The first team to install a “sea wall” defence to counter the surges of momentum in the modern game will win the NRL grand final.

It’s easier said than done. Momentum is such a powerful force that defensive-minded coaches, such as the Storm’s Craig Bellamy, are as hapless in stopping a tsunami of tries as King Canute was in holding back the tide.

The pendulum between attack and defence in today’s game has tilted strongly to the team with the ball, leading to some of the big scores each round. It’s partly to do with the........

© The Sydney Morning Herald