Forever Super League Champions
A new era was upon us in 1997. An era which frightened most league supporters: a split year. Who would be the true champions when there would be two Grand Finals, in the ARL competition and the Super League competition? Two premierships, two interstate series - it was a difficult concept for league fans to swallow.
The Broncos unveiled their first major jersey change since their inception, along with all the Super League clubs. With the ARL claiming ownership of all club logos and designs, the rebel clubs had to change their appearance or risk prosecution. The Broncos' jersey was a striking pattern of lightning bolts, with a streamlined design. Nike had done well with that jersey, but some of the other Super League designs were monstrous. The name Broncos' was stricken from all official merchandise, replaced by the bland, generic Super League Brisbane.
Two new clubs joined the fray to bolster numbers to 10, the Adelaide Rams and Hunter Mariners. The Mariners were vital to give the code a presence in league-mad Newcastle. However, they would cop the most stinging abuse from the people of Newcastle, who almost violently supported the ARL's cause. The Newcastle players who had defected to the Mariners were singled out for particularly harsh treatment.
Kerrod Walters had early revenge on the club that didn't want him when his fledgling Adelaide side beat Brisbane in a preseason trial at Rockhampton. It was a big shock to a club that was long odds-on favourite to win the inaugural, and as it turned out, only Super League competition. In an attempt to get a jump on the ARL, Super League began a week before the ARL kicked off with over 40000 packing ANZ Stadium to watch the Broncos play Auckland. It was a dour contest, errors riddling the match as the Broncos prevailed 14-2. Gorden Tallis made a slow debut, while Anthony Mundine injured his ankle, ruling him out for 8 weeks.
The Broncos started the season well, winning their first seven games, including gritty, grafting victories against Cronulla (14-12) and Adelaide (20-10). But in Round 8, Brisbane's lack of a goalkicker came back to haunt them. Lockyer is a quality player, and a solid kicker, but he landed just 1 goal from 6 attempts against Penrith. The Broncos scored 6 tries to 4 but went down 27-26, a Craig Gower field goal costing the Broncos victory, and ending hopes of a best ever start to a season.
The Super League Tri-Series was next on the agenda, with an unseasonally early NSW-Queensland clash at the Sydney Football Stadium as a trial for the inaugural ANZAC Test between Australia and New Zealand. The Blues, on paper, had nothing on Queensland, but paper doesn't count for much in football. NSW won 38-10 in what was described by Queensland coach Wayne Bennett simply as embarassing. Regardless of that result, a high number of Broncos made the Australian side for the first test, won by Australia 34-22 at the SFS.
Queensland had to beat New Zealand to make the Tri-Series final, and with Lockyer and Tonie Carroll making their state debut, the Maroons were far too good, winning 26-12 in Auckland. New South Wales finished off the Kiwis a week later with a controversial 20-15 win to set up what would become the most epic battle in interstate football history at ANZ Stadium in the Tri-Series final.
It was an absolutely magical game of football. Over 35000 people arrived at ANZ Stadium unsure what to expect and not one would've been disappointed. New South Wales darted to a 6-0 lead when Brett Mullins crossed from a bomb, but Queensland fought back with two tries in the first half, to debutant Carroll, scoring a runaway try from a scrum win, and veteran star Steve Renouf. The Maroons led 10-6 at half time, the game very much in the balance. The second half was tit for tat, Mullins scoring his second, then Renouf scoring his second, and Mullins scoring a third as the Blues led 18-16 with 20 minutes left. Another Blues try to Matt Ryan all but sealed the game at 22-16, but with 10 minutes left, Michael Hancock scored and Lockyer converted to level the scores.
What followed was the most edge-of-the-seat football in history. Both sides threw the ball around like their lives depended on it. Both had shots at field goal that went wide, the scores remaining locked at 22-all. Extra time followed, and again it was seat-of-the-pants football. More field goal attempts came but nobody could supply the knock out punch. 22-all after 100 minutes of football. Next it was sudden death extra time. The next scorer would win. When Queensland kicked off, all they wanted to do was tackle out the set and not give away a penalty. Renouf unfortunately did give away a penalty and gave New South Wales possession in good territory. Noel Goldthorpe had his 15 minutes of fame when he landed the winning field goal for New South Wales in the 104th minute. New South Wales triumphed 23-22 in the longest game of Rugby League in history at the elite level.
The ARL's disappointing 2-1 New South Wales victory in the State of Origin was outdone with that epic final. The sight of a half empty Lang Park for the dead third game pleased nobody, Queensland winning in what would ultimately be Paul Vautin's final game as coach, finishing with a 4-5 record after three seasons.
The Broncos meanwhile recovered from their loss to Penrith with good wins over Canterbury and Auckland. However, against the North Queensland Cowboys that tiredness and/or complacency that dogged them in 1994-96 appeared to return. After a slow start that had the Cowboys up 8-0 at half time, the Broncos hit back with three second half tries to lead 20-8 with just 15 minutes left. Some elementary errors allowed two late Cowboys' tries and, out of the blue, the Cowboys had tied the scores at 20-all. That's how the score stayed, leaving the small ANZ Stadium crowd stunned. The following week, the last week of the Telstra Cup before the first leg of the Visa World Club Challenge, the Broncos travelled to Breakers Stadium in Newcastle to play Hunter. It was amazing when the Mariners wrapped up a 24-6 victory, meaning both Adelaide and Hunter had beaten the Broncos' on their first attempt. Despite still being on top of the ladder, many were doubting the Broncos' chances after two substandard performances.
The World Club Challenge followed, and it was a poorly named competition. The 12 British Super League teams played the Australian Super League teams in a four-group, 6 round competition. The vast chasm in standard that had formed between Australia and Britain was embarassingly displayed as the Australians ran roughshod over the Poms. In total, British teams won just 8 games between them, out of a possible 60.
Brisbane began their campaign with a passionate, yet curiously touch-football-esque 42-22 win over their sister club, the London Broncos. London led 18-12 at half time after a range of Broncos' errors in the first half allowed the Londoners to score some soft tries. Three tries in the final 20 minutes meant the scoreline flattered the Brisbane Broncos, but it was the start of a procession. The Broncos followed it up with an amazing 34-0 victory over former champion team Wigan at ANZ Stadium. Torrential rain kept the crowd low, but the skill was high as Kevin Walters, Darren Lockyer and Allan Langer ran rings around their opponents. The following week was an embarassing 76-0 thumping of Halifax. It was an abominable competition, the standard so low it took away the momentum of the Telstra Cup and in the end could be attributed to the huge drop in interest over the final 6 rounds of the premiership.
Back into premiership mode, the Broncos ventured to Shark Park to take on Cronulla. Many felt after their 34-0 trouncing of Wigan that the Broncos were specials. Cronulla too had won their three games convincingly in England, but being away from the public eye they were somewhat of an unknown quantity. When Gorden Tallis ran away for an early try and a 4-0 lead, many thought it would go to script, but the Sharks ran in 5 tries to triumphantly win 32-4.
Some soul searching was required as the Broncos had just 1 point from their last 3 games. A clash with Perth followed, and an ideal opportunity to regain their momentum was upon them. Would they take it? You bet! The Broncos returned to their dominant best in their 50-14 trouncing of the Reds, and followed it up with the most professional 19-4 win over Canberra at a freezing Bruce Stadium. Going into their three week tour of England, the Broncos had consolidated their standing as the top side in the Telstra Cup and prepared themselves for their return jousts with the Poms.
At Wigan's Central Park, always an intimidating prospect, the Broncos showed their muscle once more. A powerful win in front of a parochial and hostile crowd was just the tonic the Broncos needed, but what they didn't need was a badly broken leg for Glenn Lazarus and a hamstring injury to Allan Langer that would see both unavailable for the remainder of the preliminary rounds. Lazarus in fact was unable to play again, signing with the embryonic Melbourne Storm club that would contest the 1998 season. Lazarus will be remembered as one of the catalysts to the golden era of the Broncos, playing a leading hand in the 1992-93 premierships.
Brisbane went on to thrash London 34-16 and Halifax 54-10 to finish on top of their pool in the World Club Challenge, allowing them to play the lowest qualifier from Britain, which was ultimately St Helens who beat Paris in a qualifying final.
The Broncos returned to Australia and picked up where they left off, hammering Penrith 54-12 at ANZ Stadium. He then followed it up with wins over Hunter and Canterbury to finish with 14 wins, 3 losses and a draw from their 18 games, easily gaining them the minor premiership, and a week off. Broncos' coaching staff desperately tried to get Langer fit for the Major Semi-Final against Cronulla at Stockland Stadium in Townsville. They worked a miracle, but Langer was far from at his best despite the Broncos' emphatic 34-2 win. It was the young guns who stepped up, Lockyer, Sailor, Mick Devere, Shane Webcke and Brad Thorn. Brisbane led 30-2 at half time, and the second half degenerated, Thorn scoring the only points with a late try as the Broncos moved into their first Grand Final since 1993.
Cronulla recovered to beat Canberra for a second time, this time in the Preliminary Final, and moved to ANZ Stadium, where Brisbane hosted its first and probably only national or Sydney Grand Final, and the first to be played at night. It was a party atmosphere, the place a sellout and the mood buoyant despite the rain that set in on Grand Final evening. It was a dour opening, both sides trading penalty goals as the Broncos led 4-2 after 25 minutes. When Steve Renouf crossed just before half time, the ground erupted, the Broncos going into the break 10-2 in front.
After the break, it was a brain explosion from Wendell Sailor that allowed the Sharks to get on the scoreboard. Running the ball out from his own line, Sailor passed across his own goal posts, the ball going too far out in front of Mick Devere who couldn't regather. Cronulla's Russell Richardson kicked ahead and scored. Mat Rogers converted and the Sharks were back in it at 10-8. 15 minutes into the second half, Peter Ryan made a match winning play. A bomb was well taken by David Peachey in front of the posts before Ryan hit him in the stomach like a torpedo, the ball popping free and two passes later Renouf was over for his second, the Broncos ahead 16-8. Renouf scored a triple when he crossed from another Cronulla mistake with 15 minutes left. At 20-8 the game was over. Veteran winger Michael Hancock vindicated his decision to stay and fight for his position when he scored the final try 2 minutes from full time coming off the bench. Brisbane had won the title with a convincing 26-8 decision over the Sharks.
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