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Andrew Moore | 30/09/08 | 0
VIDEO - Billy Idol... tough act to follow on GF day
Ah yes, the always controversial rugby league grand final entertainment is being officially unveiled today, always something to look forward to.
While the pre-game show at the AFL grand final always seems to be well received, and go off without a hitch, it’s rarely the case on NRL grand final day. We’ve had some doozies, haven’t we?
My favourite will always be the appearance of Billy Idol before the 2005 grand final between the Wests Tigers and North Queensland.
Remember his spectacular entrance – on a hover craft of all things. It was brilliant. He was pumped up, ready for a bit of rebel yell. But the only thing which rebelled was the sound gear, which had American attachments that didn’t work in Australia.
So he stood on stage like a stunned mullet – or Mohawk – for about 10 minutes.
Who can forget the performance, or lack of it, of 42nd Street a number of years ago at the Sydney Football Stadium? The great Optus Balloon which so dramatically fell apart? Parachutists landing on the Sydney Football Stadium roof? Ah, the memories.
Mind you, we Sydneysiders don’t seem to care all that much about anything other than the game on grand final day. While Melbournians, 100,000 of them, are in their seats an hour before the first bounce to watch the entertainment.
Those in Sydney talk our way through it, so basically the only ones we remember are those that go horribly wrong.
Because there has been some good ones: Meatloaf; Jimmy Barnes; Tina Turner; John Farnham... there has been some top stuff on show.
But the bottom line is, for rugby league fans, the real entertainment only starts when the players run on to the field for the big game.
Manly versus Melbourne. The Sea Eagles’ tough as teak centre Steve Matai will play despite a shoulder injury, which requires surgery.
And Greg Inglis, who’s been ominously quiet during the finals so far, has a bung knee as a result of growth spurts.
Fair dinkum, he could end up being 7 foot 6!
Five more sleeps... although I dare say those in charge of the pre-game entertainment may not sleep at all.
He stood on stage like a stunned mullet – or Mohawk – for about 10 minutes. Ah, the memories.
Andrew Moore
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