When did you know that your team would win the big one?

[juro]

In 2005,
- I thought we were a great chance when we beat the dragons in the major semi
- I thought we were favourites when the Cowboys knocked out Parra (a team we just couldn't beat at the time)
- I started celebrating when the Cowboys missed that last conversion. Until that moment, it was horribly tense...

 

[muzby]

when nathan fein scored in 2010..

up till then the little negative voice in my head kept on calculating the time left, and all the different times we'd lost from similar positions...

 

[legend]

I knew at the start of the 94 season the Raiders were near invincible and it would take a team with extraordinary talent and grit to beat us to win the premiership. That team did not exist.

 

[The Charlatan]

After we beat the Saints in the prelim final. That was the game I expected us to lose and when the siren went at that game I told my father that we had one hand on the premiership. Cocky I know, but I thought St. George were the form side that season and were most likely to win it.

 

[papabear]

When did you first realise that your team would win the big one that year that your team claimed the prize? When did you have that gut feeling that it was going to be your team?s year?

Being a Balmain / Wests Tigers supporter, good times were pretty bloody lean in number. After 1989, I have NEVER had a gut feel that my team would win anything until a Sunday afternoon game against the Sharks at Shark Park.
I was at my place that I rented in Camooweal (North Qld territory) this particular day. Before this game, the Tigs had some pretty good form but I never believed that was going to last and expected a bleak end. The Sharks had a pretty strong line-up that day. The way our key players played that day was simply magical. Our forwards played like a premiership pack, Prince had a huge day with a hat-trick and Benji delivered the most amazing try assist you will ever see. For an opposition crowd to cheer Benji the way they did showed how special the play was.
That afternoon, I jumped up and down and was full of joy. From that game onwards, I fully believed that we were going to win it.
The team had bigger occasions that year (GF, the semi against St George) but that regular season game was very bloody special to me as a Tigers fan. Very special year as a league supporter and no other season comes close.

I remember that try assist.

I was having an argument with a bloke about how much of a weapon benji was that he was better then barret and right on cue he delivered that. It was serendipitous.

Not often that I remember old moments from non raiders games.

 

[Valheru]

As far as getting that feeling during the season we would win the comp….

2002 – when we held off wests 16-12 away after about 11 sets defending our own line at the end and when we spanked NZ 44-0

2013 – Beating Manly at Brookvale

As far as knowing we were going to win the comp

2002 – Fitzgibbon’s try in the GF

2013 – Jennings try in the GF although I was quite confident as soon as we were up 20-18 after SKD’s try.

 

[Rabbit toes]

I'm extremely pessimistic. It wasn't until Reynolds converted Auva'a's try did I start believing 'holy shit, we might win this thing'.

Funny for me it was when burgess collided with graham, when the trainer got in his ear and talked to him you literally saw the magnitude of the situation sink into his head. I knew there and then we would win and that he was MOM. Which bummed me cause I had Teo. Haha

 

[butchmcdick]

I knew at the start of the 94 season the Raiders were near invincible and it would take a team with extraordinary talent and grit to beat us to win the premiership. That team did not exist.

Not one under the salary cap anyway

 

[Twatface Magee]

When Todd Payten scored late. I was never going to let myself get too far ahead after 89.


Hey alien? When did you think 05 was in the bag?

For me it was Josh Hannay missing the shot at goal.

 

[Vic Mackey]

2005 and strange for me, because we literally came from nowhere (even at round 13 where coming 13th or something ridiculous) and I know it's cliche but I took it one week at a time and never got ahead of myself.

After the first semi where we beat the Cowboys 50-6 a group of mates I was at the game with (none tigers fans) said 'you'll win the comp' I think I entertained a few thoughts then, however because we were on a high and it was all so unexpected I was just enjoying the moment and each week for what it was. No one was giving us a chance, we were meant to be cannon fodder for both the Broncos and dragons. Before the finals Wayne Bennett said only 3 teams could win the comp (he didn't say it but was implying saints, parra and them).

When we beat saints I was just happy to be in a grand final, then when the Cowboys belted the eels I remember thinking 'ohh shit we should actually win this.' Having expectations was totally new to me, now I was going to be horribly Dissapointed if we lost, whereas previously would have said 'oh well it was a great ride while it lasted.'

Pretty much the first 5 mins after halftime in 05 GF I was confident. The first half we were very poor and you could the occasion and the pressure of being favouries had overawed them. However the first few sets after the break we seemed to be back in the flow of our normal game which had got us there. Even though we didn't score to go 12 up until 60 odd minutes I could tell if we kept it up we would finish over them.

 

[T.S Quint]

When we were setting records and smashing every team we came up against in 2001 I just knew we were going to win it.

Oh wait....

 

[Exsilium]

I recall the 1991 grand final as a youngster with the family but considering our seasons prior to 2003 we just seemed to have come out of nowhere, much like the Tigers of 2005. We lost a few games early and went on to win seven in a row and then winning became a habit. The Roosters made light work of most teams that year and with the side they had should have gone on to win it.

Come grand final day I was a nervous wreck but we just seemed to absorb so much pressure. We didn't panic and that's what saved us. Whilst the expectation on the players was high we looked comfortable and Priddis was epic. We all talk about Scott Sattler and "that" tackle but for mine Luke Priddis was the key.

Then in 2004 we looked good to go back to back but it was a poor performance against eventual winners Canterbury which sealed our fate. I have no doubt that had we beaten Canterbury we would have won the premiership.

 

[GongPanther]

When Brandy kicked that conversion wide out from the sideline in 1991 after Royce scored in the corner.

During that 1991 season,after the 7th round,I had a notion that this side was going to be a tough nut to crack.

 

[Rabbits20]

When Auva'a scored with 9mins left

I bought GF tickets after Souths beat Manly in R22 at SCG 22-4.

I knew that was a big statement and was confident we would make the GF.

Then we had to get over Rorters in the prelim. Boy was I bloody nervous that night. Then GI took the match by the scruff of the neck along with Sam and Te'o.

 

[TheFrog]

I also picked the Tigers 2005 premierships several weeks prior to the end of the season after they beat us at ANZ that year, and told my tigers loving brother in law to buy is GF tickets and get ready to party.

You cannot have watched them in the final round then. They only had to win to come 3rd but were flogged by a team out of the running.

 

[mozza91]

After we beat Brisbane 44-0 in Round 18 2001 I knew if Johns stayed fit we'd win the comp and after we flogged the Roosters in the 1st week of the finals I was certain.

 

[Galeforce]

round 18 , 1967

Saints were defending premiers , having won 11 premierships in a row , Souths had a maturing young champion team.

St George Dragons 13 lost to South Sydney Rabbitohs 20
Match URL

Date
Saturday, July 22nd, 1967
Referee
Col Pearce
Venue
Sydney Cricket Ground (Sydney)
Crowd
50,153

I was there at this game and also at the 1967 grand final.

 

[Different kind of Rabbit]

When George Burgess trampled over the top of Tony Williams to score in the GF.

I was very confident in the weeks prior to that however, that confidence went out the window at the kick off when James Grahame broke Sam Burgess' jaw.

When George scored that try, I knew we had it in the bag.

 

[The Charlatan]

Alien knew the day he jumped ship.

 

[Vic Mackey]

You cannot have watched them in the final round then. They only had to win to come 3rd but were flogged by a team out of the running.

The tigers really clocked off the last 2 rounds. Had won 8 straight, were assured of a top 4 berth and had 2 eyes on the finals. Lead early v the panthers and then played in dinner suits for the next 60 mins. The next 4 weeks proved what they were thinking about.