Celebrate the small things: winning is everything

All professional, most amateur, and many part-time/recreational sportspeople play to win. Regardless of what they are playing, who they are playing for, or with, or against, they want to win because winning is better than losing. The very best professional athletes and sportspeople, the champions of the various games which entertain us, and with which we amuse ourselves, are obsessed with winning. They hate losing, but more than that they hate not giving it their best: not competing to their potential. The truly great are always in competition first and foremost with themselves regardless of their opposition.

The 2017 National Rugby League (NRL) season started last week, and not surprisingly there were some good games, and some ordinary ones, and some good results, and bad results, depending on you barrack for. Some surprises and plenty of entertainment.

Last night I watched the Brisbane Broncos play the North Queensland Cowboys in Brisbane where the latter team had not won a game in their last five attempts. These clashes have become legendary due to the fact that they are particularly intense and always very close on the scoreboard. The 2015 Grand Final, in which the Cowboys defeated the Broncos in extra time, was arguably the greatest championship deciding game ever.

So these two highly rated and highly motivated teams did battle again last night, and the Cowboys repeated their Grand Final success with a one point victory in extra time.

One lousy point: the difference between a win, (and two premiership points) and a loss. One single point after nearly 90 minutes of gladiatorial combat of the highest athletic calibre, filled with drama and heart stopping excitement. One point to finally declare one of these teams the winner. Some say it's unjust, but the rules are the rules, and one point is all it takes.

One point: a small number with a huge impact. I want to thank the Cowboys and the Broncos for putting on such a wonderful display of rugby league football...again. Great stuff!

Click here for full match report and video highlights if you're interested.