So much of a team's success can come down to the work of the hooker, as a lot depends on their speed, their creativity and the workload they place upon themselves in defence.
During 25 years of the competition, there have been a number of players who have stood out in this position for their work rate in defence and their creativity in attack.
To acknowledge the Intrust Super Cup reaching a milestone 25 years and to highlight some of the amazing talent the competition has helped foster and unearth, fans are being encouraged to vote on a 25-year team.
This team is not an official team, but rather, a chance for fans to have their say on who they think has lit up the competition during its 25 years.
Members of the Queensland Rugby League staff have helped select a shortlist of players for each position.
The criteria for selection:
- Players to have played at least two seasons, ideally 50 games - which rules out Harry Grant in this category
- The ‘game impact’ of players has been taken into account, with players who have made key contributions to winning results
- Entertainment value – when they play, does it help bring fans through the gates?
The next position to select for the fan-picked 25-year team is hooker.
Intrust Super Cup 25-year team hooker nominees
1. Michael Roberts
Redcliffe Dolphins legend Michael Roberts was named in the 20-year Anniversary Team and played in an astonishing 253 Cup games during his career, which saw him earn numerous representative honours including six Queensland City jerseys and two Queensland Residents call-ups. While he started out as a halfback, after he was moved to hooker by coach Anthony Griffin, he continued to find great success for the club and himself and was named Representative Player of the Year in 2006.
2. Tommy Butterfield
One of the most well-liked players in the competition, the PNG Kumuls representative has been a keen and committed player to every team he has been a part of since his debut in 2009. Now with the Sunshine Coast Falcons, Butterfield may have an unenviable record of reaching four grand finals - 2013, 2014, 2018 with the Easts Tigers and 2012 with Redcliffe Dolphins - without a win, but there is no denying his contributions to the team over his 206 games have helped them earn their place in the premiership deciders.
Tommy Butterfield highlights
3. Pat Politoni
The talented Burleigh Bears rake is a back-to-back recipient of the Hooker of the Year award in the QRL's Team of the Year in both 2017 and 2018, and he also has two Intrust Super Cup grand final victories under this belt. A consistent performer who can always be relied upon to put in the hard yards for his team, Politoni, who has represented Tonga on the international stage, has been a key pillar of Burleigh's recent success, joining the club in 2016, their first premiership year since 2004.
4. Jason Roos
The former Northern Pride co-captain was a foundation player with the club in 2008 and featured in all three grand finals the club has made so far, winning two of them. He, alongside 25-year team centre nominee Brett Anderson led the side that ambushed the Penrith Panthers to claim the inaugural National State Championship on NRL grand final day in 2014. When he retired at the end of the 2015 season, Roos held the record for most games played for the Pride with 153, before Ryan Ghietti went past him in 2018 and went on to play 169 games.
5. Anthony Mitchell
Mitchell scored the match-winning try for the Mackay Cutters in a Duncan Hall Medal performance during the club's emotional grand final win in 2013 over Easts Tigers. Signing up with the Townsville Blackhawks in their inaugural season in 2015, Mitchell also served as captain of the club and retired in 2017 as their most capped player with 72 games.
Vote now in the poll.
Poll closes on Thursday, May 7, at 10am and results will be published that afternoon.
If your choice isn't listed - be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments on the Intrust Super Cup Facebook page.
