Flashback, Sisa Waqa (2008)

In the lead up to Sunday's blockbuster grand final, we take a look back at some of the players before they got to where they are now

PHOTO - Carlos Furtado

Pictured here in 2008, Sisa Waqa had just made the switch from Union to League, after signing a two year deal with the Sydney Roosters. Waqa was playing for Gordon RFC in the Shute Shield, where he scored 26 tries in 18 games.

Born and raised in Fiji, Waqa represented the Fijian schoolboys, under-19s, under-21s and Fiji A in Union before moving to Australia.

Waqa would play 7 games in 2 years for the Tri-colours before signing with French rugby club Montauban. The deal fell through and Waqa spent the 2010 season playing locally in Sydney. Then, in true Craig Bellamy fashion, the Melbourne coach through the flying Fijian a lifeline.

Since joining the Storm last year, Waqa has found a home in Melbourne and on Sunday he'll play in his first NRL grand final.

From Harold Matthews to PM's XIII

Found this while flicking through an old Big League from 2006 yesterday. A 16 year old Wade Graham, captain of the Penrith Panthers victorious 2006 Harold Matthews Cup team.

Wests Tigers, Mad Monday 2004

Its been a tough day/week for Tigers fans. Here's a picture of some better times.

2009 and 2012, more familiar than you think

It's 2009. A Hayne Train led Parramatta Eels team have stormed from 8th place into the grand final and face  a Melbourne Storm side who's been there for the last three years. Its the second year of the Toyota Cup competition and the juniors from Melbourne take on the Tiger cubs from Sydney. While, in the first match of the day a 21 year old whiz kid, will lead the Bankstown City Bulls into battle against the Balmain-Ryde Eastwood Tigers for the NSW Cup.

Fast forward 3 years and you'll see a lot of familiar faces (and teams) from that day.

10 players from '09 grand final will return to the big stage on Sunday. Billy Slater, Will Chambers, Dane Nielsen, Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith, Ryan Hoffman, Ryan Hinchcliffe and Todd Lowrie (Eels '09) will line up for the Storm while Aiden Tolman (Storm '09) and Krisnan Inu (Eels '09) will turn out with the Dogs. Injured Dogs winger, Steve Turner, was also a member of the Melbourne team. 

But wait there's more...

Four members (Gareth Widdop, Justin O'Neill, Jesse Bromwich and Kevin Proctor) of the Storm's victorious '09 Toyota Cup team will also play in the first grade final on the weekend. Injured Storm winger, Matt Duffie, was also a member of the team. Coincidentally, the Wests Tigers will play for the Toyota Cup again on Sunday, this time against Canberra.

PHOTO - Big League

 That leaves us with the NSW Cup grand final. Like in '09, the Balmain-Ryde Eastwood Tigers will be there, this time to battle the Newtown Jets. Backing up from '09 are Tigers fullback Sean Meaney and second rower Jared Farlow. The side will also feature Jake Clarke, who played for the Tigers in the '09 Toyota Cup grand final, and Dane Chisholm, who played for the Storm in '09 Toyota Cup grand final. Meanwhile, Brett Lane, who was on the bench for Balmain in '09, is now a member of the Bulldogs first grade squad. 

Confused? Don't care? Well I've saved the best for last.

The Bankstown City Bulls (The Bulldogs NSW Cup feeder team in 2009) ended up defeating the Balmain-Ryde Eastwood Tigers that day, 32-0. The star of the game? Well, you might see him playing fullback for the Dogs at around 5:30 on Sunday afternoon.

PHOTO - Big League

A hardened Melbourne side face off against a resurgent team, led by a livewire fullback who has captured the imagination of the NRL. Meanwhile, the Wests Tigers have two teams battling for the Toyota Cup and NSW Cup.

Wait a minute, is it 2009 or 2012?

Greg Inglis vs. James Graham, 2004

Last Saturday, Greg Inglis' Rabbitohs battled James Graham and the Bulldogs for a spot in the grand final. The first time these two stars faced off against each other? 2004, when the England Academy toured Australia.

PHOTO - Big League

The Australian Schoolboys featured some future first graders such as Steve Michaels, Kade Snowden, Junior Moors and Jarrod Mullen, while the English team was stacked with future Super League players like Carl Ablett, Chris Ashton, Jason Golden, Joel Tomkins and Harrison Hansen.

For the record, Graham won this battle as well. The England Academy was victorious 33-24.

Before the NRL, Sandor Earl

PHOTO - Big League

Before he was scoring tries and helping Canberra surge into the finals, Sandor Earl was just your average 14 year old kid, chasing a league dream. One week in 2004, he was named Big League's Junior Player of the Week.

Earl, who made his debut for the Roosters, rejuvenated his career in 2012 when he switched from Penrith to Canberra mid-season.

1966 St. George Dragons

PHOTO - Melba Studios

Pictured are the 1966 grand final winning St George Dragons. It would be the last of a record 11 straight premierships for the mighty Red V.

Back row: G. Langlands, E. Rasmussen, K. Ryan, R. Huddart, E. Lumsden, R. Gourley
Front row: B. Clay, B. Pollard, J. King, I. Walsh (captain-coach), W. Smith, K. Maddison, J. Raper
Ball boy: D. Price