...Although there are lots of films that have unpacked Australian identity, The Final Winter is the first to have used the experience that comes from a lifetime of watching, playing and writing about Rugby League to craft a real home grown story.

.... Scriptwriter Nable effectively uses an evolving League as his canvas but it's just an excuse to get stuck into the big questions: family, manhood, loyalty and, of course, just what it is about sport.

There's some good performances here, largely enabled by the integrity of the story. Nable's acting debut is surprising and at times there is almost the whiff of an Aussie Brando about him. Fellow screen debutante Matthew Johns (as Coach Jack Cooper) and the rest of the male cast have `done themselves proud' with the way they have brought the project to life.

...Yet despite the context, this film is not a boys'-own adventure. The women in The Final Winter come across as important and pivotal. ... Hill as Grub's wife Emma is excellent. She, sister-in-law JuIia (Langstone) and barmaid Kate (Mulvanv) are believable, three-dimensional characters...

The directors, feature film firsttimers Forrest and Andrews have pulled off a winner...

...And it doesn't matter who you or what your background is, when the end credits start and sepia footage of League legends like Krilich, Randall, Raudonikis, and Sigsworth roll you can't help thinking you've just watched something worthwhile.