FULL-TIME! Australia run out comfortable winners here at Anfield.
Australia 34-8
SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION AUSTRALIA: Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Thurston adds the two.
Australia 34-8
TRY AUSTRALIA: Scored by Boyd Cordner. Kick to come.
Cordner has run that line all night.. and gets his reward there. Tough run and good finish.
Australia 32-8
UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEW ZEALAND: Conversion attempt by Jordan Kahu unsuccessful.
Kahu already set up for the conversion.. misses again.
Australia 28-8
TRY NEW ZEALAND: Scored by Jordan Kahu. Kick to come.
Confirmed. Kahu didn't make a second movement and no knock on.
Australia 28-8
Video Referee: Kahu might have a double!
Australia 28-4
UNFORCED ERROR NEW ZEALAND: Lewis Brown makes an unforced error.
Kiwis have had a mortgage on the ball in the last five mins but Brown taps it over the sideline.
Australia 28-4
UNFORCED ERROR AUSTRALIA: Michael Morgan makes an unforced error.
Accidental offside from Morgan. Another set coming for NZ.
Australia 28-4
Penalty Kiwis. Matt Scott not square.
Australia 28-4
Some afters between Dugan and Kata after the latter gave away the penalty.
Australia 28-4
UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEW ZEALAND: Conversion attempt by Jordan Kahu unsuccessful.
The Bronco can't convert his own effort.
Australia 28-4
TRY NEW ZEALAND: Scored by Jordan Kahu. Kick to come.
Kahu touched down not Rapana.
Australia 28-4
PENALTY Kiwis.. blockers. It was a very good take from Ferguson nonetheless.
Australia 28-0
No he can't.. unlucky for the Sharks flyer. His hand just touched the whitewash.
Australia 28-0
VIDEO REFEREE: Has Val Holmes produced some magic?
Australia 28-0
SKD with some terrible handling in the last few minutes. Another dropout incoming..
Australia 28-0
UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION AUSTRALIA: Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston unsuccessful.
Missed.
Australia 28-0
PENALTY Kiwis. Can they manage something?
Australia 28-0
TRY AUSTRALIA: Scored by Darius Boyd. Kick to come.
Not enough evidence to overturn it. TRY time for Boyd. He found the hole and sliced through.
Australia 28-0
VIDEO REFEREE: Boyd might have a try.
Australia 24-0
Johnson with a tame finish to the set.. and compounded with a penalty.
Australia 24-0
Taupau collected high. The start NZ needed.
Australia 24-0
KICK-OFF! Aussies with first use.
Australia 24-0
We're back! It's going to take a huge effort from the Kiwis to overhaul this..
Australia 24-0
PENALTY right on the siren for the Kiwis. They play some hot potato football but it is 24-nil Aussies at the break.
Australia 24-0
UNFORCED ERROR AUSTRALIA: Blake Ferguson makes an unforced error.
Ferguson tries a trick play there.. but knocks on in the process.
Australia 24-0
Inglis with a monster run.. and he goes close. Confirmed with the video and he is held up.
Australia 24-0
A lovely kick from Cronk and Kahu is dragged in-goal.
Australia 24-0
UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION AUSTRALIA: Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston unsuccessful.
Thurston misses after hitting the posts.
Australia 24-0
TRY AUSTRALIA: Scored by Josh Dugan. Kick to come.
Confirmed. Dugan got it down fast. This could get ugly.
Australia 24-0
VIDEO REFEREE: Josh Dugan claiming one.. starting from a magic offload from Gillett.
Australia 20-0
SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL AUSTRALIA: Penalty goal attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Thurston nails his fourth kick of the evening.
Australia 20-0
PENALTY Australia. Frizell running a tough line and hit high.. now the Aussies take the two.
Australia 18-0
PENALTY Australia.. they tap.
Australia 18-0
Deft kick from JT and SKD touches down.. that would be seven points at Wembley.
Australia 18-0
UNFORCED ERROR NEW ZEALAND: Solomone Kata makes an unforced error.
Too hard of a pass and Kata makes his second error.
Australia 18-0
SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION AUSTRALIA: Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Besides the sticks, an elementary two points for Thurston.
Australia 18-0
TRY AUSTRALIA: Scored by Trent Merrin. Kick to come.
This won't help the Kiwis.. Trent Merrin just barges over from close range.
Australia 16-0
UNFORCED ERROR NEW ZEALAND: Issac Luke makes an unforced error.
Luke now fumbles from dummy half. Danger signs for the current #1 nation.
Australia 12-0
SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL AUSTRALIA: Penalty goal attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Thurston opts for the sticks and pilots it through.
Australia 12-0
PENALTY Australia! Kiwis can't gather the fifth tackle kick and Holmes is hit late.
Australia 10-0
UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION AUSTRALIA: Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston unsuccessful.
Slightly inside this time, but same result for Thurston who swings it wide.
Australia 10-0
TRY AUSTRALIA: Scored by Josh Dugan. Kick to come.
Australia make them pay with some precision finishing! From a Merrin offload it created space for Cronk to link with Boyd who found Dugan to slice across.
Australia 10-0
That was better from New Zealand! Rapana skipped outside a few tackles, found his halfback who couldn't link with the wide man. Holmes scooped it up and set into the Kiwi half.
Australia 6-0
UNFORCED ERROR NEW ZEALAND: Shaun Kenny-Dowall makes an unforced error.
Kiwis went for the power game in their first few sets on the Aussie line but now they tried the shift to SKD who spilled it.
Australia 6-0
Jesse Bromwich goes close.. and is held up.. Stripped over the line. PENALTY.
Australia 6-0
Johnson stabs one into the minuscule in-goal and forces a dropout.
Australia 6-0
UNFORCED ERROR AUSTRALIA: Boyd Cordner makes an unforced error.
Cordner now has fumbled it rucking it out. Momentum changing now.
Australia 6-0
Some flashy flicks from the Kiwis on last, as Johnson tries to chip it to his winger but it was too big.
Australia 6-0
... and another PENALTY! for the Kiwis.
Australia 6-0
PENALTY Kiwis. The Aussie halves are targeting Fusitua early and he covers it well. Earns the penalty with some afters in the tackle.
Australia 6-0
SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION AUSTRALIA: Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
A tough first assignment for Thurston, from the sideline.. he walks in and wobbles it over.
Australia 6-0
TRY AUSTRALIA: Scored by Blake Ferguson. Kick to come.
Well that was too easy for the Aussies! It goes down the shortside form the scrum, to Boyd who feeds it perfectly to Ferguson to dive over.
Australia 4-0
UNFORCED ERROR NEW ZEALAND: Solomone Kata makes an unforced error.
Some strong defense from the Roos, force Kata to knock on.
0 all
Both teams have hit the field, we've had the anthems now the Kiwis are doing their traditional haka.. then it is go time!
TEAM CHANGES:
AUST: Sam Thaiday is injured so he replaced by Canberra big bopper Shannon Boyd.
NEW: Thomas Leuluai has succumb to injury, so Tohu Harris reprises his role as the biggest five-eighth in rugby league in his place. Jason Taumalolo gets a start at lock too.
Welcome, everybody! We have finally come to the last game for season 2016! The four nations final between Australia and New Zealand at the historic Anfield in Liverpool! Australia seek to erase the demons of the last few years with a victory to retake the #1 ranking while the Kiwis come into tonight underdone and undermanned but they can spark some magic in these finals as shown by the 2008 World Cup final.
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Ben Cummins
Touch Judges: Anthony Elliott, Chris Kendall
Video Referee: Bernard Sutton
AUSTRALIA (34)
Tries: Blake Ferguson, Josh Dugan (2), Trent Merrin, Darius Boyd, Boyd Cordner
Field Goals:
Conversions: Johnathan Thurston (3/6)
Penalty Goals: Johnathan Thurston (2/2)
NEW ZEALAND (8)
Tries: Jordan Kahu (2)
Field Goals:
Conversions: Jordan Kahu (0/2)
Penalty Goals: