Immortals

Whatever happens in the final two weeks of the season, the Roosters of 2010 will go down as one of the finest sides to have ever played rugby league.

Sunny days are here again

In Brian Smith's crowning achievement, he has guided the side to a stunning victory over the Panthers in the elimination final played at the SFS on Saturday night. In a game few thought the Roosters would win, they absorbed some early hits but finished all over the top of the Mountain Men. Smith must surely rank this as his best coaching performance ever.

As good as it gets

Think about it for a moment. This is virtually the same Roosters side that finished dead last last year. And now they stand on the cusp of immortality - grand final victory. When was the last time a wooden spooner made it past the third week of September? Unlike the lightning in a bottle success of the Raiders this year and the Eels last year, Smith's Roosters are built to last, with key players and positions occupied by young but increasingly brilliant players.

Remarkable turnaround

But back to the game.

The Roosters were simply unstoppable. Pearce, Carney, Anasta. Myles, Warea-Hargreaves, Ryles. Too strong, too quick, too clever. And we haven't even mentioned Anthony Minichiello, back in the form that earned him a Golden Boot as the game's greatest player almost a decade ago. Speaking of vintage performances, Anasta has of late been playing like the up and comer many thought would be a future Australian captain. Is it too late in his career for this accomplishment? Surely not, if the Roosters continue their mesmerising ways, as most expect they will do.

The Roosters now play the Titans in the grand final qualifier, and surely they must be approaching the game with both eyes on who they will meet in the grand final. The Roosters will fancy their chances against the Tigers or the Dragons, but are more likely to blow out the Tigers than the Dragons in the big game.

Watching from above

As we stop and reflect on this peformance - indeed these performances - we should count ourselves lucky to be witnessing rugby league of this quality. It is not every year that a competition has a team stand out so far ahead of the pack - that a team presents so few weaknesses, and displays so many weapons.

And thus the play of the Roosters in 2010 is a gift - not just to their thousands upon thousands of fans, who turned out in droves tonight and last week in rugby league's spiritual heartland, but to all fans of good footy - be they in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney or Swasiland.

File footage

A grand final victory to the Roosters, as seems perhaps inevitable now, will carry with it a groundswell of community support that few teams in any code have mustered, ever.

I take my hat off to Brian Smith and the boys - congratulations on a mission almost accomplished.