The 2018 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2018 National Rugby League season and was played on Sunday September 30 at Sydney's ANZ Stadium. The match was contested between minor premiers the Sydney Roosters and defending premiers the Melbourne Storm. In front of a crowd of 82,688, Sydney won the match 21-6 to claim their 14th premiership title and their first since 2013. Roosters five-eighth Luke Keary was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal as the game's official man of the match.
The match was preceded by the inaugural NRL Women's Premiership Grand Final and the 2018 NRL State Championship. Pre-match entertainment was headlined Sydney alternative rock band Gang of Youths. Australian singer Samantha Jade performed the Australian National anthem. The match was broadcast live throughout Australia by the Nine Network.
Background
It was the first time the Melbourne Storm and the Sydney Roosters contested for an NRL premiership, with both teams having made the most grand final appearances since the beginning of the NRL era in 1998. Only on six occasions since 1998 has there been a grand final that did not feature either club. Both sides have also claimed every minor premiership since 2013, with the Roosters finishing first in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2018, and the Storm doing the same in 2016 and 2017. The Roosters qualified for their first grand final since they won the premiership in 2013. The club had reached the preliminary finals in 2014, 2015, and 2017, yet were denied a grand final berth on each occasion when they were defeated by the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Brisbane Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys, respectively. The Storm qualified for their third-straight grand final, replicating the milestone they achieved in 2006, 2007 and 2008. They are the first NRL side to make three consecutive grand finals on more than one occasion. It was Trent Robinson's second grand final in his sixth year coaching the Roosters, while Craig Bellamy equalled Wayne Bennett in reaching eight grand finals as a first grade coach.
Sydney and Melbourne finished first and second on the premiership ladder respectively, making up a top four in which all teams (together with the South Sydney and Cronulla-Sutherland) finished on 34 points. The sides faced each other only once during the regular season, with the Storm edging out a 9-8 victory over the Roosters at Adelaide Oval courtesy of a Cameron Smith field goal. Having a double home game advantage, both teams defeated the third-placed Rabbitohs and fourth-placed Sharks to earn a week off from the semi-finals and a place into the grand final. Sydney, playing at Allianz Stadium, defeated the Sharks 21-12 in the second qualifying final. In the preliminary final, they defeated the Rabbitohs 12-4 in front of a record crowd of 44,380 in the last ever NRL game held at Allianz Stadium before its scheduled knock-down and rebuild. Melbourne, playing at AAMI Park, narrowly defeated the Souths 29-28 in the first qualifying final, before beating their 2016 grand final opponents Cronulla-Sutherland 22-6 to join the Roosters in the premiership decider. Sydney and Melbourne last played each other in the finals in 2015, where the fourth-placed Storm defeated the minor-premiership winning Roosters 20-18 in the first week of the finals.
Teams SydneyRoostersPositionMelbourneStormJames Tedesco FullbackBilly SlaterDaniel Tupou WingSuliasi VunivaluLatrell Mitchell CentreWill ChambersJoseph Manu CentreCurtis ScottBlake Ferguson WingJosh Addo-CarrLuke Keary Five-eighthCameron MunsterCooper Cronk HalfbackBrodie CroftJared Waerea-Hargreaves PropJesse BromwichJake Friend (c) HookerCameron Smith (c)Sio Siua Taukeiaho Prop Tim GlasbyBoyd Cordner (c) 2nd RowFelise KaufusiMitchell Aubusson 2nd RowJoe StimsonVictor Radley LockDale FinucaneIsaac Liu InterchangeKenny BromwichDylan Napa InterchangeChristian WelchZane Tetevano InterchangeBrandon SmithRyan Matterson InterchangeNelson Asofa-Solomona Trent RobinsonCoach Craig Bellamy
The grand final would be Billy Slater's final game before his retirement after playing 319 first grade games in the NRL, becoming the 16th player to finish their career playing over 300 games at one club. However, many felt Slater was extremely lucky to be playing in the game after being charged for a shoulder charge against Cronulla player Sosaia Feki in the preliminary final the week before. The judiciary cleared Slater of any wrongdoing, presenting him with the opportunity to win a grand final in the final game of his illustrious career. Melbourne captain Cameron Smith surpassed Darren Lockyer in becoming the most capped finals player in the NRL, with 36 appearances. Brodie Croft, Joe Stimson, Christian Welch, and Brandon Smith were the only new additions to the Storm's grand final winning squad from the previous year. Roosters halfback Cooper Cronk played in his eighth grand final, after playing all seven previous grand finals for the Storm; he equalled Steve Menzies in becoming the fourth most-capped NRL player in history; he also became the first player to win back-to-back premierships with different clubs since Johnny Mayes accomplished the feat in 1973 with Manly-Warringah then 1974 with Eastern Suburbs. Daniel Tupou, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Jake Friend, Boyd Cordner, and Mitchell Aubusson were the last remaining members from their 2013 premiership winning squad, while Frank-Paul Nu'uausala wasn't selected to play. Luke Keary was the only other Roosters player to have experienced premiership success, having played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in their victorious 2014 Grand Final.
Officials PositionStand-ByReferees:Gerard SuttonAshley KleinBen CumminsTouch Judges:Nick BeashelBrett SuttorChris SuttonBunker:Steve ChiddyBen Galea
Match summary
Opening games
NRL Women's Premiership Grand Final
Team lists:FB1 Chelsea BakerWG2 Julia RobinsonCE3 Meg WardCE4 Amber PilleyWG5 Amelia KukFE6 Kimiora NatiHB7 Ali Brigginshaw (c)PR8 Heather BallingerHK9 Brittany BreayleyPR15 Chelsea LenarduzziSR11 Teuila Fotu-MoalaSR12 Maitua FeterikaLK13 Rona PetersSubstitutes:IC10 Steph HancockIC14 Lavinia GouldIC16 Mariah StorchIC17 Ngatokotoru ArakuaCoach:Paul DyerFB1 Karina BrownWG2 Brydie ParkerCE3 Shontelle StowersCE4 Isabelle KellyWG5 Taleena SimonFE6 Lavina O'MealeyHB7 Zahara TemaraPR8 Ruan Sims (c)HK9 Nita MaynardPR10 Elianna WaltonSR11 Tazmin GreySR12 Vanessa FoliakiLK13 Simaima Taufa (c)Substitutes:IC14 Kylie HilderIC15 Sarah TogatukiIC16 Victoria LatuIC17 Kandy KennedyCoach:Adam Hartigan
NRL State Championship
Team lists:FB1Mason CerrutoWG2 Josh BergaminCE3 Morgan HarperCE4John OliveWG5 Jayden OkunborFE6 Josh CleelandHB7Fa'amanu BrownPR8Renouf To'omagaHK9 Zac WoolfordPR10Francis TualauSR11Ofahiki OgdenSR12Rhyse Martin (c)LK13Greg EastwoodSubstitutes:IC14 Bronson GarlickIC14Lachlan BurrIC16 Jack NelsonIC17 Chris SmithCoach: Steve GeorgallisFB1 Trai FullerWG2 Josh BeehagCE3Kotoni StaggsCE4Tom OpacicWG5Jeremy HawkinsFE6 Bryce DonovanHB7Cameron Cullen (c)PR16 Nathan WattsHK9Jake TurpinPR10Sam AndersonSR14 Miles TaueliSR11 Toby RudolfLK13 Jamil HopoateSubstitutes:IC8Nick SlyneyIC12Aaron WhitchurchIC15 James TaylorIC17 Hugh PrattCoach:Adam Mogg
Aftermath As premiership winners, the Sydney Roosters qualified to play in the 2019 World Club Challenge. Against the Super League XXIII champions the Wigan Warriors, the Roosters won the match 20-8 at Wigan's DW Stadium.
See also NRL Premiership winners 2018 NRL Finals Series
References