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ABC News
ABC News
Sport

What it's like to pull off a rugby league 'slam dunk', sparking a roar from the crowd

Call it the Samoan sidestep, the Fiji handshake, a bump-off, a fend, a big "don't argue" or whatever else you want, just know it's rugby league's equivalent of a "slam dunk" and there's nothing else like it.

Tries will get plenty of cheers when Penrith meet Parramatta on Sunday in the NRL grand final. So will fine passes and clever kicks, and there will be a mighty roar when the final siren sounds, regardless of who hoists the premiership trophy.

But there won't be anything so primal, so forceful and guttural and mighty as the sound that erupts in the moment when a ball-carrier and defender collide at full speed and the man with the footy comes out on top and leaves the defender splayed on the ground, wondering what the hell just happened. 

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