Grand Final Foreview

One of the things League Blog enjoys about grand final week is media outlets finding a way to run 10 league-related stories per day, compared to their usual 3 or so. If only it were always like this. Even the most boring of regular season games presents many opportunities for media hype:
- Former Souths Great Mario Fenech Weighs in on Rd 5 Clash with Cronulla - Nope, not watching it
- Canberra Struck with Week 11 Fever - Raiders Cap Spotted in Gutter on Northbourne Ave
- Unsung Heroes: How Knights' Fringe Players Helped Team to 2 and 2 Start
- Exiting Star Reflects - It feels weird helping the Warriors to this Round 8 win, knowing I'm not yet under contract for next year, Mannering admits
- Referees Under Pressure - Will be Expected to be Consistent with Last Week's Round 1 Decisions
- Mixed Feelings for Kimmorley - It won't be the same if we beat the Panthers without Ryan. He is due back in Round 2 though
- Burden of History - Titans Must Overturn Three Year Hoodoo if They Are to Start the Year 4 and 0.
- Momentum with Broncos - Storm Must Overcome One Game Losing Streak if They Are to End Broncos' One Game Winning Streak

But all of that don't amount to a hill of beans when we consider this week's encounter. It's not just any encounter, you know. The Grand Final is a different kettle of fish. It’s more than a game of league, it’s a chance to make history. As many have already pointed out, there are at least two possible narratives to come out of this game.

Universe 1
- The Storm = big game chokers, incredibly making four grand finals but only winning one. How will they suck it up and go hard again next year? They’ll be taken seriously, but with a huge asterisk in the minds of the players and fans. And even if they do and make the grand final again, what if they lost that?
- Meanwhile, the Eels get a *huge* monkey off their back and probably set themselves up for another title in the next three or four years, given the boost to the confidence of Hayne, Moi Moi, Mortimer et al. They also give hope to every ragtag bunch of misfits who ever dared to dream (and who have Jarryd Hayne in the team). Sterlo gets banned for exposing himself on national tv.

Universe 2
- The Storm are officially granted Dynasty Status. Class (Inglis, Slater, Smith, Ringo) over Arse (offloads, Hindmarsh's butt crack) is the moral of the story. Two titles from four consecutive grand finals? I'll take that thank you very much. And with Todd Lowrie joining the Storm next year, their odds of a 3/5-peat just shortened. Dramatically.
- The Eels meanwhile are left wondering what they need to do to win a comp - how could they ever top the form they brought into this game? And how will they deal with the new weight of expectation in 2010? Daniel Anderson will take up drinking again, shoot at Jarryd Hayne in the Cross, but the bullet will ricochet off a cross hanging round Hayne's neck and Anderson will become a born-again born-again. At least, that's how LB sees it playing out.

Where the game will be won and lost
On the field, obviously. Some people have singled out Slater vs Hayne (oh so slight edge to Hayne), others Smith vs Kingston (impossible to split) others Inglis vs Reddy and Grothe (Inglis has skill advantage, but Reddy and Grothe have number of bodies advantage). For mine it will be the intriguing clash of Lowrie versus Cronk. I know these two don't play in the same position, but League Blog has said it again and again. You can't win a comp without either a really short halfback or a journeyman forward who lifts in his last game for the club. This is where the game will be decided.

Home Crowd Advantage
If this were any other game in the season, I would say it's a big advantage to the Eels. But the Storm have won two comps without home ground advantage, it won't bother them. Unless... the Eels get a roll on, the Storm have to come from behind, or the referees get unduly influenced. I reckon there'll only be 3 penalties in the first 67 minutes anyway, given how they ref big matches these days.

The Lower Grades
For many people, grand final day is the only time they watch a bit of reggie action. Last year's first grade Bulldogs team will be striving for reserve grade glory, so check out Utai, Winitana, Barba, Briggs, Morrin, Te Maari et al while you can. In a cruel twist of fate, LB is lead to believe that Daniel Holdsworth has played too many first grade games (3 I think) to be eligible for this game, so he'll be watching from the sidelines, tears streaming down his face.

The Storm are also in the Toyota Cup grand final, which is a great sign for the health of junior rugby league in Melbourne. Unfortunately everywhere else, apart from Balmain and Campbelltown, is absolutely rooted in the junior rugby league stakes. Gallop gets it wrong again.

The Weather
Much has been made of the potential the weather has to affect the outcome of the big game. Let's do a quick run through.
Fine - edge to the Eels, allowing their free-flowing, carefree, hassle free, no fuss no muss style of offloads to continue unfettered
Rainy - edge to the Storm, especially if the rain is accompanied by a storm. How cool would that be, being accompanied in the heat of battle by your actual team mascot! It's why the Utah Jazz need to change their name.
Hail - edge to the Eels, unless the hail is orange-sized or bigger, in which case edge to the Storm. Reason being, small hail will reduce the wild changes in direction associated with Eels offloads, but large hail will knock out the ref and the Storm have more Grub Potential than the Eels (Dogs fans may disagree, but last weeks' knees were all in full view of on field and video refs).
Dust storm - edge to the Storm, Nathan Hindmarsh's bum crack will fill with dust and he'll be racked with pain and anxiety.
Flood - slight edge to the Eels, everyone will be washed away except Hayne, who can walk on water.
Earthquake - overall, the Storm have more sidestepping ability than the Eels, but this is a close one. Could go either way.
Volcano - the match will probably have to be called off.

The Verdict
Storm in a tight one. 18-12.