Old Wayne miracle that should have NRL on notice; judiciary call ‘doesn’t pass pub test’ — Crawls

Who remembers Alfie Langer leading the Broncos in that infamous rendition of “St George Can’t Play” after the 1993 grand final?

It remains one of rugby league’s most controversial post-match celebrations after Wayne Bennett coached Brisbane to back-to-back premierships against Brian Smith’s Dragons.

It’s written in rugby league folklore how Bennett somehow got hold of Smith’s tip sheets critiquing the Broncos players from the previous year, gave them a dash of poetic licence, and then sat back and enjoyed the fireworks.

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The only problem was after the game Bennett genuinely forgot to tell his players that what Smith had apparently said about them was in fact manufactured for motivational purposes.

So when Alfie and the Broncos launched into “St George Can’t Play” and upset everyone in the process, it was too late for Bennett to tell them it was only a gee-up.

It’s a great story about Bennett’s uncanny ability to know exactly what button needs pushing and when.

But there is an even more important reason to remember that 1993 premiership right now.

Because South Sydney are trying to do something almost everyone in rugby league says can’t be done, win the premiership from outside the top four.

And Bennett knows better than anyone that it can be done because that Broncos team in ’93 finished fifth.

Yes, it was under the old top-five system.

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But Brisbane still had to win four straight sudden-death games to lift the trophy.

It’s worth noting that the Chris Anderson coached Bulldogs also won from outside the top four in 1995, after finishing sixth.

But no team has done it since the NRL competition started in 1998.

That’s why so many people now talk as though it’s mission impossible to survive four weeks with no second chances.

But Bennett doesn’t have to sell it as a dream because he has lived it.

And once again, you get the feeling Bennett’s remarkable instinct for finding inspiration at just the right time could prove enormously important.

The Rabbitohs have been battered by injuries this year, while also dealing with the heartbreaking circumstances surrounding Jai Arrow.

Yet rather than allow that emotion to overwhelm them, the Rabbitohs have drawn strength from it.

The scenes surrounding Arrow’s 100-game celebrations over the past fortnight have been among the most emotional and inspirational we have ever witnessed in the game.

And it hasn’t felt manufactured for one second, because the love is genuine and raw.

A group of hard men rallying around one of their most respected teammates.

And maybe, just when Souths needed something bigger than football to pull them together, Jai has provided it.

That’s where Bennett has always been different.

For more than four decades he has had this uncanny ability to find whatever his players need at precisely the right moment.

Like getting hold of an opposition coach’s tip sheet and making some subtle adjustments.

Or recognising the emotion already sitting inside a dressing room and allowing it to become a source of strength.

People often say Bennett has made a career out of sprinkling his magic dust when his players need it most.

And suddenly, as the finals arrive, Souths have plenty to believe in.

Their big guns are back.

Latrell Mitchell gives them the X-factor every team would kill for.

David Fifita hasn’t played like this in years.

Brandon Smith looks like a completely different footballer to the one whose career appeared to have fallen off a cliff 12 months ago.

The vision this week of Smith explaining what South Sydney has done for him said plenty about the environment Bennett has created.

Matty Dufty has found a new lease on life.

So has Jayden Sullivan.

That’s what Bennett does.

He gets footballers believing in the best version of themselves.

And every now and then, when the timing is right, he gets an entire team believing as one.

It doesn’t make four consecutive elimination finals victories any easier.

But it might just have given this group an added sense of purpose at exactly the right time.

Because Bennett can look his players in the eye and tell them something no other coach can.

He’s climbed this mountain before.

COTTER’S GREAT ESCAPE UP WITH SLATER’S HOUDINI ACT

Reuben Cotter should buy himself a lottery ticket after his great escape at the judiciary this week.

It’s ’s right up there with Billy Slater’s Houdini act to get found not guilty of a shoulder charge that allowed Slater to play in the 2018 grand final.

Good luck to Cotter because I rate the Cowboys co-captain as one of the bravest and most fearless players in the game.

And I’m stoked he’ll be running out against the Sharks on Saturday night because it will make it a better game of footy.

But seriously, how does it pass the pub test that his shot on Josh Papalii — which knocked out one of the toughest blokes in rugby league — doesn’t even warrant a one-match suspension in the modern game?

Especially after some of the bans we’ve seen in recent times for tackles that were not nearly as violent as this.

You can guarantee every club would have taken notes for the next time one of these high-impact kick-off collisions goes horribly wrong.

And we all know it will.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF LATRELL WRONGLY PAINTED AS THE VILLAIN

It’s ridiculous that Latrell Mitchell had to defend himself this week for his brutal but legal shot on Toby Rodwell.

So what if Latrell stood over the Roosters’ rookie halfback and let him know it was his welcome to first grade moment.

I noticed a Penrith player did a similar thing when one of the Tigers was thrown into touch last Sunday and we didn’t hear boo about that.

It’s just another example of Latrell being painted as the villain even when he does nothing wrong.

If Latrell had connected with Rodwell’s head it would have been a different story.

But the bunker had no issue with it, and neither should James Tedesco.

If anything, Latrell did well not to react when Roosters players came charging in and pushed him in the back.

YOUNG PROP WHO COULD BECOME KNIGHTS’ NEXT ‘CHIEF’

What about the job ahead of rookie Newcastle prop Cody Hopwood on Friday night.

The 20-year-old front-rower who stands at 196cm and weighs 105kg now has to lead the charge in the absence of the Knights’ regular starting props Jacob Saifiti and Trey Mooney.

Hopwood is obviously one tough young man, and every indication is that he has massive future ahead of him.

I’ve even heard comparisons between Hopwood and a young Paul ‘Chief’ Harragon such are the enormous raps on him.

But it also highlights the huge challenge ahead of Newcastle given backrowers Jermaine McEwen and Francis Manuleleau are also only 21 and 22 respectively.

CAN CLEARY TURN THE TABLES ON DCE?

The Roosters are outsiders against Penrith, even though they beat the Panthers in their most recent meeting.

Yes, they’ll be without Sam Walker this time.

But don’t forget they were missing James Tedesco, Daniel Tupou and Angus Crichton when they knocked Penrith over in round 24.

They’ve also had 15 days to prepare for this game after resting the majority of their squad against Souths.

Of course, the Panthers have gone up another gear since then and head into the finals with momentum, while the return of Isaah Yeo and Mitch Kenny are enormous.

But ultimately it will come down to the two chief playmakers — Daly Cherry-Evans v Nathan Cleary.

Back in round 24 it was DCE who walked away with the points.

But it’s rare that Cleary gets outpointed two times in a row.

You’d remember how the Bulldogs got the better of Nathan earlier in the season and he responded with a masterclass in the return bout.

He did a similar thing in Origin this year.

Now it’s his chance to turn the tables on the Roosters and the former Queensland halfback.

THE GAME’S NEXT BIG THING HAS ARRIVED

Saturday’s clash in Auckland could be the most entertaining game of the weekend.

The Warriors have been outstanding this year and have a huge advantage playing in front of a sold-out home crowd.

But we’ve seen both Newcastle and Manly expose them on the edges in recent weeks.

And there is not another side in the comp with more strike out wide than the Dolphins when Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Herbie Farnworth, Selwyn Cobbo and Jamayne Isaako get on a roll.

But don’t forget the impact the brilliant Isaiya Katoa has on the Dolphins.

Long referred to as the game’s next superstar, Katoa’s time has well and truly arrived as the young halfback prepares for his first finals series.

It’s incredible to think he’s still only 22 and Katoa is so highly regarded by Kristian Woolf that he has made him his captain.

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STATS THAT SHOW THIS WEEKEND IS WIDE OPEN

This could be one of the most open finals weekends we’ve seen in years judging by the head-to-head records this year.

Of the four finals, three feature teams locked at one-all this season.

Souths and Newcastle have split their two meetings, with the Knights winning a 42-38 shootout in round nine before the Rabbitohs turned the tables 26-24 in round 19.

Penrith and the Roosters are also one-all.

The Panthers absolutely belted the Roosters 40-4 back in round three, but the Roosters responded 12-6 in round 24.

Then there’s the Warriors and Dolphins.

The Warriors won their first clash 20-18 in round eight, before the Dolphins got their revenge 26-24 in round 17.

The only match-up that hasn’t been played twice this year is North Queensland and Cronulla, with the Cowboys winning their only meeting 46-34.

Yet despite that, the Sharks are favourites heading into Saturday night with the return of Braydon Trindall.

That probably sums up how unpredictable this weekend’s matches could be.

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