The pulsating crowd at Suncorp Stadium, the thrilling football on a sparkling Queensland afternoon, the music playing as Samoan fans celebrated before, during and after the game.... all an apparition.
In truth, the international version of the game has suffered badly in comparison to the domestic product. In Australia, State of Origin has devoured all in its path and remains rugby league's best weapon in the media wars with AFL. In New Zealand, rugby union breathes its own air, with league sniffing around for any exposure it can get.
But this was an exercise in successful planning. Getting the detail right can inject energy into any event, and live sport - particularly rugby league - tends to take on a life of its own when let loose between the white lines. A certain rival code could well take note.
Samoa-England was always destined to be a belter of a contest. All they needed was to try and get people through the gates.
Brisbane was the smart venue, despite some predictable moans about how nobody cared about the Four Nations, which can often be code for 'it isn't in Sydney'. But with Samoa opening the show against England, Brisbane's thriving Pacific Islander communities to the greater west always ensured a strong turn-out, as well as voice, song and spirit.
A smattering of English fans had travelled, as well, enjoying a lager on Caxton St before a match that would enthral and entertain. The block of blue shirts in the northern corner didn't sit down for the last 20 minutes as they tried to lift the Samoans over the line. They were to leave bereft of victory but the tournament underdogs lost no friends.
Injury and withdrawals had inspired Mal Meninga to boldly suggest the tournament be put on hold. But Australia's hefty gravitational pull on rugby league doesn't mean the game can be paused due to a missing Billy Slater. Others had come to play.
If anything, the absent faces only seemed to add to the intrigue. For the first time in a long time, Australia appeared to be no good things going into a major tournament. Both New Zealand and England could sense an opportunity, while opportunity arose for young Australians like Dylan Walker and Daly Cherry-Evans, a playmaker desperate to thrive at representative level.
Organisers added some nice touches around the edges. Meninga and the 1994 Kangaroos went 'into camp' for three days during the week, swapping war stories over more than a few frosty ales. It was the Queensland coach's farewell tour and the last of the extended end-of-season campaigns. The stories are legendary, as are some of the names, who were introduced to the crowd before the second match.
By the time the New Zealanders had retreated from their haka before the second match, the crowd was in full voice. Nobody could pretend it had the history or weight of a Bledisloe but it sounded much louder than the rugby a week earlier.
International rugby league has become an afterthought. But the opening night of the Four Nations showed it is not only worth persevering with but can thrive when the timing, location and preparations hit the mark.
