Itโs the 68th minute of the 1993 NSWRL Grand Final. A run from Kerrod Walters out of dummy half followed by a quick play the ball allowing Alfie to deliver a long pass to Andrew Gee, then quick out of his hands to an unmarked Willie Carne sending him in for what became the match winning try that delivers Brisbane back-to-back Premierships, the first time since the Raiders of 89 & 90.ย
Itโs also the last time a team has gone back-to-back in a unified competition. (Broncos also won the Super League in 97 and the NRL Premiership in 98.)
In the NRL era, no team has been able to go from the heights of winning a grand final and repeating it the next year. Some teams have gone close such as the Roosters of 02 and 03, and the Melbourne Storm in 2017 and 2018, but both teams fell short when they returned to the big dance.ย
Thereโs always a discussion around the reasons as to why it doesnโt happen. The salary cap, the physical and mental fatigue of playing a longer season, the rest of the teams in the competition figuring out the way to defeat the reigning premiers, the lack of desire to go back-to-back are all possible factors that contribute to the lack of consecutive year glory.ย
But could this be the year where history is finally made in the NRL era? As of this moment, the Sydney Roosters are the hottest team in the competition. They appear to be firing on all cylinders. Latrell Mitchell is back to his devastating best, Luke Keary is overcoming concussion issues and finding form and James Tedesco is continuing to show why he is considered to be one of the best players in the world.ย
Looking at the top teams, the Roosters seem to have that something extra. While there are still a few more twists and turns until we reach the grand final, itโs hard to envision the Roosters not being there on the day.
With this being the final year of Cooper Cronk, you know he will be burning to go out on the most ultimate high. The professional that he is, heโll do whatever it takes to keep the dynasty going and if all goes well should play injury free on grand final day.
For Latrell Mitchell, after missing out on a majority of the 2019 State of Origin series, there would be a hunger for him to silence critics and do what so far has been the impossible.ย
At one point in the season, it looked very grim for Luke Keary, but after being cleared to return to the field, the star five-eighth will throw everything he has to holdย onto the Provan-Summons Trophy.ย
Thereโs a desire for three of the Roosters' key men to win again. That might not mean anything in the end, but it says they will at least go down fighting to their last breath. They arenโt playing like a team that is ready to give up and call it a year, but rather a team telling the rest โcome get it if you think youโre better than us.โย
The signing of former Melbourne assistant coach, Adam OโBrien, for this season shows Trent Robinson has every intention of going back-to-back. Adam OโBrien is the man that could come in andย evolve the attack of the Roosters and bring another dimension to their game to throw off the opposition teams.ย
The Roosters are seemingly playing better at this point of the year than they were last year and while that doesnโt always equate to repeat success, theyโve been able to dig themselves out of a mini-slump from earlier in the year and set their sights on September. They have a steely focus about them and have been putting their opposition to the sword.ย
The Melbourne Storm are closing in on another minor premiership and might be the biggest threat to the Roosters, but are they able to take their game to that next level?
And while the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Canberra Raiders and Manly Sea Eagles find themselves in good positions, itโs still not a certainty for each of those teams to finish in the top four. Two of them most likely will but until we are guaranteed those two teams itโs hard to get a gauge if they can go all the way with a top four spot being so vital to winning the competition.ย
The competition is open for a team other than the Roosters to grab it. The Raiders took the reigning champions to the distance and were unlucky not to get the win. Melbourne at their best is capable of beating anyone. Des Hasler has Manly playing a brand of footy that could trouble teams in the finals and South Sydney have a chance next week to send a message that theyโre a genuine force when they take on the Roosters in the final round.
But as of now, itโs the Roosters flexing their muscles and marching fiercely into September looking to become the first team to go back-to-back in the NRL era.
They certainly could.
But then again they could also be knocked out before the GF.
Tell us something we don’t know.
Good story JJ.
It’s a long shot, but I’m hoping for a Raiders/ Sea Eagles grand final.
No one is talking about the Sharks, but they could do some damage should they make the finals.
Best possible GF, Raiders v Storm with a Melbourne win.
There is a long time to go yet but if Manly come up against the Roosters in the play offs then I think Manly come out on top. I don’t think Manly will win it just that they are the team most likely to see off the chooks.
“No one is talking about the Sharks”
There is probably a very good reason for that. The Sharks are not a real threat in the finals that is if they even make it. I am hoping that the Raiders can spoil the party tomorrow and send PG off as he deserves.
If the NRL is serious about cracking down on slowing down the ruck and the 10mtr rule then the roosters will struggle against forward packs like souths and storm.
Letting Blake Ferguson go a big mistake as well.
this is a pretty poor article, and could be applied to any club that has won a premiership in previous years
Thanks for the feedback. It’s much appreciated. I disagree as I don’t think it can be applied to the Sharks title defense or the South Sydney title defense. The position the Roosters are in at the moment in my opinion has them most likely to be the team to break the drought, but it’s rugby league. Anything can happen. They could lose week 1 of the finals and get knocked out in the 2nd week and we will be here next year discussing why we think the new Premiers will go back to back.