Brendan_B box breaks 30 April 2023

Well, here it is folks, the much-anticipated OZCT box break day.

I have decided to go with some classics, my 4 favorite releases which I will do in order.

Let’s start with 05 Power. The first time Select released a series 2 in NRL. Overall, quite a low production run, 330 cases overall. There are no parallels in this release and only 8-9 inserts per box, not what we are used to these days with ‘shiny’ cards every packet!

Signature redemptions were two per case in this release and there were some crackers. Artie Beetson, SBW, Karmichael Hunt, Slater.

The one per box signature was still a Future Force with some very decent names. Benji, Ryan Hoffman, Soward and my favorite, the man with a statue at Mourya, Mick Weyman! These were also the lowest run of FF signatures released at just #260 per card.

But my favorite part of this set has to be the Inspirations. Classy design, great player selection and numbered to #175 each. These were inserted at 1:2 boxes and have managed to hold value over the years.

Enough chat, let's go, 4 packets per post!



1 – 4:
All base. Love the design of these cards though. 18 years old, no sticking or bricking at all.

5 – 8:
Clinton Schifcofske Club Player (1:8 packets)
Chris Hicks Club Player
Anthony Minichello Team of the Year (1:16 packets)
Steve Price Team of the Year

9 – 12:
All base

13 – 16:
Jason Stevens Club Player

17 – 20:
Matt Orford Club Player
Billy Slater Dally M ‘Headline of the Year’ (1:36 packets)

21 – 24:
All base

25 – 28:
Melbourne Storm Premiership Predictor (1:36 packets). Unfortunately, not the winning predictor for 05. The full set of these redeemed the Playmakers set from each side. A great looking set, much better than the rubbish TLA send back today.

29 – 32:
Buderus club player. How good was this bloke?

33 – 36:
Future Force Signature – Corey Payne, Dragons #232/260. Not the best but ah well, luck of the draw.

Well, that is it for 05 Power. A pretty standard bust but none the less, lots of fun and nostalgia. All cards will be available in due course.

Now onto 06 Invincible.

This release was the first time Select introduced a one per pack insert to series 2, the ‘Die Cut’. There were 6 per team and 90 in total, quite innovative for Select at the time.

This was an odd release in many ways with the collation often being way off. Future Force Signatures became Top Prospect Signatures, only ten clubs had a TP Signature, and they were numbered to /500 each. This release contains the much sought after Greg Inglis TP (his only Storm auto) and Robbie Farah as well. The Legend Die Cuts are another classy looking 1:72 packets insert numbered to /175 each. Lockyer and Johns headline this set but there were lots of other greats including Clyde, Kenny and Lamb.

What really gets this release in the stars is the case hit redemptions. Andrew Johns, Laurie Daley, Thurston and Tim Smith…well he is in an Eels jersey and really had some promise! Unfortunately, there were plenty of times a case hit was missing and generally, if you did jag a case hit, there was no TP Signature in the box. Bizarre!

Here we go. I actually need a quite few bits from this release so hopefully I can hit some!

1 – 4:
Dean Young DC, Anasta DC, Wesser DC, Payne DC

5 – 8:
Head DC, Minichello DC, Morrison DC, Firman DC, Matt Orford All Stars (1:8 packets)

9 – 12: Barrett DC, Rigon DC, Cayless DC, Thurston DC and Billy Slater All Stars

13 – 16: Bailey DC, Cusak DC, Campbell DC, Webb DC – Ben Smith (Eels) Top Prospect Signature #106/500

17 – 20: Walker DC, Finch DC, Riddell DC, Hornby DC and Joey Johns All Stars

21 – 24: Walker (Ben) DC, Webb DC, Waterhouse DC, Smith DC and Matt Bowen All Stars

25 – 28: Clinton DC, Morris DC, Harrison DC, Sutton DC

29 – 32: Priddis DC, McKinnon DC, Morley DC, Polglase DC and Nathan Hindmarsh All Stars

33 – 36: Wing DC, Timmins DC, Gower DC, Norton DC and Cowboys Premiership Predictor (1:36 packets)

Unfortunately, another standard box. Eels TP is one of the better teams and I was able to complete my set of Die Cuts, tick off a few All Stars and the I needed the premiership Predictor.

The Predictors from this release were 'League Leaders'. Same principle, all 15 teams (no Titans at the time) were redeemable as a complete set with the Premiership winning predictor (Brisbane) able to be redeemed by itself. The League Leaders were numbered and included some great names, Lockyer, Johns, Smith and of course the greatest in the set, Schifcofske..

If you get a chance to photograph the good cards, I wouldn't mind having a look

Iron Clad Lou said:

If you get a chance to photograph the good cards, I wouldn't mind having a look

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Just heading out to do a few errands. I can scan the better hits later or did you want to see all the hits?

Brendan_B said:

Just heading out to do a few errands. I can scan the better hits later or did you want to see all the hits?

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Whatever you want to do! I have never seen these cards! Just the hits would be good

Some Pics would be great for sure!

05 Power images. The first two are the cards I busted; the last picture is a near complete set (9/11) of the 1:72 Inspiration series I referenced earlier. In my opinion, The Inspirations are the nicest mid-range numbered set produced by Select. The Barry Berrigan card is an example of a base card for that release.

Great looking auto . Amazing they could get it right in 2005 and TLA struggle to get it right 18 years later

Sharks16 said:

Great looking auto . Amazing they could get it right in 2005 and TLA struggle to get it right 18 years later

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Yeah, I hear you. At times some autos did come out scratched / smudged but overall, in packet autos were pretty good.

Here are the hits from 06 Invincible. I have included images of the JDC, front and back but these were not the ones from the box. The two Broncos cards are the base checklist and standard base. The Legend Die Cut wasn't in this box but was included as a reference.

Brendan_B said:

Yeah, I hear you. At times some autos did come out scratched / smudged but overall, in packet autos were pretty good.

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does it say the odds of those future force autos?

Now onto the much-maligned TLA Glory. This set was produced as an extension to 08 Centenary, and it certainly didn’t reach those heights. In fairness, this is still an exceptional release with loads of value in a box. The ongoing sale prices of singles is impressive also.

TLA may have their name on this release but Steve Wang from Cardzone essentially owns the release. Without his assistance, this would never have been prodiced. Those who know the hobby and their cards realise the potential and ongoing value of a release like this.

The Charter Class and Charter Class Chrome (numbered to /566) are the only insert version of the NRL HOF (as at 2018) ever made. The Future Famer signatures are 1 per box and contain both club and rep images. Great player selection topped by Darren Lockyer. Then you have the Induction Class signatures and of course Immortal Signatures which includes Meninga and Johns on card autos. It is unfortunate that Norm Provan couldn’t sign for this release due to ill health and original Immortal Bob Fulton, declined to participate at all.

Onto the bust!

1-4:
Brian Bevan CC and Brian Carlson CCC #368/566
Kel O’Shea CC
Ettingshausen CC
Harry Bath CC

5-8:
Sterling CC and Chris McKivat CCC #514/566
Hodges Future Famer (1:18 packets) and Dave Brown CC
Tom Gorman Pioneer Sketch (1:12 packets) and Billy Cann CC
Ben Creagh Future Famer Signature #186/400 and Raudonikis CC

9-12:
Andy Norval CC and Lockyer CCC #519/566
Herb Gilbert CC
Lockyer CC, Langer CCC #360/566
Peter Gallagher CC

13-16:
McMillan CC
Frank Burge CC and Ray Price CCC #436/566
Joey Johns CCC #072/566 and Howard Hallett CC
Viv Farnsworth CC

17-20:
Les Johns CC
Steinhort CC
Matt Geyer Future Famer, Civoniceva CC
McKivat CC

21-24:
Dan Frawley CC and Viv Armbruster CCC #156/566
Harold Horder CC
Arthur Halloway CCC #355/566 and Bob Mcarthy CC
Tedda Courtney CC

25-28:
Langer CC
Brian Hambly CCC #314/566 and Joe Busch CC
Tom Gorman CC
Eric Weissel CC and Jim Craig Pioneer Sketch

29-32:
Steve Roach CC and Frank Burge Immortal Player #190/420 (1:36 packets)
Ernie Norman CC
Vic Armbruster CC and Viv Thicknesse CCC #336/566
Jim Craig CC

33-36:
Steve Walters CC and Jack Beaton Pioneer Sketch
Benny Wearing CCC #329/566 and Roy Bull CC
Carlson CC
Provan CC and Steve Rogers CCC #405/566

Overall, not the best box and not the worst. Solid FF signature and some great names among the CCC, no low numbers unfortunately. An absolute joy to bust this product for those who love the nostalgia and history of Rugby League. Images to follow.

2018 Glory hits. The base set consisted of 5 current Elite players per team (Gillett), 5 retired Elite players per team (Woolford) and then a mixture of retired players who are considered possibles for HOF induction one day (Linder).

The two Laurie Daley's are examples of the Charter Class (one per packet) and Charter Class Chrome (one per three packets). These were just a couple I had handy to scan and not from this break.

GarnettFan4Life said:

does it say the odds of those future force autos?

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1:36 packets (box)

Lastly, onto the big ‘Mumma’, the greatest release ever, 2008 NRL Centenary. No introduction required!

1-4:
Holofoil Club Logo Wests Tigers (1:8 packets)

5-8:
Team of the century Noel Kelly (1:12 packets)

9-12:
Team of the century Arthur Beetson
Prize Card Wests Magpies (1:216 packets), CRACKER! This was one of a 4 card “Foundation Predictor’ set that was redeemable for a premiers set (Manly) and premiership winning captain signature card (Matt Orford). This is a great little set.

13-16:
Balmain Tigers Prize Card! These are meant to be 1:6 boxes, 2 in two packets, how epic!
Dave Furner Past Heroes (1:8 packets)
Gavin Miller Past Heroes (wasn’t this bloke a player?)

17-20:
Team of the Century Foil Signature Ron Coote #080/600 (1:36 packets). These are a wonderful looking card. When you have a foil card signature /600 that fetches double an on-card signature numbered to 110 (from Elite), you can guess how well regarded of a release this is.

21-24:
Sticky Stuart Past Heroes (Go the Milk)
North Sydney Bears Prize Card, another 1:6 box hit. I have never seen or heard of this happening, normally Select ratios are spot on!

25-28:
Past Heroes Mark McGaw (Gladiator!)
And there it is, Newtown Jets Prize Card. Another 1:6 box hit, and a complete set of Foundation Predictors in one box, normally takes two cases to complete, WOW.

29-32:
Team of the Centry Duncan Hall

33-36:
Immortals Clive Churchill (1:36 packets)

So that is it. What an epic bust. I know exactly what has happened. The 4 prize cards look very similar to the 1:8 packet Club Holofoil cards. I would say this was a mix up at packing, good luck for me though!

Images to follow!

The base cards are Checklist, top 100 (Sterlo), Club Logos (contains full club history on back) and current Elite players, 5 per team.

For comparison purposes, I have scanned the 1:8 packet club holofoil logo with the 4 Prize Cards so you can see how similar they are.

Killing it!
gott love smashing the odds!

Brendan_B said:

The base cards are Checklist, top 100 (Sterlo), Club Logos (contains full club history on back) and current Elite players, 5 per team.

For comparison purposes, I have scanned the 1:8 packet club holofoil logo with the 4 Prize Cards so you can see how similar they are.

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Try and chase up the other 2 prize cards.I think they still redeem them.

Paul_Ambrey said:

Try and chase up the other 2 prize cards.I think they still redeem them.

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I have all 4 there, that is the entire set to redeem !!

Brendan_B said:

I have all 4 there, that is the entire set to redeem !!

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Remarkable box.Outstanding.