Be careful what you wish for.

Sydney rugby league fans who spent years praying for an end to the Penrith Panthers’ dynasty were treated to a clash between two eminently hateable interstate powerhouses in the Brisbane Broncos and the Queensland (sorry, Melbourne) Storm in Sunday night’s NRL grand final.

The Broncos brought hordes of Queenslanders with them south of the border, while despite CBD’s search for a rival contingent from Melbourne, a bona fide Storm diehard remains about as elusive as bigfoot.

The lack of a Sydney team didn’t stop plenty of firepower descending on the plush confines of Accor Stadium for the showdown. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was in attendance in the NRL’s suite, no doubt among the first names on head honcho Peter V’landys’ guest list.

Chief among

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