A Cowboys grand final victory on Sunday would have all the characteristics of a fairy tale finish. Cowboys teams of recent years have been characterised by agonising heartbreak and ongoing controversy when it comes to September.
Yet these setbacks will make the taste of victory even sweeter if the trophy is to head north. A premiership drought will be broken and the most geographically diverse rugby league community will finally have some silverware to celebrate.
It would also put the icing on the cake for a rugby league legend, Johnathan Thurston, and assure his status as an immortal of the game. So how would a Cowboys win notch upon against other rugby league fairy tale victories?
Here are the top five grand final victories of modern times that seem too surreal to be true.
5. ‘Ding Dong the witch is dead’ – Jack Gibson leads Parramatta to their first grand final victory in 1981
These were the words that coach of the century Jack Gibson chanted when the trophy travelled up the Parramatta river for the first time in the club’s 35-year history.
The witch was indeed dead, but it seemed like she had one final act before being buried into the ground. The spiritual home of Parramatta Cumberland Oval was burned down after the 1981 triumph, but the fans didn’t care, who would when you have finally tasted premiership success.
4. Goanna Crawl – South Sydney claim first title since 1971
This is more than just a story about a 43-year premiership drought. It is a tale of guts, determination and a never-say-die attitude. In 2000 South Sydney were removed from the NRL competition, a foundation club and the league’s most successful club.
Yet through the power of their supporters they rallied together, winning re-entry into the competition in 2002. This is a club whose supporters refused to stop believing. What made it all the sweeter was when the Michael Maguire-led Rabbitohs smashed the Doggies to put the icing on a stunning narrative.
3. ‘That flick pass’ – Benji and Wests Tigers in 2005
The joint venture wasn’t all bad for Western Suburbs. It had after all delivered them their first premiership since 1952 as Wests Tigers became the first merger club to hoist the Provan Summons trophy.
It ended years of heartbreak for Balmain fans after agonising losses in the late 1980s. The victory was important because it merged two groups of supporters together after what had been a tentative early period of their marriage. Everybody was now a West Tiger.
2. Late try seals first premiership – Penrith in 1991
Like all great narratives, tension and drama filled suspense provided unmissable viewing in the 1991 grand final. With three minutes to go, a short drop-out by the Raiders backfired and Mark Geyer produced one of the most famous runs in NRL history. Geyer offloaded to Royce Simmons who crashed over the line to hand Penrith their first ever premiership that was 25 years in the making.
1. ‘Albert will score, Newcastle have won the grand final’ – Joey Brilliance orchestrates 1997 win
The words that caused pandemonium at Newcastle Workers Club as Darren Albert strode over the try-line to secure a 22-16 win over Manly. The images of fans at the Newcastle Workers Club showed it all.
A town consumed by rugby league littered the streets to wish their team well before the grand final. A team of local boys led by Paul Harragon and Joey Johns had given Australia’s most rugby league mad fans their first taste of premiership glory.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
I remember that finals series and wow, smashed them one by one is definitely the right phrase.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Cheers Mark - it's not often I hear of any neutral fan cheering for the Bulldogs....
Mark Young
Roar Guru
Oh of course - You're right - That is why it was so easy to cheer for the dogs
Casper
Guest
Hey Dean from Surry Hills, maybe send the footage of the Mundine ball hogging incident to Anthony so he can reflect on his recent claim to being Australia's greatest ever sportsman. Maybe he would have more of a claim if he had set up a winning try instead of being selfish and losing them their opportunity
Squidward
Roar Rookie
They were at least $3
Maroon Blood
Guest
Still irks me that the game was described as "controversial" in reference to the penalty try. It was absolutely one of the most clear-cut penalty tries you are ever likely to see. Absolutely the right decision. Controversy, what controversy?
Maroon Blood
Guest
Er, it was Manly in '95. That made the Bulldogs unlikely win even MORE special ;)
danwain
Guest
99 was so so bad, worst ever...
At work
Roar Rookie
Were Penrith long outsiders though?? In 2003 Penrith finished as minor premiers on 40 points, that's a pretty dominant season. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_NRL_season#Ladder
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Yeah that was a beauty. They were loooong outsiders. Had a good week party after it too
At work
Roar Rookie
Souths fan were also refused to attend games, which played a part in why they were originally kicked out. Albert scoring the winning try for Newcastle in '97 is my highlight. Fox recently showed that game as part of their classic RL series, so entertaining and plenty of broken play and what looked like unstructured football. The Dragon's losing the '99 decider is certainly the worst!
kevin dustby
Guest
they have been one of the top 3 sides since about round 5 and have some of the best players in the game, why is it such a fairytale?
pat malone
Guest
isnt a fairy tale a kids story?
The Barry
Roar Guru
SC - I'm sure the 2001 GF would have to be up there for you. The Eels had set attacking and defensive records and statistically were one of the greatest sides of all time. I love the story of the GF breakfast where the Eels were uptight and stuff backed while Joey and the Knights laid back and relaxed.
Mark Young
Roar Guru
As a Balmain Tigers fan I had a irrational dislike to the Bulldogs (sob! GF 1988) and actual HATRED of Terry Lamb (SOB! GF Ellery's jaw) but 1995 Grand Final I was with you guys all the way! Fairytale indeed for a team getting ripped apart. (And no, it wasn't just because you were playing Canberra (WAIL!!!! GF 1989))
Dean - Surry Hills
Guest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETgWxcurqlk Here's a bit of footage from that dark day for Saints fans.
Sideline Comm.
Guest
Good article mate. Great games one and all, and as a Newcastle fan it's nice reminiscing on the good days. I hope the final is a good game. No blow outs or floggings but a good close game.
Dean - Surry Hills
Guest
Melbourne's first title in 1999 has to be included. They lost their last regular season game to The North Sydney Bears. They finished the regular season third and lost 34-10 to The Dragons in the first Final. They then recorded narrow two point wins over both The Bulldogs and The Eels, when it looked like they were gone in both games. Playing in front of a world record crowd of 108,000 they were down 14 nil to The Dragons at half time in the big one, and didn't remotely look like coming back. A missed opportunity by Anthony Mundine to pass to an unmarked player for what would have been a simple try, led to a Storm revival. The now infamous Jamie Ainscough coathanger tackle gave the Storm a penalty try with a kick in front to seal the game 20 -18 with minutes to spare. Surely that's a fairytale finish if ever there was one.
Mark Young
Roar Guru
Great article Roza! Lotsa memories there. I would throw in Penrith on 2003 for being an absolute fairytale. Noone could quite believe they were then let alone winning! And Scott Sattler's covering tackle, wow!
The Barry
Roar Guru
Great games all. I'm completely biased but nothing will compare to 1995 for mine. After winning the minor premiership the previous two seasons but with nothing to show for it except a trouncing by Canberra in the 94 grand final the Bulldogs were seemingly torn apart by the Super League war. Terry Lamb was playing on one leg. They limped into 6th spot and not given any real hope. Through their semi final run they played the Dragons, Broncos, Raiders and Manly who were the dominant teams of the era and won most of the premierships through the 90s. The Dogs smashed them one by one. Dean Pay and Simon Gillies were absolutely brutal through that series. The grand final win was an unbelievable moment. It has seemed impossible even a month earlier. Absolutely, utterly, completely inconceivable.