Anastabation
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It’s one thing to accomplish premiership honors, but it’s another to win back to back titles. Recent history underlines its difficulty. No team has won back to back titles in a united competition since the Broncos of 1992/93. In fact, only six times since 1970 have teams reached this feat. Many reasons as to why back to back titles are so rare have been argued. There is always an inclination after winning a title to lose hunger, and with the competition becoming faster, tougher and the seasons longer a little is enough.
But perhaps it isn’t quite so simple. It is no coincidence that since 1999 no team has won 2 premierships. The Roosters have been in 4 grand finals in the last 5 years but they have only won once. The Bulldogs have won more games than any other side during this period but only enjoyed premiership success for the first time last season. Psychological factors, the salary cap, injuries, the bounce of the ball and lady luck are all reasons why teams struggle in their premiership defense.
More often than not, the defending premiers lose at least one or two early games. Every season you hear coaches and players talk of ‘measuring up against the premiers’. In 2000 premiers Melbourne lost their opening 5 matches despite a strong squad. After this lean period the Storm were able to re-produce some of their best football but at the end of the season they found themselves bundled out of the first week of the finals courtesy of Newcastle, a disappointing season given their high expectations. In 2004 the Penrith Panthers were beaten by the Knights in round 1 and they also found themselves on the receiving end of some embarrassing score lines throughout the season. They displayed a high level of inconsistency despite finishing a modest 4th. Already the Bulldogs have shown signs that they will be in for a tough season, many key players have been sidelined.
Many injuries to the Bulldogs have been carried on from 2004. Many players required off season surgery and key man Willie Mason was injured in the ‘brain explosion’ practice match on plastic grass initiated by the NRL. The fact that the Australia was forced to play in this match hung over, jet lagged and carrying battle scars highlights the un professionalism of the NRL but that is next weeks article. The length of the off season for sides who finished poorly or didn’t have a high level of international representation allows these clubs more preparation for the upcoming year and a better chance for players to recover from any injuries they have been carrying. The Panthers enjoyed a relatively injury free run through 2003 and they did not have a high level of origin representation. They did, however, have a large number of players tour with the kangaroos at the end of year and it could be argued that this contributed to a much higher injury toll in 2004. With the season so long it is little wonder why teams have trouble re-producing the previous campaigns efforts. It is no coincidence that the Broncos have started every season since 2001 strongly, only to fade away by the end with a high level of injury, fatigue, and a lack of form by the finals.
Psychological factors such as pressure, a lack of hunger and high expectation also play a major role. Premiership winning teams have a tendency to relax more than those who exit disappointedly and attention from the media, fans and opposition increases the following season. It could be argued that media speculation in regards to the validness of the Roosters 2002 premiership in avertedly decreased their chances in 2003. The Roosters produced their most complete performance in 2 seasons against the Bulldogs in the preliminary final but they were stunned by heavy under dogs Penrith in the main game.
The salary cap factor, the length of the season, luck and psychological barriers all factor in a title defense. Gone are the days where teams can march through season after season untouched - claiming an abundance of silverware. The Bulldogs went into 2005 as heavy favorites but have already come under the microscope for a seeming lack of depth and injury crises. The clubs 2004 efforts were huge but they mean nothing going into 2005, and teams they shrugged every week last year are now ahead of them on the table.
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