What a grand final weekend we have enjoyed!
As the dust settles on a historic three-peat by the mighty Penrith Panthers, the dark reality of an NRL off-season is slowly dawning upon us.
Before the negativity though, it's time to look back, and celebrate one of the all time Grand Final days.
Below are 20 thoughts from Grand Final weekend:
1. The 2023 Grand Final was the best NRL finale ever. On Sunday night, I proclaimed it was the best since 2015, and while '15 had an ever so slightly better finish, overall this year's decider was better.
2. Nathan Cleary's final 22 minutes on Sunday night was the best I've ever seen in a big game. Jarome Luai was off the field, Yeo and Sorenson were undergoing HIA's and the game was gone. Cleary took it upon himself to get his side home. Unbelievable!
3. As a NSW fan, I have to ask - where was that in sky blue!? I don't mean to take away from the achievements on Sunday night but that Cleary needs to show up in the Origin arena, please and thank you.
4. I don't care what the stat-lines say, this Panthers side is the best in history. It should be impossible in this era to win back to back to back premiership trophies. Yes sides won more in a row, many years ago, but this is a different level.
5. Jarome Luai was the least impressive player on the park on Sunday night. The Panthers only came good when Jack Cogger came on the park. So of course he is, once again, giving it to fans on social media. Someone take his phone away after big games please.
6. Reece Walsh had a few good moments but ultimately wasn't great on Sunday. We need to remember that this is his second season in the NRL. This kid is going to be a megastar of this game. I hope he doesn't take too much negative out of this first Grand Final performance.
7. That NRLW Grand Final may have been the best in the competition's history. I thought the Titans had it, then I thought Newcastle were going to romp it in, then I thought the Titans were home ... only for Newcastle to snatch it in the dying moments. What a day for Rugby League.
8. The only negative on the day was the one-sided interstate cup game. I know the set up is different north of the Tweed but it's becoming a very lop sided contest in terms of results. For the record I'm a fan of the concept but don't expect the QLD Cup sides to start putting win streaks together.
9. This is the best weekend of the year. Not only are there Grand Finals all day Sunday, but the Koori Knock Out is an annual highlight. If you missed out this year, mark it down for 2024. What a magnificent week-end long event.
10. Adam Gee and his officials had a flawless night. You hardly noticed them at all.
11. I didn't want to take away from the above statement in the same entry, but why can't games be refereed like that all the time? All the nit picking nonsense was sat aside and only the actual incidents were ruled on. It felt like it was an Origin game and was refereed as such. Should be the same every weekend.
12. The standard of refereeing in the NRLW Grand Final though was deplorable. It has been a big issue all season. I understand why, the elite referees are running NRL games but it needs to be looked at. We owe it to the competition.
13. The general feeling on Sunday night was that Brisbane would be back again next year. Unfortunately they are set to lose Herbie Farnworth and Tom Flegler. This felt like their best chance. Penrith lost two similar stars last year and won it this season, so it's not impossible I suppose.
14. Speaking of which, surely now that the Panthers have lost Stephen Crichton, their reign at the top is over, right!? Oh Taylan May is returning? Oh and the NSW Cup side is stacked with talent. Damn!
15. Ezra Mam was about three and a half minutes from a Clive Churchill medal. He was magnificent on Sunday night and has set himself up for a monster career. What a star!
16. I thought the NRL retiring players ceremony was pretty good, but it missed so many names. Very strange and largely took away from it. The AFL does it supremely well with the lap of honour. I'd like to see something similar introduced.
17. If the Sharks had lost a Grand Final in the fashion Brisbane fell off last night, I think I'd give the game away. What a heartbreaking finish.
18. I'm not ready to face an NRL off-season yet. There's still some international games to come but we need a summer league ... purely for selfish reasons. For real though, we don't need a summer league.
19. Brisbane fans will have flash backs every time their attempts a short drop out. I dare say that's a tactic that needs to be put away for a while.
20. As much as I love Kalyn Ponga - I was on record and saying he was the best player in the comp, the fact Shaun Johnson didn't win the Dally M still doesn't sit well with me. We need to look at the system, which is heavily flawed.
