The salary cap, the cheating of the salary cap, and referees and NRL bias and errors makes winning a grand final very difficult. One only has to look at the Roosters who seem to do everything right and have all the luck and they have only won 3 grand finals in the past 40 years. This despite how many minor premierships. This years grand final was the most boring I have ever watched. I watched it reluctantly to start with. Based on this winning the Grand Final is not the pinnacle for me in NRL anymore. Although I have been fortunate to have watched my team win 6 grand finals which makes it easier to say that.
I look at rugby league differently since Des and Dib slowly destroyed the soul of my great club, and Greenburg has turned the NRL into a joke.
This year has been my favourite as a Bulldogs supporter since 2012. My highlights were:
- Beating the Dragons 38-0 (was at the game)
- Beating the Warriors with a Lewis field goal in the last minute (was at the game)
- Finally playing some exciting footy, albeit only at certain times, but improving as the year went on
- Finally having a goal kicker again. The best in the comp. Again.
- A new coach with a new direction
- A new board who seem to put the club above their personal agenda
- Unearthing some new talent
- Getting rid of some dead Wood
- Watching a group of blokes who want to fight for the club and have pride in the jersey.
As long as we beat the Dragons, finish ahead of Parra, and play tough for 80 minutes in every game then I am happy and will consider it a successful year. Making finals and winning a grand final is just a bonus. The only one thing I wish for even more than winning a grand final is a true superstar in our team. This is the one thing we have lacked since Barba left. My little boys favourite player is still Curtis Rona and that says something. Klemmer and Jackson are great, but they are hard working forwards, not exciting game breakers. When you look back at the players we have had in the past we have truly been blessed and I yearn for another. Fingers crossed Lewis could be the next one.