By DAVID HAYWARD
FEW predicted the Melbourne Storm and North Queensland Cowboys would be the grand final match up when the NRL finals commenced just four weeks ago. However, they have proven themselves to be the two form teams during September. They have both managed the pressure of tight contests better and won emphatically against some highly fancied teams.
The Cowboys can make history by being the first team to win the competition from eighth position. Given they were a St George Illawarra Dragons win from hitting Mad Monday four weeks ago, it would a be sporting accomplishment that draws parallels with the 1992 Cricket World Cup and 1992 European football championship.
In cricket’s case, Pakistan snuck into the semi-finals ahead of Australia on the back two very unfortunate mutually exclusive events for Australia. Firstly, Pakistan secured a point from a wash-out match against England they were destined to lose after being bowled out for a measly 74 with England 1/24 in reply before rain halted play. Then secondly, in the final group round of matches with Pakistan one point ahead Australia needed to win Pakistan to lose to the undefeated New Zealand side. Australia took care of business but New Zealand surprisingly lost their first match of the tournament. Some suspected it was New Zealand pay back for the 1981 underam bowling incident or that New Zealand preferred playing Pakistan than Australia in the semi-finals. Some suspected fate was in play when Pakistan ended up defeating New Zealand in the semi-final, paving the way for them to win the World Cup for the first time and reinforce the strength of cricket in the sub-continent.
In football’s Euro 1992, the former Yugoslavia were disqualified from the tournament due to the warfare and breakup that had commenced. In football terms for Yugoslavia it was a tragedy, it was the dawn of their golden generation that had the ability to dominate world football during the 1990s. Instead the breakup produced five different playing nations that peaked with Croatia making the semi-finals of the 1998 World Cup. In Yugoslavia’s place, Denmark entered as the eighth team and ultimately won the tournament after defeating the highly fancied defending champion Netherlands and World Cup champion and reunified Germany. Denmark didn’t have a team of superstars like the Germans or the Dutch but they did have Brian Laudrup leading the way in attack much like Michael Morgan is for the Cowboys and a rock in defence in Peter Schmeichel that would be equal to what Jason Taumalolo is doing for the Cowboys.
Storm on the other hand are the juggernaut of the NRL. They are building a dynasty that rival’s the New England Patriots of the NFL and perhaps the New Zealand All Blacks of the rugby union world. The fact Richie McCaw linked up with Storm in the lead up to the preliminary final against the Brisbane Broncos was somewhat symbolic. Melbourne appear to be building a club that will succeed for the foreseeable future to the point they could become as dominant as the All Blacks currently are. How the All Blacks have become so dominant is through losing five World Cups in a row they should have won. This would break some sporting clubs or nations but this only made New Zealand stronger, now they are the showpiece of international rugby and virtually unbeatable in a meaningful contest.
For Melbourne, they have endured defeats in the form of titles being taken from them. The penalties we so sever many contemplated in 2010 the demise of rugby league in Melbourne, especially as rugby union’s attempted franchise the Rebels beckoned.
Thankfully for rugby league, the salary cap events has only made them stronger. In 2012 they proved they could win the competition irrespective of the salary cap fiasco. Nobody appears to manage their rosters better than Storm and nobody appears better coached than Storm. The young players that have stepped in for the big three of Crock, Slater and Smith this year have meant the side barely skipped a beat, which is an ominous sign for the rest of the league for the next decade.
It has been five years since Melbourne last lifted the Proven-Summons trophy and it marks the last chance for Cronk, Slater and Smith to do it again all together. It will be a hugely significant moment in their careers and the history of the Storm. However, the legacies of their careers, and that of coach Craig Bellamy are already secured so it will make the grand final a fantastic case of figuring out who wants it more. Which is where these contests are often won when all talent is equal.
If the Cowboys prevail tonight, it establishes them as the greatest team of the past three years and the future of North Queensland rugby league looks very bright as they enter the post-Jonathan Thurston era. For the Storm, this scenario represents an All Blacks type defeat, perhaps that of the 2007 Rugby World Cup which drove them even harder to success in 2011, 2015 and who knows when they will lose one again. 2017 would then very much represent the calm before the Storm in 2018 and years to come for the NRL.
So Cowboys to win the battle (2017) and Storm to win the war (the next decade).
