We love the mighty Canberra Raiders
You can tell by the smile: it's on. The trademark Ricky Stuart ambush.
The relaxed Canberra Raiders coach said they'd already been written off, but the Green Machine still "deserved to dream".
Then he doubled down by saying their elimination final against the Newcastle Knights at a sold-out Newcastle Stadium on Sunday was the easiest semi-final he's ever had to prepare for because there weren't any expectations on his side.
September football in Canberra is supposed to be about green sausages, Tony Wood ripping the head off his Victor the Viking suit in pure ecstasy, and Andrew Barr blowing the dust off his 1989 Raiders scrapbook.
So why is the buzz being drowned out by the sounds of Silverchair and The Screaming Jets? You'll sooner find a line of people chasing Henny Penny chicken and chips than a coloured snag.
Because the Canberra Raiders aren't flying into the finals on the back of a winning streak that has an entire fan base daring to dream of a drought-breaking premiership. No, that's happening in Newcastle, where the Knights are chasing a 10th straight...
Ricky Stuart says he's almost felt like apologising for his Canberra side reaching the NRL finals, such have his side's chances of beating Newcastle been written off.
But the Canberra mentor has a message for those who think his team is just making up the numbers: "We're allowed to dream too".
After limping to an eighth-place finish on the ladder with one win in their final four outings, they travel to the Hunter to take on the competition's hottest side in the Knights, who have won nine straight.
With his side boasting the second-worst points differential among teams to reach finals in the last 20 years - and missing key...