All too often, NRL grand finals are defined by a single moment.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Jonathan Thurston's field goal to get the North Queensland Cowboys over the line against the Brisbane Broncos in 2015 will live forever in the annals of the game.
In 1999, it was the penalty try awarded to the Melbourne Storm in the dying minutes of the game which game them a two-point victory.
Last Sunday, it was James Tedesco's 73rd-minute try which snapped the Raiders' grip on the game and all but assured a Roosters victory.
But these moments are almost always preceded by equally heartbreaking instances of failure.
Thurston's famous field goal was only necessary because of the bungled conversion from the boundary line which clipped the post after the final siren.
The 1999 penalty try would have been ineffective if Anthony Mundine had kept his grip on the ball as he crossed the tryline early in the second half.
And, as many Canberra Raiders fans have pointed out, who knows what would have happened had referee Ben Cummins maintained his call of six again on the Roosters tryline last weekend.
Instead of the try which the Raiders desperately needed to edge ahead on the scoreboard, the Roosters took advantage of the momentary confusion and made a break down the field, allowing Tedesco to cross and lock in a 14-8 victory.
Former Roosters hooker and Goulburn local, James Aubusson, is disappointed that the furore over the controversial call overtook what was otherwise a great game.
"It was a great game, and it's sad that that took [the focus] away," Aubusson said.
"When it comes to the decision, I think it's a bit of a grey one. From the referee's point of view, he called what he thought he saw and then changed it."
Aubusson's brother, Mitchell, started for the Roosters last Sunday before he suffered a knee injury in the early stages of the game.
The loss of Mitchell early, who played a crucial role in Sydney's 2018 premiership victory, heaped the pressure on the Roosters from the outset.
"They were under a lot of pressure defensively," Aubusson said.
"They lost Mitchell after 13 minutes, they lost Cooper Cronk for ten minutes, the fact that they defended like that was pretty extraordinary."
The Raiders' heartbreak following the match was clear; the image of Goulburn's Jarrod Croker sinking to his knees post-game has come to encapsulate the anguish of the occasion.
In a display of the positivity which sport can generate, most Raiders fans rushed to express their gratitude and love for the Green Machine's efforts in 2019. Among them was former Raider and Crookwell resident, Ashley Gilbert.
"I'm a bit disappointed for the boys, I remember what it's like to lose a grand final," Gilbert said.
"They should be very proud of their efforts because jeez they put in a great performance. You couldn't knock the effort under any circumstances."
Despite the fact that Gilbert and Aubusson were barracking for different teams, their conclusions about the controversial call were much the same.
"It ended up being the right call, it was disappointing the way it turned out to be the right call," Gilbert said.
"I tend not to blame the referee for winning and losing games. If both sides played the perfect game and never made a mistake, and the referee made a mistake, maybe then you can blame them."
The important thing for Canberra, Gilbert said, is to take the positives out of the season and continue moving forward.
"They can take an enormous amount of confidence out of this year and yesterday's game," he said.
"Their defence is strong and they made the grand final and were right in it until the last five minutes. I can't see any reason why they won't go into next season full of confidence."
While you're with us...
Did you know the Goulburn Post is now offering breaking news alerts and a weekly email newsletter? Keep up-to-date with all the local news: sign up here.