Andrew Voss gives his tip for the Telstra Premiership Grand Final, takes a look at the season of Johnathan Thurston, questions the Coach of the Year and rates the Roosters' season.
Who wins the grand final?
It's an even money bet for mine.
I'm tipping the Broncos to make it seven wins from seven grand final appearances, but I reckon I could form just as strong an argument for a Cowboys victory.
What I am hoping for is that the game is decided in regulation time. I dread to think of what controversy we would be dealing with if the big one goes to golden point on Sunday night.
These two teams fought out the outstanding game of the finals series just three weeks ago. A repeat of such a contest would do me.
Brisbane to win by four… again. And lock me in for Ben Hunt to snare the Clive Churchill Medal.
How good has Johnathan Thurston's year been?
In my opinion it has been his best at club level in his career.
His Dally M Medal win came as no surprise to anyone in rugby league, and to be honest, nor did the margin of victory.
And while he may add a premiership ring to a phenomenal season, I think he doesn't necessarily need to be part of a win on Sunday night to define his greatness.
But there is one major award Thurston may do it tough to be a contender.
The only 'blemish' on his report card in 2015 was the Test loss for Australia against New Zealand in May.
Unfortunately he won't get a chance to make amends this year as the Kangaroos are having time off. That makes for an interesting Golden Boot winner, as there is normally a stronger weighting put on international performances.
It may well be Roger Tuivasa-Sheck who is favourite to claim that one should he excel in New Zealand's three-Test series against England.
Have we got the timing of the Coach of the Year award right?
No we don't.
We all saluted Wayne Bennett on Monday night with his gong at the Dally M, and there have probably been other times in his career where he should have won the award but didn't. So I guess, "what goes around, comes around".
But I'm afraid I can't work out how through 26 rounds Wayne could possibly have been ahead of the Roosters' Trent Robinson or the Sharks' Shane Flanagan in the pecking order. And he could have been no better than level with the Cowboys Paul Green as a contender.
Robinson had won a third-straight minor premiership as well as overseeing a streak of 12 straight wins heading into the finals.
Flanagan took a side from wooden spooners in 2014 and that lost its first four games in 2015, to within one win of the top four.
Bennett has had a great year, but had to be on equal terms with Green going into the playoffs. After all, both clubs also made the finals last year. How about the feat of the Cowboys this year winning nine of 12 away games? That's a massive feather in the cap of the North Queensland coach.
Perhaps such awards don't mean a great deal to coaches in contention for grand finals anyway, but if the Cowboys get the job done on Sunday night, how can Paul Green not be recognised as the NRL's best of the year?
How do you rate the Roosters' season?
It's a success. A third-straight minor premiership was a mighty achievement.
And without apology to the Broncos or Cowboys, I stand by my comment of last week that the Roosters deserved a place in the grand final based on what they achieved over 26 rounds.
However, one win from three games in the playoffs was a huge let down for their fans, and there is now no question that we have the two best sides in the finals fighting out the big one at ANZ Stadium.
For the Roosters, last Friday night is one that they probably want to forget, right from that stunning first minute.
However I just wonder how the match would have unfolded had Shaun Kenny-Dowall snared that try straight after half-time, only for a 'lost control' call to go against Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.
As it was, they never scored again and the Broncos regained momentum to march into the grand final.
Looking ahead, with the loss of Tuivasa-Sheck and James Maloney, it's hard to see how the Roosters will be anywhere near as strong in 2016.
The chance for another title for this playing group may have passed.
Which player has been the biggest success story of 2015?
There are plenty on that list, but if you are putting one together yourself, don't leave Adam Cuthbertson off it.
At age 30, and after a 138 game NRL career across four clubs, Cuthbertson headed off to the Super League this season and boy has he found a home.
The fans and commentators alike over there have been glowing in praise of his performances.
So good have they been for front runners Leeds that Cuthbertson is now one of three players nominated for the Super League Man of Steel.
He was also named this week in the Super League 'Dream Team' of 2015 alongside a couple of players bound for the NRL next year, Zeb Taia (Titans) and Joe Burgess (Roosters).
On the domestic front, Blake Austin and Blake Green had enormous years in establishing themselves in the NRL.
The bloke who in the opinion of Canberra coach Ricky Stuart has a 'crap' beard and haircut, emerged as a genuine star in his move to a third club in three years.
And Green returned from four years in England a quality player who didn't miss a match for the Storm.
Don't forget Changa on grand final day
Sunday will mark 40 years since the day Graeme Langlands strode out onto the SCG wearing white boots in the grand final.
What a story 'Changa' has had to be quizzed about thousands of times since.
The white boots of course are just one component of a day when everything went wrong for the future immortal and his St George side as they were hammered 38-0 by the Jack Gibson-coached Roosters.
But back to the boots. How must Changa feel watching players in pink boots, yellow boots, purple boots or boots that don't match, these days?
Rather than reflect on the disaster of the day of the white boots, perhaps it's time we hail a fashion pioneer who was years ahead of his time.
Enjoy Sunday folks.
Giddy Up!
Twitter: @AndrewVossy
