Rugby League

The Indigenous All Stars emerged as 20-6 victors in their fifth annual meeting against the NRL All Stars on Friday, where some second-half improvements were key to Laurie Daley's win.

The National Rugby League's official Twitter account confirmed the triumph, with a dull, scoreless first quarter paling in comparison to the passionate display that followed in the latter half:

SIREN SOUNDS!

The #IndigenousAllStars win the 2015 #NRLAllStars Game! pic.twitter.com/fAi7F8brNJ

— NRL (@NRL) February 13, 2015

Leading up this fixture, some were again led to question the importance of the All Stars match, a fixture that only some hail as an important part of build-up to the NRL season.

And those critics would have seen their views justified by the slow start to proceedings. The North Queensland Cowboys' official Twitter account confirmed at half-time that Dylan Walker's try, converted by Matt Moylan, was the game's only score:

6-0 to the NRL All Stars at halftime. Can JT get the Indigenous boys up in the second half? #NRLAllStars #ridemcowboys

— NQ Cowboys (@nthqldcowboys) February 13, 2015

The NRL All Stars would see their scoring halted at that stage, however, after the indigenous representatives presumably shared some passionate words at the break in a bid to begin their revival.

It didn't take long for the comeback to kick into gear, either, and who else but South Sydney Rabbitohs star Greg Inglis to get his team back into the clash with a 51st-minute score.

As can only be expected of a player of his quality, Indigenous All Stars talisman Johnathan Thurston was on hand to add any extras, kicking for a 100 percent record on the night.

As the game progressed, the NRL All Stars found their assaults continuously knocked back at Cbus Super Stadium. What's more, their opponents found their stride through Inglis' Rabbitohs team-mates Will Chambers and Chris Grevsmuhl in what was a terrific night for the reigning NRL champions' indigenous players:

TRY!!! Chris Grevsmuhl becomes the third Rabbitohs try scorer of the night! #NRLAllStars #GoRabbitohs

— South Sydney Rabbitohs 🐰 (@SSFCRABBITOHS) February 13, 2015

Chambers and Grevsmuhl glided over in the 64th and 78th minutes, respectively, Thurston converting all three and adding a penalty to his record to amass the 14-point lead.

Supercar driver James Courtney found some positives in the NRL Allstars' performance, while Ben Fordham of Sydney's Channel 9 found his allegiances wavering:

Great seeing @PenrithPanthers players @matt_moylan and @tyronepeachey playing so well in the @NRL All Stars Match.

— James Courtney (@jcourtney) February 13, 2015

How many other Aussie white boys find themselves cheering for Indigenous All Stars over NRL All Stars ?

— Ben Fordham (@BenFordham) February 13, 2015

In the wake of victory, however, Inglis took the time to celebrate with some of those fans who made the trip after seeing the Indigenous All Stars win this fixture twice in a row for the first time in its history:

But first, let me take a selfie... #NRLAllStars pic.twitter.com/6WJakzJAZy

— NRL (@NRL) February 13, 2015

Doubters of the importance of this fixture may have found a new respect for its significance based on the second period alone, with the first half showing little to be admired.

For now, the big guns of the NRL All Stars can only look to taking their spot in next year's team in the hopes of earning redemption, while their indigenous foes can gloat in light of their 20-6 demolition.

Rugby League's marquee pre-season game has been hit by a spate of injuries and apparent tepid interest from supporters ahead of the Indigenous All Stars clash with the NRL All Stars.

The game hasn't been played since 2013 and needs to do a lot to justify its place as a necessary and worthy table-setter for the start of the competitive Premiership season.

Here are all of the relevant schedule and viewing details for 2015's version:

Date: Friday, February 13

Time: 7:30 p.m. Local Time. 8:30 p.m. (AEDT). 8:30 a.m. (GMT).

Live Stream: NRL Digital Pass. Premier Player HD. New.LiveStream.com/NRL.

Preview

The Indigenous All Stars have seen their ranks thinned ahead of the meeting at the Gold Coast. Injury woes are at the heart of the problem.

The latest casualties are Lock Greg Bird and second-row forward Sam Thaiday, according to an Australian Associated Press report carried by The Guardian. That pair will join Chris Sandow and Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, who are also set to sit the game out.

Meanwhile, the mounting injury list has threatened to further damage the credibility of the All Stars clash, per Peter Badel of The Courier-Mail. He's suggested some of the sport's top stars aren't prepared to put themselves at risk so close to the start of a new competitive season.

That follows news that ticket sales have been poor for the curtain-raising event. ABC News.net had reported that fewer than 9,000 tickets were initially sold.

The figure has stunned Indigenous ace Johnathan Thurston. The gifted halfback has offered his backing for the All Stars clash, hoping to keep the event alive: "It needs to be on the calendar. I am hoping it is around for many years. Where else in rugby league do you get to see the cream of the crop playing alongside each other?"

Thurston's more immediate concern should be dealing with a robust and dynamic NRL pack. Bulldozing forwards such as Jason Taumalolo and Paul Gallen could easily overrun the Indigenous pack.

That would mean very little room for Thurston and a flexible and talented back such as Greg Inglis to make a difference.

Perhaps in an attempt to create a more open game, the NRL intends to trial two new rules on the Gold Coast. All scrums will take place in the centre of the pitch, while the 40-20 rule will be waived to allow any long kick to favour the team on the attack, per another Australian Associated Press report in The Guardian.

The Indigenous All Stars won this one the last time the fixture was played in 2013. However, the current NRL squad is just too front-loaded with power and skill this time around.

Regardless of the outcome though, this big-name exhibition event needs to put on a show that wows the crowd and encourages a viewing audience to want to see more of the same next year.

France were brought close at times but never lost the lead against Australia on Saturday as they managed to eke out a 29-26 win over their guests from Down Under.

No matter how hard they tried to move out of reach, Philippe Saint-Andre's men couldn't open up the desired lead but were nonetheless vigilant in claiming a very valuable autumn win that will do no harm to morale.

The hosts began the match in the ascendancy, and it took Sebastien Tillous-Borde only six minutes to dot down for the evening's first try following a wave of French pressure. 

Australia weren't content to see Saint-Andre's men build on that lead and did manage to carve out chances of their own. However, a series of unforced mistakes had the visitors in a frustrated mood.

After 20 minutes, Bernard Foley's two penalties provided the Wallabies' only points, but Camille Lopez responded with one of his own to maintain a four-point lead for his team at 10-6.

It was at this juncture that the brilliance of Teddy Thomas came into play. Having bagged a debut hat-trick last Saturday against Fiji, the winger cut inside to jink his way over the line, Fox Sports confirming that Michael Hooper's best efforts to prevent the score were in vain:

TRY! Teddy Thomas makes it four tries in two Tests. Lopez converts, France leads 17-6. http://t.co/m7GJeeLCMR pic.twitter.com/gxbmA7p8NE

— CODE Rugby (@coderugbyau) November 15, 2014

Lopez would convert again to establish an 11-point lead for Les Bleus, but again Australia would hit back in good time, taking just five minutes to respond with an Adam Ashley-Cooper score of their own.

Playing in his 102nd Test, Michael Cheika's veteran utility latched on from the back of a line-out move in French territory, barreling his way over to once more bring the visitors within view of the leaders, as shown by Sky Sports Rugby:

TRY Ashley-Cooper! Australia respond before half-time. Foley converts and it's 17-13: http://t.co/1RWW2i9gf7 pic.twitter.com/ermMIXpxhz

— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) November 15, 2014

Another Foley penalty made it a one-point game heading into half-time as observers were given their money's worth in terms of excitement, with Australia boasting the majority of momentum coming in at the break.

Matt Rowley of Green and Gold Rugby noted that there were exposed gaps Australia had missed in the first period, also alleging referee Nigel Owens had struggled to penalise France properly at the ruck:

https://twitter.com/MattRowley/status/533726127500431360

The fine margins of the fixture would carry through to the second half as Lopez and Foley exchanged shots at goal. Australian centre Tevita Kuridrani persevered in looking to break down France's resolve in midfield but even his substantial physical assets couldn't pierce Saint-Andre's shield.

Despite Kuridrani's impressive forays, though, it was France who continued to enjoy more time with ball in hand, heading into the final phases of the fixture with a 29-19 lead.

Substitute scrum-half Rory Kockott struck the crucial penalty that would give France their 10-point margin, providing a safety cushion that forced Australia into chasing tries.

They finally got their desired score with just five minutes left on the clock as substitutes Quade Cooper and Will Genia hooked up with Israel Folau to put Rob Simmons in for a driven try.

The margin once again down to three, France were under pressure to keep their heads above water during the last exchanges but ran the clock down with a calm head to secure the tie.

After the Wallabies' victory over Wales last weekend, Saint-Andre will smile upon his side's unbeaten autumn run and their Saturday performance, but Cheika won't look kindly upon his side's mistakes.

The southern hemisphere tourists have little time to reset, either, and face a tough trip to Dublin next week while Les Bleus prepare for next Saturday's visit of Argentina.

It took a late try for New Zealand to survive a scare from Samoa in their rugby league Four Nations second-round match in Whangarei.

The Kiwis applied pressure in the final 15 minutes, and the try that eventually came was somewhat inevitable, giving them a 14-12 win.

For much of the game, it looked like a massive upset was on the cards. The heavily favoured Kiwis could not get their game going, making too many mistakes with ball in hand through poor passes and awful handling.

It was these errors which prevented them capitalising on the chances they did create, while also giving Samoa a let up and limiting the number of repeat sets, which restricted the pressure they were able to apply.

The result was a Samoan team who kept their tails up for much of the game, and as anyone who has ever seen them like this will tell you, there is nothing more dangerous. Their forwards got the better of the Kiwi forward pack, who constantly found themselves going backwards and unable to stop the Samoan forward momentum.

Samoa took a deserved 8-6 lead into half-time before extending it to 12-6 after BJ Leilua fended off his opposite number Shaun Kenny-Dowell in what was a weak tackle effort.

Kenny-Dowell was far too high and tried to grab his man, rather than lead with the shoulder and then grab. The result was a try that summed up all of New Zealand's problems to that point.

Eventually, though, New Zealand got some momentum, with Jason Taumalolo and Lewis Brown both providing good metres with ball in hand. The passes began to stick, and they began to force more repeat sets as Shaun Johnson and Kieran Foran regained control of the game.

In the end it told as the Kiwis were the stronger finishing of the two teams, and the final try certainly had an inevitability to it.

That said, it was a mighty effort from a Samoan team few gave any chance heading into the competition.

They have now given England and New Zealand scares in consecutive weeks and must fancy their chances against the world champions Australia, who were outclassed 30-12 by New Zealand a week ago.

For New Zealand, the win sees them boost their chances of making the final dramatically, although it was far tighter than they would have liked. You can never write off Australia and a win for them over England tomorrow would set up a final round where all three teams would have plenty to play for.

It was a win for Whangarei, too, as the 16,900-strong crowd remained in full voice right from the dramatic war-dance face-off at the start through to the final whistle.

For rugby league to so successfully move to a smaller New Zealand city is huge for growing the game and will no doubt encourage a similar venue to be used in the future.

Wigan Warriors prop Ben Flower has been banned for six months following his red card inside the first minutes of the 2014 Super League Grand Final against St. Helens, according to Sky Sports.   

The Welshman was spotted repeatedly punching Saints' Lance Hohaia, and the Rugby Football League interpreted that as a Grade F offence:

BREAKING: Ben Flower banned for six months after being found guilty of Grade F violent & aggressive punching. #SSNHQ pic.twitter.com/ST3ZQsY4G8

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) October 14, 2014

A Grade F offence is the strongest on the RFL's scale, carrying a ban of eight matches or more. Public outcry was strong after the incident, which put the sport of rugby in a very poor light. The incident in question can be seen below (warning: graphic content):

Wigan were forced to play the remaining 78 minutes with 12 men and fell to St. Helens, 14-6. The Guardian's Andy Wilson previously reported Saints could still press criminal charges, but via the club's website, chairman Eamonn McManus stated this was a matter for the league:

Real and rapid introspection is critical and trust needs to be unequivocal. Coaches and players must have much more clarity and consistency in the application of the rules and in their sanctions so as not to tempt participants to exploit unclear boundaries nor to risk the unpredictability of sanctions.

This matter gives the sport of Rugby League the opportunity to positively differentiate itself yet again by dealing with a high profile problem in an efficient, transparent, pragmatic and effective manner. I am confident that it will.

According to BBC Sport's Dan Roan, the ban will result in Flower missing a total of 13 matches, making it the longest ban in Super League history:

Flower will miss 13 matches - 2 pre-season friendlies, 10 Super League games & World Club Series v Brisbane. Biggest ban in SL history

— Dan Roan (@danroan) October 14, 2014

The Sunday Times' Chris Irvine knows there will be no appeal:

Kris Radlinski class act next to Flower on steps of Red Hall. Dignified acceptance of punishment on Flower's behalf. No appeal #rugbyleague

— Chris Irvine 🏉🇺🇦 🍷 🇪🇺 🌹 (@Chrisirvine) October 14, 2014

As reported by ESPN.co.uk, Hohaia also accepted a one-match ban for striking Flower during the incident.

Flower abandoned his teammates during the Grand Final and put the Rugby League in a terrible light on a national stage, but the 26-year-old has since apologised, explained his actions and accepted his punishment. The Wigan Observer's Phil Wilkinson believes it's time to move on:

Ben Flower made a mistake, apologised and will cop a fair punishment on the chin... While addressing why he did it. Fair play.

— Phil Wilkinson (@PWilkinsonWIG) October 14, 2014

Most pundits and fans appear to agree. While his actions undoubtedly had a big impact on the Grand Final, viewers were still treated to one of the best rugby matches of the season.

Flower made a terrible mistake, but following the RFL's decision, it's time to put the incident in the rear-view mirror and focus on what's to come, not what has passed.

Follow @ReverschPass

St Helens took revenge on bitter rivals for the Super League Grand Final loss in 2010, winning the 2014 edition 14-6 in a thrilling finale. Spectacle and controversy was almost guaranteed as soon as it became clear Saints and Warriors would meet at Old Trafford, and that's exactly what the fans received.

Fox Sports news shared the final score, as well as the moment that had the largest impact on the final:

FT: St. Helens claim 6th #SuperLeague title with 14-6 defeat of Wigan. Wigan’s Ben Flower becomes 1st player in history sent off in a #SLGF

— FOX SPORTS News (@FOXSportsNews) October 11, 2014

The Grand Final saw a dramatic start, as Wigan prop Ben Flower saw a red card after just two minutes, via BBC Sport:

What a dramatic start to the Super League Grand Final. Wigan's Ben Flower has been dismissed after just two minutes http://t.co/L4YWCw2D63

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) October 11, 2014

Flower came close to opening the score before coughing up the ball, and in frustration, started throwing punches at Lance Hohaia. A massive brawl predictably broke out, and referee Phil Bentham didn't hesitate sending off the instigator.

Bleacher Report has the Vine (Warning: Graphic content):

Ben Flower became the first player to ever be sent off in a Grand Final for this vicious attack: https://t.co/3QhXUtRDot

— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 11, 2014

Hohaia was helped off the pitch, clearly struggling from the vicious attack, but St. Helens surged forward, with momentum clearly on their side. Wigan struck first, however, Matty Smith kicking a penalty to put his team up 2-0.

Saints' man-advantage hardly showed, as Wigan's tight defence hardly gave them any space to work with early. Instead, it was Warriors threatening with a handful of solid kicks provided some danger, but St. Helens dealt with them well.

A Mark Percival penalty tied things up after 29 minutes, but it was clear that with the loss of Hohaia, Saints were struggling for creativity. Wigan continued to defy the odds, as Warriors looked the better team right until half-time.

They were rewarded for their efforts in the very last minute, Joe Burgess barging over the line for the first try of the match. Smith missed the conversion from a difficult angle, and the score remained 6-2 at the break.

Former football star Robbie Savage was more than impressed with Warriors' resiliency:

What a half from Wigan 6-2

— Robbie Savage (@RobbieSavage8) October 11, 2014

The same pattern continued early in the second half. Wigan played with far more energy despite being down to 12 men, while St Helens had no answers up the middle and couldn't get the ball to their wide-open wingers.

Saints kept pounding the ball down the middle, and 10 minutes into the second half, they were finally rewarded. Sia Soliola smashed into the defence and kept his legs moving, and after a short video review, it became clear the managed to touch the ball down just inside the line. Percival's conversion gave St Helens their first lead, 8-6.

To their credit, Warriors refused to give in to the relentless pressure. Smith had a chance to tie things up with 20 minutes left to play after another strong attack down the right wing, but his penalty missed the mark.

The miss would prove to be costly, as Tom Makinson pounced on a high kick to score Saints' second try of the match, and after a successful conversion, the match appeared to be over. The team's official Twitter feed was obviously ecstatic:

YES Saints are in! Reverse chip fro Wello and Makinson has scored

— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) October 11, 2014

Another brawl broke out with less than five minutes left to play, and the frustration was clear among the Wigan players. Warriors no longer had the energy to trouble their rivals, and Saints comfortably held on for their sixth Super League title.

Hooker James Roby received the Man of the Match award for his performance.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Mark Flanagan said the win was "a dream come true:"

It was a fast start and we had to compose ourselves, make sure we did not retaliate and keep our heads.

It is a dream come true, playing on an occasion like this and to get the win in a magnificent match like this against Wigan is amazing.

The Daily Mirror's Jim Boardman didn't mind Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook's bad language on live TV:

Well done Saints on winning the #GrandFinal in the rugby, well done to Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook for swearing on live TV just after.

— Jim Boardman (@JimBoardman) October 11, 2014

Departing head coach Nathan Brown will return to Australia with a Super League title under his belt, but a lot of credit has to go to the Wigan players, who battled bravely down a player for 78 minutes. Many will wonder whether the favourites could have won it had it not been for Flower's moment of madness, but Saints will hardly care, as they'll go into the night celebrating the 2014 title.

Follow @ReverschPass

The South Sydney Rabbitohs really do have some of the best fans around.

Everyone loves to take some of the credit when a favourite sporting team wins. Seldom have they actually done anything other than support the team.

It was a different story when the Rabbitohs won their first National Rugby League Premiership since 1971 in a white-hot atmosphere at the former Olympic stadium in Sydney. While the players got the job done on the field, if it were not for their fans they would not have been on the field at all.

October 10, 1999 was the fateful day. Anywhere between 50,000 and 80,000 fans—depending on which source you believe—led by George Piggins, marched down Sydney's George Street all the way to the Town Hall in protest of the NRL's decision to drop them from the competition.

It was the result of the Super League War of the mid-1990s which caused the biggest shakeup rugby league in Australia has ever known. As two competitions combined to form one, the decision was made in 1999 to restrict the competition to 14 teams while also emphasising an expansion beyond Sydney.

Three new clubs were formed through amalgamations of old, in some cases historic, clubs. The Balmain Tigers and Western Suburbs Magpies became the Wests Tigers. The St. George Dragons and the Illawarra Steelers formed the St. George Illawarra Dragons, while the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the North Sydney Bears formed the ill-fated Northern Eagles.

One club who would not comply with this was Souths. Upon refusing to amalgamate, they were deemed to not meet the NRL's selection criteria and were excluded from the competition at the end of 1999.

But that was not good enough for the faithful of the club. They were given a reason to fight, and fight they did, showing their support and passion in huge numbers.

Souths took the fight to court and won. They were readmitted to the Premiership for the 2002 season.

The passion the fans showed was instrumental in this.

It must have been a proud moment for those 80,000 faithful fans who marched 15 years ago, as their team finished strongly to beat the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 30-6.

The atmosphere was as electric as you will find at a sporting event these days. In fact it did have a feel of the old days to it. The flags, banners, signs and number of people wearing the jerseys of their beloved Bunnies was reminiscent of an earlier era.

They were vocal the whole game and did not let up in their support for the gladiators out in the middle.

Sam Burgess broke a cheekbone in the first play of the game but continued to play on for the entire 80 minutes. He was as crucial as he has been all season with his strong carries and relentless defence. It was he who was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal for the Grand Final man of the match in his last game before switching codes to rugby union.

He was not alone though. His brother George Burgess was a mountain of strength too. George ran through three defenders en route to scoring under the posts to give the Bunnies a lead they would never give up. It was the defining moment.

But it was a team effort. The game itself was brutal from start to finish, both teams throwing themselves at each other with little regard for self-preservation. It was that intensity that made the game so tight.

The 30-6 scoreline really was not a true reflection of this. Souths went to the half-time break up 6-0 and only through three late tries did they make the win a convincing one.

Give them credit; they deserve it. But do not forget the effort of their loyal fans, without whom Souths would not have been there at all.

It has been a long time coming. They struggled upon their reinstatement to the league but slowly have built a formidable line-up. 1971 was their last Premiership; how sweet it must finally taste to those fans who have waited those 43 long years.

Glory, glory to South Sydney, indeed. The Bunnies are back.

The South Sydney Rabbitohs won their first Premiership title in 43 years on Sunday, launching a full-scale assault on the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the grand final, which ended 30-6 in favour of the Bunnies.

The new National Rugby League champions went into halftime as 6-0 leaders, but it was in the second half that this team's class really came to the fore, with the Rabbitohs' official Twitter account confirming the result:

FULL TIME!! Rabbitohs 30, Bulldogs 6! The Rabbitohs claim their 21st Premiership! #GoRabbitohs #NRLGF pic.twitter.com/9MMhTsJgQN

— South Sydney Rabbitohs 🐰 (@SSFCRABBITOHS) October 5, 2014

And how significant it was that in his last game of league, Bunnies hero Sam Burgess would suffer a game-influencing blow in the first tackle of the match after colliding with James Graham.

The Bath-bound bruiser fractured his cheekbone as a result of the hit but played on to claim the Clive Churchill medal in an emotional ending to his Australian escapade, per Fox Sports and Rugby League Week:

#NRLGF @SSFCRABBITOHS forward Sam Burgess awarded the Clive Churchill Medal after 225 run meters and 36 tackles. pic.twitter.com/KxfAGYcZmq

— FOX SPORTS News (@FOXSportsNews) October 5, 2014

CLIVE CHURCHILL MEDALLIST: Sam Burgess! #NRLGF pic.twitter.com/48KcJTN4so

— Rugby League Week (@LeagueWeek) October 5, 2014

That Man of the Match moment can't gloss over what a remarkable team effort this took from Michael Maguire's side, however, with five different scorers providing their five tries.

Alex Johnston notched the first just a quarter of the way into the fixture, and it wouldn't be until the 57th minute that Sam's brother George added to their tally, a moment which marked the opening of the floodgates.

Kirisome Auva'a, Adam Reynolds and Greg Inglis were the other three names on the scoresheet as Reynolds also slotted five from the tee, Tony Williams providing the Bulldogs' sole score nine minutes into the second half.

It was always suspected that the glamour and glitz of this Rabbitohs team would be able to overcome the physical style of the Bulldogs, and that notion only became more prevalent as the fixture wore on.

ESPN Scrum quoted "Slammin' Sam" in noting just how much this fixture meant to him, lasting the full match despite his gruesome start:

Burgess: “It feels like I cracked my eyeball in the first tackle but I decided to play on."

— ESPN Scrum (@espnscrum) October 5, 2014

Burgess now heads for pastures new in union, but the Rabbitohs, owned by actor Russell Crowe, can hope to build off the start of what they hope will be a new legacy.

Brad Walter of the Sydney Morning Herald believes as much, writing that there won't be another wait this long for the team to win another crown:

Burgess and Ben Te'o may be leaving but they will be replaced by Glenn Stewart and Tim Grant next season, and the Rabbitohs have a glut of promising junior talent coming through the ranks. Players such as Alex Johnston, Dylan Walker, Luke Keary and Kyle Turner are the future of the club, and they have already tasted premiership success.

With funding confirmed for a new high performance unit at Maroubra, Souths coach Michael Maguire will ensure the Rabbitohs are never again the easy-beats they were for so long between the last premiership in 1971 and his arrival three years ago.

Crowe was present at the final in Sydney, on hand to congratulate Bulldogs talisman Graham at the moment of his defeat:

Russell Crowe congratulates James Graham on his performance #nrlgf pic.twitter.com/p7o3BGS3Ek

— Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (@NRL_Bulldogs) October 5, 2014

Without Burgess among their ranks, the Bunnies will assuredly have a substantial void to fill in the months to come, a driving force of their team that one doesn't simply regain with the addition of another star or prospect.

However, their 21st Premiership title will at least be coveted for the time being, with the focus on the success the club can currently enjoy, with no fear of what the future holds moving forward.

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs will hope to correct the mistakes of their failed 2012 NRL Grand Final when taking on the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Sydney's ANZ Stadium this Sunday.

That 14-4 loss to Melbourne Storm will still have an imprint on the minds of many in Des Hasler's squad, and it's another uphill task they face against this season's favourites.

Actor Russell Crowe has helped guide the Bunnies to new heights in what will be their first Grand Final for 43 years, his takeover vindicated in what's been a resurgent campaign thus far.

Ahead of this term's Premiership curtain call, we provide a preview of which players should court your attention in Sydney, along with full viewing details for the fixture.

Date: Sunday, Oct. 5

Time: 9:20 a.m. BST/4:20 a.m. ET

Live Stream: Premier Sports (subscription required)

Key Players to Watch

South Sydney Rabbitohs: Sam Burgess

In what will be his last game for the Bunnies before heading for rugby union shores, Sam Burgess has as much individual reason as anyone for wanting to bow out on a high.

Bath are understandably excited to have one of league's biggest stars finally joining their cause later this month, but for now Burgess' prime concern lies at Stadium Australia.

There, the lock will hope to end his 2014 campaign just as he's played his entire term, although the Bulldogs' James Graham insists there's more to this Rabbitohs side, per the club's official Twitter account:

"There is a lot more strengths to the @SSFCRABBITOHS side than just the Burgess brothers," said Graham

— Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (@NRL_Bulldogs) October 2, 2014

The Bulldogs will undoubtedly have to focus on doubling up to counter the Burgess threat, but Graham is right in that over-committing to that cause risks leaving gaps in other areas of the pitch.

However, that's a risk one is usually forced into taking when up against such a powerful force, and the Souths will hope the occasion of this curtain closer brings the best out of their hulking talisman.

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs: Trent Hodkinson

The half-back pairing of Trent Hodkinson and Josh Reynolds come to Sydney as two of the Bulldogs' triumphant State of Origin winners from earlier this year, hoping to build on their 2014 trophy haul.

However, a niggling knee injury could ensure Hodkinson's influence is limited on Sunday, the halfback told Josh Massoud of The Daily Telegraph such was the case in the qualifying win over Penrith Panthers:

Early on in the week, the doctors said I would be right to play, which was hard to take in because I could barely walk. No doubt in the back of my mind, when I was warming up, I thought about it a bit. But once the game started it went away.

I was a little bit limited. It was not so much sore, it was just weak. But in saying that I’m way ahead of where I was last week. I’m sure it will be back to 100 per cent by Sunday, because we’ve got an extra day’s turnaround.

Coach Hasler will certainly hope so, considering when fully fit, his halfback star has the capacity to give Reynolds a quick platform to build off, so pivotal a factor in the Bulldogs' hope for success.

This side don't boast the reputation as the most offensively fluid team heading into Sunday's Grand Final, but any moves they're to make in fashioning a strong assault on the Rabbitohs lines will rely largely upon Hodkinson's playmaking input.

Leeds Rhinos won the 2014 Challenge Cup at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, disposing of Yorkshire rivals Castleford Tigers 23-10 on a historic day for the Rhinos.

It’s been a long time coming for Leeds, who, as BBC Sport revealed, have lost six finals since they last lifted the Challenge Cup all the way back in 1999:

While the Tigers put up a fight, Brian McDermott’s side never looked like surrendering their lead once they edged in front and deservedly lifted the trophy in front of thousands of jubilant fans.

The pressure and magnitude of the occasion has made for slow stars in recent Challenge Cup finals, but Leeds showed their nerves of steel by taking the lead in the sixth minute.

Winger Tom Briscoe, who won last year’s trophy with Hull FC, got the scoring started at Wembley, making no mistake after neat work from Kallum Watkins and Zak Hardaker sent him clear, per Leeds Rhinos’ official Twitter account:

Kevin Sinfield did the honours with the conversion, but a matter of moments later, Castleford were on the scoreboard.

Marc Sneyd’s grubber kick brought about a race for the line—one that hooker Daryl Clark won to dot down.

While Sneyd himself missed the resulting kick, the Tigers were well and truly back in the match and continued to press with momentum on their side.

The next five minutes were a serious test of Leeds’ resolve as Cas pushed forward, but the favourites held strong and got their just reward moments later through a moment of brilliance by Danny McGuire.

McGuire caught his own kick forward as he bustled his way through the Tigers’ back line to make the score 12-4, and Cas simply couldn’t find a way back from there.

England’s Ryan Hall then added the Rhinos’ third try of the afternoon with a textbook effort before crossing the line again in the second half to confirm victory for Leeds.

Despite Oliver Holmes bringing the Tigers back into the match soon after the interval, Hall’s try gave Leeds the cushion they needed to see out the remainder of the match with minimal fuss.

The 23-10 scoreline was nothing more than the Rhinos deserved, though McDermott revealed after the match that Castleford’s attitude really impressed him, per BBC Sport:

It’s been a long 15 years of hurt for Leeds, but the final whistle brought about an incredible sense of relief, as their Challenge Cup hoodoo was finally broken.

Since the turn of the millennium, the Rhinos have been the nearly men of the English rugby league’s biggest prize, but with their name now back on the trophy, a new era of success may well begin.