Without question our claim that rugby league is the greatest game on earth, has been reconfirmed by a fantastic weekend of semi final football.
(pic credit: www.smh.com.au)
Both matches had it all; slick ball movement, punishing defence with defensive grind, remarkable comebacks; and of course controversial decisions as seem to occur in most close matches.
Friday’s encounter was one for the ages and surely must go down as one of the most entertaining, great matches of all time. The Roosters were unstoppable in the first 30 minutes which was characterised by playing direct with push-through support, and then attacking down their left edge where they consistently pulled the Cowboys apart. At 30-nil the game was over for just about everyone but the Cowboys, and even moreso for the best competitor in modern sport, Johnathan Thurston.
When the North Queenslanders crossed for their first try, which went to the video referee, the urgency he showed in setting for the goal demonstrated he had faith in his, and his team’s ability to get back into the game. On a night when rugby league’s brightest star shone brightly, Thurston’s never-say-die attitude was infectious, manoeuvring his troops with absolute precision, while masterminding one of the most dominant individual performances. His class and competitiveness was there for all to see on-field, but for me it was the way he handled himself in the immediate aftermath of the game, that will last even longer in people's memories; particularly among those with significant influence within the NRL and wider throughout the business community.
Not many people fully grasp that as an individual you build your brand throughout your career and there are some who will either benefit from that, or have to rebuild in retirement. To be put on the spot post-game with a lot of emotion in the air, Thurston refused to be drawn into saying something that could have been damaging .. an absolute masterstroke. This bloke just oozes class and what a fairytale ending it could have been for him on the last big play of the game. Most in the game would have loved the final execution to be legal, and with that you become prejudice in your decision making process, but unfortunately it wasn’t, and the referees got the correct decision.
The Cowboys expansive style when in the groove is the benchmark of the NRL. They play with absolute enterprise, with bodies in motion pre and post line, and individuals then throwing themselves into the space that’s created, and complementing with free flowing ball movement, pulling and prodding defensive lines. In the end though it was their poor defence in the opening 30 minutes that inevitably cost them the match. In hindsight though, what a season they’ve had. The team with the hardest travelling schedule of all the NRL teams, including the Warriors, found their feet mid-season and took all before them. From door-to-door to a Sydney game, the travel can take up to 7 hours; this is a definite disadvantage but a fact of life for the club since its inception.
Last night’s match-up was another one that showcased our great game for all its best attributes. When the Bulldogs play direct through their forward pack, with the subtlety of the pass as an alternative rather than common practice, they get forward better than any other team. This is crucial as their halves are far more effective off ruck speed. Whilst this is the case for all halves, others play with better tempo and deception that allow them to prize open set defensive lines.Whilst not in the same class as Thurston, Josh Reynolds competitiveness is what makes him the player he is. The 10 minutes before half time, where they created chance after chance but didn't execute the final pass, nearly came back to haunt the Bulldogs as it gave Manly the will to continue from within striking distance.
As we all know no matter what is happening in the peripheral at Brooky, one thing you will always get is a team with fight and resilience. The Sea Eagles showed this in the second half, though never really looking too fluent. In all honesty, had the Bulldogs come up against a team who executed better, they may very well have come up empty-handed. In the end though, the Bulldogs continued with their season long habit of winning by a point, and now face the fairytale team of the year. On what I saw last night, I can definitely see the Panthers being on the big stage in a fortnight. The key man will be James Segeyaro, who will be able to take advantage of the gaping spaces in the Bulldogs middle third which appeared at times last night.
I think it's fair to say that all rugby league fans, myself included, came away from the weekend with a sense of pride from the performances of all 4 teams. There are always winners and losers on the scoreboard, though the overall winner from the weekend was the product called rugby league. Next weekend cannot come soon enough.
Cheers until then,
Andrew