I'd have to agree, not that that should in any way detract from the value of my prediction from nigh on two months ago, when I, with sage-like accuracy, declared that the Storm would come home and win the competition. A less humble man would probably skite...

In the culmination of such a weird season we can, at the very least, ignore Gus Gould's nonsense from the commentary box and safely state that the best team won.

But the game did, still, exhibit a lot of the troubles we've been witnessing throughout the year, with dodginess from the bunker and some questionable refereeing.

And, also, Cameron Smith very visibly highlighted what we've all been thinking when, towards the end end of the game, he was overheard on the broadcast microphone accusing the referee of trying to manufacture an "exciting finish".

How the season will be seen in the rear-view mirror is anybody's guess. With only 18 rounds as opposed to 26 there are always going to be questions surrounding the fairness of it all.

My view is that, in a rugby league competition, if you don't get to play everybody twice, once at home and once away, then those questions are completely legitimate.

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An interesting aspect of the shortened competition was that, even in that lesser time-frame, we saw the departure of no fewer than five coaches. A very strange trend which I wonder will continue.

The media have had some less than sparkling moments. Fresh from last year's Dally M scandal when a couple of journalists from a certain news organisation were being investigated for having a flutter (successful it turns out...) on the Coach of the Year Award, the same organisation this year published the winner hours before the announcement.

A 'production error' they said. Rubbish. I know from my days working at the ABC that the news joints are given the winners lists early so that they can prepare the following days' stories.

The information is embargoed until the awards are finished. It's standard practice. An innocent mistake? I don't buy it.

A rival paper's contribution was, on the eve of a grand final after which one of the great players of the modern age would more than likely be retiring, to dedicate half a page to a derogatory story about Cameron Smith over his actions during that awful incident when Newcastle's Alex McKinnon was so dreadfully injured back in 2014.

What's the motivation behind the timing of this story? Tall poppy I suppose. I never really understood the rancour directed at Smith over this. He'd played no role in the tackle that hurt McKinnon and could not possibly have even guessed at how extensively McKinnon had been injured.

I can empathise. Once, during a night game at Belmont, a dear dear friend of mine, Johnny Wolinski - a bloke I'd played with since juniors - made a break down the right hand side before being cut down just short of the try-line by a cover-defending tackle from the full-back.

I was right behind him. All he had to do was play the ball and I was going to score.

"My leg, my leg," he was saying.

"F**k your leg," I said. "Get up and play the bloody ball".

"My leg, my leg," he said.

I was in the process of attempting to drag him to his feet when I realised that his leg was completely broken - at a right-angle.

I felt terrible, and after the game I drove straight to the hospital to sheepishly apologise - not that Johnny was much bothered. But at the time there's no way you can know this stuff.

I braved the elements on Saturday and went to watch the final round of the Maitland Golf Club club championship.

It looked like being a tussle between the Small brothers, who began the day only two shots apart. It was raining, but the breaks in the weather were encouraging and so I ventured out into the gallery.

Second placed Bowen Small didn't start that well, bogeying the 1^st and the 3rd. Clayton Small, on the other hand, looked strong, going to two over (overall) with a birdie on four.

Third placed Joshua Knott was solid and, lefty, Mitchell McPhvee, was finding a lot of trouble but putting well enough to hang in there.

By the 7th, with the rain alternating at this stage between teeming and torrential, I was thinking that this contest may well be pretty much done and dusted.

I was damply questioning the value of continued spectatorship. Clayton Small hit a screaming drive up seven, which seemed to seal it.

And then I, following, in inappropriate footwear, and on the slightest of inclines, hit some clay... I slid... I was going down...I ran, I overran, I backpedalled, over-backpedalled, ran again; this was looking disastrous,

I was going down; but then, in what can only be described as an explosion of pace, I managed to keep my face (and my cream slacks) from the mud.... It was an incredible feat of athletic prowess.

Didn't even drop my umbrella... Having recovered I strode nonchalantly to the clubhouse for shelter and refreshment.

I should have stayed out there. It ended up with Clayton Small and Joshua Knott tied at the finish and having to head back to the 18th for a play-off.

Knott fired a daring second shot straight at the wickedly placed hard left pin (he told me later that he'd been aiming at the middle of the green but 'pulled it') setting himself up for a birdie and a win.

Congratulations to Joshua Knott - Maitland's new Club Champion.

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