A new era for rugby league begins during today’s day of days .. the 2014 NRL Grand Final.
With 3 games to be played, including a new conceptual approach to the 2nd tier league, an exciting new chapter in the game is born. Without wanting to sound stupid, the game I am looking forward to most is the Super Bowl type initiative in putting the QLD Cup winners against the NSW Cup winners. The brainchild of the NRL's Jim Doyle, this concept changes the face of rugby league in this country. It now allows a player who works all week in their trade an opportunity to play on the game’s biggest stage.
When the game between the Northern Pride and Penrith Panthers kicks off around 4pm there’ll be nearly 40,000 people there, and by the time the match reaches it's finale the stadium will be close to capacity. It would have only been a pipe-dream for the majority of players in this game that they would suit up on NRL grand final day in front of a full house. This can only have positive outcomes for both competitions in attracting players, with the possibility of being there come grand final day now a real possibility.
The game itself will see 2 teams with contrasting styles, given the competitions are like chalk and cheese in terms of the footy on show. The NSW Cup is somewhat slower than the QLD Cup, as different vocab is used by the referees in the ruck. While the Queenslanders operate under the NRL model, the NSW Cup administers a 2-step vocab. To the untrained eye the difference is not a standout, but even being given a fraction of a second longer in the tackle is a massive advantage as it can mean the difference between getting to marker or getting back set in your defensive line.
That aside, I think too many are looking into the NRL experience and concluding that the Panthers are over the line. The difference is that in the QLD Cup you have seasoned players who are happy playing in that competition and earning a good wage for the opportunity to remain at home and still train as close to full time as possible; which they do, though at different times to those of the NRL clubs. There are plenty of talented and well-groomed players who could have played NRL, but are comfortable working their trade and playing footy as a weekly hobby. On the other hand, the NSW Cup is a suitable forum for NRL clubs to play those players who aren’t in their first grade team, with the majority of the team supplied by the NRL club.
Many feeder clubs exist in the QLD Cup, but no more than 6 are ever in the team at one time. This means you have to build your cultures, implement your own structures and have a solid squad that can compete, even if not receiving any NRL players back. Therein lies the strength of the Northern Pride. This club is one of the great success stories in Australian sport. Since inception back in 2008 they have only missed the semi finals on one occasion. They have been to within 1 game of a Grand Final twice, played in a losing grand final and have lifted the trophy on 2 occasions, including this year’s domination of the Easts Tigers. This team consistently stays true to the club’s founding principles of having a squad assembled with at least 75% of its players coming from far North Queensland. This has made the Northerners an easy club to support and it is truly a mini version of an NRL club, with media exposure rivalling that of some NRL clubs all coupled with a professional approach above and beyond that of any other in the competition. They have a task in front of them this weekend, facing a very well coached Panthers unit, but write them off at your peril.
The U/20's game between the Broncos and Warriors is one that has looked highly unlikely at several stages of the finals and competition matches. The New Zealanders have played sudden death footy for well over a month and only snuck into the semi finals with a last play of the game try in Round 26, which then needed to be converted from the sideline by their captain, Mason Lino. He duly obliged and they lived to fight another day, advancing through to the finals series. They also pulled of a Houdini act last week scoring 2 tries in the last 4 minutes, including the match winner on the bell. The Broncos too have had an arduous task after being beaten in their first semi final match. The stars for them have been the Nikorima brothers who have torn all defences apart over the past 2 matches. With the game kicking off at 1.50pm the biggest obstacle for the Warriors could well be the heat, which is tipped to hit close to 30 degrees by kick-off. This game will provide plenty of entertainment and as per usual will showcase some of the future NRL superstars in action.
The main game between the Bulldogs and Souths has gripped Sydney. The battle of the coaches has been a feature of the week with mind games aplenty. The very fact Souths went to the extremes they did in making sure their last few hit-outs were behind closed doors, might just mean the Bulldogs have got to them. The intrigue around who will start in the respective hooker roles has provided enough on its own to fill the newspapers. When you look further into both teams you realise that both hookers are integral to their sides for different reasons. Ennis’ presence alone makes his teammates more confident for the pure fact he is out there doing the things he does the best. His constant in-your-face approach definitely gets under the skin of rival players, taking away their focus on what role they should be playing. Isaac Luke though is the most important cog in the Rabbitohs attack, particularly when providing good ball from dummy half, as they play more off the 9 than any other team. This is why you need a ball player in this role and why I would use Luke Keary for at least a portion of the game. The person who fulfils this role the best will more than likely be up on stage at the end of the match, holding up the trophy with his teammates. What an afternoon of top class footy is in store for all the fans today! Enjoy!
Cheers
Andrew