BY CURTIS WOODWARD

@woodward_curtis

The 2022 NRL Finals have arrived with four delicious matches to kick off the next chapter of the season.

Every game has plenty of side stories and so much on the line.

By the end of the weekend, two teams will be eliminated and two others will be into the preliminary finals.

Cronulla’s Nicho Hynes wins 2022 Beetson Raudonikis Medal by a single vote from Dragons half Ben Hunt

It’s a pressure cooker of the highest order – especially so for the eight coaches.

Let’s take a look at where these men were twenty long years ago.

IVAN CLEARY

A classy fullback and centre who shined at Manly, North Sydney and Sydney City before finding his home at Auckland with the Warriors in their amazing run to the 2002 grand final – helping the Warriors claim their first and only minor premiership. Eventually went down to his former club, the Roosters, in the grand final.

BRAD ARTHUR

Already part of bush footy folklore when he joined Cairns Brothers in 1999 as captain/coach (Arthur had taken the job as captain/coach of Batemans Bay as a 22-year-old). Arthur would lead the Brothers to four premierships from six attempts and played the 2002 decider with a torn hamstring.

CRAIG BELLAMY

Still an assistant coach in 2002 at the Broncos under Wayne Bennett before leaving to take the first grade coaching gig in Melbourne which would change the game forever. Famously took the ‘Baby Broncos’ to Campbelltown and scored the most unlikely of victories on a Friday night against Wests Tigers.

RICKY STUART

In his first year as an NRL coach at the Sydney Roosters, Ricky Stuart coached one of the most formidable outfits in rugby league’s modern era to the club’s first title since 1975. The Roosters finished the season in 4th place before rolling through Cronulla 32-20 at Aussie Stadium and then won a tight struggle against the Broncos to qualify for the grand final where they’d outlast the Warriors, 30-8.

CRAIG FITZGIBBON

The current Cronulla coach has done an incredible job getting his side into the top four in 2022 but he was also another character part of the 2002 grand final and won the game’s Clive Churchill Medal. At the time, he was one of the premier forwards on the planet as a mainstay of the Kangaroos and Blues.

TODD PAYTEN

The silky prop cut his teeth at the Raiders where he debuted in 1996. The 2002 season would be his last at Canberra before joining up with the Roosters in 2003. Would go on to score a try in the 2005 grand final for Wests Tigers.

TRENT ROBINSON

Managed one game for the Eels as a player in 2002 after joining from Wests Tigers. His one appearance for Parramatta in ’02 came as a starting forward in the side’s huge 54-0 victory over Souths. Would later became one of the greatest coaches to ever live.

JASON DEMETRIOU

A St George junior and lower grader, Demetriou left for England and spent many years playing in the United Kingdom. In 2001, he helped the Widnes Vikings in promotion to the Super League. Demetriou featured in 26 matches in ’02 for the Vikings and missed the finals by one competition point.

@woodward_curtis