Week One of the 2023 Finals is upon us. We've been presented with three mouth-watering clashes, as well as an expected Newcastle win over Canberra.
Week One of the Finals can be very hit or miss.
Sometimes, you get game of the year contenders. Other times, unfortunately, the pretenders are separated from the contenders in a brutal fashion.
Everyone remembers the Grand Finals. Prelims too. Sometimes, though, games that take place in the weeks prior fall away from our memory.
Today is a day to revive some of those Week One classics.
In the spirit of the Top Eight battling it out this weekend, we've narrowed it down to our top eight games from Week One of the Finals since 2013:
7. Sharks 16 def Raiders 14 - 2016
The Sharks travelled to Canberra sans their bed-ridden captain Paul Gallen, only to lose stand-in captain Wade Graham in the seventh minute.
Canberra led 12-0 heading toward halftime before a Matt Prior try, in the game of his life, put the Sharks in with the slightest of chances.
Holmes would score for the Sharks before a Canberra penalty goal restored parity. This game would twist and turn right to the final siren.
James Maloney's 75th-minute penalty goal would ultimately prove the difference despite Canberra's best efforts to steal it late.
This certainly isn't the most memorable game on this list but that final four minutes aged me several years, and for that, it earns is spot here.
Ah Dan, how I envy your memory. The only one I can recall is Sharks v Cows.
Comes of being old, I guess.