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On Friday night rugby league fans bore witness to another thrilling Queensland classic between the Brisbane Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys in front of more than 45,000 fans.
It was their sixth consecutive meeting to be determined by less than a converted try, North Queensland captain Johnathan Thurston burying the Broncos with a field goal in extra time, the fourth golden point period between the two sides in their last five games.
The 21-20 victory by the Cowboys once again showed that the Broncos-Cowboys rivalry has become the biggest in the NRL, and the two Queensland powerhouses deserve to be recognised for it.
Rugby league continues to excel north of the Tweed. All three teams have made the finals in the same year for the first time since the Titans joined the competition in 2007. Future matches between the three Queensland teams deserve to be recognised. It is time the NRL and QRL finally take the initiative and introduce a trophy to be awarded to the team with the most wins from their four matches against fellow Queensland NRL teams.
It will further glorify what has become the highlight of the NRL regular season, giving the three Queensland teams more to play for when they square off against their local rivals.
While some may see it as just a simple trophy, it will be much more than that. The (insert whichever brand chooses to sponsor it here) Cup will sit proud in the trophy holder’s cabinet, and it may even add some nice colour to Parkwood should the Titans lift the crown. What’s more, I’m sure Cowboys and Titans fans would love to have something to brag about over supporters of the Broncos.
In addition, it will give clubs a boost to crowd figures with the added importance to keep the turnstiles ticking over and will guarantee annual fixtures between Queensland clubs. It may also prompt the NRL to realise the burgeoning Queensland market and hunger for a fourth team, giving voice to the need for a second Brisbane team.
Had this piece of silverware been around since 2007, the honour roll would look as follows:
2007*
2008: Brisbane Broncos
2009: North Queensland Cowboys
2010: Brisbane Broncos
2011: Brisbane Broncos
2012: Gold Coast Titans
2013: Brisbane Broncos
2014: North Queensland Cowboys
2015*
2016*
*No second Cowboys versus Titans game
It may not be the biggest overhaul, but adding even more to the already outstanding Queensland rivalries is only going to make the product even better.
Bring on Queensland’s version of the Maher Cup.
Now all we have to do is wait until round 26 for the next instalment of the NRL’s biggest rivalry.
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