Officials of the Australian Rugby League may not like it, but the Brisbane and Canberra sides do have the cream of games talent and when they met at the weekend provided as good a spectacle as you are likely to get in the game.
It is a pity that the permutations of the finals series exclude the possibility that they might meet in the grand final.
Perhaps one of the reasons for their success, particularly Canberra’s, has been the geographic base of the teams. It has resulted in a concentrated and heavy following in their home towns.
This has happened at a time when the geographic base of the Sydney clubs has become more ambivalent. A similar phenomenon, perhaps to a lesser extent, has occurred with the AFL.
Canberrans, of course, will be mightily pleased to see their team heading for its sixth grand final. The club and team have helped create an identity for the city beyond its traditional position as the capital city with monuments and institutions. Canberra’s rugby league team is part of the soul of the city.
It would be an enormous shame, therefore, if the super league in any way detracted from that strong home-town link between the team and the people. Present indications, such as next year’s proposed draw, are that the link will be strengthened, but much will depend on this month’s court case.
It may well be that the money and television rights appear to dominate the game, but the underlying strength of the competition lies in geographic basing of the teams. It is pleasing to see that the Super League draw acknowledges that.