Everybody likes an underdog don’t they? When an unfancied side or individual somehow beats the odds and comes out on top?
Think Eddie the Eagle, Leicester City winning the Premier League, Greece claiming the Euro 2004 title, Buster Douglas beating Mike Tyson, David against Goliath, that sort of thing.
On Sunday the NRL has an awesome underdog tale of its own developing when minor premiers Melbourne Storm take on the North Queensland Cowboys in the Grand Final.
The contrast between the two sides is stark – in the one corner you have Melbourne who finished first and have lost only four games all season. The Storm have played in seven grand finals since 2006. They have three of the best players in the world, who have been playing together since they were in there teens, as well countless internationals, Origin players and both the Australia and Kiwi Test captain, and also reached the grand final last year. The current player of the year, Dally M medal winner Cameron Smith, is their captain. Their coach is the heavily experienced Craig Bellamy, winner of three titles already.
In the other corner is the Cowboys, who finished eighth in the regular season, losing 11 of their 26 games. No team in NRL history has ever finished eighth and won the grand final. The Cowboys are missing their best two players – Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott – through injury. No one gave them a chance in hell of getting to the finals, let alone to ANZ Stadium on Sunday. Their five-eighth has played only 25 first-grade games. Leading them is Paul Green, a man with only four years head coaching experience to his name, but importantly has already won a premiership title.
North Queensland are on a fairytale, dream-like run, one that virtually no one, not even their own hardcore fans, expected when Thurston joined Origin and Kangaroos teammate Scott on the sidelines. They keep finding ways to win, even with huge adversity against them.
Because of the way the odds are severely stacked against them, the Cowboys are attracting neutral support. There is also something hard to like about the Storm for many in rugby league. Maybe it is the way they were created, propped up by News Limited millions for so many years. Maybe it is their location in the Victorian capital, the AFL heartland. Maybe it was the salary cap cheating that robbed them of titles in 2007 and 2009. Maybe it is because of the wrestling tactics they first introduced which have now changed the face of rugby league. Most people just seem to gravitate towards the little guy, the underdog.
Compared to the always successful, heavily backed Melbourne, fellow expansionist outfit North Queensland haven’t also had it so easy. Formed in 1995, they collected three wooden spoons in their first decade. In the beginning, they were dire season after season, unlike the Storm, even supercoach Tim Sheens couldn’t turn them around. They only made their first finals in 2004 and their first grand final a year later, when they were pipped by another underdog in the Wests Tigers. It took them another 10 years to reach another grand final. This time, led by the brilliant halfback Thurston, they beat Brisbane in golden point extra-time.
In 22 seasons the Cowboys have reached three grand finals and 10 finals series. In just 20 seasons Melbourne have reached eight grand finals and 17 finals series. The Storm are used to winning.
By all accounts, including the bookies, it should be a Storm success come Sunday. Another trophy for the purple, navy, gold and white. But stranger things have happened. The Cowboys certainly believe they can do it.
Fairytales do come true sometimes.
