Well we are now one month post release and as with most releases these days, the chat and general movement of the release has slowed significantly. Time for a review!
A caveat of sorts prior to reading this review is as follows;
I clearly like these kind of releases and have some what of a bias so I will try and remain as objective as possible. In saying that, while I encourage feedback and opinions please make it objective and don't 'hate' on someone because they are making money from the release or other reasons. Just remember, this hobby and the site are meant to be fun and encourage growth of the hobby.
GENERAL PRESENTATION
I really like the look of the boxes and packets. They are very similar to Elite and have a higher end look and feel to them.
PRICING
While significantly dearer than Elite per box, I think collectors have forgotten that these are 36 packs per box like Select series 2. We are so used to Elite now and their 24 packet per box releases. Overall, this makes the Glory about $1 per packet cheaper than Elite, at least until tomorrow anyway! For a higher end release with some reasonable signatures I think the price is spot on.
DISTRIBUTION / TIMING
The timing of the release was far from ideal. Just after Xmas and a couple of months prior to Traders. I am not sure if there were logistical or other reasons behind this but ideally, the release should have been around early October. This would have been a nice break between Elite and Xmas and also closer to the announcement of the new Immortals / HOF members.
The sole distribution of the product has caused some angst. The fact that it is not readily available from Newsagents is something that certainly stops a flood on the secondary markets, which may help keep prices up. The downside to this is that there are less options to trade and to the collector who doesn't have the budget for boxes / cases, it is a bit unfortunate. My preference would be to find a balance in that more collectors can break the product but I also hate seeing decent cards go for nothing on the secondary market. Further, there was obvious dislike to Steve WANG who is the sole distributor. Yes, he will make money, just like any businessman who invests you expect a return on your investment and time. The flip side to this is that dealers who stocked and sold the product also make money and we all know it is the middle level dealers like Warren, Michael and Glen (many more I haven't mentioned) who are a lifeblood to the hobby.
Team / case breaks have become huge in the last few years. This release is impossible to case break in the conventional manner. I have certainly seen some more innovation from dealers to break the product in a fair manner but I have no doubt that the inability of the product to be broken this way has stopped some collectors.
FOLDER
I really like the folders! These are back to the old Select series 2 and add a bit of class. No sleeves included was always the Select series 2 way and to be honest, this doesn't bother me as I replace the sleeves with the better quality Ultra Pro anyway. A folder card of some sort would have been nice and had that been included I would have gladly paid $29.95 for the folder. As it is, I feel the folders are much better than Elite although no where near the 08 Centenary folders.
BASE SET
Outstanding! The look and feel of the cards are great, they really jump off the page and the inclusion of new HOF members and some prospects is great. I always loved a subset within a base set and while these are named any different the few that are in black and white really add a nice contrast to the set. The player selection is a bit lacking in some places but I am yet to encounter a release where the player selection is perfect. From a Canberra perspective I would much rather have had Furner, Croker (Jason) and Schifcofske.
CHARTER CLASS
Another really nice set IMO. The white gloss background with green foil is a good look and this is the first time there has been a full HOF insert set (Fulton aside). There was a point made early on that some of the images were duplicated from 08 Centenary. After having looked back through both sets simultaneously, I think there are about 20 of the same images from 08 Centenary with many of those duplicate images being from that pioneer era where I would imagine decent images are not as easy to come by. While this is less than ideal I am not hugely concerned by it. The mix and match of players from Rep to Club jerseys is different. One club player should definitely be in their club strip while I have no issue with multiple club players being in Rep jerseys.
CHARTER CLASS CHROME
The parallel version of the latter. The first point I will raise is one mentioned by @MikeK . These are definitely not 'chrome' but more of a silver. That aside, Charter Class Chrome sounds much classier than Charter Class Silver and the fact that these are numbered is great. I feel that having a set like this numbered value adds to the purchase of a box and provides a challenge for collectors that like specific numbers. I am surprised at some of the $$ the low and jersey numbered cards in this set have fetched, the Wally Lewis #001 went for $40! These are not bad set at all and the look adds a very nostalgic touch to the release.
PIONEER SKETCHES
A nice low end set. While this set doesn't contain many household names (there are three Immortals) it does provide a set with a point of difference. I feel it is always good to recognize the Pioneers of this great game as these blokes played for very little, worked full time and were as tough as nails. They certainly paved the way for the game we know and love today and are very deserved of this recognition. The actual sketches are plainer but very nicely made. They look and feel good in the hand and as they are not in colour, they again add a nice contrast to the set I will review next.
FUTURE FAMERS
I think I pulled a Warriors or Panthers version of this set as my first card and my first thought was yuck! As I have continued to put together the set I have come to like them more as they add a different contrast as mentioned above and the team colours on the borders breaks each team up nicely. The player selection is again a bit interesting with Lockyer already being in the HOF therefore he is not a 'Future Famer'. From a Canberra perspective, it is slim pickings from the post 'Green Machine era' for HOF nominees but I think Jason Croker would have been a much better selection with 300+ games, leading try scorer in Canberra history, premiership and Rep honours.
As a side note here is my FF list;
Brisbane - Walters / Renouf (Hodges not bad and Berrigan also an option)
Canberra - Croker / Mullins or Furner
Bulldogs - Current choices are solid, maybe Price as an option
Sharks - Miller / Peachey
Titans - Great choices, maybe Bailey?
Manly - Great choices, maybe Shearer?
Storm - Geyer / Hill or Kearney
Knights - Buderus / Harragon or Kennedy
Cows - Bowen / Bowman or Sing
Parra - Hindy / O'Reilly or Linder
Panthers - Alexander / Simmons
Souths - Moir / Blake
Dragons - OÇonnor / Young
Roosters - Mini / Morely
Warriors - Jones / Wiki (prefer him as a Canberra legend though!!!)
Tigers - Sironen / Ellis
FUTURE FAMERS SIGNATURES
These are a wonderful looking card in hand. Well designed (love landscape style cards for signatures), nice signatures and some great players. /420 is a high number but having a box hit on card signature is all but essential in a higher end release. Players like Bowen (hasn't signed since 07), Ryan (09), Hindmarsh (12 LE) and Lyon are great inclusions. I am not sure why Wing is the signature for the Roosters given he is not in the unsigned set. The Lockyer signature card has caused plenty of chat. I was made aware that there was a fair assumption he would be made an Immortal in the last round and I believe that he had already been contracted as a signer for this release prior to the announcements. As such, it was obviously decided to keep him in the release but again he is not a Future Famer as he is already HOF and as mentioned, having a Lockyer signature /420 will devalue his early signature cards. That being said, the flip side to this is that low end collectors can now afford and have a genuine / certified Lockyer signature in their PC. For me, I am happy with this as I don't collect Brisbane cards and haven't mastered previous releases where Lockyer has signed. This allows me to appreciate one of the all time greats in my PC. Perhaps Lockyer would have been better suited to a signature subset like 'Immortal in waiting' which could have been 1:6 boxes.
Further, I felt a signature card per team for this set would have been much better. Despite Manly, Brisbane, Newcastle and Canberra collectors having more to collect, one card per team would have lowered the numbering to just over 300 per card and made the release more collectible for all. I would have loved an Alan Tongue signature and I am sure a Preston Campbell, Stacey Jones and maybe a Sironen signature card would all have been well received.
IMMORTAL PLAYER PHOTOS / SKETCHES
As these are in black and white, they certainly don't pop off the card. I like them but felt that if either one (not both) had been in colour in might have added a bit more. That being said, I think they are a very well designed card with the player photos being much nicer than the 08 equivalent but the sketches, despite also being nice cards and great images, not as good as the 08 version. These are numbered to /420 which is high but when you consider the 08 Immortals were not numbered and were 1500 per card and the sketches while numbered were /750 (with only the first number printed) they are much rarer. Some nice images also, with the Sticks Provan and Mal cards my favourites.
INDUCTION CLASS SIGNATURES
These are very 'busy' looking cards and have attracted a fair but of criticism due to the green foil stamping and black and white images used. It is clear they have gone for nostalgic look on these and rightly so, it is a historical type release. Again, in a folder with the FF signatures these contrast really well. The thick stock is sensational, the signatures I have seen are all really good quality (players that actually take pride in their signature) and as a Rugby League enthusiast how can you not love the first Kiwi HOF inductee in an 'old skool' Bears jersey? /210 is certainly a higher number of signatures but these seem to be sitting solid at $130-$150. Not everyone's favorite but I think they are a solid inclusion. Aside from Graham, Lyons and Civoniceva have never had signatures, Tallis and Menzies were recent Legends and Stuart hasn't signed since 1995.
IMMORTAL SIGNATURES
Slightly higher in number than 08 Centenary (140 as opposed to 125) I feel that while these don't compare to the 08 version they are still nice cards. Again, they are very 'busy' in design which has limited the signature space but the signatures I have seen are quite good. The black and white images are again a point of contention but it is clear that the producer has gone after a nostalgic look. The 4 player card is interesting, it seems like this was a rushed inclusion. I am disappointed that Sticks couldn't sign, I am led to believe he is very poor health but I can't understand how there was not a signature on file for him as he signed for both Select (twice) and TLA. When I heard that only three players had foil signatures I assumed Brown would miss out. I think that there should have been a card for each player / 70. I have been made aware that significant attempts to purchase Selects 08 Template for this set were made but ultimately, due to various reasons this proposal fell through. That is disappointing that personal differences / business issues got in the way.
CASE CARDS
The comment has been made that as these are just a larger version of the box hit Immortal Photo and Sketch it is a bit off a lazy inclusion. I can't disagree with that, a stand alone case card set would have been nicer, even though these are still a nice card in hand. To place a positive spin on this, /70 makes them very rare and collectible and I like that by being a 'jumbo' version, there has been some incorporation of the 08 Master / Jumbo set. Maybe this is where the Lockyer signature could have come in?
OVERALL
I love nostalgic / history based releases. This one is very solid, maybe a bit rushed with a few issues. There are some positive aspects compared to the 08 Centenary and some negatives. You can't beat the original IMO, Select 08 is a better release despite being more than double the production run. That being said I will be master setting this release as I am doing for the 08 set. I have really enjoyed busting the product to date and have enjoyed putting together the set so far.
Overall I give this a 7.5/10. A very solid / above average release with some excellent aspects, some room for improvement and the ability to put together a master set if you are that way minded.
Please share your thoughts!
A caveat of sorts prior to reading this review is as follows;
I clearly like these kind of releases and have some what of a bias so I will try and remain as objective as possible. In saying that, while I encourage feedback and opinions please make it objective and don't 'hate' on someone because they are making money from the release or other reasons. Just remember, this hobby and the site are meant to be fun and encourage growth of the hobby.
GENERAL PRESENTATION
I really like the look of the boxes and packets. They are very similar to Elite and have a higher end look and feel to them.
PRICING
While significantly dearer than Elite per box, I think collectors have forgotten that these are 36 packs per box like Select series 2. We are so used to Elite now and their 24 packet per box releases. Overall, this makes the Glory about $1 per packet cheaper than Elite, at least until tomorrow anyway! For a higher end release with some reasonable signatures I think the price is spot on.
DISTRIBUTION / TIMING
The timing of the release was far from ideal. Just after Xmas and a couple of months prior to Traders. I am not sure if there were logistical or other reasons behind this but ideally, the release should have been around early October. This would have been a nice break between Elite and Xmas and also closer to the announcement of the new Immortals / HOF members.
The sole distribution of the product has caused some angst. The fact that it is not readily available from Newsagents is something that certainly stops a flood on the secondary markets, which may help keep prices up. The downside to this is that there are less options to trade and to the collector who doesn't have the budget for boxes / cases, it is a bit unfortunate. My preference would be to find a balance in that more collectors can break the product but I also hate seeing decent cards go for nothing on the secondary market. Further, there was obvious dislike to Steve WANG who is the sole distributor. Yes, he will make money, just like any businessman who invests you expect a return on your investment and time. The flip side to this is that dealers who stocked and sold the product also make money and we all know it is the middle level dealers like Warren, Michael and Glen (many more I haven't mentioned) who are a lifeblood to the hobby.
Team / case breaks have become huge in the last few years. This release is impossible to case break in the conventional manner. I have certainly seen some more innovation from dealers to break the product in a fair manner but I have no doubt that the inability of the product to be broken this way has stopped some collectors.
FOLDER
I really like the folders! These are back to the old Select series 2 and add a bit of class. No sleeves included was always the Select series 2 way and to be honest, this doesn't bother me as I replace the sleeves with the better quality Ultra Pro anyway. A folder card of some sort would have been nice and had that been included I would have gladly paid $29.95 for the folder. As it is, I feel the folders are much better than Elite although no where near the 08 Centenary folders.
BASE SET
Outstanding! The look and feel of the cards are great, they really jump off the page and the inclusion of new HOF members and some prospects is great. I always loved a subset within a base set and while these are named any different the few that are in black and white really add a nice contrast to the set. The player selection is a bit lacking in some places but I am yet to encounter a release where the player selection is perfect. From a Canberra perspective I would much rather have had Furner, Croker (Jason) and Schifcofske.
CHARTER CLASS
Another really nice set IMO. The white gloss background with green foil is a good look and this is the first time there has been a full HOF insert set (Fulton aside). There was a point made early on that some of the images were duplicated from 08 Centenary. After having looked back through both sets simultaneously, I think there are about 20 of the same images from 08 Centenary with many of those duplicate images being from that pioneer era where I would imagine decent images are not as easy to come by. While this is less than ideal I am not hugely concerned by it. The mix and match of players from Rep to Club jerseys is different. One club player should definitely be in their club strip while I have no issue with multiple club players being in Rep jerseys.
CHARTER CLASS CHROME
The parallel version of the latter. The first point I will raise is one mentioned by @MikeK . These are definitely not 'chrome' but more of a silver. That aside, Charter Class Chrome sounds much classier than Charter Class Silver and the fact that these are numbered is great. I feel that having a set like this numbered value adds to the purchase of a box and provides a challenge for collectors that like specific numbers. I am surprised at some of the $$ the low and jersey numbered cards in this set have fetched, the Wally Lewis #001 went for $40! These are not bad set at all and the look adds a very nostalgic touch to the release.
PIONEER SKETCHES
A nice low end set. While this set doesn't contain many household names (there are three Immortals) it does provide a set with a point of difference. I feel it is always good to recognize the Pioneers of this great game as these blokes played for very little, worked full time and were as tough as nails. They certainly paved the way for the game we know and love today and are very deserved of this recognition. The actual sketches are plainer but very nicely made. They look and feel good in the hand and as they are not in colour, they again add a nice contrast to the set I will review next.
FUTURE FAMERS
I think I pulled a Warriors or Panthers version of this set as my first card and my first thought was yuck! As I have continued to put together the set I have come to like them more as they add a different contrast as mentioned above and the team colours on the borders breaks each team up nicely. The player selection is again a bit interesting with Lockyer already being in the HOF therefore he is not a 'Future Famer'. From a Canberra perspective, it is slim pickings from the post 'Green Machine era' for HOF nominees but I think Jason Croker would have been a much better selection with 300+ games, leading try scorer in Canberra history, premiership and Rep honours.
As a side note here is my FF list;
Brisbane - Walters / Renouf (Hodges not bad and Berrigan also an option)
Canberra - Croker / Mullins or Furner
Bulldogs - Current choices are solid, maybe Price as an option
Sharks - Miller / Peachey
Titans - Great choices, maybe Bailey?
Manly - Great choices, maybe Shearer?
Storm - Geyer / Hill or Kearney
Knights - Buderus / Harragon or Kennedy
Cows - Bowen / Bowman or Sing
Parra - Hindy / O'Reilly or Linder
Panthers - Alexander / Simmons
Souths - Moir / Blake
Dragons - OÇonnor / Young
Roosters - Mini / Morely
Warriors - Jones / Wiki (prefer him as a Canberra legend though!!!)
Tigers - Sironen / Ellis
FUTURE FAMERS SIGNATURES
These are a wonderful looking card in hand. Well designed (love landscape style cards for signatures), nice signatures and some great players. /420 is a high number but having a box hit on card signature is all but essential in a higher end release. Players like Bowen (hasn't signed since 07), Ryan (09), Hindmarsh (12 LE) and Lyon are great inclusions. I am not sure why Wing is the signature for the Roosters given he is not in the unsigned set. The Lockyer signature card has caused plenty of chat. I was made aware that there was a fair assumption he would be made an Immortal in the last round and I believe that he had already been contracted as a signer for this release prior to the announcements. As such, it was obviously decided to keep him in the release but again he is not a Future Famer as he is already HOF and as mentioned, having a Lockyer signature /420 will devalue his early signature cards. That being said, the flip side to this is that low end collectors can now afford and have a genuine / certified Lockyer signature in their PC. For me, I am happy with this as I don't collect Brisbane cards and haven't mastered previous releases where Lockyer has signed. This allows me to appreciate one of the all time greats in my PC. Perhaps Lockyer would have been better suited to a signature subset like 'Immortal in waiting' which could have been 1:6 boxes.
Further, I felt a signature card per team for this set would have been much better. Despite Manly, Brisbane, Newcastle and Canberra collectors having more to collect, one card per team would have lowered the numbering to just over 300 per card and made the release more collectible for all. I would have loved an Alan Tongue signature and I am sure a Preston Campbell, Stacey Jones and maybe a Sironen signature card would all have been well received.
IMMORTAL PLAYER PHOTOS / SKETCHES
As these are in black and white, they certainly don't pop off the card. I like them but felt that if either one (not both) had been in colour in might have added a bit more. That being said, I think they are a very well designed card with the player photos being much nicer than the 08 equivalent but the sketches, despite also being nice cards and great images, not as good as the 08 version. These are numbered to /420 which is high but when you consider the 08 Immortals were not numbered and were 1500 per card and the sketches while numbered were /750 (with only the first number printed) they are much rarer. Some nice images also, with the Sticks Provan and Mal cards my favourites.
INDUCTION CLASS SIGNATURES
These are very 'busy' looking cards and have attracted a fair but of criticism due to the green foil stamping and black and white images used. It is clear they have gone for nostalgic look on these and rightly so, it is a historical type release. Again, in a folder with the FF signatures these contrast really well. The thick stock is sensational, the signatures I have seen are all really good quality (players that actually take pride in their signature) and as a Rugby League enthusiast how can you not love the first Kiwi HOF inductee in an 'old skool' Bears jersey? /210 is certainly a higher number of signatures but these seem to be sitting solid at $130-$150. Not everyone's favorite but I think they are a solid inclusion. Aside from Graham, Lyons and Civoniceva have never had signatures, Tallis and Menzies were recent Legends and Stuart hasn't signed since 1995.
IMMORTAL SIGNATURES
Slightly higher in number than 08 Centenary (140 as opposed to 125) I feel that while these don't compare to the 08 version they are still nice cards. Again, they are very 'busy' in design which has limited the signature space but the signatures I have seen are quite good. The black and white images are again a point of contention but it is clear that the producer has gone after a nostalgic look. The 4 player card is interesting, it seems like this was a rushed inclusion. I am disappointed that Sticks couldn't sign, I am led to believe he is very poor health but I can't understand how there was not a signature on file for him as he signed for both Select (twice) and TLA. When I heard that only three players had foil signatures I assumed Brown would miss out. I think that there should have been a card for each player / 70. I have been made aware that significant attempts to purchase Selects 08 Template for this set were made but ultimately, due to various reasons this proposal fell through. That is disappointing that personal differences / business issues got in the way.
CASE CARDS
The comment has been made that as these are just a larger version of the box hit Immortal Photo and Sketch it is a bit off a lazy inclusion. I can't disagree with that, a stand alone case card set would have been nicer, even though these are still a nice card in hand. To place a positive spin on this, /70 makes them very rare and collectible and I like that by being a 'jumbo' version, there has been some incorporation of the 08 Master / Jumbo set. Maybe this is where the Lockyer signature could have come in?
OVERALL
I love nostalgic / history based releases. This one is very solid, maybe a bit rushed with a few issues. There are some positive aspects compared to the 08 Centenary and some negatives. You can't beat the original IMO, Select 08 is a better release despite being more than double the production run. That being said I will be master setting this release as I am doing for the 08 set. I have really enjoyed busting the product to date and have enjoyed putting together the set so far.
Overall I give this a 7.5/10. A very solid / above average release with some excellent aspects, some room for improvement and the ability to put together a master set if you are that way minded.
Please share your thoughts!
Last edited:
