The last two premiership-winning captains have predicted Sydney Roosters to do what they couldn’t: become the first team in 21 years to defend the NRL title.
Not since Brisbane went back-to-back in 1997-98 has a side lifted the trophy in consecutive years, however the first was during the Super League war.
In a unified league, the Broncos are still the last team to go back-to-back, having done so in 1992-93 in the NSWRL competition.
The Roosters now get their chance when they face Canberra, playing in their first grand final in 25 years, at ANZ Stadium on Sunday.
Melbourne captain Cameron Smith fell agonisingly shy of achieving the feat last year when the Storm were stunned by the Roosters in a dramatic decider.
And, after having their title run ended by them in Saturday’s 14-6 preliminary final loss, arguably the game’s greatest player backed the Roosters to end the drought.
“I think it’s going to be a great game. Both sides play totally different styles of footy,” Smith said of the anticipated contest.
“But if the Roosters come out and play the way they did tonight, particularly defend the way they did, I think they may go back to back.”
Newly-retired Cronulla skipper Paul Gallen is also well-acquainted with the difficult challenge of defending their crown.
Having famously led the Sharks to their maiden premiership in 2016, Gallen’s side couldn’t even get to the big dance the following year.
Missing the top four with a fifth-placed finish, Cronulla were knocked out in a week-one elimination final by eventual grand finalists North Queensland.
But Gallen also thinks the Roosters are poised to claim the title again, saying they simply have a better roster than the Raiders.
“They’ve just got so many superstars right across the park,” Gallen said on the Nine Network’s The Sunday Footy Show.
“You look at their forward pack. They get (Jared) Waerea-Hargreaves back, they’ve got Boyd Cordner there who I thought was man of the match (Saturday).
“Then you look at their backline: (Luke) Keary, (Cooper) Cronk, Latrell Mitchell, (Joseph) Manu, Brett Morris, is in as good a form in his career as I’ve ever seen.
“And then James Tedeso, probably the best player in the game at the moment. So they’ve just got so many superstars right across the park.”
Roosters coach Trent Robinson has fiercely demanded all season his players don’t attempt to replicate last year’s effort.
“That’ll be talked about and written and all that this week, but that’s nostalgia. It’s got nothing to do with what we’re doing right now,” Robinson said.
Canberra will be sweating on the fitness of Joseph Leilua, who suffered a calf injury in their 16-10 triumph of South Sydney in front of a sold-out GIO Stadium.
Prop Josh Papalii was arguably the Raiders’ best with the match-sealing try, before copping a grade-one careless high tackle that frees him for the decider.
The Roosters breathed a sigh of relief after five-eighth Luke Keary also escaped with a grade-one careless high tackle on Storm forward Felise Kaufusi.
The focus for the Tricolours now turns to whether coach Trent Robinson gambles on playing co-captain Jake Friend for what would be his first game since July.
