Dane Carlaw

A Junior Kangaroo in 1999, the strapping Brisbane forward won a premiership with the Broncos the following year before charging into the top representative teams in 2001. Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett showed enormous faith in 20-year-old Dane Carlaw when he selected him as Shane Webcke’s front row partner in the 2000 grand final. Carlaw produced a mature display in the 14-6 win against the Roosters and despite being overlooked for the World Cup, was clearly set for representative honours. In 2001 he made his Origin debut as a second row forward in the second match of the series. Used as an interchange player in Queensland’s stunning 40-14 thrashing of NSW in the decider, he was chosen on the bench in Australia’s Test win over NZ in July. Although Brisbane struggled to make an impact in the semi-finals that year, Carlaw cemented his place as a Test backrower after playing against Papua New Guinea and held his place in all three tests on the shortened Ashes Tour of England. In 2002 he scored the try that drew the third State of Origin match – and gave the series to Queensland on countback – after a determined run to the tryline. Carlaw has become a mainstay of the Queensland State of Origin and Australian Test teams, although injury ruled him out of the Tri-Nations competition at the end of 2004. Although Carlaw has not made a return to the rep arena since 2005’s State of Origin campaign he was one of Brisbane’s best forwards (from the interchange bench) in the club’s hard-won 15-8 win over Melbourne in the 2006 grand final.