At least Korbin Sims will always remember his first NRL final.
In fact, his brother Tariq may never let him forget it.
Brisbane rallied around a distraught Korbin Sims after his string of errors helped propel St George Illawarra to a stunning 48-18 rout in Sunday’s NRL elimination final.
Making it worse, Sims’ older brother – Dragons back-rower Tariq – was the main beneficiary of the brain explosions and scored a game changing first half hat-trick.
Adding further insult, Tariq ran over the top of his sibling to clinch his third.
It wasn’t quite how Korbin Sims wanted to sign off with Brisbane. Or how he thought his first finals match would play out in his 120-game career.
The shock result not only abruptly ended Brisbane’s season but also Sims’ two-year stint at the club.
He may not get any respite at his next destination – the Dragons.
Sims – who signed a three-year Dragons deal from 2019 – will reunite in the pre-season with Tariq, who will no doubt provide a reminder of their last clash.
Unfortunately there will be plenty to rib him about.
In the first half alone Korbin appeared to raise an elbow in a tackle that forced a concussed James Graham from the field for the afternoon and later was penalised for a lifting tackle on Blake Lawrie.
All sorts of schoolboy errors then crept in as Sims was pinged for stripping the ball in a three-man tackle and gifted the Dragons yet more points on the stroke of halftime when penalised for not being square.
“He’s had a couple of brain explosions, he’s lost his head,” Fox Sports TV commentator Greg Alexander said.
Sims was finally hooked by coach Wayne Bennet with 25 minutes left and cut a shattered figure.
“Korbin Sims’ nightmare is over after he was replaced in what was the worst performance in recent years – he is distraught on the bench,” TV commentator Andy Raymond said.
Bennett reckoned Sims was not alone, saying his young team’s failure to deal with expectation had brought them undone.
“All week it has been about us and how good we have been going (in the media),” Bennett said of Brisbane, who had won three straight before the knockout final.
“Finals are about managing expectation and we had too many young guys in our team.”
Dragons coach Paul McGregor won’t be worrying about welcoming Korbin Sims into his squad for at least another week after Tariq’s heroics.
“Brisbane have a highly talented, powerful back-row,” McGregor said.
“Everyone is talking about them playing footy at the highest level and I have got my back-row which I think is as good as any.
“Tyson (Frizell), Tariq and Jack de Belin – I wouldn’t swap those three.”
