2008 Rugby League World Cup Champions...New Zealand?!

It doesn't really roll off the tongue does it?! Unbelievable result. The worst thing about the game was that other than Billy Slater's monumental faux pas and Joel Monaghan's moment of madness, I didn't think we played badly. I couldn't find any Australian player who had an average match. Maybe the lack of competitive matches for the Aussies can be blamed but the credit must go to the Kiwis who just kept hanging on. To the victors go the spoils:

New Zealand Rugby League team WAGS

I have three gripes from last night. The first was the sloppy Channel Nine commentary. For example, after a hundred replays, Sterlo, Gus and Rabs still hadn't figured out that Vatuvei's knee was clearly in touch and that the put-down was irrelevant. The second is the penalty try. I couldn't have given it as Slater was almost as close to the ball as Hohaia and could have dived for it as well. It wasn't a certain try for mine and I think it should have been a penalty and ten in the bin for Monaghan. My biggest issue with last night was the disgraceful decision to award the Man of the Match award to an Australian. Maybe they had already pre-picked hometown hero Lockyer, assuming a comfortable Kangaroos victory; whatever the reason, those responsible for giving it to a player on a team who lost by 14 points should be made to watch every Souths match with Russell Crowe for the rest of their lives wearing a Roosters jersey. "You wanna foight?!?!".

Well that concludes WHAB's Rugby League posts for the year. Manly crowned Premiers and the Kiwis taking out the World Cup...What a super year it's been!