Last 20 Year, Origin sides

Simple task, choosing players that have played from 1996 onwards, make your best state side. Main assumption is, side is judged on players at their peak, not where they may have been at when they last played Origin, i.e. Someone who last played Origin in 1996, who you'd assume was not still at their peak.

Players who have debuted this year not eligible.

Go

Slater
Folau
Inglis
Hodges
Tate
Lockyer
Thurston
Webke
Smith
Scott
Tallis
Thorne
Jason Smith

Hunt
Petro
Parker
Price

Minichello
Hayne
Daley
Matt Gidley
Ettingshausen
Fittler
Johns
Lazarus
Buderus
Harragon
Mason
Kennedy
Hindy

Wing
Menzies
Gallen
Roberts

i'll give it a crack, the majority of the side picks itself imo, i only had to think about it once it came to the bench and even then it didn't take me long to settle on players:

1. Billy Slater
2. Wendell Sailor
3. Steve Renouf
4. Greg Inglis
5. Justin Hodges
6. Darren Lockyer
7. Jonathan Thurston
8. Shane Webcke
9. Cameron Smith
10. Petero Civoniceva
11. Brad Thorn
12. Gordon Tallis
13. Corey Parker

14. Allan Langer
15. Matt Scott
16. Steve Price
17. Sam Thaiday

QLD 18-4.

Wont be everyones cup of tea but I threw in a few personal favs..

Mini
Hayne
Gaz
Gidley
ET
Loz
Joey
Laz
Bedsy
Chief
Hindy
Watmough
Freddy

Gal
Mason
Bailey
Ryan

1. Minichello ( was gonna go Hayne, but Mini needed to be in the side and due to lack of wing options other than Hayne, decided to run with this. His defence and support play and kick return were sublime, Slater before Slater took it up just a notch)
2. Mullins (underrated, great kick returner, great under the high ball and could find the try line)
3. ET (one of if not the best defensive c/w we've seen and very strong in attack, the consummate professional)
4. Girdler (goal kicker who could do it all another absolute professional)
5. Hayne (please, two Fittler medals from the wing, what can't he do)
6. Daley (owned Origin, could have had him in the centres but like him here)
7. Johns
8.Lazarus (possible the best prop of all time, a winner, just not at politics)
9. Buderus (second best hooker of the last 20 years and at his best could match it with Smith)
10. Harragon (great prop, inspirational leader)
11. Hindmarsh (at his best he was a great ball runner with a wonderful offload and just a rock in defense)
12. Kennedy (Tallis' contemporary, they had some ding dong battles)
13. Fittler (centre, 6, Lock, where couldn't he play, another who owned Origin)

14. Wing (oh how we long for what wings bought to the table, amazing off the bench at his best)
15. Menzies (try scoring forward who ran better lines and supported the ball carrier better than anyone)
16. Pay (ouch, could tackle, hit harder than gillmeister)
17. Fifita (looks like he is finally reaching his potential, look out if he can maintain it)

Dip wrote:Minichello
Hayne
Daley
Matt Gidley
Ettingshausen
Fittler
Johns
Lazarus
Buderus
Harragon
Mason
Kennedy
Hindy

Wing
Menzies
Gallen
Roberts

Don't think Roberts qualifies.

Dip wrote:
Tate

Ew.

1. Lockyer
2. Sailor
3. Renouf
4. Inglis
5. Slater
6. Thurston
7. Langer
8. Webcke
9. Smith
10. Petro
11. Tallis
12. Thorn
13. Larson

14. Sing
15. Scott
16. Walters
17. Myles

18. Cronk

1. Mini
2. Hayne
3. Daley
4. ET
5. Bmoz
6. Freddy
7. Joey
8. Lazarus
9. bedsy
10 chief
11. Kennedy
12. Menzies
13. Gallen

14. Wing - was always the ultimate utility off the bench for us, should have played more games then he did
15. Pay
16. Mason
17. Bailey

I cant believe no one is picking joel monerghan in their NSW side

1. Kurt Gidley (C)
2. Nathan Merrit
3. Joel Monaghan
4. William Hopoate
5. David Williams
6. Terry Campese
7. Mitchel Pearce
8. Kade Snowden
9. Dean Young
10. Tim Grant
11. Jamie Buhrer
12. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs
13. Ben Creagh

14. Jason King
15. Justin Poore
16. Daniel Tupou
17. Steve Turner

No Worries wrote:1. Kurt Gidley (C)
2. Nathan Merrit
3. Joel Monaghan
4. William Hopoate
5. David Williams
6. Terry Campese
7. Mitchel Pearce
8. Kade Snowden
9. Dean Young
10. Tim Grant
11. Jamie Buhrer
12. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs
13. Ben Creagh

14. Jason King
15. Justin Poore
16. Daniel Tupou
17. Steve Turner

No room for Dylan Walker? Strong side.

Fuck those names bring back some really horrible memories.

ryno_ wrote:

No room for Dylan Walker? Strong side.

Walker to fullback. Gidley to captain wearing the 18 and sitting in the coaches box.

surmo13 wrote:i'll give it a crack, the majority of the side picks itself imo, i only had to think about it once it came to the bench and even then it didn't take me long to settle on players:

1. Billy Slater
2. Wendell Sailor
3. Steve Renouf
4. Greg Inglis
5. Justin Hodges
6. Darren Lockyer
7. Jonathan Thurston
8. Shane Webcke
9. Cameron Smith
10. Petero Civoniceva
11. Brad Thorn
12. Gordon Tallis
13. Corey Parker

14. Allan Langer
15. Matt Scott
16. Steve Price
17. Sam Thaiday

Damn strong side, son!

Reckon you've shove Alf and Hodgo in there just because you couldn't leave them out, but... as much as Hodgo is my favourite player, I'd shift the following to make things more... positionally correct?

Lockyer to fullback
Langer to the halves with Thurston
Probably Darius Boyd to wing - outside of Inglis, this was the greatest try scoring combo in SOO history. Hard to argue, even though in a one on one comparison I'd have JH!
Slater out
Berrigan for the #14, though you could make the case for Cronk or even Hodges as the super sub. Hodgo covers 1-6. Cronk and Berrigan could also hook.

But - it's all nitpicking. Jeeez there have been some unreal players over the years!

ryno_ wrote:

No room for Dylan Walker? Strong side.

Forget Walker, yep, it was a dud selection in a dud position but he will play Origin again, they just need to select him in the right position.

McManus, that's the guy that's been left out.

Ice wrote:

Forget Walker, yep, it was a dud selection in a dud position but he will play Origin again, they just need to select him in the right position.

McManus, that's the guy that's been left out.

He was the one I was disappointed I couldn't find room for.

You could make a dud NSW team just from dud wingers. How did Uate & Williams miss out?