{"id":205314,"date":"2025-10-11T11:30:25","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T11:30:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/205314\/"},"modified":"2025-10-11T11:30:25","modified_gmt":"2025-10-11T11:30:25","slug":"last-90-seconds-of-grand-final-was-sporting-theatre-at-its-finest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/205314\/","title":{"rendered":"Last 90 seconds of grand final was sporting theatre at its finest"},"content":{"rendered":"

But even then, the best was to come, in what I think has been underdone in coverage of the match.<\/p>\n

For with seconds on the clock, the Storm started from 95 metres out, to have one last go. Against all odds, Eli Katoa broke through on the right flank with Ryan Papenhuyzen inside him \u2013 and only one defender left. Reece Walsh had one chance<\/a>. He had to tackle one of them. It was a 50\/50 choice, and if he was a quarter-second too late, or too early, or he picked the wrong one, the Broncos lose.<\/p>\n

Walsh picked it was going to Papenhuyzen and tackled him at the exact instant the ball got to him. Game over. Broncos win.<\/p>\n

Of all the extraordinary things Walsh did<\/a> that night, that tackle was at least the equivalent of his staggering try to bring the Broncos back into it, and Walsh defied the six \u2013 count \u2019em, SIX \u2013 Storm defenders who tried to stop him.<\/p>\n

Big losses for LIV<\/p>\n

But, speaking of timing for the NRL, this one couldn\u2019t have been better. In the very week rugby league, and indeed rugby union, appear to be under siege from the R360 mob purloining players<\/a> for their own rebel competition to be launched late next year, they could legitimately point to what happened to the last such upstart competition that upended a sport.<\/p>\n

I refer, of course, to LIV golf, and the figures just released about what a complete financial train-crash it has been.<\/p>\n

As reported by the New York Times, \u201cLIV Golf Ltd, the United Kingdom-based entity that manages LIV Golf\u2019s activities outside the United States, has reported losses of $US461.8 million last year. That\u2019s three straight years of accelerating losses: $US244 million in 2022, $US396 million in 2023, and $US462 million in 2024. And if you add in the money that has been invested in LIV Golf\u2019s US business, Saudi Arabia has now committed over $US5 billion to the league … While everyone seems to think that Saudi Arabia will keep funding the league no matter what, LIV Golf\u2019s 2024 financials tell a different story. LIV Golf is burning cash, tightening expenses, and still generating little to no revenue from media rights, sponsorships and ticket sales.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Australian<\/p>\n

Australian golfer Cameron Smith was a high-profile recruit to LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed breakaway from the PGA which has been blamed for reduced interest in the sport.Credit: Getty<\/p>\n

Get it? All that nonsense, all that carry-on, all those plucked players, and the damn thing has been precisely the debacle this columnist, for one, always said it was going to be. No one cares. No one watches. And those players who have departed might as well be playing on planet Zonk, for all the attention they garner.<\/p>\n

R360 will be the same, but worse, as rugby more than any other sport relies on tribal allegiance to be alluring, and these rugby rebs quite simply don\u2019t got any. Thus, all those thinking of signing should be careful to get their money up front and in their accounts before heading off. For the money won\u2019t be enduring and the comp will collapse soon enough.<\/p>\n

See yers, and you needn\u2019t write.<\/p>\n

What They Said<\/p>\n

Reece Walsh after the grand final: \u201cOh my God, what a bloody ride. Broncs nation, you\u2019re the best. Look at this love. Our game\u2019s never been stronger. A lot of people wrote us off this year, the only people who believed was us. It hasn\u2019t sunk in yet. I\u2019m just so bloody happy for our boys. The culture from sitting in those bushes in an army camp, to riding the wave. Oh baby!\u201d<\/p>\n

Signing off his Clive Churchill Medal speech: \u201cEverybody that turned out tonight . . . Love you all, plumber out.\u201d I know. I gather \u201cplumber out\u201d was some reference to the drinking from the toilet bowl thing.<\/p>\n

\"Reece<\/p>\n

Reece Walsh with a \u2026 err \u2026 toilet.Credit: Getty Images<\/p>\n

Brisbane Bronco Tamika Upton after they won the NRLW: \u201cF–k, the girls really put in all season for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Craig Bellamy on his plan to take down Reece Walsh: \u201cIt didn\u2019t work. I think there\u2019s some things you can do, you could tackle him. I think there\u2019s a couple of things we thought we\u2019d learned from last year, but obviously we didn\u2019t.\u201d
Bellamy on his nine-year-old granddaughter: \u201cShe\u2019s a big fan, all the grandkids are, but Billie\u2019s probably the biggest. She talks a fair bit about footy, especially after games, and especially if we lose. She\u2019ll give me a few tips.\u201d<\/p>\n

Loading<\/p>\n

A punter as police officers escorted Mark Latham out Royal Randwick\u2019s<\/a> Grandview Restaurant and off the premises in dramatic scenes at Epsom Day last Saturday afternoon: \u201cCan I have his dessert?\u201d Despite putting another man on, trying to keep track, I can\u2019t follow what Latham\u2019s latest alleged atrocity is. But whatever it was, he says he didn\u2019t do it.<\/p>\n

Harjas Singh on his 314 from 141 for Western Suburbs: \u201cThat\u2019s the cleanest ball striking I\u2019ve ever witnessed from myself, for sure . . . After 100 you start upping the ante and I just wanted to hit everything for six.\u201d<\/p>\n

Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus on taking on the Pumas: \u201cArgentina are massive fighters, they take you to the gutter and you have to swim there in the gutter.\u201d Charmed, they\u2019re sure.<\/p>\n

Moises Caicedo on his goal for Chelsea: \u201cI don\u2019t know – everything is for God. I had the opportunity and I did it.\u201d Again, can God stop watching and sorting out Chelsea for just a moment, and try and protect the kids, particularly, of Gaza?<\/p>\n

Still winless at Nottingham Forest Ange Postecoglou<\/a>: \u201cIt is a struggle, it is a fight there is nothing wrong with that. I could have been sat on the couch watching you guys but I prefer to be here right in the middle of it, where I can have an effect and I believe I will.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Under<\/p>\n

Under pressure: Nottingham Forest coach Ange Postecoglou.Credit: Getty Images<\/p>\n

James Slipper after playing his 151st and last Test: \u201cI\u2019m a proud Aussie and very patriotic when playing for my country. I bleed gold. I really enjoyed playing for my country.\u201d<\/p>\n

Statement from major rugby unions on R360<\/a>: \u201cAs a group of national rugby unions, we are urging extreme caution for players and support staff considering joining the proposed R360 competition \u2026 Each of the national unions will therefore be advising men\u2019s and women\u2019s players that participation in R360 would make them ineligible for international selection.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Adrien<\/p>\n

Adrien Rabiot of AC Milan.Credit: Getty Images<\/p>\n

AC Milan star Adrien Rabiot: \u201cI was surprised when I learnt that AC Milan will be playing a Serie A match against Como in Australia. It\u2019s totally crazy. But these are economic agreements to give the league more visibility, things that are beyond us. There\u2019s a lot of talk about schedules and player health, and this all seems truly absurd.\u201d<\/p>\n

Serie A chief executive Luigi De Siervo returns serve: \u201cRabiot is right, we decide for him. He forgets that he is paid millions of euros to do a job \u2013 play football. He should respect the money he earns, and accept the wishes of his employer, Milan, who pushed to play this match abroad.\u201d So there.<\/p>\n

Team of the Week<\/p>\n

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The Walsh quintuplets. Led by Reece, all five of them played the game of their lives to guide the Broncos to a terrific Grand Final win over the Storm, 26-24.<\/p>\n

Brisbane. Kings and Queens of the football jungle.<\/p>\n

Harjas Singh. The Western Suburbs batter smashed a remarkable 314 from 141 balls in grade cricket with 35 sixes and 14 fours. His score is the third highest in Sydney first-grade history, behind the legendary Victor Trumper\u2019s 335 in 1903 and Phil Jaques\u2019 321 in 2007.<\/p>\n

Socceroos. Play Canada on Saturday and USA next week<\/p>\n

Springboks. Back-to-back Rugby Championship titles for the first time as they prevailed by points difference.<\/p>\n

Oscar Piastri. Still leads the Formula 1 drivers\u2019 championship, but hasn\u2019t won since August.<\/p>\n

Twitter: @Peter_Fitz<\/a><\/p>\n