NRL 2015: How the Baby Broncos stunned the Wests Tigers in 2002

IT kick-started two great NRL careers in playing and coaching and gave the game a memorable “french maid” quote.

IT GAVE birth to a legend and kick-started two great NRL careers in playing and coaching.

It also gave the game one of its most memorable quotes.

Remarkably, many of the central characters on the night in 2002 when the original “Baby Broncos’ caused a monumental upset at Campbelltown Stadium are still involved in the game.

One, Broncos lock Corey Parker, will play for the Broncos against the 2002 victims, the Wests Tigers, at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.

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Nathan Friend, who came off the bench for his Broncos debut, is currently plying his trade with the New Zealand Warriors after stints with the Broncos, Storm and Gold Coast Titans and captured international headlines with a spectacular backflip catch-and-pass try assist only last weekend.

Craig Bellamy, who coached the Broncos that night, is still coaching Melbourne Storm and is regarded as one of the most astute men in the game.

Shane Walker, who captained the Baby Broncos, is coaching the Ipswich Jets in the Intrust Super Cup alongside his brother Ben.

Walker was also responsible for one of the best quotes in Australian sport.

Interviewed before the game, Walker was asked how he felt about being named Broncos’ captain and replied: “I haven’t been this happy since I came home to find the missus dressed in a french maid’s outfit.”

Craig Bellamy watches Shane Walker at training in 2002.

The Broncos travelled to inhospitable Campelltown Stadium 13 years ago minus nine State of Origin representatives and without coach Wayne Bennett, who was the Queensland coach.

No one gave the young Broncos _ the most inexperienced line-up the club had ever fielded with two 17-year-olds, two 18-year-olds and two 19-year-olds in the side _ any hope of beating Terry Lamb’s Tigers. No one, that is, except acting coach Bellamy.

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Seven players _ Nick Parfitt, Steve Irwin, Scott Minto, Robert Tanielu, Nathan Friend, Kris Kahler and Steve Lacaze _ debuted for Brisbane that night.

Shane Walker gave most of the credit for the upset win to Bellamy.

“Craig gave us a lot of confidence from early in the week before the game,” Walker recalled this week.

Stuart Kelly, Robert Tanielu and Scott Prince after the Baby Broncos’ win. Picture: Brett Costello

“He pulled apart the Wests Tigers’ game for us and showed us areas we could exploit.

“For example, he showed us that Tigers winger Hassan Saleh had a habit of moving close to scrums and showed us that he did it every time.

“He told us not to be afraid to attack down that side from scrums and to kick in behind Saleh if we wanted to.

“By the end of the week we were pretty confident we could win, even if no one else gave us a chance.”

The teams in Round 12, 2002:

BRONCOS: Nick Parfitt, Steve Irwin, Stuart Kelly, Casey McGuire, Scott Minto, Brett Seymour, Scott Prince, Corey Parker, Shane Walker (c), Robert Tanielu, Brad Meyers, Mick Coorey, Phillip Lee. Res: Elia Tuqiri, Nathan Friend, Kris Kahler, Steve Lacaze.

TIGERS: Joel Caine, Hassan Saleh, Kevin McMcGuiness, Matt Seers, Ahmad Bajouri, Lincoln Withers, Ben Jeffries, Corey Pearson, Robert Mears, John Skandalis, Darren Senter ©, Willie Manu, Troy Wozniak. Int: Balin Cupples, Luke Isakka, Chris Paterson, Nick Bradley-Qalilawa.

Broncos 28 (Casey McGuire 2, Steve Irwin 2, Robert Tanielu tries; Scott Prince 4 goals) d Tigers 14.

Referee: Tim Mander

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