Last night I was at the Grand Final and unfortunately witnessed another Manly Grand Final win.
Just before the game a tribute to Nathan Hindmarsh was put up on the big screen. As a champion and ambassador for the game he was given the honour of holding the premiership trophy, taking it from the helicopter to the stand.
This made me think a lot about both Hindmarsh and Lyon.
One is an absolute legend of the game, as loyal as they come. He is a one club man and is everything that is good about the Parramatta Eels and Rugby League. When he was announced last night everybody cheered, no matter what club they were there to support. Year after year Hindmarsh wins the Provan Summons Medal at the Dally M Awards, voted favourite player by the fans. Unfortunately it is unlikely that he will ever hold the Provan Summons trophy as a part of a winning Grand Final team.
The other is Jamie 'Judas' Lyon. Every time he touched the ball last night I booed. When he was taken away to repair a head cut I cheered. This guy is the absolute opposite of Hindmarsh.
He was an Eel who chose to walk away from Parramatta so he could join Manly. Anyone who knows anything about the Eels knows that Manly and Parra are archenemies. It's in our blood. It's the way it's always going to be. You don't walk out on your team to join the enemy.
Since leaving the Eels Jamie Lyon has played in 3 Grand Finals and won 2 of them. Loyalty means nothing to him. The record books will show him as a winner and champion of the game. Eels fans will remember him as a traitor.
Also on the field last night were other ex-Eels. They too were playing for Manly, but in no way are they traitors. These guys honoured their contracts with the Eels and then went on to greener pastures. Rugby League is a sport, but it's also a business. All the best to them. They now have premiership rings to remember their triumph.
I'm hoping that 2012 can be a miracle year for the Eels. I hope our astute recruitment will produce the goods within a season and Nathan Hindmarsh can stand as the winning captain, holding the trophy that he deserves as the Parramatta Eels are declared the Premiers for 2012. The captain and the man who gave his everything to his beloved Eels and showed that true integrity and sportsmanship meant more than selfishness and betrayal.
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We need a million things to go our way but we are a small chance of giving Hindy the GF win next year...
As for Lyon.. f%$^ him, not going to waste my great creative writing skills on him:)
It was the way in which he did it! Jibbering on about being homesick for where he grew up, but than ended up in England much further away from home than Parramatta. In other words - He was lying!!!.
On the topic of SBW, he screwed the Bulldogs over.....not Parra.
Hang on.....you don't want Parra to sign SBW because he showed no loyalty, but what do you think about Manly signing Lyon? I don't think Manly care about Lyon screwing over Parra, especially when he has contributed to their success.
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