No one was surprised when Pirates backrower Doug Biffin was announced as the best on ground in Saturday's grand final - except maybe the man himself.
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Biffin was immense as the premiers made it four straight - pulling off try-saving tackles, snaffling turnovers, and consistently emerging one of the last up from the ruck. On one notable occasion he even showed his prowess with the boot.
Receiving the ball from Brandon Parry after Walcha coughed it up about 30m out from their line as they looked to press their advantage, Biffin, on the fly, put through a well-weighted grubber that forced Lachlan Brown back into his in-goal. Brown managed to evade the first defender but the Pirates No.7 was there to bring him down.
The following wave of Pirates defence then pushed the Rams into touch.
It was a game-changing play. From the ensuing lineout Bart Leach picked and drove his way over to make it 18-12 and get them back in the game.
Pirates coach Mat Kelly said Biffin was "fantastic" and a real inspiration, and not just through his deeds on the field.
"Inside the sheds beforehand I've never seen Doug like that. His passion was just contagious and got the boys ready," he said.
Skipper Conrad Starr joined the chorus of praise, highlighting Biffin's work-rate.
"Credit to him for his man of the match performance. It was 100 per cent deserved," he said.
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For Biffin the individual award was a nice bonus.
"Obviously it means that people acknowledge that you had a decent go I suppose, and you weren't a passenger out there," he said, although he did question their motives.
"I think it's more so they get me coming back next year," he joked.
In welcome news as they chase an historic fifth-straight title, he is keen to suit up again.
"Your'e a long time retired as they say," Biffin said.
"The body's holding up alright and it's a good bunch of blokes."
Part of the three previous premierships, he said the circumstances made this one one of the sweetest.
They were a bonus point away from missing out on the finals, were on the road for the whole finals series, and had to really grind it out on Saturday with the Rams throwing everything at them.
"The rugby gods I guess have looked down on us again and I think it's a testament to the boys of just staying in the grind and then giving ourselves every chance and then making the most of it when we get the opportunity," Biffin said.
He said they had spoken leading in that the points would come, they just had to stop the Rams from scoring points.
"We didn't really focus too much on the attack, but just more focused on the defence side of things and that was really what won it for us today," he said.
"We aimed up off the line and dug in for each other."
He admittedly thought at 18-5 down "the horse had bolted", but as they have done on countless occasions during their reign they rallied.
"It was just about the composure and just keeping it in the forwards there for a while, building the phases and then just executing towards the back end of it," Biffin said.
