Brisbane’s best team of the BRL 1980s revealed - our team and how you voted

The 1980s was a golden era for Brisbane club rugby league featuring some of the game’s biggest names (and moustaches). After looking back at the outstanding players in each position, we reveal our team and how you voted in the naming of a BRL team of the ‘80s.

The 1980s was a golden era for Brisbane club rugby league featuring some of the game’s biggest names (and moustaches). After looking back at the outstanding players in each position, we reveal our team and how you voted in the naming of a BRL team of the ‘80s.

THE BEST PROPS AND HOOKERS OF THE BRL

THE BRL’S BEST BACKROWERS FROM THE 1980s

WHO WERE THE BRL’S BEST HALVES IN THE ‘80s

THE BEST CENTRES AND WINGERS OF THE BRL

THE BRL’S BEST FULLBACK NOMINATIONS FROM THE ‘80S

Below is Andrew Dawson’s team, with expert comments from Norths premiership winning captain, ex-Origin coach and former Queensland and Australian halfback Mark Murray.

FULLBACK

Gary Belcher was great on Origin night for Queensland and he saved the 1987 series with an ankle tackle on Cliff Lyons.

GARY BELCHER (SOUTHS):

Murray said: “He was a very popular bloke who had great hands, footwork and was an elusive runner. In Wayne Bennett’s words “the best under the high ball, so keep out of his bloody way’’. What happened was during Origin training there was a mix-up at training and one of the wingers came in and bumped with Belcher. Wayne called everyone into a huddle and said “This bloke is the best I have seen – get out of his bloody way.’’ Then I said: “Did you hear that, Wayne actually gave someone a wrap’’.

READERS' CHOICE:

GARY BELCHER 60 PERCENT

COLIN SCOTT 22 PERCENT

WINGERS

Joe Kilroy playing wing for Brothers.

JOE KILROY (NORTHS. BROTHERS):

Murray said: “He was a free running player and full flight the crowd loved him. 1980 was his debut season and his runs were outstanding in the finals’ series. I reckon his combination with Mark Graham really made Joey, apart from his own natural ability. I reckon that combo with Graham helped launch his career.’’

Chris Close had his Queensland jumper ripped off during a wild brawl.

CHRIS CLOSE (VALLEYS, REDCLIFFE)

Murray said: “Choppy (Close) was extremely powerful and passionate. It did not matter who he played for, he just loved his football and was very passionate and that came out onto the field with his aggression. He was big and explosive.’’

READERS' CHOICE

JOHN RIBOT 49 PERCENT

STEVE STACEY 18 PERCENT

BRAD BACKER 15 PERCENT

CENTRES

Gene Miles, left, and Mal Meninga, right, with Joel Lindner, the son of the great Bob Linder who is featured in the BRL team of the 1980s. Pic Peter Wallis

MAL MENINGA (SOUTHS) AND GENE MILES (WYNNUM-MANLY)

Murray said: “I have heard about outstanding centre combinations of the past but they (Miles and Meninga) have to be the best ever centre pairing in the history of the game – easily. Just for the size and mobility as a centre pairing, because in those days they often played next to each other. In the early 80s Lewis, Meninga and Miles was the most three-quarter line you will see in history. Mal was a smooth, an easy mover and did not know the extent of his own power while Gene was raw power.’’

READERS' CHOICE

MAL MENINGA 50 PERCENT

GENE MILES 33 PERCENT

FIVE-EIGHTH

Wally Lewis was a premiership winner with Valleys and Wynnum-Manly

WALLY LEWIS (VALLEYS, WYNNUM-MANLY)

Murray said: “He was not known as King for no reason. And he is still the King. Easily the best for skill level right across the game that I have seen. No one has come close to him

He was the best player I have seen and the worst trainer I have seen. Only Geno (Miles) came close to him as a lazy trainer. He had all the skills but he was physical with the ball and a physical defender as well and not all players can get across all skills levels like he could. He could put a shot (big tackle) on as good as anyone.’’

READERS' CHOICE

WALLY LEWIS 87 PERCENT

HALFBACK

A youthful Mark Murray tries to slip past Valleys Bryan Niebling.

MARK MURRAY (NORTHS, REDCLIFFE)

Murray’s Redcliffe, Queensland and Australian teammate, Wally Fullerton-Smith, said of Murray: “He was a relaxed sort of guy and a good leader. For a halfback he also had a very good tackling technique. It was under the ribs like Trevor Gillmeister. He got a good pass away and was a great teammate to room with.’’

READERS' CHOICE

ALLAN LANGER 70 PERCENT

MARK MURRAY 22 PERCENT

LOCK

Bob Lindner was a champion player and bloke, according to Mark Murray.

BOB LINDNER (SOUTHS, WYNNUM-MANLY)

Murray said: “He was an athletic ball runner and a very good defender, a classical defender. And he was a hell of a nice guy, probably almost too nice to be a rugby league player. Never displayed a lot of mongrel but highly athletics and skilful. He is a bit underrated.’’

READERS' CHOICE

BOB LINDNER 67 PERCENT

NORM CARR 17 PERCENT

SECOND ROWERS

Captain Trevor Gillmeister chaired off field after Maroon's victory in the 1995 upset series win over New South Wales.

TREVOR GILLMEISTER (NORTHS)

Murray said: “One of those guys who played above his weight. He was a small forward in the Dallas Johnson mould. Not too many get away with being under sized at that level but Gilly could because of his toughness and outstanding defensive technique.’’

Wally Fullerton-Smith was a defensive hitman. Pic Anthony Moran.

WALLY FULLERTON-SMITH (REDCLIFFE)

Murray said: “He was the second biggest (defensive) hitter I saw. The biggest was Charlie Frith (Valleys, South Sydney). Wally was such a nice guy off the field – he almost had two personalities. In those days the wingers used to take a tap penalty, do a run around and run into the defensive line. That was Wally’s favourite play. He’d see the winger in move and Wally would be in middle and his eyes would light up like saucers and he would unload on them. He’d get up into their ribs and shake them up. Then he’d say “now get back to the wing before you get hurt’’. When he made his Test debut in 1983, one of the long serving Test selectors said it was the best debut they had seen by an Australian forward.’’

READERS' CHOICES

TREVOR GILLMEISTER 54 PERCENT

WALLY FULLERTON-SMITH 21 PERCENT

BRYAN NIEBLING 17 PERCENT

PROPS

Greg Dowling about to get into a fight with New Zealand Test prop Kevin Tamati at Lang Park.

GREG DOWLING (WYNNUM-MANLY, NORTHS).

Murray said: “He was a skilful prop who loved to mix it. He did not mind fisty-cuffs. He loved the rough stuff. If a stoush was on he’d be the first one in. He was athletic and had good skills.’’

Greg Dowling hugs Bryan Niebling after Queensland’s 1987 win.

BRYAN NIEBLING

Murray said: “He was an under rated player and a good country lad. He also had great hands for a forward. In the 1983 series I wrapped around Wally and went through a gap and then threw a woeful pass but he picked it up off his toes thank goodness and scored. Great work rate in carting the ball. He was very under rated all around.’’

READERS' CHOICE

GREG DOWLING 58 percent

MARTIN BELLA 22 percent

HOOKER

Redcliffe hooker Greg Conescu in 1987. Pic: Courier-Mail.

GREG CONESCU (NORTHS, REDCLIFFE)

Murray said: “He did not get his nick name (Turtle) because he was fast. He was a great striker of the ball in his days. He’d win the scrum count in the traditional hooking role. Langy (John Lang) was good, but Turtle was the best striker I saw in the game when it was an important role. He was also great defensively and he could pinch a yard (in attack) and had a great pass. He’d give you good ball off the ground.’’

READERS' CHOICE

GREG CONESCU 41 percent

STEVE WALTERS 41 per cent

RESERVES

TONY CURRIE (WESTS, REDCLIFFE)

Murray said: “He was a classical outside back with great hands and a step. He also had natural anticipation to run onto a ball. He and Colin Scott were similar in that way. Their anticipation and timing onto a ball was excellent.’’

NORM CARR (WESTS, SOUTHS)

Murray said: “Norm had a great defensive technique. I remember I came down (from the country) as a young fella and Norm lined me up and took the wind out of me. He was not a big man but he’d crush your ribs.’’

Chris Phelan playing for Queensland.

CHRIS PHELAN (SOUTHS)

Murray said: “He was as tough as nails, one of those guys you’d love to have in your side. He also had two personalities, mongrel on the field and off the field you wouldn’t meet a nicer guy. Nice and physical, but a terrific guy.’’

State of Origin player Ian French of the Seagulls

IAN FRENCH (WYNNUM-MANLY)

Murray said: “Ian was also under rated. He was a deceptively strong ball runner and had an unusual way in that he carried the ball low and used it to push you off the tackle. He’d hold you at bay and could break through a tackle. He was hard to get hold off.

COLIN SCOTT (EASTS, WYNNUM-MANLY)

Murray said: “He was in the TC (Tony Currie) mould. He had good anticipation and timing into a backline. He was quick across the ground and a fixture at the back for Queensland in the early days. He was also an entertaining guy to have in the group as well, funny to be around.’’