If the North Queensland Cowboys are able to win the grand final on Sunday, they will have certainly done it the hard way. Look at the kilometres they have clocked up in the past six weeks alone. In round 24 they travelled to and from New Zealand to defeat the Warriors. A week later in round 25 they looked flat when beaten by the Storm in Melbourne. That's a couple of very long return trips in the space of a week and their ordinary performance in this match is significant when assessing how they might present themselves this weekend. In week one of the semis they travelled to and from Brisbane. Last weekend they had to again travel all the way to Melbourne for the preliminary final, even though they had finished higher than the Storm on the premiership ladder at the end of 26 rounds. Then back home to Townsville to get ready to fly to Sydney for the grand final. If we take a line on the effect the travel had on their performance in round 25, I think the Cowboys face a real hurdle in hoping to be at their peak for this weekend's battle. It's not just the time on the plane. It's the travelling to and from plus the waiting time at airports, changeovers, buses and hotels, managing meals, sleep, rehab, injuries and training. Don't underestimate the toll this takes on the players. It will be a monstrous effort if the Cowboys can lift to beat the Broncos on Sunday.

Broncos in the box seat

Compared to the Cowboys' travelling show, the Brisbane Broncos have been blessed in the run-up to the grand final week with the scheduling of their matches. After being belted 44-14 by Manly in Gosford in round 21, the Broncos played at home in rounds 22 and 23. They travelled to Sydney to be beaten by the Roosters in round 24, however, they stayed in camp on the Sydney beaches for the next week before flogging the Rabbitohs in round 25. They then played round 26 at home, the first week of the semi-finals at home, a week off, before playing the preliminary final at home. So in eight weeks they have experienced one return flight to Sydney and a relaxing week on Coogee beach. The rest of the time they've slept in their own beds, trained in the comfort of their own surroundings and played on their home ground. The Broncos should have absolutely no problem in being at their physical peak for this grand final and I am convinced the enormous difference in travel commitments between them and the Cowboys during the past two months will have a significant effect at the back end of this game on Sunday. The Cowboys were great on Sunday against the Storm in Melbourne. However, one could not miss the obvious signs of wear and tear on the playing group. The Broncos on the other hand were simply bristling with power against the Roosters and all signs were that this performance will top them off nicely for their club's biggest game in a decade. Broncos by 12.

Broncos have developed faster than expected