It would have been different in the movies.
When all of Bruce Stadium rose to its feet as Jarrod Croker carried his son onto the field for his 300th game - and wept in the shadows of the opening whistle - it would have been easy to believe you were in those cinematic times.
Surely no narrative ever written would take Friday night from Croker. Who would kill Bambi? Who would dare
gun down a Goulburn Stockman?
But the New Zealand Warriors were only too willing to rise to the occasion and be the 'bad guy'.