GRAND Finals in both hemispheres – done. Now for the greatest event of the lot.

The countdown to the 17th Rugby League World Cup is well and truly under way, and as I said in my opening column last week (and it was good to be chatting with people who had read it), even if not everyone shares my enthusiasm, I’m fully invested in this tournament.

There has been a lot of talk about it being passed a little bit from pillar to post, which it has following France’s withdrawal from hosting and the decision to stage it in three countries, Australia, New Zealand, (who at one stage I believe wanted to go it alone) and Papua New Guinea, a place I was lucky enough to play in during my career.

That means a fair bit of travelling for the teams and also the fans who want to follow them in all the games.

A drop from the originally-planned 16 sides, which we had in the 2022 tournament in this country, to ten has also been seen as unambitious.

But it’s my belief that smaller is better. By downsizing, we will hopefully avoid the blow-out scores recorded four years ago and which have littered rugby union’s World Cup over its ten editions (let’s not forget we got in first by a good margin, 1954 to their 1987).

I’d love to think England could lift the World Cup under Brian McDermott, but it’s 54 years since we won it (as Great Britain, with Jim Challinor as coach and Clive Sullivan captain) and it’s going to take something very special indeed for us to be speaking of Brian Mac and George Williams in those terms.

GROUPS WITHIN THE GROUPS

Realistically, I reckon only two, Australia or New Zealand, can win it this time. Tonga and Samoa can rattle a few cages, while England and Papua New Guinea can make a nuisance of themselves, leaving Cook Islands, Fiji, France and Lebanon playing for pride.

Samoa gathered pace as the 2022 tournament progressed and put paid to our hopes with that golden-point semi-final win at the Emirates before falling to the Aussies in the final.

Matt Parish has been succeeded as coach by Ben Gardiner, and he has some talent at his disposal in the likes of backs Sua Fa’alogo, Brian To’o, Stephen Chrichton and Jarome Luai and forward Junior Paulo.

Samoa have a big third group-stage game in Sydney against Tonga, England’s opening opponents in Perth.

I’m sure Kristian Woolf will have his Tonga side fired up and eager to gain revenge after that series defeat here in 2023.

Players such as Addin Fonua-Blake and Jason Taumalolo will certainly take some handling.

PNG will have a familiar look for anyone who has been following the fortunes of London Broncos this season.

Jason Demetriou is coach, while Morea Morea and Gairo Voro, who have both been prolific try-scorers for the capital side, and forward Epel Kapinias are set to feature alongside Super League names like Edwin Ipape and Rhyse Martin.

The Kumuls have a cracking record over recent years, with three straight Pacific Bowl titles, and with games against Lebanon and Samoa in Rugby League-mad Port Moresby, they should have gathered plenty of momentum going into a final group-stage meeting with England in Wollongong.

CAN THE KIWIS BE KINGS?

Talking of the Pacific Championships, New Zealand are the reigning Cup holders, albeit with 2024 winners Australia not involved last year because they were in England for the Ashes.

New Zealand Warriors have had an eye-catching NRL campaign under Dally M Coach of the Year Andrew Webster, who is ably assisted by Richard Agar, finishing second to Penrith Panthers only on points difference before running out of steam in the play-offs.

Now Stacey Jones will lead the Kiwis in their bid to add to the wave of Rugby League love which Richie has testified to in my conversations with him, and win the World Cup for the first time since 2008.

He has a great squad, including Kalyn Ponga, a high-profile defector from Australia on the back of changes to the State of Origin eligibility rules which give the green light to representing other tier-one nations besides Australia.

Backs Jahrome Hughes, Casey McLean, Keano Kini and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and a forward pack led by James Fisher-Harris and Jospeh Tapine add to the appeal of a squad who will be playing with real purpose given the winning mentality of Kiwis in general and the desire of the nation to put one over on arch-rivals Australia whenever the opportunity arises.

Australia have triumphed in the last three tournaments and won twelve of those previous 16, and Kevin Walters will be desperate to follow in the footsteps of his coaching predecessor Mal Meninga.

The incoming St Helens boss, who made an impressive start to his Kangaroos tenure with that straightforward Ashes success, has been dealt a blow with that nasty ankle injury to Nathan Cleary.

But he still has far-from-shabby halves in Tom Dearden, Mitchell Moses, Cameron Munster and Sam Walker, and let’s be fair, there are quality options in most positions.

Australia will as ever provide a formidable obstacle for any team that thinks they can claim the trophy.

That opening group game between the Aussies and the Kiwis in Sydney on Thursday, October 15, could well be repeated in the final at Lang Park, Brisbane on Sunday, November 15.

And I think New Zealand have what it will take to knock over the Aussies and win the tournament.

THE GAME ITSELF WAS A WINNER TOO

I’ll end this week’s column where I started – the Grand Finals.

With 71,728 and Old Trafford and 80,814 at the Accor Stadium, both the scene of great games and occasions, I think Rugby League was a winner as well as Wakefield and Sydney Roosters.

Well done Trinity and Daryl Powell, and what a terrific tale, given the rise since relegation in 2023 and the coach’s previous history with Warrington, who must be wondering what might have happened had they been more patient with him.

Trinity were terrific but Warrington disappointing, especially in the first half, when they allowed themselves to be swamped and left themselves with too big a hill to climb.

I felt sorry for George Williams, who didn’t get enough support from his young halfback partner Ewan Irwin, who will hopefully learn from the experience.

As for Newcastle Knights, what a great effort from the underdogs.

Apparently the stats suggested the Roosters should have won by 40 points or more, so to take it to the wire and lose by just one agonising point was some effort.

The Roosters’ class told in the end but the Knights gave it one hell of a go, and it was a brilliant game to watch.