Full Time
80:00
7:20pm Sun September 30, 2018
Grand Final - Accor Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park / Wanngal - Crowd: 82688
80min

FULLTIME :: Roosters are the 2018 premiers, triumphing 21-6.

80min

Storm go short again. They fail and the Roosters are one set away.. one six tackle set away from first premiership since 2013.

79min

Penalty Goal: Roosters
Kicked by Latrell Mitchell.

Now, we'll get the icing on the cake. Mitchell will line up a penalty goal. Milking all the time, nails it.

Roosters lead Roosters 21 - 6 Storm
78min

Deservedly, Munster is given his marching orders again.

77min

PENALTY ROOSTERS! Munster has lost his head, kicking a tackled player while he was down.

77min

Scott gifts the Roosters the chance for a celebration try.

75min

Storm trying every trick in the bag now, a chipped kick for Vunivalu.. never had the depth, so Manu claims easily.

74min

Storm find space again on the right, Scott tries to step inside, gets collared. The Storm centre drops it trying to push it inside. The comeback isn't on.

73min

Quickly followed by a FOURTH. Roosters have got the official warning now.

72min

Now a THIRD penalty. Offside.

72min

PENALTY STORM! Second effort.. Storm still believe and keeping the ball alive to reflect that.

71min

PENALTY STORM! Scrum penalty.

69min

Storm go short, Vunivalu knocks it over the sideline. That should be the game.

69min

Field Goal: Roosters
Kicked by Luke Keary.

GREEN LIGHTS.. FIELD GOAL! No obstruction on Slater. The leg came out after the contact. Keary's effort is good.

Roosters lead Roosters 19 - 6 Storm
69min

BUNKER TIME! Checking an obstruction on Slater on Keary's field goal.

68min

Vunivalu has been solid in the air tonight. He jumped early this time, and it contacted him.. Scrum Roosters.

65min

Munster who has been bright since his binning, spills it.

63min

Conversion: Storm
Kicked by Cameron Smith.

Smith to make it a dozen the deficit.

Roosters lead Roosters 18 - 6 Storm
62min

Try: Storm
Scored by Josh Addo-Carr. Kick to come.

GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! They were checking some foul play from Tupou in the act of scoring.. the defenders knees hit the ground. All clear.. Storm are on the board! Keary with a poor pass.

Roosters lead Roosters 18 - 4 Storm
62min

BUNKER TIME! Addo-Carr races away.. checking the penalty try option.

61min

Nothing seems to be going right for the Storm! They got the play they wanted.. Munster reefed it from Aubusson, tried to position Carr, the Roosters cover defense takes him across the sideline.

60min

PENALTY ROOSTERS! Brandon Smith clipped the attacker high.

59min

Storm have started to create some chances. They flooded the short side on last, Scott burst through but a legs tackle got him.

58min

Storm opened the space, Munster drew the man well, just had to give it.. the half decided to go himself.. and a superb defensive move from Manu denied him.

56min

Roosters putting on the flair now! Matterson tries an audacious flick pass in the middle of the field which sent Tupou away. On last, Roosters go back to the right, Manu took the kick but is gathered by the defense.

54min

RED LIGHTS.. NO TRY! Yep.. that's an easy one. Asofa-Solomona barrels into Cronk and it is an easy call for the official.

54min

BUNKER TIME! Croft legitimately strolled there.. and Cronk is on the floor. Let's go to the tape.

54min

PENALTY STORM! Offside. They have another set start.. we go again.

52min

Has the tide turned? Croft again grubbers through, Manu juggled it and dropped it. Six more for the Storm. Can they get on the board?

51min

Storm finally find some success.. Croft tumbles a kick there, and it bounces back and hits Tedesco. Dropout.

49min

Everything is bouncing the Roosters way. Munster tried to bend one deep, but it rolled on it's point again. Seven tackle set again for the tri-colours.

43min

Matterson pirouettes through the defense as the Roosters again back on the front foot. They look to give Ferguson room, the winger eyes off the sideline.. but put a foot in touch.

41min

..much like the first half, they can't do anything. Finucane drops it.

40min

PENALTY STORM! Kenny Bromwich is felled by a crusher.. and referee pings the Roosters.

40min

Both sides are back onto the field. Storm need to overturn a huge deficit here.. 18 down, against a full of energy Roosters side. The team from Bondi will get us back underway!

39min

One final chance for the Storm. Munster, back on the field, chips for himself.. toed it ahead but the second effort is taken by Joe Manu. HALFTIME

38min

Conversion: Roosters
Attempted by Latrell Mitchell.

Big kick for Mitchell! He has the chance to put the Roosters 20-points ahead. Takes his time, swings it wide.

Roosters lead Roosters 18 - 0 Storm
37min

Try: Roosters
Scored by Joseph Manu. Kick to come.

Too easy! Aubusson goes close.. is captured. Quick hands sees Manu fly across.

Roosters lead Roosters 18 - 0 Storm
36min

PENALTY ROOSTERS! Cam Smith nudges the man attacked and is pinged.

35min

Smith usually so adept with the dummy-half kicks has it roll end on end. Seven tackle set incoming.

32min

Friend was at a loose end there, almost got mixed up with Keary. Friend grubbers through, and Carr has to tumble it dead.

31min

Penalty Goal: Roosters
Kicked by Latrell Mitchell.

Mitchell makes it fourteen the difference.

Roosters lead Roosters 14 - 0 Storm
30min

The half committed a professional foul, now he's off for a rest. Roosters to kick for a three-score lead.

29min

They hand it right back.. Asofa-Solomona spills it into the path of Friend. The hooker darts about forty metres before he is wrangled. Munster hangs on.. and he'll be binned.

28min

PENALTY STORM! We've settled into a pattern, Storm with a THIRD penalty coming out of trouble. Matterson tries to grapple with Slater.

26min

Once again, the Storm go the right! They gave Chambers space again but he slipped, then is smothered by the Roosters defense. Now the Roosters have a penalty.

25min

PENALTY STORM! Again, they were on their heels.. but Aubusson is pinged for dangerous tackle. Set starts on halfway.

23min

Storm go close again.. Asofa Solomona was inches away. On last, Smith and Croft combine to put Chambers into a small box.. the centre is pushed out.. then has a cuddle with Mitchell.

21min

Croft dabs one through, another set coming. That looked much more like the Storm! They attacked the edges, and almost cut through.

20min

PENALTY STORM! Melbourne have exclusively been rucking it out.. now they get a piggyback into the Roosters area. Big set incoming.

19min

Bellamy sends on his big artillery! Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Kenny Bromwich. Kaufusi is felled by a classic Keary tackle to spill it.

18min

RED LIGHTS.. NO TRY! We didn't get to the end.. Ferguson jumped from in touch. Storm handover on the 30.

18min

BUNKER TIME! Looking at the touchline, the strip.. everything!

16min

Conversion: Roosters
Kicked by Latrell Mitchell.

From a similar spot, Mitchell studies the posts then squeaks it inside.

Roosters lead Roosters 12 - 0 Storm
15min

Try: Roosters
Scored by Latrell Mitchell. Kick to come.

Quickly they shift it right, Latrell Mitchell in space is hard to stop, he bumped off Chambers then flew into the in-goal for the try!

Roosters lead Roosters 10 - 0 Storm
14min

Another repeat set.. Billy Slater spilled the bomb.. and the Roosters are back on the attack.

13min

Storm have their first chance in the attacking half, Croft drilled a kick for Vunivalu. The winger kept it in, but some superb interchange of passes sees the Roosters escape.

12min

PENALTY STORM! Keary again, takes the kicking reigns. He lofts one that Vunivalu takes then he is tipped over by Jake Friend. PENALTY.

10min

Been some brutal defense from the Roosters. They almost dragged Addo-Carr in-goal then Hargreaves followed it up with a huge hit on Slater. The last tackle option went straight down the throat of Tedesco, as the Roosters move over halfway.

9min

Conversion: Roosters
Attempted by Latrell Mitchell.

Tougher this time, Mitchell fades it wide.

Roosters lead Roosters 6 - 0 Storm
8min

Try: Roosters
Scored by Daniel Tupou. Kick to come.

TRY TIME! Keary throws a wonderful ball into the space, Tupou latched onto it, stiff-armed a defender and stepped across.

Roosters lead Roosters 6 - 0 Storm
6min

We have our first Cronk kick, he tumbled one into the pack and Storm knock on. Six more, but the half was collected after he kicked.

3min

Penalty Goal: Roosters
Kicked by Latrell Mitchell.

Mitchell from mid-range on the left, nails it.

Roosters lead Roosters 2 - 0 Storm
2min

Roosters almost cut through as Cordner poked his nose through. He can't play the ball under the attention of Chambers, and it is whistle time. Roosters opt for points.

Here we go! Storm kick us off.. and Taukeiaho takes the first charge!

Thank you to Samantha Jayde, for a wonderful rendition of the anthem! The captains have met at midfield, the toss is complete! All the bluster, all the narrative, all the games are over - time for 80 minutes of magnificent football!

Here they come.. the Melbourne Storm! Entering to a mixed reaction from the crowd, the sea of purple down the southern end had their flags waving high. Here come the Roosters, the red, white and bluesters.. striding out confidently onto the field.. last out was the man of the moment - Cooper Cronk, looking spritely as he stretches for battle!

Welcome to the big dance, we've gone through 25 rounds of regular season football, three weeks of finals and left with two sides - the Melbourne dynasty, looking to become the first side since 1992-93 to record back-to-back premierships, farewelling their champion fullback, in Billy Slater. In the other corner, Sydney Roosters, the big-spending glamour club of the competition, refreshed with former Storm half, and one-armed man Cooper Cronk, CONFIRMED to be playing alongside a side overflowing with talent, looking to take down the dynasty and send Cronk's former friends out on a low note. So much narrative throughout the week, now we're ready for the football! Let's get it on.. soon. ANZ Stadium is starting to fill, Gangs of Youth have opened proceedings and now, the trophy is out on the plith.

Referees & scorers:

Referee: Gerard Sutton, Ashley Klein

Touch Judges: Brett Suttor, Nick Beashel

Video Referee: Steve Chiddy, Ben Galea

SYDNEY ROOSTERS (21)
Tries: Latrell Mitchell, Daniel Tupou, Joseph Manu
Field Goals: Luke Keary (1/1)
Conversions: Latrell Mitchell (1/3)
Penalty Goals: Latrell Mitchell (3/3)

MELBOURNE STORM (6)
Tries: Josh Addo-Carr
Field Goals:
Conversions: Cameron Smith (1/1)
Penalty Goals: