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In 2003, Australia travelled to England to play Great Britain in three of the most enthralling, entertaining and exciting rugby league games imaginable.
A 3-0 Ashes whitewash may look like a comfortable series win, but the Kangaroos’ efforts were anything but, winning games one, two and three by four, three and six points respectively.
The first match was a see-sawing affair in which the lead changed five times, with Australia prevailing 22-18.
The second was a solid comeback by the Kangaroos to win 23-20, but they showed how a comeback is really done in the third Test.
With the Poms leading by six with three minutes on the clock, Michael De Vere scored to give Australia hope. Then, in the final minute, Luke Ricketson finished off a remarkable back-from-the-dead victory from Australia.
They were three brilliant matches of rugby league that even the most tragic Pom can look back on with admiration.
However, someone at the top decided that they didn’t need to play those silly Ashes series anymore.
All I can ask is – why?
The Ashes consistently produced high-quality, intense football with a genuine, fiery rivalry between the two teams, something missing from rugby league for the last ten years.
It is true that since the Kiwis upset the Kangaroos in both the World Cup and Four Nations, Australia has been more determined to show they’re the best in the world.
But as an Aussie sports fanatic, there is no better feeling than having Australia topple the Poms, no matter what sport.
It is a situation that needs to be fixed sooner rather than later, or the last truly great rivalry in world rugby league will disappear altogether.
As a 15 year-old, I haven’t truly experienced a great Ashes triumph by the Kangaroos, but with the power of YouTube and my Dad’s DVDs, I now understand why the prize was so highly-valued.
Players like Brett Kenny, Wally Lewis and Mal Meninga became greats thanks to their Ashes heroics.
I still haven’t worked out why the Ashes have been put on indefinite hold, but if the last Ashes really were the end of a tradition that started in 1908, then 22 November 2003 was a sad day for rugby league.
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