If not Melbourne

[Tommy Smith]

That 2004 GF will probably be the last one ever with two sides stacked with superstars.

I have asked Braith about it. He said their dressing room at half time was like a morgue. He looked around and thought they were going to get flogged in the second half.

Yes, it could have been the best ever day as a rooster and it turned out to be a disaster because they really did blow it big time. Freddy's book has a chapter "Saving the Worst for Last" and that was about right (though not him).

That Anasta story just makes me sad again.

It's the only Roosters defeat that still stings on a deep level.

Granted we've had loads of depressing defeats - the GFs, the Rabbits and Broncos Prelims, the Manly prelim in the 90s before my team must have sucked - they all hurt; but I don't play them over in my head and torture myself.

But to use a Lord of the Rings reference, if I was Frodo then that 2004 GF defeat was a Morgul blade to the chest. 13 years later it still stings and I still go over the game and think "what could have been" from time to time.

Freddy's last game too. My hero. End of an incredible era. It was just painful on so many levels.

The ONLY positive I can think of is that I wasn't there as I live in Townsville so chose to attend the Prelim vs the Cowboys the week before in Sydney. Good decision I had the "pleasure" of being there for the the 2003 and 2010 GFs though

Keggs is right. This thread really is depressing.

[Insider]

Yeah depressing moments in what were good times though. Bit like going on a real good holiday and busting your leg on the last day. Truly depressing was the mid 80s to mid 90s, pray we never see those days again !

[Cockadoodledoo]

kicking a field goal was dumb we had them on the ropes I have never seen a replay of 2000 or 2003 or 2002 or 2004 or 2010

Not really, on the second tackle after the kickoff following the field goal, we went the length to score and led 13-6. What killed us was the no try before half time. With Mini under the posts, there was no coming back from 19-6. Unfortunately it was ruled a shepherd.

[rented tracksuit]

kicking a field goal was dumb we had them on the ropes I have never seen a replay of 2000 or 2003 or 2002 or 2004 or 2010

I was pretty happy with 2002. Watched it numerous times since. 👍

[Mickie Lane]

1975 was the best ever GF.
2013 was next best.

[rented tracksuit]

1975 was the best ever GF.
2013 was next best.

For Roosters fans yes but in my lifetime, even though it didn't include our boys, hard to go past 1989 and 2015. I was sitting a home with a couple first graders who came round for a BBQ on GF day (sorry, won't say who) and they left speechless after that 2015 game.

[Mickie Lane]

For Roosters fans yes but in my lifetime, even though it didn't include our boys, hard to go past 1989 and 2015. I was sitting a home with a couple first graders who came round for a BBQ on GF day (sorry, won't say who) and they left speechless after that 2015 game.

I dont know why but I just burst out laughing when I read that.
Were you all wearing rented tracksuits?

[rented tracksuit]

I dont know why but I just burst out laughing when I read that.
Were you all wearing rented tracksuits?

They were being dry cleaned that day. Besides, everyone knows you don't BBQ in your tracksuit. It's a fire danger.

Was a good feed actually. I can still tast the blueberry cheesecake the boys bought over. It was delicious!

As I said, even though it didn't include the Roosters, it was still an awesome evening.

[4 the all in brawl]

Were you all wearing rented tracksuits?

That made me laugh...

[4 the all in brawl]

They were being dry cleaned that day. Besides, everyone knows you don't BBQ in your tracksuit. It's a fire danger.

Was a good feed actually. I can still tast the blueberry cheesecake the boys bought over. It was delicious!

As I said, even though it didn't include the Roosters, it was still an awesome evening.

Hahaha.....don't mind a cheesecake when I have burnt enough calories.

The 1989 was a highlight for me not seeing any Rooster related wins in GFs and to see the look on some of my mates who were following the Tigers (for the game anyway) watch their team lose. I was backing the Raiders that day as loved watching Chicka play. We then went down the local reserve for a massive game of footy afterwards with all the other local kids in the area until after the street lights went on.

[rented tracksuit]

Hahaha.....don't mind a cheesecake when I have burnt enough calories.

The 1989 was a highlight for me not seeing any Rooster related wins in GFs and to see the look on some of my mates who were following the Tigers (for the game anyway) watch their team lose. I was backing the Raiders that day as loved watching Chicka play. We then went down the local reserve for a massive game of footy afterwards with all the other local kids in the area until after the street lights went on.

That was a pretty special game. I was bussing it to a GF a couple of years ago and they played that game on the DVD. It still brought screams from people watching it!

We dared not go play in the local park after dark. Western Sydney wasn't the safest part of the world to be in when the sun went down.

[trewhella]

I would have thought that premiership conspiracy was a fallacy. Now I believe that that the nrl has an agenda. It's all about the best story to sell the game and merchandise. Of which the more sold is better for all. The TV ratings need the best story .

I listened to a podcast regarding the NFL. The author wrote a book about corruption in professional sport and the evidence is overwhelming.

The club with the best story gets the leg up. You think it was a coincidence New Orleans won after Katrina?
I have seen blatant corruption from refs

Origin 2 a few years back nsw won the first game and the refs were told to rule a different 10 m interpretation from game 1 to ensure qld won and game 3 would be a sellout at Homebush to make sure the coffers were full

It's real
It's subtle
It's in all commercial sport

[trewhella]

That ref was Tiny Archer

[Guest]

what was our story in 2013 or Melbourne in 2012 or manly in 2011 when Auckland was the story or melbourne in 2009 when parramatta was the story or manly in 2008

[eddie]

It's real
It's subtle
It's in all commercial sport

According to Greenbug, the nrl is in the "sports entertainment" industry.

Worrying times for true fans of sport.
The fact these clowns boast about "providing" a different premier every season is a concern.

A good recent example of the leg up is the way the titans were rorted out of a finals win last season.
No way the nrl were gonna miss out on a cows/broncos pty ltd clash.

They're in trouble if they decide to back the NZ team however.
That joint will need the biggest leg up in sporting history if they are to ever bring the bacon home.