The Parramatta Eels and their fans are becoming ever more each year haunted by the stigma of holding the longest premiership drought in the NRL but this should not be the case.
Parramatta and Manly should have been retroactively awarded the 2007 and ‘09 premierships after Melbourne were found guilty of rorting the salary cap over the course of four seasons.
The NRL in 2010 – after the media and not its own auditors uncovered the scam – struck the Storm’s accomplishments from the record books.
Just like the infamous 1988 Olympic men’s 100m final, the prize should have gone to the runner-up. Ben Johnson was found to have been on steroids during the infamous race in Seoul and Carl Lewis, at least at the time of that event, did not fail a performance-enhancing drug test.
The Eels of ‘09, after their famous run of upsets through the playoffs came to an end with a 23-16 defeat to Melbourne on Grand Final night, should be remembered as the premiers.
Likewise, Manly two years prior, in a match which is now largely forgotten, should be considered the 2007 champions as they were there in the premiership decider, going down 34-8 to a side which had deliberately circumvented the rules to lift the trophy.
Nathan Hindmarsh and Nathan Cayless during the 2009 Grand Final ‘loss’ to Melbourne. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Melbourne were fined $1.6 million and also stripped of the minor premierships from 2006-08 and the 2010 World Club Challenge trophy which should also mean those respective titles belong to the Bulldogs (‘06), Sea Eagles (‘07 and ‘08) and Leeds Rhinos.
”The record books will say that the premierships for 2007 and 2009 are stripped,” NRL CEO at the time David Gallop said. ”They [Manly and Parramatta] didn’t win the premierships, they were beaten by a team that’s had the title stripped.
”But just like when we’ve had instances in the past where two points have been taken, we believe it’s appropriate that the points are taken but not replaced.”
Sea Eagles players look dejected after the NRL Grand Final clash with Melbourne. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
It seems surprising that the two clubs accepted the verdict – the Eels’ CEO back then, Paul Osborne, said “I suppose it is a little disappointing for us and our fans in particular that this has happened to the team that knocked us off” while Manly owner Scott Penn said it was “not our place to push for it” after he discussed it with his directors.
Eels stalwarts Nathan Hindmarsh and Nathan Cayless both lived through the pain of Parra’s 2001 Grand Final choke against Newcastle and their minor premiership-winning team four years later which crumbled in a heap 29-0 at the hands of North Queensland in the preliminary final.
Let the record state that they made amends in 2009, particularly if it means an end to the tired jokes and ribbing Hindmarsh cops on Fox League about not having a premiership ring.
The Melbourne Storm celebrate after “winning” the 2009 Grand Final. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Hindmarsh was voted the greatest player who never won a title in a poll garnering more than 15,000 votes on the NRL official website a couple of years ago when everyone was bored during the pandemic shutdown. He “won” ahead of legends such as Immortal Frank Burge, Sharks duo Andrew Ettingshausen and Steve Rogers, Tommy Raudonikis, Stacey Jones and Wayne Pearce.
Irrespective of what you think about fallen star Jarryd Hayne in the subsequent years, the ‘09 surge to the decider from eighth place on the back of the Hayne Plane’s extraordinary purple patch deserves trophy recognition.
The 25-12 upset over the Dragons in the first final, a 27-2 drubbing of the Gold Coast and an epic 22-12 triumph over bitter rivals Canterbury in front of a heaving crowd of 75,000 tribal fans at ANZ Stadium, it had all the hallmarks of a Hollywood sporting script.
It even had the schoolyard bullies waiting at the finish and even though the Eels ran out of steam on Grand Final night to lose by seven, they proved they were the best legitimate team of that year and what is now a 36-year premiership drought should have been punctuated in 2009.
Top-four spot can be banked at stadium
If they had been awarded the premiership in 2009, the Eels would be the only team in the NRL era to have won the competition after finishing outside the top four.
Parramatta square off with old foes Melbourne on Thursday night at CommBank Stadium with the winners to get an all-important top-four berth and second chance in the finals.
After a feeble 26-0 loss to Souths in Round 22, the Eels have bounced back with 42-6 and 53-6 floggings of Canterbury and Brisbane respectively but coach Brad Arthur is wary of losing momentum as much as fourth spot if they put in a poor showing against the Storm.
“We know what’s at stake, we need to look to put a few wins together.,” Arthur said at his midweek media conference. “We’ve put a couple in a row and that’s got to be a priority. We’ve got a little bit of momentum and we’ve got to try and keep some of it.”
Parramatta enjoyed a rare victory in Melbourne in extra time in Round 3 when Dolphins-bound forward Ray Stone scored the winning try despite rupturing his ACL in the process.
When asked if this Thursday’s game was a case of the finals arriving early, Arthur replied: “Yeah definitely. I think both teams will have the same attitude around it.
“History states – whether you believe it or not – that you’ve got a better opportunity if you finish in the top four so I’m sure both teams will be going after it pretty heavily.
Ray Stone dives over in Melbourne. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)
“If someone said at the start of the year, we’re playing the last round at CommBank against one of the heavyweights to play for a top-four [berth], what more do we want?
“It’s up to us. They’re going to be in the same situation – they’ll be just as desperate as us for those two points.
“We’ve worked hard to get this opportunity, it’s up to us to take it.”
The down side to finishing fourth is it means a trip to BlueBet Stadium to face premiers Penrith in week one of the finals but for the Eels, who notched two of the three Panthers’ losses this year, they would at least have confidence from their regular-season meetings.
Melbourne, the only other team to beat the minor premiers in 2022, could potentially finish third if they account for the Eels and the Cowboys lose on Saturday night but that appears extremely unlikely given Penrith have rested a dozen top-liners for their trip to Townsville.
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What the !
Guest
Got to agree with that . We’re the Sharks still using special drug cocktails when they won in 2016? No one really knows? Xerri was certainly using after 2016.
Justin
Guest
No way. Many of those players would not have been playing for Melbourne during those years. As the club could not afford to keep them , under their cap. So would the Storm have been able to perform the same way , without that same squad? Given that, Melbourne got caught cheating the Cap in a dumb way. Clubs cheat the cap year after year . The Roosters & others wouldn’t have the GF wins that they now have without cheating the cap. They just do it in supposedly legal ways. They use ‘ independent corporate sponsorships ‘ , as part payments of contracts. They supply players with places to live for nothing, or for vastly lower cost than market value. Cars supplied for nothing. A job where they’re very highly paid by individual companies, for promotional work . There are lots of ways the clubs with many corporate sponsors & independent corporate sponsors can use to pay players. Outside of the cap . Ways that aren’t available to every club. Not illegal, as the NRL allows it.
chud
Roar Rookie
Yeah… players who spend all week together never discussed how much they get paid… never came up in conversation… hours spent together… nothing… lol. No mention of speed boats or brown paper bags… jobs for the wife…
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
pretty sure every other sport if / when the gold medal winner is busted for cheating the silver medalist is promoted to 1st etc. But not in the NRL
matth
Roar Guru
That’s the legend alright. He denied to his dying day.
criag
Roar Rookie
The saddest thing for me about the Melboure-Parramatta GF is IMO opinion the Eels could've won that game had there not been a couple of crucial errors from the ref that led to Storm scores.
criag
Roar Rookie
Because we don't know that they were the best non-cheating sides, as Melbourne beat teams on their side of the draw.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Unless the belt-holder misses the finals.
Redcap
Roar Guru
Yes, that's where my original idea came from - I was vaguely aware of it and looked it up recently. But the UOWC doesn't quite work for me because if you used the same method it wouldn't be at all interesting in league, especially considering the actual premier usually ends up with the so-called belt/jersey anyway.
adam smith
Roar Rookie
What's also hard to fathom, is Bolt is the only person from the Jamaican sprinting team from that era, that has never failed a drug test….
adam smith
Roar Rookie
I would love for there to be an "enhanced" Olympics. Let's see how far drugs can really push the human body. :silly:
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
In 1963 the ref was seen putting some money on the underdogs, St.George. Wests were known as "The Millionaires" and had beaten Saints three times during the year before the rain flooded the SCG on grand final day.
Watto
Guest
The issue is Rabbitohs and Tigers were cheated out of 2 points by the Storm. If they get those 2 points, the Eels actually finish 9th on the ladder. The Eels got into the finals based on the fact the Storm beat teams that could have knocked them out of the finals, so they benefitted from the Storms cheating to even make the finals. Thats why you can't go retrospectively changing things.
watto
Guest
There is only one issue with this. The Eels finished 8th, however both the Tigers and the Rabbitohs, below the Eels were beaten by the Storm who cheated and if they won those games would have been ahead of the Eels on the ladder. If every club were given the 2 points for the games the Storm beat them in (if we think the Eels deserve the title then its only fair), the Eels finish 9th on the ladder and not in the finals. This is why you can't retrospectively change things. In 2009 Tigers and the Bunnies were denied a chance to play in the finals due to the Storm.
Cugel
Roar Rookie
No.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
In all 3 wars all 3 tyrannies were defeated and justice prevailed. After losing the Franco/Prussian war of 1871 France made alliances with Great Britain and Russia so they would have a better chance of winning back Alsace and Lorraine. France wanted revenge and England wanted the Holy land for the British Empire so we went to Gallipoli. USA entered the war to secure their loans to England and France and didn't care about Germany going into a depression. At the end of the war the French officer put a rifle to the German politician's head and said "You caused all these deaths". The Englishman, Weems, put all the blame on Germany. Their lack of morals was the reason for WW2. John Maynard Keynes objected to the Treaty of Versailles, not on moral grounds, but because it was it was economic madness to make them pay for everything.
JGK
Roar Guru
Bulldog Moore - still the GOAT CEO of Rugby League.
Ian Taylor
Guest
The grand final is played to determine which of those two teams deserves the title of premiers. If one of them cheats, the other team is the best team that year. Who they may or may not have played in the semis or during the season is irrelevant. You don't penalise the clean team by speculating that they could have been beaten by another side had Melb been ruled out, if the cheating had been discovered during the season. Parramatta didn't accept it because they may have been beaten by Bne in a revamped and recreated finals series. They accepted it because to be awarded the title years later would be a hollow and unsatisfying victory.
zonecadet
Roar Rookie
I'm happy to pretend that NRL clubs do not ALL find ways to cheat whatever system they are faced with, whether it's scrums (back when they were contested), whether it's the 10 meters (especially on the goal line), whether it's HIA assessments, whether it's crusher tackles, whether it's the salary cap. First thing my junior coach taught our hooker back in 1975 was how to have a loose arm. There is NO WAY, the Storm are the only premiership winner to have not been squeaky clean. I mean St.George had John Raper move into the CEO's house to not be an import back in the day. It's Rugby League that's what the game is all about, getting one up on someone. Sombrero anyone? You all think it, some say it, but it hasn't been officaially found out.
2Points
Guest
It's not comparing like with like. Awarding two points to the losing side during the season impacts every other side in the comp that doesn't play the cheats, or played them before they were caught (when the cheats had something to play for). That's not fair. The grand final is played to determine the best team in the comp. If one of the grand finalists has cheated to get there and won, the losing team is the best team in the comp and deserves the title.