For those of us who watched the respective Grand Finals of the AFL and NRL, the more you analyse the respective victorious sides, the more you reveal some striking similarities.
There’s the obvious dominance of the Birds in 2008, but just the start. There are some even meatier facts.
* They are the only two sides in the AFL and NRL to win premierships in the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s (Hawthorn also won in 1961). Only Carlton can add to this list from either code and they better get cracking, because next year is their last chance.
* Both sides have come close to extinction relatively recently, with Hawthorn nearly merging in the mid-90s and Manly having survived the ill-conceived merger with North Sydney earlier this decade. Both clubs have been saved by respective ‘white knights’.
* Both sides rewarded veterans (with 300+ games) with grand final victories: Steve Menzies and Shane Crawford.
* Both sides beat the dominant teams of the AFL and NRL for the last three seasons, Geelong and Melbourne.
In slugging out the so called code wars, we can often lose sight of the things we hold in common.
For Manly and Hawthorn fans, the victory is that much sweeter knowing how close they came to having it taken all away from them.
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"That's the worst plan I have ever heard in my life!"
How could you, Hughesy!
A few weeks ago, I dubbed Carlton and Geelong as the premiership frontrunners - at a time when they sat, respectively, fourth and first…
An innocuous incident - but any trouble for the Chad?
Safe to say Hodgey was fighting a lone battle with this take!
Surely this had to be recalled!
