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Australia are the top dogs in both the men's and women's Pacific Championships, as we all expected they would be. But after seeing a sea of red descend upon Parramatta early on Sunday, it became clear that barring an embarrassing and lopsided result in the men's final, there would be no real losers. Walking down Church Street, past the Riverside Theatre and towards Parramatta Stadium, it was impossible not to get swept up in the moment. A rugby league game five years in the making for Sydney's proud Tongan community, a half decade after their finest hour. And make the most of it, they certainly did - and in the process showed us how beautiful this sport can be beyond the NRL club scene and State of Origin. Every time there was a positive play for Tonga, be it a good hit up or a firm tackle in defence, the crowd roared like a WWE wrestler had just hit their finishing move on the bad guy. And while there were pockets of Kangaroos fans, their team's accomplishments were met with silence at best, or deafening boos at worst.  Australia halfback Mitch Moses, the Eels' favourite son and man of the match the day this ground opened back in 2019, would certainly never have experienced a crowd this hostile at this venue. Hymns and songs were belted out around the ground in perfect harmony, and the sea of Tongan flags continued to wave in the grandstands well into the nightcap match between Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. Did the noise die down early in the second half when Australia looked more and more likely to win? Sure. But it was never quiet. And the absolute explosions of noise when Sione Katoa touched down for the opening try, and then again for Tonga's late points surge was unforgettable, showing what footy at this level can be if we put enough work into it. There is no way that the international game will ever be as big as Origin in terms of a one-off (or three-off, I guess) event. But it doesn't need to be, and that's not a yardstick that we should use going forward. The ability for players like Jarome Luai, Brian To'o, and Daniel Tupou to represent their state as well as a non-Australian nation unlocked a world of possibilities which, at least after today, it seems like we're in the midst of cashing in on.  As great as today was from a spectacle point of view, next year's Pacific Championships will see Samoa back into the fold as Australia tour the northern hemisphere. Assuming the game between Samoa and Tonga is held on our shores, we're looking at not a possibility, but a probability, that a Test not featuring Australia could sell out Parramatta or Brisbane Stadium. At that point, there'll be no looking back. But getting there and continuing to platform the game at this level in the aftermath will be paramount. It's not enough to just have these end of season tournaments, culminating with a celebratory carnival atmosphere on finals day. Consistent and prominent international football in multiple windows during the season is as important as anything else. Mid-season Tests must come back. Forget about stacking them up almost as an afterthought on the weekend before an Origin game, because the Kangaroos need to be involved too. If football can have windows where club football takes a back seat, so can rugby league. For as storied a rivalry as New Zealand and Australia have, they don't play each other nearly as much as they should anymore. Outside of the 2017 World Cup, England haven't played in Australia or New Zealand in over a decade. Tonga and Samoa have had their chances against the big boys and simply need more of them, while Fiji, PNG, Cook Islands and Lebanon have all shown promise, and all - especially in the latter's case - have massive fan bases down under. The formula for success has been laid bare. The appetite for this sport at the international level has never been greater. There's a gold mine of potential that we've only just begun to scratch the surface of - and we just need to look at days like today to see how good it can be.
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