Thus, their full-time fitness and coaching led to defeat in successive grand finals for Leigh.
They then turned up in six successive finals from 1983 to 1988, winning three of them to pass Barbados on the all-time winners list.
Harris, a defender, played in three successive grand finals for Richmond but was never a member of a premiership team.
He played in three successive finals, finishing on winning side each time.
Between 1977 and 1982, English teams won a record six successive finals.
They would then lose to Brisbane the following week in the first of successive grand finals to be contested by the two teams.
Of course, Thomas was right back in Bird's face the next season, on his way to three successive finals and two titles.
He played in five successive grand finals, winning two of them.
Sonny Ward became the first player to score in two successive finals.
The Lions would end up winning three successive grand finals while he was at the club and he made just five senior appearances.