The sad and sorry faces of a family of Melbourne supporters exiting ANZ Stadium well before the grand final was over said it all.

Surrounded by a sea of Manly waving their maroon and white flags, you couldn’t help but feel for the family, probably attending the first and last NRL grand final, as they sheepishly left.

They were akin to modern day lepers – nobody wanted the affliction they were cursed with as the Sea Eagles continued with try after try to notch up the biggest grand final victory in the 100-year history of rugby league.

All I could think of was I was glad I decided to back Manly, not Melbourne, before heading to the grand final for my first exposure to the roar of 80,000 fans wanting only one result – for Melbourne to be comprehensively crushed – and the pain of a 2007 loss completely obliterated.

I’ll admit I was in two minds about who to support after the Broncos lost their opportunity for another crack at glory.

I’d listened to many talkback radio callers who were arguing that with the Storm full of Queenslanders, they were the team for us to back.

But after hearing more and more about Craig Bellamy’s outburst over captain Cameron Smith’s two-game suspension, like many I found myself leaning towards wanting a fairytale finish for Manly – especially for Steve Menzies in his 349th and last NRL appearance.

The Daily took a group of our footy tipping advertisers to the final – and it was quickly apparent that their knowledge of the game was well beyond mine – something not that difficult given my somewhat casual interest in league at the best of times.

One couple who asked who I was going for joked I could sit somewhere else after I said I was going for Manly. They were pretty quiet on the trip home, I can tell you.

Only the bravest were backing Melbourne at ANZ Stadium.

The roar as Manly entered the stadium was deafening – almost as loud as the boos as Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was later introduced to the crowd during the presentation ceremony.

The game itself was hardly the sort of contest you expect in a grand final.

I thought Manly might have got away to an early start and that Melbourne would come back to rob them of victory. But not even the most ardent Sea Eagles fan could have predicted the walloping the so-called Silvertails handed out.

It was great viewing for a Manly fan – but like watching a train wreck in slow motion for Melbourne supporters no doubt.

Being down at ANZ Stadium certainly emphasised to me how good it would be for the Coast to have a decent stadium to call its own– and a side to call our own in the NRL.

There’s something about football. It brings people together – it brings communities together – and apart from the excessive alcohol consumption (I couldn’t believe the number of $25 trays of beer going through the stands) – it can be great for community spirit and pride.

That’s why I reckon assistant editor and sports editor Paul Munnings is on a winner with his GUS campaign – Give Us a Stadium.

While realistically the idea of a NRL side being based on the Coast is at least a decade away, there is already a strong case for a decent regional sporting stadium for all manner of events – not just rugby league.

While the new council is obviously still getting its head around the project – and should be given a chance to do so – it shouldn’t lose the opportunity to grab available government funding – not to mention a partnership with the 2008 premiership side.

The opportunity of watching Manly against the Broncos, Cowboys or Titans on the Coast would be awesome – but we shouldn’t forget there are a whole lot of great uses for a decent regional stadium, including other top-level sporting events, concerns, events and the like.

Given Kevin Rudd’s commitment last week to nation-building infrastructure projects not only in major cities but also in regional areas, surely this would be an ideal project – along with a decent performing arts centre for the Coast.

With the region expected to be home to half a million people in the not-too-distant future it is vital that we, as residents, see some benefits of that growth.

Better facilities, shops, roads, public transport, and decent recreational opportunities are not too much to expect given our status as one of the fastest growing and most significant regional areas in Australia.

While it’s crucial we get basic infrastructure, like a decent road system and a new hospital, in place first as a priority we should not sell ourselves short by discounting plans for a regional sports stadium – and performing arts centre – as something we can’t afford.

As a community, we need places where we can come together and celebrate the sporting and artistic achievements of the very best our region and the nation has to offer.

To expect anything less would be to sell the Coast short.