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There has been some talk around the traps that this Sunday’s Roosters-Sea Eagles grand final lacks the excitement and appeal of premiership deciders down through the years.
I have heard some say the Roosters don’t have the fanbase to generate mass interest in any game other than against Souths while others say they just hate Manly and won’t be tuning in.
If these scenarios are proven correct and the viewing audience and hype is down, I think a lot of fans are going to miss out on something very special.
This game has all the ingredients to be the best Grand Final of the past decade.
The stats say that Easts (I reckon it’s still OK to call them that) and Manly were the best-performed teams in attack and defence in 2013. They deserve to be there as they stepped up in the finals like no others.
These clubs turned on a brutal finals game a couple of weeks ago and even though the Roosters won 4-0, I loved every second of a truly riveting contest.
Their defence that day was literally impenetrable while the Sea Eagles only conceded a try from a 50/50 grubber kick.
It was exciting from start to finish and the body contact was as fierce as the modern game allows. If we get even close to a repeat performance on Sunday night, league lovers should be well satisfied.
I am tipping a Roosters win but not by any fancy margin.
They have shown they have the physical, up-and-in defence to stifle Manly and the mental strength to go on with the job. In 26 premiership games, the Roosters have recorded six total shut-outs and held their opponents scoreless in 20 halves.
Trent Robinson, odds-on to named Dally M Coach of the Year tonight, has obviously done a brilliant job in his first season in charge. He is a softly-spoken character but when he has something to say, his players hang off every word.
Tactically, he has been spot on all year and he has done a superb job moulding his players to his playing patterns, especially halfback Mitchell Pearce.
Junior’s junior has been under enormous pressure since NSW lost yet another Origin series but his club form has been exceptional.
The Roosters, of course, have the Sonny Bill Williams factor which might just tip the scales in their favour.
Last week, he left his sick bed to tackle the Rabbitohs and still managed six offloads, two tackle breaks and 75 metres in 10 first half runs. He’ll be close to 100 percent this week and you’ve got to wonder how the Sea Eagles will contain him.
I really hope this is not his rugby league swansong. Our code needs players with his skills and charisma. They only come along once or twice in a decade.
Manly will compete in their fourth title decider in seven years, a mighty achievement.
They will not fear the Roosters with big game players such as the Stewart brothers, Jamie Lyon, Daly Cherry-Evans, Kieran Foran and Anthony Watmough on the field.
They’ve got extra motivation with popular forwards Brent Kite and George Rose leaving the club and I’ll say his name again, they’ve got Lyon – what a sensational player!
Like Robinson at the Roosters, Geoff Toovey has done a magnificent job to get them there. This team, man for man, is one of the toughest and most-single-minded I have ever seen.
All in all, the scene is set for an absolute thriller with the best defensive team of the year just ahead at the final siren.
The Chinese say this is The Year of the Snake but with apologies to Brett Stewart, I beg to differ. The 2013 is destined to be remembered as The Year of the Rooster.
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