The fourth NRLB Grand Final tomorrow (Saturday) in Rotterdam will see a new name on the trophy, as Amsterdam Cobras and Den Haag Knights – who have been defeated in each of the previous finals – clash for the silverware.

The Cobras turnaround this season has been astonishing. They spent the first two years of the competition winless and tasted victory only once in 2017. This season they have only lost once, a crushing 6-52 defeat at home in the campaign opener against the Knights.

Den Haag have also only lost one game in 2018, going down 18-58 against a resurgent Amsterdam in round five, perfectly setting up the decider.

“Saturday is the biggest day in the club’s history,” said Dutch international and Cobras captain Ciaran Jaras. “All the boys are aware of that so there’s a lot of excitement around the team. We’ve taken a lot of confidence from our performances over the last month, and as a group we feel like we’re improving with each game. The trust we have in each other on the field is crucial to getting us over the line.”

The curtain raiser is the third-place play off between Rotterdam and Harderwijk Dolphins.

“This season has been a bit of a reality check for us,” remarked Rotterdam coach Jason Bruygoms. “Both Den Haag and Amsterdam have really stepped up their game. That’s great for the sport as a whole in the Netherlands and the level has really been raised this year.”