ENOUGH is enough. After an orchestrated Sydney media campaign against Melbourne Storm, the time is right for Victoria to stand united.
To put it bluntly, we should "stick it up 'em" and
stand behind our rugby league team.
Storm, a modern great of the NRL, will arrive in Sin City tomorrow before Sunday's grand final. It is preparing to be even more hated than its rival Manly.
The Sea Eagles - long the most-despised team in rugby league - have handed the unwanted mantle to Melbourne.
Nobody likes a winner, it seems, but especially now, and especially in Sydney.
During the past month the
Daily Telegraph, the
Herald Sun's sister paper, has splashed headlines such as "Storm breaks over whingeing Bellamy", "Rants don't win comps" and "Storm can grapple" across its pages.
The Sydneysiders have
smashed the "Mexicans" in purple as part of a five-year campaign over their part in introducing the grapple tackle to the game.
An editorial in yesterday's
Telegraph read: "What a pity that as rugby league begins its traditional celebrations for grand final week, our great game is being sullied south of the border. Ironically, the spoilers are not from the code's age-old rivals, the AFL, but from an enemy within."
Please - what a load of rubbish.
Those who have sullied that game - and continue to - are the ones who would have you believe rugby league is better off returning to its traditional roots and playing exclusively in New South Wales.
Former Australian captain Gorden Tallis wrote in his column for Brisbane's
Courier Mail yesterday: "Over the past few weeks they (Storm) have been kicked from pillar to post - predominantly in the Sydney media. They have been weakened by injury and suspension alike. While a few fans will be happy to jump aboard the hate train, plenty of others are starting to see through some of the agendas being driven against them."
The treatment of Storm captain Cameron Smith in the northern press was disgraceful. He will now miss a grand final because of a moment of madness on the field that he maintains was neither intentional or malicious.
It's a life-long penalty that one of the best blokes in the game has to live with.
Admittedly, Storm's public response was poorly handled and orchestrated and it is paying for it.
Coach Craig Bellamy started his tirade by saying: "Cameron Smith, 10 minutes after the game last week, was hung out to dry."
Bellamy then hung himself out to dry. The NRL hit Storm with a record $50,000 fine. Ouch.
But you've got to admire Bellamy's passion and fire. That's why Storm supporters love him and Victoria's sports fans have grown to respect and admire him.
He loves his club. He loves his players. And he loves the game.
He now stands on the verge of history. Since the NRL was formed - after a peace deal was brokered between Super League and the Australian Rugby League at the end of 1997 - no team had won three successive minor premierships. Storm accomplished that this year.
Melbourne can now become the first team to win back-to-back NRL titles - and keep the trophy away from the bleating Sydneysiders for the third consecutive year.
That should be reason enough to get the bandwagon rolling.
