THE Steamers headed to the Connolly Rugby Complex in Wagga for their third consecutive grand final as defending premiers but very much underdogs against a Griffith team that included two former Fijian internationals. The Blacks led 16-11 with two minutes to go when the blue and golds’ Richard Manion burst onto a ball and into the clear, only to have the referee pull it back for a forward pass. It was a line ball call, but worse was to come. From the ensuing scrum Griffith five eighth Dan Rawaqa reefed the ball downfield for a lineout, with the referee claiming it had come off one of the Steamers. An impartial spectator said the ref must have seen the Steamer fan in the crowd catch the ball and ruled on that!

PLAYERS collapsed in the 41-degree heat, but Super Rugby combatants the NSW Waratahs and Melbourne Rebels still put on a show for more than 4000 faithful fans at an immaculate Albury Sportsground in February. The game was split into quarters to minimise the heat and the Rebels recorded their first trial game win. The Rebels ended with the wooden spoon, the Waratahs as champions for the first time.

NO sooner had the Steamers farewelled English hardman Dave Cooper-Dunn than a trio of his fellow countrymen arrived at Murrayfield. Tom Wilmore, Arran McDougall and Brandon Lewsey were lured to the Border by fl yhalf Richard Manion’s connections with English rugby. All three had an impact, with McDougall playing rep rugby, and, unlike the Army boys, had few issues with the bitter Border winter.

ASH Lefevre was the pin-up as the next generation of Steamers stepped up to the plate. After some notable exits following the previous year’s grand final win it was the emergence of some home grown talent that typified the blue and golds’ finals charge. He ended up being in the competition rep team and anointed as the successor to retiring No. 8 Nathan Bright.

ONE of rugby league’s greatest kickers put his hand up to help the Steamers’ cause. Mike Eden worked with the blue and golds’ Blake Le Cornu late in the season and said the centre had the ability to kick it from anywhere. Eden won rugby league’s best and fairest award (now the Dally M) in 1983 in a season where he scored 256 points (103 goals and two fi eld goals). He could kick with both right and left foot depending on the angle and never measured his run-up.

THE Army’s decision to reach out to local sporting clubs rather than play in-house reaped dividends for the Steamers. Brad Nayler, Nick Barbara, Tom Sullivan, Sean Armstrong and Lucas Boye — all here as part of their national duties — played a role in first grade during the year. They had come from as far as Townsville and Darwin and, while the reception at the Steamers was warm, they did struggle with training in a Border winter.

THE Steamers had dominated the line-outs for most of the year, but that all changed just 30 minutes into the grand final against Griffith when go-to line-out man Tom Rowan was rendered a passenger. The lanky forward broke the little finger on his right hand in a tackle and came to the sideline to have it strapped to his ring finger. But in the next tackle, Rowan dislocated the thumb on his left hand.

LIKE a number of other codes the Steamers threw their weight behind the James McQuillan Foundation — wearing hybrid jerseys against Tumut that were auctioned at the annual ball that night, with some going for $600 each. But the highlight was a dinner for 10, to be cooked by the Steamers’ inside centre Blake Le Cornu and complete with wait staff, that delivered $2000 for the Tiger footballer who was left a quadriplegic earlier this year.

MANY had thought Nathan Bright had played his last game for the Steamers in the 2013 grand final. They were wrong. The one-time centre who became an institution at Murrayfield in the No. 8 jumper backed up for a final fling. But after a send-off at what was to be his last home game against Tumut, “Brighty” had the chance to double dip when the Steamers got to host their own semi-fi nal.

IT was the inexplicable loss that defined their season. The Steamers travelled to Leeton to play the winless Phantoms and found themselves trailing 21-0 at halftime. They scored three late tries to get the score to 21-17, but still handed Leeton its only win of the season and made making the top two almost impossible.