With the NRL draw released last week it got the taste buds tingling for the greatest game of all – right at the height of summer when distractions of pools, barbecues and cricket are oh-so tempting.
As always, the first round looked to be carefully constructed to give the 2012 season the bang it deserves to be kicked off with – the most notable appointment being the grand final rematch between Manly and New Zealand right at the start of the year.
No doubt the marketing logic will be to leverage off the obvious GF battle, but also the head to head match-ups of young guns Kieran Foran and Daly Cherry-Evans up against James Maloney and Shaun Johnson.
The NRL has rarely taken this route before and it looks to be a winner on paper, but it got me thinking; Has a grand final rematch ever lived up to the build-up and delivered the goods?
Who remembers the match-up of the Tigers vs Cowboys of ’06? Or the result of Knights and Eels in ’02?
With the memory drawing a blank for that one special cracker that gave both teams supporters the rematch they craved, a quick scan of the history books showed that in the modern era that often one, if not both, grand final teams have been forced into a remodel the following year due to salary cap pressures.
Or their form has wavered or the match-up itself is not until well after the State Of Origin period – all factoring into the empty feeling that is the aftermath of the much-hyped ‘GF rematch’.
One of the most talked up rematches was that of the 1999 grand final, spectacularly won by Melbourne after receiving a penalty try in the 80th minute.
A few days prior to the return match played in March 2000, controversial five eighth, Anthony Mundine was reported in the press as saying that Storm didn’t deserve to be the premiers.
The Dragons then went on to suffer a humiliating defeat at the hands of the premierbyte the tune of 70-10.
Stunned Dragons supporters watched in disbelief as their team fumbled in the miserable conditions and completely capitulated, conceding more points than any other Saints team before them.
Perhaps one of the biggest grand final rematches occasion-wise was that of the 2007 grand final rematch played between the Melbourne Storm and Manly Sea Eagles, the rematch in fact taking place at the same big dance one year later in the 2008 grand final.
Contest-wise the match was a fizzer, but like any grand final the occasion ensured that it is remembered by rugby league devotees, not least due to the record grand final margin of 40-0 that the Eagles were able to rack up while sending out one of the games greats, Steve Menzies, with a fairy tale ending.
The one match that stands out above all others as actually living up the massive pre-match buildup was in fact not even technically a rematch – but rather it was billed the ‘Grand Final That Never Was’ – the much anticipated meeting of the ’02 premiers the Sydney Roosters and the Canterbury Bulldogs, who were sensationally sent to the bottom of the ladder in 2002 for systemic salary cap rorting when leading the competition with a record number of consecutive wins.
With the men from Belmore claiming to be the rightful wearers of the premiership ring and the Chooks returning serve that no-one could of matched their late season form and swarming gang-tackle defence – the scene was set for an absolute barn burner.
And disappoint it did not. With the match ebbing and flowing, physical and free-running, the scores were locked at 26-26 with two minutes to go, likely to go to golden point.
With time running out, it was up to one of Canterbury’s playmakers to come to the fore.
Brent Sherwin did exactly that, finding on the short-side rampaging winger Matt Utai who steamrolled four would-be tacklers to crash over in the corner slamming the ball down like it was the holy grail of a premiership being reached.
The match being worth more than two premiership points, but unofficial bragging rights to being the best of the best.
With 2012 showing no huge negative player impacts to either the Eagles or Warriors (with the exception of the huge departure of Eagles coach Des Hasler) the team sheets should more or less reflect that of the 2011 deciders.
The match being played in round one helps in counteracting any fan-perceived lack of competition form or injuries.
So with no other premiership matches for the teams to play before this round, the stage is set for the players to deliver what no other grand final teams have done recently: talk up the match like no other and then stack up against it!
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