The NRL could be in line to lose another big name to rugby after it was uncovered that Tigers and Kiwis star, Benji Marshall, is eyeing up a code switch in the near future.

This follows the recent departure of Mark Gasnier and Sonny Bill Williams, both of whom are now playing rugby in Europe.

Benji has expressed interest in playing rugby in Japan during the NRL off season, which would see him remain in the NRL - but of course this is all dependent on whether his club will give him permission to take up rugby during the off season. With Benji's tendency to need surgery during his time off, it's unlikely any club would be happy about having their star player risk injury playing rugby.

The danger here is that if his club, presently the Tigers, doesn't allow him the chance to play in Japan, he may look to take up a permanent rugby contract in Europe - which would mean he would be lost to the game for good, and this would not be good for the NRL.

Benji has already won a Premiership with the Tigers in 2005, and of course was a part of that Kiwis team that won the World Cup, so in all honesty there's not a whole lot left for Benji to accomplish in the game. But we still feel he has a lot to offer the game in the NRL, and it would be a real shame to see him go.

Unfortunately, we feel he'll end up leaving the game to take up the big dollars in European rugby, because we don't see any club in the NRL wanting to risk such a valuable asset by allowing him to play union in Japan.

Although, if any club was willing to take that risk it could be a good way of getting the services of one of the most exciting players in the game as of 2010, when his Tigers contract expires...

Grant Rovelli has announced his departure from the Warriors, and has signed up with the North Queensland Cowboys for the next two years. The announcement follows the return of Stacy Jones to the Warriors, who looks set to take the halfback spot - providing he can make it through pre-season training.

Rovelli failed to set the world alight in 2008, and spent most of his time playing in the lower grades while trying to regain his form. With Nathan Fien and Michael Witt proving to be a worthy combination in the halves, Rovelli's only game time came off the bench, and those games were few and far between.

With the return of Jones, and the signing of Joel Moon and Liam Foran for 2009, it's no wonder Rovelli has decided to ply his trade elsewhere - although it's hard to see him playing at halfback for the Cowboys when you consider the firm grasp that Jonathan Thurston has on the position in Townsville.

Rovelli would be best to try and develop into a standoff where he could take over from Travis Burns, who has a knack for getting suspended. It would be a great learning curve for Rovelli playing along side Thurston.

The Cowboys' 2008 season was one they would want to forget, and it won't hurt them to bolster their halves, especially for when Thruston is off playing rep footy. Rovelli will be a fine asset for them over the next two years.

The Warriors have plenty of stock in the halves department, and will be able to move on from Rovelli quickly. Not hard, when you consider his form over the past twelve months - although in saying that he has provided plenty of great moments over the past few seasons, especially last year when he was without a doubt in his best form.

Rovelli will stay on in New Zealand for a few more weeks, as he and his wife await the arrival of their baby, before heading off to North Queensland.

Could there have been a better way to end the rugby league year?

The Kiwis shocking everyone (including us, to be fair...), by beating the Kangaroos 34-20 in the rugby league World Cup Final. This was a game that Australia was supposed to have virtually wrapped up going into the final, and after already beating the Kiwis 30-6 in the first round of matches, it was justified that they were expected to walk away with the Cup. But the Kiwis had other ideas, and they executed the perfect game plan for beating the Aussies.

Right from the Haka you just knew this one wasn't going to be a walkover for the Aussies - the Kiwis laid down the challenge, as the Aussies marched forward to face their opponents face to face. It was without a doubt one of the best Haka's we've seen in a long time.

The Kiwis kept themselves in the game despite the Kangaroos taking an early 10-nil lead, but the crucial moment was when Darren Lockyer dropped the ball over the line, giving the Kiwis a life - if he had scored the Aussies would have had a 16-nil lead, and they would most likely would have gone on to thrash the Kiwis. The Kiwi's then managed to scored through Jeremy Smith, and from that moment on they knew they were in with a chance.

They did all the important things well, like shutting down Thurston and Lockyer, and despite some poor errors at times they kept fighting.

Going into the second half the Kiwis had to dig deep, as they have a habit of slipping in the last fourty. But this time they maintained their composure, while the Aussies were the ones who started to get the wobbles. It started when Billy Slater threw the ball infield as he was about to go out, only to have it land in the arms of Benji Marshall who ran away for a try. There was then another crucial moment when Lance Hohia was awarded a penalty try, after Joel Monaghan took him out as he went for the ball. The momentum had swung the way of the Kiwis - but you could never count out the Kangaroos, who have a habit of scoring late in the game to spoil the party.

When Adam Blair scored late in the game, though, we knew we had won - especially when Marshall slotted the conversion. It was the greatest feeling possible, and for us it will go down as the best moment in New Zealand sport that we've personally watched. We always talk about the 2005 Tri Nations final as being great, but this surpasses that by a long way. Not until the All Blacks win another World Cup (or, even less likely, the Black Caps win one), will this feeling be repeated.

The tournament has been a huge success, and we feel it is worthy of being run every four years. Based on the supporter turn out, we don't think the rugby league governing body would disagree.

It's been a fantastic year of rugby league, and although we didn't get all the results we'd have liked, all in all it's been very entertaining - and the Kiwis win caps it off for us in the best possible way.

Now all we have to do is wait for the 2009 season to begin, which will be the year of the Warrior.

You heard it here first.

This week could be unpleasant for two New Zealand teams, as they steer down the barrel of two dangerous Australian sides - the Kangaroos, and the Aussie cricket team. While there shouldn't have be any worries for the All Blacks against Wales this weekend, the same can't be said for the Kiwis and the Black Caps, who by all accounts should be no trouble for their Aussie counterparts.

The Kiwis showed glimpses of brilliance against the English league side on their way to reaching the World Cup Final, but the Kangaroos have looked unstoppable in their four games thus far, including comfortably beating the Kiwis in week one. The Kangaroos have only had 16 points scored against them in four games, which is an outstanding achievement when you consider they've faced the Kiwis and England - the two sides who were supposed to be their biggest challenge. They would have to turn in a very terrible performance for the Kiwis to have any chance of beating them, and that's very unlikely at this stage.

The only thing in the Kiwis favour is that they've been involved in two very physical clashes with England over the last two weeks, which should have them prepared for a tough battle with the Aussies. The Aussies, on the other hand, haven't had anything even close to a challenge thus far, and if the Kiwis can manage to step up, the Kangaroos may not be as prepared for a close encounter. It's hard to see this happening though, to be fair...

These are the two best sides at this World Cup, and of all the teams represented the Kiwis probably have what it takes to beat the Aussies - but it's going to take an outstanding performance from every player on the field, because you know the Kangaroos will be ready to go. It's hard for us to say this, but we honestly believe the Kangaroos will run away with this one, and should be able to put 30 points on the Kiwis. But, you just never know - we could have another 2005 Tri Nations Final on our hands.

One can only hope.

The other big trans-Tasman clash sees the Black Caps face off against the Aussies, starting today in the first of two Tests. There's a lot of people out there who believe the Aussies are wounded after their disappointing efforts in India, and that the Black Caps have some hope of actually winning. Well, if there's one thing you should always be aware of it's a wounded Aussie - especially one like the Aussie cricket team.

It's hard to see the Aussies losing to the Black Caps, especially when you look at how they've played over the past month or so. They were below average in Bangladesh, and utterly abysmal against New South Wales in the build up to the first Test. If they play anything like that against Australia, they will be easily thrashed within three days. Like the Kiwis, the Black Caps will need all players to be at their best, and even then Australia should be too strong.

The Brisbane pitch looked like it was going to be bowler friendly, and the first day today proved that, with New Zealand bowling Australia out for just over 200. A great effort, but also a very dangerous sign for the Black Caps, as it's our batsmen who have been letting the side down recently. Brett Lee will be licking his lips at the prospect of finding some form against the Black caps batsmen in the morning.

The Black Caps need to go out and play with confidence, like they did today - and, most importantly, not let the occasion get the better of them. Otherwise, it's going to be a long trip for them. They saw how the Indians attacked the Aussie bowlers, and they need to do the exact same thing. Test matches are no longer the slow affairs that they use to be - if you can't score runs quickly, you're going to lose. The Black Caps need to move away from their current style of slow batting, and hopefully when we get a new coach we can start catching up with the rest of the cricketing world.

Until then, we predict a comfortable Australian victory in both Tests.

Oh well - at least we still have the All Blacks.

The rugby league World Cup now moves into the business stage of the tournament, with only four teams remaining to fight it out for the title.

We've seen some fantastic clashes in the buildup to the semis, and even the odd upset along the way. Now, though, it comes down to Australia, New Zealand, England and Fiji.

Fiji will face a mountain of a task when they face the mighty Kangaroos, in what should be an easy win for the Aussies. Fiji caused an upset against the French to book their place in the semis, and look a lot like their rugby union counterparts in their style of play. They play an expansive game with plenty of flair, which we've come to expect from the Pacific Island teams - but their defence will be truly tested against the best in the business.

Australia have been largely untested so far, with easy wins against the Kiwis, England and PNG - and they show no signs of easing up. Perhaps their lack of a strong challenge may hamper their title aspirations, but really they would have to play terribly to lose at this stage. We expect nothing short of a sound thrashing for Fiji this weekend.

The game to watch this weekend will be the rematch between the Kiwis and England, who went head-to-head last weekend in what proved to be a very entertaining game in the finish. There will be no love lost between these two sides, especially after the English disrespected our Haka by forming a huddle, rather than facing it like men.

England certainly had the better of the two in the first half, but looked like they had nothing in the tank in the second half - which gave the Kiwis an opportunity to fight back, which they took with both hands.

The English coach, Tony Smith, said that the Kiwis were the ones who were being disrespectful by marching over the halfway mark into England's territory. Really, though, it was just a case of the Kiwi's making sure the English knew they were being challenged - and it's a shame the English were afraid to face it.

Perhaps they should talk to Willie Mason about what happens when you disrespect the Haka - we're sure David Kidwell wouldn't mind giving them a lesson in respect.

The winner of this one will, baring some kind of miracle, face the Aussies in the final - so it doesn't get more important than this. If the Kiwis can sort out their slow starts we don't see them losing this one either, but they will have to step it up - because you can guarantee England won't fall asleep in the second half again.

The Kangaroo's sent out a warning to all teams in this year's rugby league World Cup, with a 30-6 win over the Kiwis - who are considered to be the only other team capable of winning. Although that theory may have just gone down the drain...

The Kiwis were in the match for about 50 minutes, and although they were trailing 18-6 they were still within reach of the Aussies. But the Kangaroos showed their class, and ran away with the game to secure their first-up win.

The problem for the Kiwis is that they don't have the forward pack to match the Kangaroos, who just seem to be able to eat up the meters at will - while the Kiwi boys seem to struggle to make good yards.

We're really missing Roy Asotasi in the front row, and a game breaker like Frank Pritchard in the second row. Nathan Cayless is a quality front rower, but he doesn't compare to the impact a guy like Asotasi has. We need guys who are constantly creating gaps for the backs to operate, but it's just not happening on a regular basis.

It's far too early to write them off, and if they can get through to the semi-finals they could bounce back and knock the Kangaroos off their perch. But it will by no means easy...

They need to start playing Issac Luke at hooker, move Nathan Fein into the halves with Benji, and have a guy like David Kidwell on the bench for his experience and passion.

So far the World Cup has been great, with PNG nearly beating England, and Ireland going toe-to-toe with Tonga, only to lose late in the game. It's good to see that the lesser sides are putting up a decent fight.

It shows that there are other countries who are capable of playing more international games in league, and could pave the way for more Tests ,rather than just the three or four we usually get.

The World Cup's off to a good start - bring on the rest, and bring on a Kangaroo vs Kiwi final!

This weekend sees the Rugby League World Cup kick off, with England taking on PNG in Townsville on Saturday. The Kangaroos then take on the Kiwis, in what could easily be an early look at the final - these are the two sides considered favourites to win, although England might have something to say about that.

This will be the first World Cup in eight years, which just goes to show how insignificant international rugby league is at the moment. Really, only Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain offer any real competition at the highest level.

When you consider the amount of talented Pacific Island boys who play in the NRL and Super League, it's a shame that Samoa and Tonga don't play more regular Test matches. It's going to be interesting to see how they go in the World Cup - we've already seen Tonga play the Kiwis, and it wasn't the best performance we've seen.

Still - the fact that they get to represent their country on the grand stage is important for the growth of the game in the Pacific Islands, and if they can get a few more games under their belt they can definitely start improving. It's important that they can hold onto their star players like Feleti Mateo, rather than having them play in the World Cup and then go off to play for Australia or New Zealand.

We don't have a problem with them playing for Australia or New Zealand if that's who they want to play for, but they can't choose to play for one team and then another - it's just not healthy for the growth of international rugby league.

The rules need to be made clear - you make your choice who you want to play for, and that's final.

The World Cup should be very exciting, and it gives us a great opportunity to see some other countries that we don't get to watch - for the simple fact that they don't play enough league at this level.

Make the most of it, league fans, because rugby league World Cups don't come around very often. Besides, this is the last lot of rugby league action for the year, so absorb as much of it as you can!

We're sure you wont be disappointed.

The NRL season may be finished, but we don't have to wait long for our next dose of rugby league action.

The World Cup is only a couple of weeks away, and while the Kangaroos are heavy favourites to win the cup, don't count out the Kiwis and Great Britain just yet - they may have a few tricks up their sleeves.

The Kiwi's and the Kangaroos named their 24 man squads yesterday, and while the Kiwis are pretty much as we expected, Ricky Stuart has named a few bolters in his Kangaroo squad.

Raiders stars Terry Campese and Joel Monaghan have been rewarded for a strong season with Canberra, and while we don't expect them to make the full strength team, they will get some game time in the pool matches. Both are exciting players, and are on the cusp of lengthy representative careers.

There are six Manly Sea Eagles players in the squad, which is a testament to how well they have been playing, while five Storm players also made the squad.

The biggest bolter in the 24 man squad is Manly winger David "Wolfman" Williams, who only made his debut in the NRL this year. His career is going from strength to strength, and a World Cup win would be the perfect end to his stellar season - although as Kiwis we hope his season doesn't end that nicely...

Darren Lockyer will captain the team.

Here's the entire squad:

Terry Campese, Petro Civoniceva, Michael Crocker, Craig Fitzgibbon, Israel Folau, Paul Gallen, Kurt Gidley, Justin Hodges, Greg Inglis, Brent Kite, Anthony Laffranchi, Darren Lockyer, Joel Monaghan, Josh Perry, Steve Price, Scott Prince, Billy Slater, Cameron Smith, Brett Stewart, Glen Stewart, Brent Tate, Jonathan Thurston, Anthony Watmough, David Williams.

The Kiwis head into the World Cup without the likes of Roy Asotasi and Frank Pritchard, which will test them in the big games, but Steve Kearney has selected a good squad that could potentially upset the Kangaroos - although they'll have to play out of their skins.

The big news is that Benji Marshall is fit and ready to put on the Kiwi jersey. And, while his defence is often lacking, there's no question over his ability to break a game open.

Nathan Fien also returns to the team after the "Granny Gate" incident, and is now a full New Zealand citizen. His form with the Warriors has been great, and he will likely team up with Marshall in the halves.

Only Brent Webb and Thomas Leuluai have been selected from Britain, which really sums up how tough a competition the NRL is. Not that we're saying the Super League is soft, or anything...(ahem).

The most unlucky player to miss out on a Kiwis jersey has to be Luke Covell, who is an outstanding winger and an excellent goal kicker. He too has been in good form all year, and really must be wondering why he isn't there.

Steve Matai has been named in the squad, despite his ongoing shoulder and neck problems.

Here's the full squad:

Adam Blair, Nathan Cayless (c), Greg Eastwood, David Fa'alogo, Nathan Fien, Dene Halatau, Lance Hohia, Krisnan Inu, David Kidwell, Thomas Leuluai, Jeff Lima, Issac Luke, Simon Mannering, Sika Manu, Benji Marshall, Steve Matai, Sam Perrett, Sam Rapira, Jerome Ropati, Setaimata Sa, Jeremy Smith (from the Storm), Iosia Soliola, Manu Vatuvie, Brent Webb.

These two teams will meet first up, which is really going to set the tone for the entire World Cup.

It's going to be a great competition - bring it on.

With the 2008 NRL season done and dusted, there remains only two teams to review - the Manly Sea Eagles and the Melbourne Storm. We all know which of these two teams had the better season...

Manly Sea Eagles (1st): This season could not have gone any better for Des Hasler's boys. They were determined to erase the memory of 2007, and have done so in spectacular fashion. Going into the final, a lot of people thought that they couldn't beat the Storm - especially away from Brookvale. Well - they proved all their critics wrong, didn't they?

Throughout the whole season, only one player made his debut for the club (David "Wolfman" Williams), and that shows how much depth the club has. They are losing some veterans of the club, though, and next year will certainly be a good test of how well the club has prepared for life without Menzies, Bell, Williamson and Bryant.

For now, though, they can bask in the glory of their 2008 season.

2009 Gains: Chris Bailey (Knights), Tony Williams (Eels), Shane Rodney (Panthers)
2009 Losses: Steve "Beaver" Menzies (Bradford), Steven Bell (Les Catalans), Luke Williamson (London Harlequins), Mark Bryant (Celtic Crusaders).

Melbourne Storm (2nd): When you think about what was expected of the Storm this year, you'd have to say that the season was a failure. They were favourites to win right from the beginning of the year, but by the time the playoffs came around they were starting to look very shaky. They did, however, win the Minor Premiership - and that shows that they are still a classy side. And, although they too are losing some key players for 2009, only a fool would bet against them. They've developed a winning culture, and it shows no sign of ending any time soon.

They'll be able to put this year behind them, and start looking to how they plan on regaining their title next year. They have such a strong team - with the likes of Smith, Slater, Inglis, Hoffman and Cronk, they'll be able to make a strong fight for the Premiership in 2009.

2009 Gains: Ryan Hinchcliff (Raiders), Arana Taumata (Bulldogs), Matt Cross (Titans), William Isa (Panthers)
2009 Losses: Matt Geyer (Retiring), Israel Falou (Broncos), Jeremy Smith (Dragons), Michael Crocker (Hull), Sam Tagataese (Titans), Antonio Kaufusi (Cowboys), Liam Foran (Warriors), Russell Aitken (French Rugby League)

They say you have to lose a Grand Final to win one, and that saying certainly came true last night for the Manly Sea Eagles - who put on an unbelievable display against the Melbourne Storm.

No one in their right mind would have believed the Sea Eagles could have put 40 points on the Storm, let-a-lone keep the Storm scoreless - but the Sea Eagles were unstoppable on their way to their first Grand Final victory since 1996.

The Storm looked shell shocked as the Sea Eagles dominated the game right from the kickoff. And, while it took around 25 minutes for Manly to score their first try, from that moment on they just kept the four pointers coming. Michael Robertson scored three of the eight trys, and set up the Beaver with his 180th try in the NRL - not a bad way to end a sixteen year career with the Sea Eagles.

Brent Kite was outstanding as he made hit-up after hit-up, keeping the Sea Eagles on the front foot and, most importantly, giving the backs great field position from which to attack. Kite was rewarded for his excellent performance with the Clive Churchill Medal, which will help him erase any bad memories of missing out on Origin this year.

The Sea Eagles can now put last years disappointing Grand Final behind them, while the Storm are left to ponder what on earth happened.

For a team that boasts the likes of Billy Slater, Greg Inglis, Israel Falou and Cooper Cronk, last nights efforts will be one they'll never want to remember. It was one of their worst displays in a long time, and unfortunately for them they saved it for the biggest game of the year.

They've looked tired since their game against the Warriors in Round 11 of the playoffs, while the Sea Eagles looked refreshed and ready to do battle.

While we wouldn't count the Storm out in 2009, it does seem as though their era of dominance may be starting to crack - and they're losing some key players for next year's competition, too.

For the Sea Eagles, last night was all about redemption - and, most importantly, sending the long serving Steve Menzies out on a high. They achieved both, and brilliantly.

Menzies now heads to Bradford to end his illustrious career that spanned sixteen years, 349 NRL games (a record he now shares with Bulldogs great Terry Lamb), fifteen State of Origin campaigns with New South Wales, and twenty Tests for the Kangaroos. He is the epitome of the word 'legend', and it's been an absolute pleasure to have watched him play over the past sixteen years.

We wish him all the best for the rest of his career.

The rugby league world now turns it's attention to the World Cup, which kicks off in a couple of weeks - no doubt there'll be a few Sea Eagles in the Australian squad...

It would only be fitting to look at the Top 5 NRL Grand Finals over the past decade, seeing as today the Sea Eagles and the Storm will do battle for the Premiership.

There have been some truly great clashes over the past ten years - here are our picks:

5. Brisbane Broncos vs Melbourne Storm - 2006
It was the third placed Broncos vs the minor premiers, and everyone was expecting the Storm to take this one out. But the Broncos are the masters of Grand Finals, and this one was especially special - they were saying goodbye to Shane Webke, who was retiring after the Grand Final. And they couldn't have sent him out in better fashion, with a 15-8 victory - making it six wins from six Grand Final appearances for the Broncos (not bad, really...).

The Storm looked like they had scored late in the second half through Matt King, but the video ref called a knock-on - effectively giving the Broncos the title.
The video ref's call created a bit of controversy, but in the end the Broncos were too good for the Storm, who would have to wait another year for a second NRL title.

4. Penrith Panthers vs Sydney Roosters - 2003
The Panthers had a standout year, and topped it off with an impressive 18-6 win over the Roosters, who were trying to go back-to-back after beating the Warriors the year before.

The game will best be remembered for Scott Sattler's amazing tackle on Todd Byrne - a tackle he should never have had the chance to make. The veteran forward chased down the flying Byrne, coming from the other side of the field to catch "Skinny" - it's the kind of moment that can only happen in a Grand Final.

The tackle swung the momentum back towards the Panthers, who never looked back. Luke Priddis was named the Clive Churchill medalist, after scoring one try, setting up another, and making an incredible 47 tackles.

This one was also special for us New Zealanders, because of the strong Kiwi connection with the Panthers. And, of course - any time the Roosters are beaten has got to be good.

3. Newcastle Knights vs Parramatta Eels - 2001
The Eels were odds-on favourites to win the Final after going through the season with only one loss, but at halftime the Knights were up 24-0 and were playing some fantastic footy. The lead shocked everyone - none more so than the Eels, who came out in the second half with a lot of work to do to catch up.

They managed to fight back scoring 24 points, but it was too little too late as the Knights went on to win 30-24, and in doing so claimed their second Premiership since their win in 1997.

2. Melboure Storm vs St George/Illawara Dragons - 1999
The Storm produced one of the best comebacks to win the 1999 Premiership - their first since joining the NRL the previous year.

Down 14-nil at halftime, the Storm fought back to 20-18 in very dramatic circumstances. With only three minutes to go the Storm were trailing 18-14, when Brett Kimmorley put up a bomb for winger Craig Smith. As Smith went to catch the ball, Jaime Ainscough took him out with a head high tackle, forcing Smith to knock the ball on. The video ref was left with the decision of whether or not a penalty try should be awarded, which he gave to the Storm - sealing their first Grand Final win.

The win was Storm prop Glenn Lazarus' fifth Grand Final win, and it coincided with his last game in the NRL.

The game will best be remembered for that infamous moment with only three minutes on the clock. Ainscough wouldn't have been very popular in St George after that night...

1. Wests Tigers vs North Queensland Cowboys - 2005
Both these two teams were making their first appearance at a Grand Final, and with the Tigers winning twelve of their last fourteen games (including two wins over the Cowboys), they were on their way to their first NRL Premiership.

They didn't fail to impress, racking up 30 points to sink the Cowboys hopes.

Benji Marshall set up what is possibly the greatest try in a Grand Final, with a flick-back pass to set up Pat Richards, who ran in for one of the Tiger's five trys.

The Tigers were on fire, while the Cowboys looked to have a case of the Grand Final jitters - and in the end, the Tigers thoroughly deserved their first Premiership (as a combined club - Western Suburbs and Balmain).

If tonight's game is anything like these five, then we're in for something special.

After an incredible sixteen years playing in the NRL, veteran Ruben Wiki is finally hanging up his boots.

(Well, at least in the NRL - it's still unsure whether he'll play in the Super League).

Wiki carved out a long career playing for the Canberra Raiders, where he started out as a young center playing along side the likes of Mal Meninga and Laurie Daley. He was part of the 1994 Premiership-winning Raiders team, and went on to play 225 games for the "Green Machine", scoring 60 trys.

As he got a little older, he moved into the forwards. He played in the front and second rows (predominantly at prop towards the back end of his career), and became one of the fiercest players in the NRL, known for his hard hits and physical presence.

In 2005 Wiki finally became a Warrior after twelve years in Canberra, and over the last four years he has become a home town favourite at Mt. Smart Stadium. Wiki played 87 games for the Warriors, and surpassed the 300 game milestone this year against the Tigers - becoming the first New Zealander to do so.

His career tally - 312 NRL games and 72 trys.

Wiki also holds the record for playing the most Test matches of any player, with a total of 55.

Wiki will be best remembered for his no-nonsense kind of play. He put everything he had into every moment he was on the field, and at the age of 35 (the oldest in the NRL) he was still competing with the younger guys, who looked up to him as a player they could aspire to be like. Fair enough, too - if you're going to style your game on anyone, it might as well be one of the best.

Wiki also credits his lengthy playing days to Kava, which he drinks before every game, and has even introduced it to some of the players at the Warriors club. Hopefully that will give them`career's as long as Wiki's...

Life in the NRL won't be the same without Ruben Wiki - especially at the Warriors, where he's looked up to like the legend that he is.

We wish him all the best for his future, and thank him for the eighteen wonderful years of hard hitting rugby league he's given us.

Ruben - you're an absolute legend.

This Sunday, the Manly Sea Eagles and the Melbourne Storm will once again go head to head for the NRL Premiership.

The two sides met in last year's Grand Final, where the Storm proved to strong for the Sea Eagles - who looked like they had the Grand Final jitters.

But that was a long time ago, and the Sea Eagles definitely look like a much better team this time round. And they'll need to be if they want to win their first Premiership since 1996.

The Storm are not in the best form, and losing Cameron Smith will take it's toll on the team come Sunday - but at this point, all that matters to the Storm is that they have a shot, and they do seem to save their best efforts for the Sea Eagles.

They have a whole lot of talent in their side, so don't write them off just yet. Cooper Cronk will need to have a big game if the Storm want to win their third NRL Premiership, and he will need to take a lot of the responsibility - especially since being given the captaincy.

For the Storm to beat the Sea Eagles they'll need to put pressure on Matt Orford, who has been criticised in the past for not handling the big occasions. He, too, will need to be at his best come Sunday night.

The Sea Eagles, though, do have the advantage of having Jamie Lyon at number 6 - he can take a lot of the pressure off Orford by doing a lot of the general kicking, and pitching in with on-field leadership.

Believe us when we say this game will be one you won't want to miss. Manly have seemed more determined than ever since last year's loss, and (despite loosing to the Storm earlier in the year) if they play like they did against the Warriors, then they'll walk away with the win.

And wouldn't that be a fitting way to send Steve Menzies out - with one last Premiership victory?

We certainly think so.

It's all over for the two biggest surprises in this year's finals.

Not many people would have picked the Sharks to make the Top 8, let-a-lone the top four - and no one EVER seems to think the Warriors can make the eight. That is, except for us here in the Attic.

A top four finish for both sides is an excellent result, and both teams are looking to build on this year's success with some decent signings for 2009.

Here's how the two teams went in 2008:

Cronulla Sharks (3rd): The Sharks have definitely been one of the NRL's biggest improver's, and have made a name for themselves with their solid defence. While their offensive game needs work, the signings of Anthony Tupou and Trent Barrett will certainly add a spark to their attacking game.

They have certainly had some serious issues, especially with Greg Bird, but the players really rallied together and continued their drive to the Top 8. They won't be happy with the way they bowed out of the finals, but overall we think they'll be pleased with how the year went.

They can definitely improve on this year's efforts, and going one step further next year isn't out of the question.

2009 Gains: Anthony Tupou (Roosters), Trent Barrett (Wigan), Corey Hughs (Bulldogs)
2009 Losses: Brett Kimmorley (Bulldogs), Issac De Gois (Knights), Lance Thompson (mid-season, retirement), Greg Bird (sacked), Adam Peek (Celtic Crusaders)



New Zealand Warriors (4th): After a terrible start to the year, the Warriors really muscled up and made a fantastic run to the finals. They certainly struggled with injuries early on, and losing Steve Price, Wade McKinnon and Manu Vatuvie didn't help. Once the team was fully fit, though, they looked in great form, and picked up wins against the Storm, Broncos and Sharks (all top four teams at the time).

Their efforts against the Storm and the Roosters in the finals were something no one could believe (although, to be fair, we did...loyal, we are), and they even made history, becoming the first eighth placed side to beat the minor premiers under the McIntyre system.

They'll be very extremely pleased with 2008, and the outlook for 2009 is equally as promising.

If they can continue to improve their defensive game, and play with the confidence they have shown over the last few weeks, then they too can make a real threat on the competition next year.

2009 Gains: Jacob Lillyman (Cowboys), Denan Kemp (Broncos), Joel Moon (Broncos), Liam Foran (Storm)
2009 Losses: Ruben Wiki (???), Wairangi Koopu (???), Logan Swann (???) - all three are yet to decide on their futures.

Stay tuned for a 2008 review of the Sea Eagles and the Storm, as we head towards the Grand Final.

The Manly Sea Eagles are off to the NRL Grand Final, after they downed the Warriors 32-6 in Sydney last night.

They put on a fantastic performance to shut out the Warriors, and now head to the final against the Melbourne Storm (a rematch from last year's final).

The Warriors didn't play badly last night, but the Sea Eagles completely controlled the game - and in doing so, didn't allow the Warriors to play the type of game that's worked for them recently.

It's simple - Manly were the better team on the night, and unfortunately for Warriors fans that's just the way the game goes sometimes.

The Sea Eagles kept the game flowing at a high speed, slowly wearing down the Warriors - who spent a lot of the game defending. And, in the end, the Sea Eagles proved too strong.

Next Sunday's Grand Final is going to be another great match-up, as both the Sea Eagles and the Storm have shown that they are by far the two best teams in the competition this year.

It's hard to pick a favourite to win, but after last night's performance we have to say that Manly head into the game as the team to beat. They controlled the game against the Warriors perfectly, whereas the Storm fed off the mistakes of the Sharks. While we can't count out the Storm, we definitely think Manly are in red hot form right now - and will probably take it out.

Manly have been playing with an intense passion since losing last years final, and it's driving them towards victory this year. They say you have to lose a final to win a final, and if that's the case the Storm had better watch out - because the Sea Eagles are flying high right now.

There will be some exciting match-ups next week - both teams have some of the best in the business. Brett Stewart vs Billy Slater, Jaime Lyon vs Greg Inglis, Matt Orford vs Cooper Cronk - we could go on and on.

This one has 'epic' written all over it, and anyone who misses next Sunday's final will regret it come Monday morning.

The beauty of sports is that nothing is ever guaranteed. Those who are highly favoured to win don't always do so, and it's moments like these that get the whole world talking.

People love to see the underdog step up and knock the top team off their perch. It's the foundation of nearly every sports movie ever made - the team that everyone thinks has no chance of winning somehow manages to rise to the challenge, and walk away victorious against all odds.

In light of all that, here's our Top 5 Greatest Sporting Upsets:


5. Kiwis vs Kangaroos - rugby league

The 2005 rugby league Tri-Nations final is one Kiwi fans will never forget. It's the day we kept the best team in the world scoreless, beating them 24-0 - and in doing so, claimed one of the greatest upsets in the history of league.

The Kangaroos couldn't have had a worse game if they'd tried. They had 20 handling errors, and completed only 17/32 sets - which, for a team filled with superstars, is a bad day at the office.

The Kiwis, on the other hand, were at their best. They ran in four trys (Whatuira, Vatuvei x2, Webb), and (perhaps even more impressively) held their line, and stopped the Kangaroos from scoring.

Victories against the Aussies in league are few and far between, and this was definitely one of the greatest.


4. New York Giants vs New England Patriots - NFL Super Bowl

The Patriots went into Super Bowl XLII as odds-on favourites to beat the Giants. They had won an amazing 18 games in a row to make it to the Super Bowl, and had beaten the Giants 38-35 in the final game of the regular season. They were only one win away from becoming the first team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins to go through the entire season undefeated.

Going into the final quarter, the Patriots led 7-3 before the Giants finally crossed for a touchdown, taking the lead at 10-7. That was short lived, though, as the Patriots soon responded with another touchdown to reclaim the lead 14-10. And, with time ticking away, they looked like they were about to claim another Super Bowl Championship.

With only 1:15 minutes left on the clock, Eli Manning came up with the play of the game, throwing a 32 yard pass to David Tyree, putting the Giants only 24 yards from the Patriots goal line. Within four plays, and with only 35 seconds left, Manning threw the winning touchdown, caught by Plaxico Burress. The Giants had beaten the Patriots 17-14 - a real upset, and one for the Super Bowl history books.


3. Buster Douglas vs 'Iron Mike' Tyson - boxing

In 1990 Tyson was in the prime of his boxing career, and had a perfect professional record of 37-0 spanning from 1985-1990. Tyson headed to Japan for a fight with James 'Buster' Douglas, a man Tyson was expected to easily defeat.

The odds were quite literally stacked against Buster - the bookmakers had him at 42-1 odds to win the fight. Not the kind of odds a betting man would take.

But Buster put up a fight, and despite being knocked down by a Tyson uppercut in the eighth round, Buster got back to his feet. For the next two rounds, he sent a barrage of heavy punches Tyson's way. In the tenth round Buster finally knocked Tyson down, and the champ never recovered. It was Tyson's first ever defeat as a pro, and the first time he was knocked out.

The man that people thought was unbeatable was finally beaten by a man that no one thought could win.


2. Bangladesh vs Australia - cricket

This has David vs Goliath written all over it - by far the most dominant cricket team in the world vs the whipping boys of international cricket. But this was going to be a game that Bangladesh would never forget.

Australia batted first, and against Bangladesh should have posted 300+. Instead, the Bangladesh bowlers kept the Aussie batsmen to only 249. Well under par for this Australian side, but still a total that should have been far too many for the Bangladesh side to chase.

But, thanks to a brilliant century by Mohammad Ashraful, they somehow managed to chase down the Aussies total with only four balls to spare. In the final over of the game, Aftab Ahmed hit a six off the first ball to tie the scores, followed by a single to win the game.

This is one of the real bright spots of Bangladesh's cricketing history (there haven't been that many...), and a real disgrace for the Aussies.


1. USA vs the USSR - 1980 Winter Olympics - ice hockey

The 'Miracle on Ice' - the US mens ice hockey team went into the gold medal game against the might of the USSR team. Only a few days before the Olympics began, the USSR thrashed the US 10-3 in a warm-up match, which many thought signified the Soviet Union's dominance over ice hockey.

Their team was made up of professional players, while the US team was made up of amateurs and college players - basically, they were kids compared to the Soviet team. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know who should have won...

But by the end of the final, the US had brought down the heavyweights of ice hockey by 4 goals to 3, and in doing so won gold - while the USSR had to settle for the silver.

This win was more than just a sporting victory for the US - you also have to remember that these two mighty nations were in the midst of the Cold War, and so this game was just as much about politics as it was about sport.

This was a major, major upset, and is widely recognised as one of the greatest upsets of all time.

Just when you thought all the drama surrounding Sonny Bill Williams was over...

Sonny recently injured his leg, and has had some down time while he recovers - and this has no doubt added to his homesickness.

Moving to France was never going to be easy for Sonny, especially when you consider everything that he left behind in Australia. His friends and family are in Australia and New Zealand, and for him to suddenly leave all that behind, and move to the other side of the world - well, it was inevitable that he would struggle with homesickness.

Apparently, someone close to Sonny has approached the Bulldogs, while Khoder Nasser has flown to France to check up on Sonny's welfare. You can bet he won't be happy to see Sonny return to the Bulldogs if it means taking a pay cut.

The Bulldogs have stated that they will only be interested in talking to Sonny if he returns on "bended knee", and "under the club's terms and conditions". In other words, things wont be as cushy for Sonny as they were before.

The biggest problem is that the Bulldogs have made a lot of signings since Sonny departed the club, and so they may not have the funds to resign him - and that may bring a halt to him returning (as part of the settlement, Sonny cannot return to any other club until 2013).

It's going to be interesting to see how this all plays out - just don't expect it to go smoothly.

All the speculation over who will play fullback this weekend can now end, with Wade McKinnon getting the nod over Lance Hohia after serving his three game suspension.

McKinnon was found guilty of spitting at a touch judge in the Warriors Round 25 clash with the Panthers, and became only the second player in the NRL to be suspended for spitting.

But, thanks to the fantastic performances by the Warriors over the past three weeks, McKinnon gets a chance to redeem himself against the Sea Eagles this weekend. His return couldn't come at a better time for the Warriors, as they head into the preliminary final - with the winner going to the Grand Final in two weeks.

McKinnon's support play is among the best in the NRL, and could make the difference between the two sides - although the Sea Eagles have a pretty handy fullback in Brett Stewart, who is a try scoring machine.

Hohia has done a standout job filling in for McKinnon, but filling in is really all he can do. He'll make a big impact off the bench, where he can cover a number of positions, and get himself involved on attack a lot more.

Manly will certainly put up a tough challenge, and will definitely go into the clash as odds-on favourites to win. They can't afford to take the Warriors lightly, though, or they'll meet the same fate as the Storm and the Roosters.

Unfortunately for the Storm, they could head into their preliminary final against the Sharks without captain Cameron Smith, who has been cited for a dangerous grapple-tackle on Sam Thaiday. He'll get two weeks off if he takes an early guilty plea, and could face even longer on the sidelines if he challenges the charge.

We think the NRL judiciary need to crack down on players who continue to make these unnecessary grapple-tackles, which are ruining the game. The Storm are renowned for their grappling, and it needs to stop - it's rugby league, not wrestling.

The best way to stamp it out of the game is to come down hard on the repeat offenders, and in this case it's Smith. It doesn't matter that they're only one win away from the final - if they continue to use the grapple-tackle, then they can do so without Smith.

Jeremy Smith is also likely to miss this weekend for using the dangerous 'chicken wing' tackle during the same tackle on Sam Thaiday. Obviously, the Storm aren't getting the message.

The Sharks certainly won't mind if they don't have to worry about Cameron Smith, but it still won't be an easy task. They'll have their hands full, and with the likes of Inglis, Slater and Falou, the Storm still look good for the win.

The two finals games over the weekend were two of the most exciting games we've seen in a long time.

The Warrior's second half performance was outstanding, and to keep the Roosters scoreless in the second half shows just how far the Warriors defense has come. Although to be fair, in recent weeks it seems anyone can keep the Roosters scoreless in the second forty.

The Storm were lucky to come away with the win on Saturday night. Inglis's last minute try was a heart breaker for Bronco's supporters, and you could tell how much it hurt them when you saw Lockyer's reaction.

It was a really tough week for the Broncos, with the sexual assault allegation against Hunt, Boyd and Thaiday, and then reports that Lockyer tackled a bar manager.

The loss sees the end of the Wayne Bennett era for the club, and although it wasn't the ideal send-off, you can't argue with the culture Bennett has established at Brisbane.

Here's a review of the Broncos and Roosters 2008 season:

Roosters (6th): When you think back to 2007, and the horror year that the Roosters went through then, you'd have to say that 2008 was a success. They got off to a great start, and began to look like the Roosters of a few years ago. Towards the end of the season, though, they started to get quite shaky, and their game started to suffer. To finish in the top eight is a huge improvement, and the way Brad Fittler is molding the club - well, let's just say that the future is looking a lot brighter than it was this time last year.

The only concern for the Roosters heading into 2009 is that they haven't made any decent signings - and when you consider the players they're losing, that may be a problem.

2009 Gains: Zero
2009 Losses: Anthony Tupou (Sharks), Davis Shillington (Raiders), Micky Paea (Dragons), Anthong Minichello (possibly leaving to play rugby in France, but it's not 100% at this stage)

Broncos (5th): Another solid year for the Broncos, but they'll be extremly disappointed to have lost to the Storm in the dying minutes. It's the end of an era at Brisbane, and it's hard to see them dominating the NRL in the years to come. Just look at who they're losing - Bennett (coach), Carroll, Ennis, Hannant, Boyd, Kemp and Eastwood. The club will essentially have to be re-built, and that won't be an easy task.

In saying that, any club with Lockyer and Hunt will be tough to beat - but without Bennett at the helm, we won't see them at their best in 2009. It's certainly going to be interesting to see how they adapt to life without Wayne.

2009 Gains: Israel Falou (Storm), Ben Te'o (Tigers), Aaron Gorrell (Les Catalans), Lagi Setu (Dragons)
2009 Losses: Michael Ennis (Bulldogs), Ben Hannant (Bulldogs), Darius Boyd (Dragons), Toni Carroll (retiring), Denan Kemp (Warriors), Joel Moon (Warriors), Shane Perry (Les Catalans), Greg Eastwood (Leeds)

Only four teams remain for 2008 - next week, we'll review the two who don't make it to the Grand Final.

Have a prediction? Head to our forum, and let us know.

What an absolutely brilliant comeback.

Down 13-6 at halftime, the Warriors unleashed in the second half to win 30-13, and in doing so send the Roosters packing for the 2008 season.

The Warriors were starved of quality possession in the first half, and despite scoring the opening try in the first couple of minutes, they were on the defensive for the rest of the half.

Their night wasn't looking that good, and their first half was summed up when the Roosters were awarded a penalty try. It was a lucky break for the Roosters - there's no way the video ref could say that Minichello would have definitely scored.

The Roosters looked the better of the two teams, but after half time that all changed.

The Warriors came out ready to play, and for the last forty minutes the Roosters never looked like they were in the game. It's the fifth week in a row that the Roosters have been held scoreless in the second half - a terrible stat when you're playing in the finals.

To put it nicely (like, really nicely), they were appalling.

The Warriors, on the other hand looked as good as they ever have, as they ground down the Roosters defensive line.

You could sense they were giving it all they had - Wiki's barnstorming run at Soiola was awesome, and he was literally screaming as he charged at the Roosters line.

The whole team lifted, and in the end that's what got them home.

Next up for the Warriors is a trip to the Sydney Football Stadium for a battle with the Manly Sea Eagles, which is going to be one hell of a battle.

While everyone is saying "It's just good they've got this far", we feel that bowing out one game away from the Grand Final would be hugely disappointing - and we're sure the Warriors won't be happy unless they make the Final.

They certainly have what it takes to beat the Sea Eagles, and the way the Warriors are playing at the moment - well, we wouldn't be putting money on the other team.