My first Grand Final since Leigh's 2004 success was a reminder certainly on the field about the superb sport we have in rugby league.
Each game was good for a different reason. Warrington Wizards and Huddersfield Underbank Rangers got us underway and what a game this was - a real credit to that competition, full of skill, tough and pretty quick.
Rangers opened the score when hooker Adam Carroll forced his way over the line after just six minutes. Neil Barrett's conversion made it 6-0 and the Warrington side struck back after seventeen minutes.
Without doubt this was the highlight as Wizards player-coach Chris Campbell scored a memorable try. From a twenty metre tap the Warrington side moved the ball quickly and Campbell glided down the wing with his effortless running style to finish from at least fifty metres with apparent ease.
After trailing 18-6, Huddersfield Underbank hit back to level the score at 18-18 after battling Joe Worthington burst through the middle from close range.
National Conference League player of the season Jono Smith put a drop goal over to edge the Wizards in front and when a superb crossfield kick was caught by Dave Yii who then did incredibly well to get the ball out for wing Graham Healey to gleefully get over in the corner. That meant that the Warrington side prevailed 23-18.
The second final that from Championship One arguably had most riding on it. Promotion from Championship One was at stake with the chance to join Hunslet in the higher division next year.
This saw fancied Oldham take on York with the Roughyeds finally looking to win and make it fourth time lucky for their long suffering fans.
From the off, York looked the better team and scored an early try through Wayne Reittie. Oldham then equalised thanks to the vision and quick thinking of stand-off Neil Roden. The veteran chipped over, regathered and then kicked on again for Mick Foggerty to ground.
York grabbed the only other try of the second half when fullback James Haynes virtually crawled his way to the line after Dave Ellison conceded a penalty. Lee Waterman's goal made it 10-4 and that was how it remained at the break despite the City Knights twice losing the ball after creating chances.
Waterman added a penalty in the second half and the teams went toe-to-toe and set-for-set before York broke and after Nathan Freer was halted close, Chris Thorman's quick thinking and dummy took him over the line. The stand-off duly converted and became the central figure as his kicking game took centre stage.
Eleven minutes from time Thorman knocked over a drop goal to make it 19-4 and the last ten minutes were enjoyable for the City Knights and like pulling teeth for Oldham. An excellent passing move led to Steve Lewis scoring a superb try and Thorman confirmed his man-of-the-match billing with the conversion to finish with a personal tally of nine points (a try, 2 goals and a drop goal) in the 25-4 win.
It was real blood and thunder stuff in the Co-operative Championship Final as top two Featherstone and Halifax played out a game that no-one present at the Halliwell Jones Stadium will forget.
Rob Worrincy scored one of the great final tries with a 100 metre dash but Rovers soon took a stranglehold and led 12-4 before the game was delayed for 45 minutes due to a fire in the stand that housed the majority of Halifax fans. This resulted in an entire terraced end moving onto the pitch. The blaze was dealt with by stewards and the fire service arrived to make sure it was safe to continue. Everyone was allowed back onto the terrace before a further announcement told people to make their way to the Martin Dawes all-seater stand opposite. As fans funneled though the Featherstone players wives and girfriends were led from the stand and housed elsewhere.
Eventually the game got back underway and it remained 12-4 at half-time.
Two further tries in the first 13 minutes saw Rovers build a 22-4 lead but like a prize one day cricket team on a run chase, Fax clawed it back and when Stephen Bannister got over and Lee Paterson equalised with the conversion, it was all level at 22-all.
The game moved into sudden death extra-time and we saw a bit of Black magic as Ben Black etched his name into Halifax history in a similar way John Pendlebury did 23 years earlier with a well struck drop goal that had the little Aussie celebrating and jumping for joy as it left his boot.
A compelling game finished 23-22 to Halifax and in the lyrics and style of Nat King Cole, it certainly was "unforgettable".
Roll on 2011, my appetite is whet already!
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