ourselves to less than 5 losses between now & round 2 next year, we will eclipse their 50 game rolling record.
I haven’t looked back any further than that, but have a feeling the Roosters had a similar run in the mid 70s. I wouldn’t be surprised if they also did it earlier in their history, when they had other periods of dominance. I also wouldn’t be surprised if Souths or St George achieved similar feats. Will also have to look at Manly in the 70s, Parra in the 80s, Canberra in the late 80’s & early 90s, and Broncos in the early 90s (they came close in 96-98, but fell short).
Again, I will look into it when I have a bit more time.
Doing a bit of research at the moment. Balmain had a 26-1-3 record between R7 1915 & R8 1917, which covered most of their 3-peat of premierships in those years.
It’s probably going to take me ages to get through all of the records, but it is something to keep me busy for a while (unless I get the shits & give up)
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