OUR performance last week brought us a lot of criticism and, while it was deserved, it's always tough. We always knew it was a short turnaround, which meant the chance to move quickly past the Roosters game and focus on last night's game against Cronulla.
There was a lot of focus on Johnny Mannah, and the trophy we played for last night.
Paul Gallen had been tremendous all week helping promote the game. He drove to Parramatta to have his photo taken with John's brother, Tim, has been available for every interview, and when his media commitments were over we sat down in my office and had a chat that made us both realise that football is just football.
With all the trouble both clubs have been enduring in recent times, that trophy brought something we needed. Perspective.
The game, the media and both clubs were remarkable with their care and compassion for the Mannah family during the preparation, which was always treated as a celebration of Johnny's life.
There were dozens and dozens of the Mannah family there last night. Before the game, Tim was presented with a tribute jumper for his brother, as all the players were.
The emotional build-up was special. Not over the top, just honest. It brought me back to a big part of our preparation during the week, when Jimmy Cassidy dropped by at training last Friday morning.
He's ridden champions like Might And Power, won all the big races, 97 Group 1 winners, and knows what it's like to be on top. But he also knows the other side as well.
He talked to the boys about getting through the good times with humility.
And he talked about the tough times and how that reveals true character.
"Leave the negativity at the front door," he told them. "This is when you find out how tough your character is."
We talk about qualities like that so much in our game it sometimes loses its meaning. But when a fighter like the Pumper takes you through some of his tough times, and you watch him adding to his Group 1 tally, you realise they're not hollow words.
I've said before that Johnny Mannah was the most inspirational person I knew, given the pain and fatigue I'd seen him train through.
Three minutes before we ran out last night, the moment having come, I asked the players that if they couldn't put their own interests aside and come to terms with their own pain and fatigue for one game, and do that for their mate Timmy on a night so important to him, then we weren't being true to ourselves.
We're against it at Parra, but we're learning to be fighters.
