STEVE MENZIES equalled Terry Lamb's record for most first-grade matches ever played yesterday, but here's a revelation: it almost never happened. With his career in Australia now over, we can reveal Manly icon Bob Fulton had to be convinced to grade Menzies back in 1992. The story goes that when Menzies finished playing under-19s that season, he went very close to signing with North Sydney. As Menzies reveals in his recently released biography, he was offered $5000 and was close to going. Fulton, who was the junior director of coaching at the club at the time, needed to be convinced by junior coach Michael Harvey to sign him. "I was Beaver's club coach and representative coach, so I knew very well his outstanding qualities," Harvey told us yesterday. "It was my intervention and call to Fulton after Beaver was not originally called and graded. I phoned Bob from home with Beaver next to me." Menzies trained with the under-21s that Thursday night, played on the wing that weekend, and last night played his 349th and last game for his beloved Sea Eagles. Fulton went on to have a wonderful influence on Menzies' career, of course, but it was almost the greatest case of the one that got away. Could it be more fitting that a grandstand at Brookvale was jointly named in the duo's honour this season?

Young loved Bath time

Former St George captain Craig Young has paid a stunning tribute to the legendary Harry Bath , who passed away after a long illness on Saturday. Bath was the last coach to steer the Dragons to a premiership in 1979. "He was before his time," said Young, who captained the side in '79. "I see stuff that happens in the game every day and I know it started with techniques Harry taught us in the 1970s. You see how the game's evolved and know it came from him. I started at the club in 1977 when Harry came in as coach, and I would not have achieved what I did without him".

Village people

Storm players have become virtual locals around the seaside village of Coogee, whether it be Israel Folau frolicking in the ocean, coach Craig Bellamy jogging along Coogee Bay Road or any number of players hitting the poker machine room at the nearby Coogee Bay Hotel. But our spies were somewhat surprised to see five-eighth Greg Inglis and back-rower Jeremy Smith at Cushion Bar, which is part of the Crowne Plaza where the team is staying, at 1am on Saturday morning. We're told neither were drinking alcohol, but it does seem bizarre that they were out in an exclusive bar, chatting with young fillies, before one of the biggest games of their lives.

Kids' uncertain future

The NRL has been crowing all season about what an outstanding success the under-20s competition has been, and the quality of the Broncos-Raiders grand final suggests it has a point. But there is growing concern about what will happen to the truckload of players who will be ineligible to play in the competition next year because they are too old. Some player managers are privately predicting an exodus to rugby union because there won't be enough positions in the NRL or NSW Cup. The slide has already started - Dragons twins John and Maurice Kennedy have signed with Warringah rugby union with an eye on a career at the Waratahs.

Frankly, we were wrong

This column is big enough to admit when it's had an airswing. Last week, we said Storm football manager Frank Ponissi "isn't the most liked man in the game". We were immediately flooded with emails from friends and colleagues suggesting we had got it oh-so wrong. Turns out, most people admire Ponissi and this column must have encountered the handful of people on the planet who don't like him. There was evidence of what a decent bloke he is at the grand final breakfast on Thursday. When it was discovered that there wasn't enough seats at the Storm's table, he plonked himself with the media.

Blacks to the wall?

As league's centenary season winds to an end comes the sad news that one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australia, the mighty Port Kembla Blacks, is in danger of folding. With 23 premierships since being founded in 1914, Port Kembla is considered the South Sydney of country rugby league but is now in desperate need of a white knight to survive as its leagues club can no longer afford to fund a team.

Say What?

"That is the best feeling in the world. I can't describe it, that's made my year. It was awesome, I couldn't ask any more of the boys. The pain of last year - that is purely and purely gone." Manly captain Matt Orford.

WEEKEND WARRIOR: IWI HAURAKI

The Kiwi scored the grand-final winning try for Wentworthville in the NSW Cup yesterday.

You've just scored the try to win a grand final - a good feeling?"It's the best feeling I've ever had. It's my first grand final."

Take us through the try."I kept telling him [Mark O'Grady, who attempted five field goals before grubbering for Hauraki in the 104th minute] to put in the grubber. He'd been trying to kick field goals all game. I kept calling for it and finally he did."

How frustrating was it for those so-called playmakers to keep missing?"Oh, it was the worst feeling ever. He [O'Grady] could have slotted six of those."

What's your contract situation for next year?"I think I'm going to Newtown. They're the only ones I'm talking to at the moment."

You've scored the winning try in a grand final. What's your ambition now?"I'm only 21. My only ambition is to play first grade."

The hero

RUGBY LEAGUE - Bullets in the Cross. The Centenary Ball. Teams of the Century. Calves blood. Jack Gibson. Bennett to the Dragons. Tim Smith to wherever. Todd Carney. Mark Gasnier. Sonny Bill Williams. French rugby. Maroons. Rusty versus Holmes a Court. The chicken wing. The grapple. Cam Smith. Craig Bellamy. Brian Waldron. $50,000. The "Beaver". What a season.

The number

13 - The number of field goal shots Wentworthville and Newtown had in a NSW Cup grand final that seemed like it would never end.

The villain

Pre-match entertainment - What a fabulous spectacle. Smoking barbecues. Flag waving. Inflatable hands. Utes. Fireworks in broad daylight. A band who had their last hit when it was fashionable to roll the bottom of your jeans and another from Melbourne. Not since Nikki Webster magically flew in the air at the Sydney Olympics have we seen anything like it. Of course, we're being sarcastic.