After a bit of thought, I’ve decided to work it like this:
Up to 8 votes each
If we have a clear top 4, they will be our bench
If we don’t have a clear top 4, but do have a clear top 8, that will be our bench
If neither scenario happens, we will do a tie breaker on the option that has the least number of players competing for the most number of spots (if both equal, will revert to top 4)
In the case of double tie breaker, all tied players will receive a spot on an extended bench.
All run on players not already selected are available for bench spots. Will only add profiles of players who came off the bench in Grand Finals
An Emu Plains junior, he made his first grade debut in 2002, and played 187 games over 10 seasons, including the 2003 Grand Final. He scored 39 tries & kicked 1 goal.
He moved to Warrington in 2012, where he played 59 games over 3 seasons, scoring 18 tries.
He represented City Origin 3 times.
He represented NSW 5 times.
He represented Australia 12 times, scoring 3 times.
A Riverstone & Emu Plains junior, he made his first grade debut in 2002, playing 79 games over 7 seasons, including the 2003 Grand Final. He scored 11 tries & kicked 9 goals.
He moved to Manly in 2009, playing 52 games over 3 seasons, including the 2011 Grand Final. He scored 3 tries & kicked 16 goals.
He moved to London Broncos in 2012, playing 33 games over 4 seasons. He scored 4 tries & kicked 16 goals.
A Wellington Cowboys junior & Patrician Brothers Blacktown representative, he played lower grades at Penrith & Canberra, before making his first grade debut at Penrith in 2019. He has played 30 games including the 2020 Grand Final, scoring 20 tries.
A Charleville & North Ipswich Jets junior, he spent time in the Broncos & Roosters juniors, before being recruited to Sharks. Making his first grade debut in 2016, he played 64 games over 4 seasons, scoring 6 tries.
Recruited by Panthers in 2020, he has played 9 games including the 2020 Grand Final, scoring 4 tries.
A Pacific Sharks junior, he was recruited into the Knights junior league. He made his first grade debut for Knights in 2011 & played 29 games over 4 seasons, scoring twice.
He played lower grades with Manly in 2015-16, before being recruited by Roosters in 2017, where he would play 74 games over 3 seasons, including the 2018 Grand Final (he was also named in the 2019 Grand Final squad, but was omitted before kickoff). He scored once for the Roosters.
Recruited by Panthers in 2020, he would make 19 appearances for the club, including the 2020 Grand Final.
He has represented Cook Islands on 5 occasions, and New Zealand 3 times.
I don’t remember a great deal about Vitanza, other than he was a solid performer in a very good pack in the late 80s & early 90s.
I didn’t know a lot about Ross before his arrival at Penrith, but he instantly gained my respect after his run in with Tallis during his first game with us.
Waterhouse will be remembered as one of our better forwards during some tough times.
Rodney was always a solid performer for us. One of my favourite memories of him was during our game in Canberra in 03, when he ran 70-80m to score a try, shocking a number of the Canberra faithful.
Swain was a smaller forward who regularly punched above his weight.
Naden probably shouldn’t be on this list, but in saying that, I doubt he would have beaten Fittler or Girdler for a spot in the run in team anyway. If he continues to perform, he could go down as one of our best centres and highest try scorers.
Capewell is a classy player, who can slot into a number of positions. Injury cruelled his first season with us, but he showed his worth when he was on the paddock, especially during SOO.
Leota is a quiet toiler, who never takes a backward step.
Tetevano was invaluable in his season with us. His impact off the bench kept us rolling forward after our starters went off.
I think this is even harder than picking the original 13, if that’s possible. At least for the starters, you were selecting like for like in terms of positions.
I guess it’s whether you choose to select and ‘all-stars’ lineup, or a bench to play the game ie for 4 man bench, a utility & 3 forwards.
I elected to go for 8 Gower, Yeo, Lewis, Puletua, Kikau, Izzard, Van Der Voort & Clinton as a compromise. If pressed to just 4 it would be Gower, Yeo, Puletua & Kikau.
I picked my first 4 as if they were bench for the game, Blizzard, Puletua, Yeo and Gower, then went with Rodney, Waterhouse, Lewis (not the wing Lewis even though that was his spot lol) and Barry Walker.
I think the bench rules changed around about the time of Super League. Pretty sure that was the year they streamlined it so that 4 players were named each week, instead of a random number, with players coming up from lower grades to fill in too.
SHF - in the modern game Big T and Yeo easily fit the bill of middle forwards, imagine Big T running off a quick play the ball in the modern game, he would be our Taumalolo
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