He's ten: Sterlo, Florimo, Inglis and the guys are rated 10/10

Nearly 23 years since North Sydney played their last premiership game, Greg Florimo remembers it like yesterday, and holds out hope that his beloved Bears may still have more tomorrow.

After giving the Bears 13 years of blood, sweat and tears in a record 285 games, Florimo holds a special place in foundation club folklore, including being the only North Sydney player to earn a perfect ’10’ rating from Rugby League Week magazine.

As the game celebrates the achievements of its past champions in the Retro Round, the man they call ‘Flo’ reflects proudly on the day he attacked arch-rival Manly at Bear Park in 1997, trying to score and set it up as the Norths salute 41-8.

From time Rugby League Week Launched in 1970, Player Ratings has become one of the magazine’s most widely read and debated features – by fans and players alike.

The tough guy Terry Randall had the honor of earning a first ’10’ after overcoming himself stalled against St George in the opening round of the 1978 season.

A week later, Balmain aviator legend Larry Corowa was in action with a ’10’ for his sizzling four tries in a 39-5 win over Newtown at Henson Park, while across town at the Lidcombe Oval, Magpie Geoff Foster also got a ’10’ in a big win over Dragon. .

Bear legends Greg Florimo and Billy Moore celebrate victory at SFS.

Capping off a splendid season to a stellar performance, Eel midfielder Graham Murray came on with a fourth RLW ’10’ of 1978 as he piled more pain on St George’s with a dominant display in round 18 at the Cumberland Oval.

Seven other players including Peter Sterling, Brad Clyde and Brad Fittler would earn a ’10’ in the next 19 years before Florimo spent his day at the Bears’ spiritual home on 29 June 1997.

With 14,615 adoring crowds screaming hoarse, Florimo ensured the Bears would avenge a 12-8 loss at Brookvale in the third round with a superb display.

“I made a lot of yards and had a pretty good game but I think I had a knock somewhere so I’m not sure how I got 10,” Florimo said humbly.

“I think someone tried to translate the game into fantasy points years later and it turned up pretty big.

“I love playing at Bear Park, being able to wear the red and black and come out in the middle and entertain the fans, it’s a great place.”

Florimo was so excited at full time that he signaled the faithful Bears to join the players on the pitch to celebrate.

96. Bradley Clyde – Hall of Fame

Long after the final siren signaled the Bears’ sixth home win of the season, the likes of Billy Moore, Gary Larson, Brett Dallas and David Fairleigh signed autographs and shared the moment with their passionate fans.

The Bears would go on to finish fourth in the ARL competition that season before crashing out in a heartbreaking early final loss to Newcastle who eventually became prime minister.

For the fourth time in the ’90s, North Sydney’s star-studded side have fallen a game away from the decider, leaving Florimo to ponder what might have happened.

“We reached the knockout stages in 1991, ’94, ’96 and ’97 and they all sit in my heart,” said Florimo.

Larry Corowa was a cult hero among Balmain fans in the late 70’s and early 80’s

“The fact that we can’t turn such a great team into another major club still hurts and I still haven’t watched any of those games.”

History shows that the Bears would go on to finish fifth in NRL competitions reuniting in 1998 and 14th in 1999 before being forced into marriage to Manly which lasted just three years before being disbanded.

The tide of support remains for the Bears to return to the NRL, but even if the dream comes true, Greg Florimo’s place in history as the only Bear to earn a perfect ’10’ from Rugby League Weekwhich stopped publishing in 2017.

How good… Greg Inglis

Similarly, Foster and Corowa, whose clubs merged in 2000 to form the Wests Tigers, mean they will stand alone as the only players from Wests and Balmain to achieve the rare ’10’ feat.

Three-time premier league winner Bradley Clyde went down as the only Raider to score a ’10’ despite the fact he played at champions Green Machine who boasted legends like Mal Meninga, Laurie Daley and Ricky Stuart.

The Eels hold the most perfect scoring record in the RLW rankings with five, starting with cunning playmaker Murray in ’78 and followed by Peter Sterling twice and Jarryd Hayne twice.

Cowboys enforcer Jason Taumalolo can claim to be the only current player to score a ’10’ for his superb display against the Broncos in the epic semifinals at Townsville in 2016.

Taumalolo clocked 264 meters from 23 runs, made 11 tackle breaks and made 28 tackles as the Cowboys saluted 26-20 in extra time to advance to the preliminaries final against Cronulla, whose captain Paul Gallen holds the bragging rights as one of only three men to win the title. earned two ’10’s during their career.

Jason Taumalolo was unstoppable against the Broncos in the 2016 semifinals.

The Quest for Perfection

Rugby League Week Ranking ’10’

• Terry Randall (Manly vs St George, 1978)
• Geoff Foster (West vs St George, 1978)
• Larry Corowa (Balmain v Newtown, 1978)
• Graham Murray (Parramatta v St George, 1978)
• Graham Eadie (Manly v Cronulla, 1979)
• Robert Laurie (South vs St George, 1980)
• Bruce Walker (Manly v Easts, 1980)
• John Dowling (St George v Norths, 1980)
• Johnny Gibbs (Manly v Cronulla, 1981)
• Greg Brentnall (Canterbury v Manly, 1982)
• Kevin Hastings (Easts v Penrith, 1983)
• Peter Sterling (Parramatta v St George, 1986)
• Peter Sterling (Parramatta v Easts, 1987)
• Bradley Clyde (Canberra v Wests, 1991)
• *Brad Fittler (Australia vs New Zealand, 1995)
• Greg Florimo (North v Manly, Rd 14, 1997)
• Brett Kimmorley (Shark v Newcastle, Rd 22, 2002)
• Andrew Johns (Newcastle v Melbourne, Rd 21, 2005)
• Mark Gasnier (St George Illawarra v Wests Tigers, Rd 24, 2006)
• Jarryd Hayne (Parramatta v Brisbane, Rd 25, 2007)
• Jarryd Hayne (Parramatta v Warriors, Rd 23, 2009)
• *Paul Gallen (NSW v Queensland, 2011)
• Paul Gallen (Cronulla v North Queensland, Rd 4, 2012)
• Matt Scott (North Queensland v Brisbane, Rd 9, 2014)
• Greg Inglis (Souths v Brisbane, Rd 23, 2014)
• Cooper Cronk (Melbourne v Brisbane, Rd 19, 2016)
• Jason Taumalolo (Queensland North v Brisbane, semifinals, 2016)

* shows representative fixtures.

Source: David Middleton, League Information Services

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