In short, it is the closest any side will ever come to rugby league perfection. It was the type of performance Michael Maguire could only dream about.
Reece Walsh, frustrated by the lack of opportunities presented to him, was reduced to taking the type of hit-up normally reserved for his forwards. The fullback was duly levelled by Reece Robson and Payne Haas.
Every Blue played their part. The best on ground, Mitchell Moses, finished with four try assists. On two separate occasions, he jammed in defensively on Tom Dearden and forced a turnover. His right boot had a radar quality, whether it was finding open space or future Eels teammate Zac Lomax.
In the lead-up, Lomax was asked – given his ability to catch, kick and run – whether he had ever considered a career in the AFL.
“It’s funny how many times I get asked that question. I would never say no to it, I would always be open to it,” Lomax said, perhaps only half-jokingly.
And then he took a speccy befitting the venue, sitting on the head of Murray Taulagi to mark the Steeden like it was a Sherrin.
Zac Lomax soars over Murray Taulagi to score his second try of the night.Credit: Getty Images
There were other contributors. Dylan Edwards justified Maguire’s decision to drop the state’s long-time fullback and skipper James Tedesco. Latrell Mitchell finished with a try and try assist despite only limited ball, making his best contributions without it.
Payne Haas was every bit as dominant as he is in a Broncos jersey. Angus Crichton made it impossible for the Roosters not to re-sign him, while Cameron Murray, off only a limited preparation, won every play-the-ball.
Eighth Immortal Johns, the Clive Churchill medallist who put on that clinic against the Eels more than two decades ago, summed it up thus: “The most important thing is, they have to think about the first 15 minutes when this game was won,” he said in commentary for Nine.
“It was won by hard work, all the effort areas. The kicking game was absolutely perfect.”
Parramatta lost the ‘unlosable’ grand final in 2001.Credit: Nick Wilson
It was too good a half to reproduce. Almost inevitably, possession levelled out in the second stanza and the Maroons had the better of it.
The game meandered to its inevitable conclusion as the combatants’ minds drifted towards the finale. Maguire, despite the absence of Nathan Cleary, appears to have settled upon a combination that he can take to Suncorp.
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