{"id":26004,"date":"2025-10-05T08:39:24","date_gmt":"2025-10-05T08:39:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/?p=26004"},"modified":"2025-10-05T08:39:24","modified_gmt":"2025-10-05T08:39:24","slug":"nrl-2025-grand-final-melbourne-v-brisbane-rugby-league-live-nrl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/?p=26004","title":{"rendered":"NRL 2025 grand final: Melbourne v Brisbane \u2013 rugby league live | NRL"},"content":{"rendered":"

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2 mins:<\/strong> Jensen, not Haas, takes the first hit-up of the night and Melbourne are up sharply\u2026 but just three tackles later the Storm concede the first penalty of the night for Grant interfering with Haas on the ground. Brisbane immediately on the attack.<\/p>\n

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Kick-off!<\/h2>\n

The 2025 NRL grand final is under way\u2026<\/p>\n

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Melbourne to kick off.<\/p>\n

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Formalities taken care of, the waiting is almost over. Will it be Melbourne or will it be Brisbane?<\/p>\n

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Now follow the Storm, led by Harry Grant, to a cacophony of boos! I guess we know which club\u2019s fans have bought the most tickets. Melbourne are in their home uniform of purple and navy blue.<\/p>\n

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Here come the Broncos, led by Adam Reynolds. Brisbane are in their change strip of white jerseys, maroon shorts, and white socks. They are greeted by a deafening roar as they jog out onto the Accor Stadium turf.<\/p>\n

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Today\u2019s referee is Grant Atkins, and it will be his first grand final in the middle.<\/strong> Atkins took charge of last Sunday\u2019s preliminary final between the Broncos and Panthers.<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s been a warm and dry spring day in Sydney with temperatures set to remain in the low 20s throughout the grand final<\/strong>. There is unlikely to be any rain during the match, but a northwesterly breeze could provide some inconvenience for fullbacks under high bombs.<\/p>\n

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Celebrating the contributions of recent retirees is always a special moment of grand final day.<\/p>\n

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Lech Blaine, author of one of the finest essays on Australian sport, unpacks what it means to be a lifelong Broncos supporter approaching the 2025 grand final.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I thought domestic responsibilities would make me less emotionally invested in rugby league. If anything, I am regressing. Watching this Broncos side makes me feel connected to my father, but not nostalgic. Walsh and Haas don\u2019t feel like substitutes. They are singular, and potentially even better than what came before.<\/p>\n

Which takes us to a replay of the 2006 decider: Melbourne v Brisbane. Since that defeat, the Storm have appeared in nine more grand finals, and beaten the Broncos 34 times from 40 matches. Melbourne are now the merciless heavyweights. Maguire is a protege of Bellamy, like Bellamy was of Bennett.<\/p>\n

The Broncos are the plucky upstarts. They no longer take triumph or the city of Brisbane for granted. Their fans have a hard-won insight into the normal rollercoaster ride of most sporting sides. Which might just make Sunday night the sweetest victory of all.<\/p>\n

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The Storm player most responsible for neutralising Haas\u2019s influence will be the Bronco\u2019s front row colleague at the NSW Blues, Stefano Utoikamanu<\/strong>, and the 25-year-old took the un-Melbourne-like step of having a pop at Brisbane in the media during the week.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to make sure I set up this week to get that first kick of the game. There are going to be a lot of people I want to run at, a lot of people I don\u2019t like on this team,\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t want to name names. There are a lot of people I think are a bit stuck up. I\u2019m pretty keen just to run out and do a job for our team.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Back to the footy\u2026 Payne Haas has been the preeminent forward in the game for the past few years and this season he has toiled tirelessly for the Broncos<\/strong>. If the giant prop gets into his stride this evening there could be little the Storm pack can do about it.<\/p>\n

Reece Walsh might be the face of the NRL, a player whose skill is hard to ignore and his Hollywood demeanour downright impossible. But in his teammate Payne Haas, the NRL has its most compelling character and one who will give Brisbane the chance to ascend to the summit of the sport in Sunday\u2019s grand final against Melbourne.<\/p>\n

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Oooph! Off comes Mr Swims\u2019 jacket to reveal an AC\/DC themed plaid combination ideal for launching into a cover of TNT and demonstrating a decent set of pipes. An excellent way to win over new friends on a night like this.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a004.14 EDT<\/p>\n

Teddy Swims has just kicked off his bekilted yacht rock pregame show. It\u2019s fine, I guess.<\/p>\n

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Speaking of the NRLW grand final, that has already provided the Broncos with a day to remember.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Brisbane Broncos overcame a valiant Sydney Roosters comeback to secure their fourth NRLW premiership with a 22-18 victory in a see-sawing and spiteful grand final marked by sickening collisions and a shoving match at the final whistle.<\/p>\n

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Harry Sachar has mailed his customary greeting. \u201cHi Jonathan, the countdown is well and truly on. Can\u2019t wait. If the men\u2019s final is half as good as the women\u2019s we are in for a treat. I have no idea who is going to win.\u201d<\/p>\n

I have no idea either Harry. My left brain says the discipline and spine of Storm, the right brain likes the vibes and maverick unpredictability of the Broncos.<\/p>\n

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If the Storm have an obvious edge over the Broncos it\u2019s in the Accor Stadium sky close to the try line on their left wing, where Xavier Coates is near-undefendable.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The NRL changed the rules in 2020 to penalise a defender tackling a player who caught a ball in the air in the name of safety. In recent years the accurate kick to the corner towards a flying winger has become a staple of the sport.<\/p>\n

But none have done it quite like the 194cm Coates, named in the NRL\u2019s team of the season at the Dally M awards on Wednesday. \u201cProbably my best attribute is competing in the air, and teams are going to try to take that away from me,\u201d he says in the lead-up to Sunday\u2019s grand final against Brisbane. \u201cThat\u2019s just all a part of the game, and teams are doing it really well now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Queenslander now has 26 tries from chips or bombs in his career. Since 2014, only Rooster Daniel Tupou and former Cowboy Kyle Feldt have more, according to statistics collected by David Middleton. But Coates\u2019 first grade career only began in 2019, meaning he has climbed the ladder in around half the time as others.<\/p>\n

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Reece Walsh is rugby league\u2019s pin-up boy but as Jack Snape writes, the Bronco is determined to prove there is plenty of substance behind the hype.<\/strong><\/p>\n

When the players run out on to Sydney\u2019s Accor Stadium on Sunday evening, no competitor will draw more eyes than the Brisbane fullback Reece Walsh. He is a story unto himself, having engineered the miraculous comeback victory over minor premiers Canberra three weeks ago with a performance that was not perfect but more than compelling.<\/p>\n

\u201cPretty boy? Yes. Bit of lair in him? Yes,\u201d said broadcaster Matty Johns this week, who had put Walsh\u2019s last 15 minutes against the Raiders as \u2013 alongside Nathan Cleary in the 2023 decider against the Broncos \u2013 the greatest he had seen. But Johns also said it shouldn\u2019t be forgotten how \u201ctough\u201d the 23-year-old is, highlighting his frantic running game free of self-preservation.<\/p>\n

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Nick Tedeschi sets the scene: the Storm machine versus Maguire\u2019s men on a mission.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is an opportunity for Brisbane to return to glory. And it is not some fluke return. Brisbane are in their second grand final in three years and are on a journey with coach Michael Maguire, who ended a four-decade drought at South Sydney, guided New South Wales to a rare series win over Queensland and helped New Zealand hand Australia their biggest ever loss. He can now add to that masterminding the end of Penrith\u2019s five-peat dream.<\/p>\n

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Brisbane Broncos XIII<\/h2>\n

Michael Maguire makes one change to the side that overran the Panthers last Sunday with Patrick Carrigan returning to lock the scrum after he missed the preliminary final through suspension<\/strong>. Ben Talty is the hard luck story who misses out.<\/p>\n

Maguire has a surfeit of playmakers at his disposal but has settled on the formula of starting Ben Hunt at five-eighth then shifting the veteran to dummy-half when it\u2019s time to introduce the running game of Ezra Mam.<\/p>\n

1. Reece Walsh 2. Josiah Karapani 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Gehamat Shibasaki 5. Deine Mariner 6. Ben Hunt 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Corey Jensen 9. Cory Paix 10. Payne Haas 11. Brendan Piakura 12. Jordan Riki 13. Patrick Carrigan
Interchange<\/em>: 14. Ezra Mam 15. Kobe Hetherington 16. Xavier Willison 17. Tyson Smoothy
Reserves<\/em>: 18. Jesse Arthars 19. Jack Gosiewski<\/p>\n

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Melbourne Storm XIII<\/h2>\n

Craig Bellamy has stuck with the side that fought past Cronulla in the preliminary final.<\/strong> That means the vaunted spine all start, including Jahrome Hughes, who has had an extra week to recover from his fractured forearm and dislocated shoulder.<\/p>\n

Grant Anderson is the unlucky 18th man, despite making 24 appearances and scoring 11 tries this campaign.<\/p>\n

1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. William Warbrick 3. Jack Howarth 4. Nick Meaney 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Shawn Blore 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Trent Loiero
Interchange<\/em>: 14. Tyran Wishart 15. Ativalu Lisati 16. Tui Kamikamica 17. Alec MacDonald Reserves<\/em>: 18. Grant Anderson 20. Joe Chan<\/p>\n

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Preamble<\/h2>\n

Jonathan Howcroft<\/span><\/p>\n

Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of the NRL grand final between Melbourne Storm and Brisbane Broncos. Kick-off at Accor Stadium in Sydney is 7.30pm AEST.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 2025 NRL season got underway seven months ago in Las Vegas. From the opening kick-off in Allegiant Stadium rugby league fans have been treated to one of the most entertaining and open campaigns in the sport\u2019s history.<\/p>\n

The long-dormant Bulldogs stirred. Ricky\u2019s upstart Raiders were irrepressible. The Panthers climbed off the canvas like The Undertaker. Mark Nawaqanitawase made a mockery of switching codes. The greatest match in modern history took place in Mudgee, only to be one-upped three weeks later in Canberra. And now there is only the destination of the The Provan-Summons Trophy to go.<\/p>\n

Will it be handed to Melbourne Storm, the side with the best coach, the best spine, and the best football operation in the game? Or will it be awarded to Brisbane Broncos, the team with the most chutzpah, the highest ceiling, and the largest fanbase?<\/p>\n

Storm have always looked destined to make the grand final, but have only occasionally hit top gear in a season dominated by injuries. Their presence owes as much to unheralded utilities like Tyran Wishart, Grant Anderson, and Joe Chan, as it does to their more illustrious colleagues wearing numbers 1,6,7 and 9.<\/p>\n

The Broncos weren\u2019t even in the top eight halfway through the season, and in round 23 looked to have lost both starting halves to year-ending injuries. But Michael Maguire\u2019s influence has grown over the course of his first year in the Brisbane hotseat and his players now reflect his hard nosed never-say-die approach to the game. Maguire has also benefited from the very best forward in the game, Payne Haas, hitting top form, and the back with the most potential in the game, Reece Walsh, demonstrating why he is such a precious talent.<\/p>\n

Both these teams have recent grand final experience. Both came unstuck against the immovable object that is Penrith. With the Panthers temporarily vanquished, this is an opportunity neither club can afford to pass up.<\/p>\n

After a season of such magnificent highs, with two evenly-matched teams, there\u2019s no reason not to expect a fitting premiership decider.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll be back with more build-up and the line-ups shortly. If you want to get in touch this evening, the address is jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a003.50 EDT<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature 2 mins: Jensen, not Haas, takes the first hit-up of the night and Melbourne are up sharply\u2026 but just three tackles later the Storm concede the first penalty of the night for Grant interfering with Haas on the ground. Brisbane immediately<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26005,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[12027,82,4858,3504,132,4135,1991,5871],"class_list":{"0":"post-26004","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-brisbane","9":"tag-final","10":"tag-grand","11":"tag-league","12":"tag-live","13":"tag-melbourne","14":"tag-nrl","15":"tag-rugby"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26004","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=26004"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26004\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/26005"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=26004"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=26004"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=26004"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}