Top 10 NRL 2009 highlights

Benji Marshall. Photo / Getty Images

Off-field controversy has hounded the NRL all season, but there's been enough magic on the field to keep the fans happy. With the grand final approaching, Chris Rattue recalls the greatest moments of 2009

1 Two refs

The introduction of two referees to control NRL games was not as interesting as it might have been, which means the administrators can regard it as an unqualified success. There was the odd gripe, which barely registers when it comes to classic league controversies. A league controversy isn't a league controversy unless civilisations are changed, Governments brought down and mothers forced on to the streets waving banners. It's even hard to recall commentator extraordinaire Phil Gould complaining. Actually, he did have one of his famous no, no, no, no, no-type moments when calling for the senior referee of any duo to take full control of all finals games. (A lot of us find it hard to work out which one is in control anyway.) The aim in introducing a second referee was to stop hanky-panky in the tackle area - in other words, it was a Sydney plot to clip the Melbourne Storm's chicken wings. It also eased pressure on refs - they do fewer hard yards on the field and in the press. The dual-refereeing work was almost seamless so a plug for the referees. They must have worked very hard at getting this right, and it paid off.

2 Stacey Jones v Manly and the Roosters

Don't get up to make that cup of tea because you'll miss the Warriors' highlight reel for 2009. It was left to Stacey Jones Mark III, or is that Mark IV, to leave a couple of indelible scratches. Not so racy Stacey's superlative chip-and-chase and follow-up bomb to create late tries against Manly were among the most significant moments in the NRL season. The shock victory over the Sea Eagles helped foster a crisis of confidence within the unsettled 2008 champions and they never fully recovered. Jones also landed a late field goal to win a thriller over the Roosters, after the Warriors trailed Fittler's Flops 16-0. Sadly, Jones' old legs were partly to blame for the lack of other highlights, but at least we had brief reminders of his prime. It will likely be a long time before another homegrown Stacey Jones passes this way although Kevin Locke is shaping up as another little fella with a big heart and talent to match. About the only other highlight was Micheal Luck's tackle stats. Lucky never takes a break when it comes to tackling - the Aussie import was last seen hanging around the Kiwi training camp, no doubt trying to get a few more hits in before hanging up the shoulder pads for Christmas. Rumour is he spends Christmas Day tackling guests on the back lawn.

3 Benji Marshall's try-scoring pass against the Eels

I'd crawl over broken glass for the privilege of climbing the North Face without a rope if it meant getting to watch bouncing Benji play. The Wests Tigers wizard is like Jarryd Hayne with the sound turned up. In modern parlance, Marshall would get an "assist" for setting up this try against the Eels, which is a bit like saying that Billy Slater is quite handy for the Melbourne Storm. Marshall did his usual hop-step-jump routine before flinging the ball around his back to Blake Ayshford, who scored in the corner. It happened so quickly that it was easy to miss the audacity of the pass. A few anorak-wearers suggested a regulation pass would have done the trick. Killjoys. Kids: try this one at home. If a few windows get broken in the process, what the hell. It will all be worth it.

4 Cameron Smith

It's no coincidence that the Storm collapsed without Smith in last year's grand final - he's Captain Marvel. Smith got over the disappointment of that suspension to put in another consummate season and guide his team to the ultimate game again. The Storm lost a few good players from 2008, but they only skipped a couple of beats thanks largely to Smith. Compared to most dummy halves who are little blokes with blatant high energy, Smith is a bigger man who can sneak under the radar. Once you hone in on his skill though, it's hard to take the eyes away. It's his cool authority that stands out - you could lock Smith in a cupboard with Jason Taylor and David Fa'alogo and he still wouldn't get flustered. Smith is like the captain of a ship who stands imperiously at the bow. His kicking, timing of the pass and direct-route dummy-half running is immaculate, and he is a master at minimal moves to draw markers off their tasks. There just isn't anything Smith won't do. If you asked him to sweep out the sheds, he'd also clean the windows. Perfectly.

5 The ultimate spear tackle - the form book gets turned on its head

It was a season from hell for the pundits. Thank goodness for the good old reliable Melbourne Storm - Bellamy's bankers have given recent seasons shape and the media tipsters a chance. It was a topsy-turvy time all right. The Bulldogs were dog tucker last year, but almost won the 2009 minor premiership. Parramatta were lost souls turned grand finalists. Penrith were the wooden-spoon favourites who almost made the top eight. As for the Warriors, Roosters and Sharks - the 2008 contenders turned into awful also-rans. As for next season - I've ripped up the 2009 points table already and pulled the Rabbitohs out of a hat.

6 Brisbane centre/prop Dave Taylor

Oops. The Broncos stuffed up here letting this runaway train run away to South Sydney next season. The big man looks like he was built by someone with a set square and a load of cement. Officially, Taylor is a prop. But Broncos boss Ivan Henjak, in his rookie coaching year, let Taylor loose on the fringes. It was such a success that one famous commentator got overly excited and suggested Taylor might play in the halves when the Broncos lost playmaker Peter Wallace for the finals. Watching Taylor charging at little and not-so-little centres was a season highlight and the type of innovative thinking that keeps opponents on their toes, spectators on the edge of their seats and teammates primed to revel in the carnage. New South Sydney coach John Lang may be less inclined to give Taylor such licence - the Rabbitohs need the big boppers to lay a platform for their twinkling stars. The signing of Taylor and Pommy prop Sam Burgess makes Souths interesting propositions next year.

7 Jarryd Hayne and the electric Eels

The Aussie commentators were falling all over themselves in their search for superlatives to describe Hayne. You can be certain that at least five of them said "Jarryd is the superstar of our game". Somewhere during the season it became official: Jarryd Hayne is a dead-set genius. Phil "no, no, no, no, no" Gould undoubtedly said "yes, yes, yes, yes, yes" about the fabulous fullback, if not publicly, then certainly in one of those private moments when you reflect on what is good in life, which for Gould means what is good in league. Hayne leads defenders on a merry dance, and he's actually quite happy to skip backwards to buy a bit of time while deciding which particular defender he is about to turn into a goose. Like other freaky footballers, such as Daniel Carter, opponents who appear to have a good shot on Hayne slip to ground or clutch at air. Hayne has that priceless ability to create something out of nothing. A bit of advice Jarryd: when the NRL comes knocking over summer asking you to be their poster boy for 2010, put the sidestep into action mate. The job is jinxed. Just say no, no, no, no, no.

8 Gordy and Gary

Gordon Tallis hardly gets a word in, but that's no surprise when Gary Freeman is around. Still, they form a deft duo on Fox TV's lively and informative NRL show. The first thing that strikes you about Tallis on TV is how big his nut is. I stood next to Tallis after St George played in Auckland once and put it this way, his head is in proportion. The Tallis frame definitely dominated the field of vision, to the point that you considered calling for someone to turn the floodlights on. The true size difference between Tallis and normal folk doesn't come across on the screen for some reason, and it does make you wonder if wee Gary is sitting on a cushion. Either that or he's demanded that big Gordy kneel on the floor. Anyway, it's a top show and there's no way around the fact that former Kiwi captain Freeman is the star - he's got a sharp brain and age certainly hasn't wearied his mouth. Aussie league lionheart Wayne Pearce is also on the panel, but you'd hardly know it except when Gary is taking the mickey out of him. Pearce seems at a loss when Freeman is making his usual racket, whereas Gordy tries to mumble a return of serve.

9 Phil Gould

Mr Rugby League for my money. There's no getting away from the man, partly because he is absolutely everywhere in print and on television. Gould's industry has created his own industry - if the great club and state coach hasn't put his 10 cents worth in, you feel short changed. Gould sounds very much like a man who goes to sleep with tapes of old games still running on the TV - life is too short to ignore the possibility that league can still penetrate the sleeping brain through some form of osmosis. Gould makes good sense, and he makes a heck of a lot of it. Repetition is nothing to fear in his world. Gould's pet hate is the obstruction law which results in tries being disallowed when blokes get whacked off the ball. His other pet hate is players who get pinged for tackling decoy runners "on suspicion". In other words, Phil Gould likes an old style sort of league with a few sensible modern limits. And there's nothing wrong with that.

10 The Grand Final

Taking a punt here, but Sunday night's showdown between Parramatta and Melbourne cries classic with all the gusto of Ray "Rabbits" Warren describing a kickoff. As for potential match winners: Jarryd Hayne is the man of the moment, but don't count out the sensational Billy Slater. As for picking a winner in this madhouse ... no thanks. The 2009 season prediction wounds are still too fresh.