NRL grand final preview panel

PREVIEW PANEL FOR THE NRL GRAND FINAL:

SUNDAY, October 1

* Melbourne v North Queensland at ANZ Stadium, 7.30pm

* Head to head: Played 35, Melbourne 25, North Queensland 10

* Last clash: Melbourne 26 beat North Queensland 8 at 1300SMILES Stadium, Rd 22, 2017

* Head to head in finals: Played 3, Melbourne 2, North Queensland 1

* Last final: North Queensland 16 bt Melbourne 10 at AAMI Park, Preliminary Final, 2015

* Tab: Storm $1.30, Cowboys $3.60

Melbourne head into the match as short-priced favourites after one of the most dominant seasons of the NRL era. But history says such a regular season record is no guarantee to a title. The Storm are looking to send off Cooper Cronk a premiership winner, while Billy Slater could also play his last game for the club. The Cowboys have become just the second team in the NRL era to qualify for the grand final from eighth spot. After they lost representative co-captains Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott early in the season, they only made the finals after Canterbury upset St George Illawarra on the final day of round 26. But since then they have shocked Cronulla, Parramatta and the Sydney Roosters in come-from-behind efforts. Coach Paul Green was coy when questioned on Scott’s possible return from his knee injury next weekend.

Key: Cooper Cronk’s clash with Michael Morgan could represent a passing of the baton in Queensland and Australian rugby league. Cronk could hang up the boots after Sunday’s grand final, while Maroons utility Morgan has established himself as one of the best players in the game over the past month. Few would have picked this as the key battle of the grand final at the start of the season, but whoever comes out on top out of the two halfbacks will go a long way to lifting the trophy.

Tip: Melbourne by 10 points

Stay up to date with the latest sports news
Follow our social accounts to get exclusive content and all the latest sporting news!