BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 17: Darren Lockyer of the Broncos in attack during the NRL second semi final match between the Brisbane Broncos and the St George Illawarra Dragons at Suncorp Stadium on September 17, 2011 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Jonathan Wood/Getty Images)
The 16-team era in the NRL has come to a close with the Dolphins set to enter the competition in 2023.
That means it’s time for one final look back at the era, which ran from the introduction of the Gold Coast Titans in 2007.
Zero Tackle will compile every club’s best 17 over the last 16 seasons.
The only qualification to be considered for selection at a club is that the player must have played more career games for that club where they have played for multiple between the 2007 and 2022 period.
Current players will also be considered for selection.
The Brisbane Broncos have had a somewhat mediocre period over the last decade and a half.
After winning the 2006 premiership, Brisbane found themselves out of the finals in Week 1 of the following year, and have only made the grand final once (in 2015) since.
The club also picked up its first wooden spoon in 2020, and is finally starting to put the blocks in place to recover.
Here is their best 17 between 2007 and 2022.
Fullback: Darius Boyd
The Broncos’ options at fullback have been exceptionally lean over the last couple of seasons, so there are really only two players under consideration here, being Darius Boyd and Karmichael Hunt.
Boyd began his career on the wing, biding his time behind Hunt, who, at the peak of his powers, played for both state and country.
Hunt left the Broncos for rugby union at the end of 2009 though, and while Boyd spent time with the Dragons and Knights, he would eventually return to Brisbane alongside Wayne Bennett in 2015, playing a part in the side’s grand final effort that year.
He’d go on to play 135 games for the Broncos in his second stint, and while some would argue he played on for too long, there is no denying what an enormous impact he made on the club.
Wingers: Corey Oates and Jharal Yow Yeh
The Broncos have had some strong options in the outside backs over the past 15 years, but none hold a candle to either Corey Oates or Jharal Yow Yeh, who had his career cut devastatingly short by a shocking injury.
The other players which were in consideration were Steve Michaels and Jordan Kahu, but ultimately, neither came close.
Jamayne Isaako also had an excellent track record at the Broncos, scoring 24 tries in his 74 games, but was excellent early before dropping form.
Yow Yeh scored 33 tries in 60 games during his far too short career, also playing for Australia and Queensland in 2011 before the injury in 2012.
Oates has been the long-term success at Red Hill on the wing though. His ill-fated move to the second row and limited games across 2020 and 2021 may cut back his eventual try-scoring record, but he has scored 121 tries in 194 games and could go on to play 300 by the time he is finished. He has also played nine State of Origins and was part of Brisbane’s push toward the 2015 grand final.
Centres: Justin Hodges and Kotoni Staggs
Brisbane’s centre depth has been somewhat shaky over the last 15 years, and the two currently in the side are both in contention for selection.
Kotoni Staggs and Herbie Farnworth have both been excellent over the past couple of years, but realistically, there is only one spot for them to squabble over.
That’s because the first spot has to go to Justin Hodges, who scored 73 tries across 195 games for the club, hanging up the boots at the end of the 2015 season.
He played 24 times for Queensland, 13 for Australia and is a former club captain – a Broncos’ legend and without doubt in this side.
Others in contention for the second spot are Dale Copley, Jack Reed and James Roberts, who was phenomenal during his time at Red Hill, but on raw talent alone, Staggs wins this spot.
Halves: Darren Lockyer and Ben Hunt
The number six jersey may be the easiest to pick in the entire team. Despite retiring at the end of the 2011 season, Lockyer was still crucial to Brisbane throughout the five seasons of the 16-team era he played.
Club captain, Lockyer was a fierce competitor right up until the bitter end, as proven in what turned out to be his final game when he sealed passage to the 2011 preliminary finals with a field goal, despite fracturing his cheekbone during the game.
Part of the NRL’s 350-game club, there have been few players who mean more to their team than Lockyer.
Anthony Milford, part of the 2015 grand final team, and Corey Norman, are the other two who could put their hand up for the number six jumper.
Ben Hunt is the man to partner Lockyer in the halves. Despite his legacy at the club being that dramatic dropped ball in the grand final, there is little doubting the influence he had during his time at Red Hill.
He has recaptured some of that form at the Dragons, where he is yet to match his game tally in Brisbane, while Peter Wallace is the only other who could hold a candle to Hunt.
Middle forwards: Payne Haas, Josh McGuire and Corey Parker
The Broncos have had some excellent middle forwards over the last 15 years. The intriguing part is that a handful of them are in today’s team and all fighting for spots in this best 17.
Payne Haas is almost the first picked, despite the strength Brisbane has carried in this department over the last decade and a half.
He is joined up front by Josh McGuire, who was the type of strong forward every club needs during his time for the Broncos, where he also played State of Origin.
While they start up front, it doesn’t discount some of the other talent that has passed through Red Hill, including Ben Hannant, Tonie Carroll and David Stagg, while Jarrod Wallace and Matt Lodge also spent time at the club.
When it comes to the number 13 jersey, Corey Parker is the obvious standout, although his standing as the club’s best-ever lock may well be challenge by the time Patrick Carrigan finishes his career.
Despite that, Parker played 347 games during his career, and was part of the Broncos for a long time during this era, retiring at the end of 2016, having also played 14 times for Queensland and 13 for Australia, most during the 16-team era.
Hooker: Andrew McCullough
Only two players spent any substantial time in the Broncos’ number nine jersey over the last 15 years, being Andrew McCullough and Jake Turpin.
As solid as Turpin has been defensively, McCullough is the obvious pick here.
A defensive workhorse, he was one of the best hookers in the NRL in his prime and would have played a lot more than four times for Queensland if not for Cameron Smith.
He played 260 games for the Broncos, all during the 16-team era.
Second row: Sam Thaiday and Matt Gillett
Three obvious candidates stand out when it comes to picking Brisbane second-row options in Sam Thaiday, Matt Gillett and Alex Glenn, while the likes of Ben Te’o and Jordan Riki are also under consideration.
Te’o only played 75 games for the Broncos in his prime between 2009 and 2012, but quickly became one of the best second-rowers in the game.
He doesn’t hold a candle in terms of overall impact for the Broncos against the other three players mentioned though.
A long-time Broncos’ captain, Alex Glenn hung up his boots at the end of 2021, but doesn’t take a spot off either Thaiday or Gillett despite his 288 games.
Gillett was unlucky with injury, while Thaiday was a consistent performer for a long stretch at Red Hill, eventually retiring with 304 games at the end of 2018.
Other major players in the second row positions for the Broncos over the period include David Fifita, Jordan Riki and Tevita Pangai Junior.
Interchange: Alex Glenn, Patrick Carrigan, Tonie Carroll and Ben Hannant
Glenn missing a second-row position means he is the first on the bench. Patrick Carrigan, who may be the most talented player in the side, also takes a spot on the bench after narrowly missing the number 13 jumper to Patrick Carrigan.
The other two spots are far more uncertain.
We have, however, gone with Tonie Carroll and Ben Hannant narrowly ahead of Ben Te’o.
The Broncos’ best 17 of the 16-team era
1. Darius Boyd
2. Corey Oates
3. Justin Hodges
4. Kotoni Staggs
5. Jharal Yow Yeh
6. Darren Lockyer
7. Ben Hunt
8. Payne Haas
9. Andrew McCullough
10. Josh McGuire
11. Sam Thaiday
12. Matt Gillett
13. Corey Parker
14. Alex Glenn
15. Patrick Carrigan
16. Tonie Carroll
17. Ben Hannant
Source:: ZeroTackle
