A harrowing one-time-only video review of last year’s heartbreaking NRL grand final loss has helped Brisbane’s shattered players move on and ready themselves to go one better in 2016.
Brisbane fell to North Queensland in last year’s decider in remarkable fashion, conceding a try after the fulltime siren, before Cowboys skipper Johnathan Thurston slotted a golden-point field goal off the back of a costly error by Broncos halfback Ben Hunt.
But rather than try to erase the memories of grand final, rugby league’s most experienced coach demanded his players confront them.
Seven-time premiership-winning coach Wayne Bennett sat down the whole playing group and showed them the good, the bad and the ugly of the 17-16 defeat.
“That was very tough, to be honest. It was something that I wasn’t looking forward to throughout the week,” New Zealand international Alex Glenn, who lost an under-20 grand final with Brisbane in 2008, told AAP.
“That was the only time I’ve watched any part of the grand final and it will be the only time I watch it.
“In 2008 (we lost) our under-20s grand final. I still haven’t watched it.
“It’s always hard to watch but the coach made it very clear that in order to move forward and better yourself as a team and individual, you have to go through the hard times and you’ve got to watch those things where we didn’t execute well.
“There were parts where we could’ve been better, also some great things that happened in the game and also some things that we could learn from.”
Firebrand prop Josh McGuire believes Brisbane are in a stronger position than at this point last season, having had 12 months under Bennett with the halves partnership of Ben Hunt and Anthony Milford continuing to blossom.
And Glenn said the experience of losing would leave him better placed to handle the occasion should the Broncos return to the grand final, as the premiership favourites are aiming to do this year.
The 27-year-old said he doesn’t necessarily subscribe to the theory that ‘you need to lose a grand final in order to win one’, he admits the fanfare and hype throughout the week would be easier to deal with a second time around.
“One thing for sure, it was a huge learning curve,” he said.
“The whole week itself, leading into the grand final was huge. The hype about the grand final was massive. When we got to Sydney … the vibe and everything was a lot to take in.
“If I ever get the opportunity again I think I’ll be able to handle it a bit better.”
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Guest
The Cowboys knew where the winning post was. The timing would exquisite. The finish to remember forever. The scene of Darius Boyd on his knees pounding the turf with a closed fist as the siren sounded was biblical. Delighted as I was to have seen the Cowboys at last win a premiership and in such dramatic circumstances, it was the Milford harbinger that dominated my appreciation of the best grand final in my 80 year old memory. The Broncos have learned their lesson. From 2016 - ? they will dominate Rugby League, unless Des can lure Milford to Belmore. In the interim I will forget the colours worn and enjoy the skill feast of the incredible talent on display.