The 2012 NRL Grand Final will be played today between Canterbury Bulldogs and Melbourne Storm. The opening kick will commence at 5:15pm local time with the game being played at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. View our live NRL scores and results.
Minor Premiers Canterbury will be looking to secure their first premiership since 2004. The Storm – officially – are looking for their second title since joining the competition in 1998 having been stripped of their 2007 and 2009 titles.
Both sides have followed a similar path in reaching the Grand Final. They were both very good in the first week of the finals, earning the second week off and then both sides dominated their respective opponents last week to earn the shot at the 2012 title.
In last week’s match, the Storm were gifted earlier opportunities by Manly who chose the most inappropriate time to submit one of their worst, if not the worse, performance of the year. The Storm took full advantage and raced to a 12-nil lead inside of twenty minutes.
Melbourne were never going to relinquish that lead and in the second half, exposed the right-hand side of Manly’s defence where centre Steve Matai was carrying a noticeable injury, to run out victors 40-12. Canterbury didn’t need anytime to warm into their Qualifying final against Souths after the week off with the Bulldogs scoring inside the first five minutes before two late first half tries had them leading 16-8 at the break. An injury to Souths halfback Adam Reynolds did Souths no favours and they struggled to compete thereafter with the Dogs scoring a further two tries in the first half of the second period to seal the win.
There were a lot of similarities in each team’s respective performance last week. The ability to start quick, to capitalise on errors, to defend consecutive sets of six and they both demonstrated what well drilled outfits they are. What will separate these two sides in Sunday night’s Grand Final (and let’s hope it’s not yet another poor referring decision) is hard to tell, as reflected in the betting market’s fluctuations and current price.
WHERE AND WHEN: ANZ Stadium, Sunday, September 30, 5.15pm (AEST), 7.15pm (NZT)
LAST TIME: Bulldogs 20-4, June 24, 2012
Canterbury Bulldogs $2.05 vs Melbourne Storm $1.80 at Sportsbet Australia
Canterbury Bulldogs $2.05 vs Melbourne Storm $1.80 at Luxbet Australia
Canterbury Bulldogs:
1.Ben Barba, 2. Sam Perrett, 3. Josh Morris, 4. Krisnan Inu, 5. Jonathan Wright, 6. Josh Reynolds, 7. Kris Keating, 8. Aiden Tolman, 9. Michael Ennis, 10. Sam Kasiano, 11. Frank Pritchard, 12. Josh Jackson, 13. Greg Eastwood
Interchange: 14. James Graham, 15. Dale Finucane, 16. Corey Payne, 17. David Stagg, 18. Dene Halatau (one to be omitted)
Melbourne Storm:
1.Billy Slater, 2. Sisa Waqa, 3. Dane Nielsen, 4. Will Chambers, 5. Justin O’Neill, 6. Gareth Widdop, 7. Cooper Cronk, 8. Jessie Bromwich, 9. Cameron Smith, 10. Bryan Norrie, 11. Sika Manu, 12. Ryan Hoffman, 13. Todd Lowrie
Interchange: 14. Ryan Hinchcliffe, 15. Kevin Proctor, 16. Jaiman Lowe, 17. Richie Fa’aoso, 18. Rory Kostjayson, 19. Mahe Fonua, 20. Siosaia Vave, 21. Anthony Quinn (four to be omitted)
Referees: Tony Archer/Ben Cummins
Video Referees: Shayne Hayne/Chris Ward
