That’s 2016 done and dusted, folks. The Sharks are premiers. It’ll take a while to get used to the sound of that.
Thanks for your eyeballs. They were round. Cheerio and good night.
Here’s Sam Perry’s match report:
Updated
And now Gallen takes to the stage. He polarises opinion, for good reason, but you can’t say he hasn’t given his all for his club. And they love him for it.
Gallen signed for the Sharks in 1999. Seventeen years later he made his first grand final. And made the most of it. Good things come to those who wait.
Gallen congratulates “Cameron” and the “terrific Storm” side, one that “just kept coming”. “To our boys, our coaching staff, thanks for the year. To all the boys, we’ve played for each other all year. To all you fan, you’ve waited 50 years for this! For all you former players, blokes like ET, guys who busted their backsides for the club and never got to enjoy a moment like this, I hope you enjoy it. To all you people back in the Shire, turn your porch lights off cause we’re coming home with the trophy!”
Gallen hoists the trophy, his teammates pile in, and confetti rains from the sky. The drought has well and truly broken.
BREAKING: Exclusive picture taken from North Cronulla Beach. Reports he ordered schooner at Northies. More to come. #NRLGF #upupcronulla pic.twitter.com/FStplQ3mis
— Tim Barrow (@TheBarrow) October 2, 2016
The Sharks players come up one by one to accept their winners’ medals and the overwhelming contingent of Sharks supporters —who haven’t left early to beat the traffic— give each one a mighty roar.
And here’s Matt Prior, a journeyman forward who is now a dual premiership winner (having won one with the Dragons in 2010). More premierships than Matt Rogers has Matt Prior. Sport does your head in sometimes.
Sharks coach Shane Flanagan takes the stage where he’s embraced by Andrew Ettingshausen and congratulated by NRL CEO Todd Greenberg. “Premiership winning coach!” the announcer says and Flanagan can’t help but pump his fists. Could he ever have envisaged this moment in 2014 when he was suspended from club duties after the much talked about supplements scandal that all but tore Cronulla in two? It’s incredible that he is here now, on this stage, alongside his premiership-winning team.
Updated
Cameron Smith is called to the dais and a few boos ring out, but they seem to be drowned out by applause. He starts by congratulating the Sharks. He must be very disappointed. His team won the minor premiership and, their defence aside, they never really clicked in this game. But still they could have won it which speaks volumes.
Luke Lewis wins the Clive Churchill
The presentations have begun and the first act is to announce the Clive Churchill Medal winner for man of the match. It’s veteran backrower Luke Lewis, who won a premiership with Penrith in 2003.
Sharks captain Paul Gallen, now a bonafide Cronulla immortal, is lifted from the ground by Andrew Johns. He has tears in his eyes. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of these blokes,” he says, choking back sobs. “What they did tonight! Oh my God! They’re the best blokes. So good. I can believe it because of the hard work we’ve put in but to do this! I’m so happy, I’m so proud.”
Michael Ennis has a go but is barely coherent: “I thought we were ‘gorn’ when Chambers scored. But Fifita, Fifita! I can’t believe it! We created a heap of chances. The Storm are champions, they just recover, recover, recover.”
Some classy words from the losing captain, Cameron Smith: “I think everyone that follows rugby league has to be happy for the Sharks. They’ve waited a long time for this. It would have been nice to win tonight and it won’t take away the bitter disappointment we all feel, but I’m happy for the Sharks and all of their fans that they get a premiership.”
Fulltime: Melbourne 12-14 Cronulla
The crowd have gone Herbie Goes Bananas while Ennis, Gallen, Lewis and Co. bawl and whoop and holler. After 50 years Cronulla finally have something to put in their trophy cabinet. “Up, Up, Cronulla” reverberates around the stadium!
Credit to the Storm. What a defensive effort, what spirit to not just stay in the game but hit the lead.
Updated
80 min: But he’s dragged to ground and that’s it! The Sharks have won it! Turn the porch light off! Harold Holt is home! Okay, he’s not. But turn the porch light off! It doesn’t matter any more!
79 min: Oh my goodness, what a final minute! The Storm work their way 70m down field, Koroibete and Vunivalu making huge inroads. The refuse to be tackled. It’s offload after offload and they wind ever closer to the Sharks’ line. Just when they appear to be through the line closes. And finally, it finds Koroibete who races over the 10m line after the hooter sounds...
79 min: Townsend finds touch as the clock enters the final minute. The Storm will feed the scrum inside their own 20m.
78 min: Chambers is running out but he kicks inside for himself and regathers. He takes the tackle but missed Cronk unmarked on his inside! Cronk would have scored. The Storm then shift it left and play hot potato, but they can’t fashion a break. So it’s a grubber but it runs dead!
76 min: Four minutes for the Sharks to hang on. And on the last, Cronk scythes Maloney down before he gets a kick away. But the Storm are on their own 10m line.
75 min: Maloney’s drop-kick sails over the halfway line, and on the second tackle Bromwich knocks on!
75 min: An ordinary Storm set ends in an ordinary Cronk kick. But the Sharks allow it to bounce and it bounces into the in-goal, past Barba who is beaten by the leg break. But he recovers to bat the ball dead ahead of Chambers!
73 min: The Storm go the short side inside the Sharks’ 20m but Cronk’s kick is caught beautifully by Bird. Mark Waugh would have been pleased with that.
Moments later, however, Maloney kicks out on the full. His only false step all night. Melbourne to come again.
72 min: Luke Lewis cops a shoulder to the head. His head didn’t need that. In profile he looks like a boxer with far too many unsuccessful rounds under his belt.
Conversion! Melbourne 12-14 Cronulla (Maloney)
He doesn’t miss and the Sharks have poked their noses in front. Ten minutes between them and their first premiership. Can they do it?
Try! Melbourne 12-12 Cronulla (Fifita 70)
Yes, it’s a try all right, and the Sharks will go ahead unless Maloney misses from right in front.
70 min: Possible try to Fifita!
Ennis finds Fifita on the charge and he manages to keep the ball in one mitt amid four tacklers. He spins, he drives, he reaches out and seems to have planted the ball cleanly!
Updated
68 min: On the fifth tackle, 10m out and in front, Christian Welch flops on top of Townsend who was already well tackled. D.U.M.B. The Sharks don’t, of course, take the certain two points. They’ll run it...
67 min: The Storm won this year’s minor premiership on the back of their defence, one that conceded a mere 12.5 points a game. Could that same defence be about to win them their third premiership crown?
Not yet. Penalty to Cronulla for holding down and Townsend kicks for touch. Cronulla to begin a set on the Storm’s 40m.
Conversion! Melbourne 12-8 Cronulla (Smith 66)
Smith pops it over and yes, the game HAS turned on its head.
Try! Melbourne 10-8 Cronulla (Chambers 65)
And the Storm are ahead for the first time tonight! From 20m out, in midfield, Cronk passes right to Hampton to Chambers and, after taking a bump from Beale, Chambers recalibrates and continues running, slicing through two tacklers to dive over!
Updated
63 min: This will help the Storm. Townsend, looking for touch, I think, grubbers the ball dead from 35m. As good as the Storm’s defence has been, the Sharks’ attack has looked, dare I say, a little toothless.
61 min: Barba weaves dangerously and gets the Sharks on the attack again. On the last Maloney goes left with a cut-out to Leutele but Vunivalu cleans up a short kick and the Storm survive another Shark attack.
60 min: And again the Storm hold firm.
59 min: Cheyse Blair catches a Maloney kick centimetres inside the field of play and Luke Lewis drags him to ground in the in-goal. Another Storm drop-out, but another Sharks set where they didn’t really look like breaking the Storm line.
57 min: Making the most of their seven tackles (due to Smith kicking dead) the Sharks run it deep and the Storm can only knock on a Maloney cross-field kick close to their own line.
55 min: The Storm are gathering momentum now, making good metres in attack. On the last, from midfield and 20m out, Cameron Smith picks up from dummy half and kicks the ball dead with no Storm player in sight. That’s the kind of boo-boo Smith doesn’t tend to make.
54 min: Barba flies high to take a Cronk kick on his own 20m. He, Feki and Holmes have been wonderful tonight.
Play is stopped as Bukuya is being treated for a head knock, the result of an awkward attempt at tackling Proctor. He’s going off and won’t be off, allowing Tagataese to get on the park.
53 min: Has the game now turned on it’s head? The Storm are up in the Sharks’ faces as the Shiremen try to run it out from their own line. The Sharks’ set ends with Leutele left-footing it downfield where Munster picks it up in his own 10m.
Conversion! Melbourne 6-8 Cronulla (Smith 51)
What a boost that try will be for Melbourne. Smashed all game and now, after Smith’s successful conversion, they’re just two down. They’ll have a spring in their sprigs now.
Try! Melbourne 4-8 Cronulla (Bromwich 50)
Yes he does, despite three tacklers on him.
Updated
50 min: A McLean charge is halted centimetres from the line. From the play-the-ball Jesse Bromwich hits it up, spins at the line, and appears to get the ball down in traffic!
48 min: An awful grubber from Townsend, intended for his outside backs, gifts the ball to a relieved Storm on their 20m. Hmm. The Sharks aren’t applying the killer touch just yet. Will they? And now another penalty to the Storm.
47 min: Chambers is penalised for lifting the tackled player above the horizontal and Maloney, taking the kick for touch, takes play over the half.
46 min: And though the Storm do get deep into Sharks’ territory two poor kicks by Cronk don’t help matters for the men in purple. He’s been unusually ineffective tonight, Cronk, though the Sharks are applying a lot of pressure when he gets the ball.
44 min: The Sharks aren’t trying anything too expansive —though perhaps they should be by now. Another of their sets —this one ended with a poor Ennis kick— is foiled by more excellent Storm defence.
And here’s penalty to the Storm to give them a fast track out of their own half.
42 min: A midfield punt by Cronk is fielded by Barba and on the third tackle Feki pushes the Sharks into Storm territory.
And just like that, Leutele catches a cut-out pass from the excellent Maloney and chews up some metres before cutting back inside. The crowd is on their feet but Leutele is pulled down. Moments later the Sharks kick. Vinivalu catches it but he’s tackled in goal. Another Storm drop-out.
Peeeeeeeeep!
41 min: And here we go; the Sharks are 40 minutes away from the dream that dared not speak its name.
The way the commentators are talking you’d think the Sharks were up by 30. “They’re a rabble,” says Gould. But it’s just eight points, folks. This game is alive.
This tells us a lot about how that first half played out:
Will Melbourne @Storm back in the second forty? #NRLGF #9WWOS pic.twitter.com/ezWqIF74MJ
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) October 2, 2016
The players are making their way back on to the field. We’re set to go.
Imagine how nervous Sharks fans are right about now? No lead would be enough to feel safe holding. Could the Sharks really be about to break their duck? Two football ‘fairytales’ in one weekend? What did we do to deserve it?
But lest you go counting chickens, the Storm have Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk. They’ve been there, done that, bought the T-shirt. The Storm are not done by a long shot.
I AM SO ANXIOUS OMG #NRLGF pic.twitter.com/o4cNdnHvJe
— Harrison Cartwright (@hazandstuff) October 2, 2016
In other news, Australian F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo has won the Malaysian Grand Prix. He then drank champers from his shoe. Will we see any of that after this game?
Half-time: Melbourne 0-8 Cronulla
That half has flown by and the Sharks will be delighted —though they will feel they should be further ahead considering the balance of play.
I’ll get an orange segment and be back in a tick.
40 min: Yes, the Storm, though out on their feet, have kept the Sharks at bay once again! Brilliant defence, and if they do turn this around and win it we’ll return to the last 10 minutes especially.
38 min: No try but the Sharks win another drop-out as Bird flings Koroibete, cleaning up, over the dead-ball line. Can the Storm hang on and regroup during the break?
37 min: The Sharks can’t punch through the Storm defence so Ennis attempts to win another drop-out. His grubber kick is spilled at point-blank range by Cameron Smith. Ennis stands over him and slaps him on the back repeatedly. Not in a congratulatory way. That’s why he’s called the Menace. Jordan McLean, not happy about his captain being mocked, bowls Ennis over trigger a mild contretemps.
35 min: No try! Feki knocked on during the collision. But so did Vunivalu, and his was first, so it’s a Storm drop-out.
34 min: A Storm kick is caught by Barba on the full in his own in-goal and a quick tap gets the Sharks on their way again.
At the end of the set Maloney clips a sandwedge kick for a charging Feki and he and Vunivalu collide on the Storm line. The ball comes loose before Leutele touches down. A try?
33 min: The Sharks run it on the last outside the Storm 20m but they never look like breaking through, and Lewis is smothered before he can get a pass away. Turn-over. But as Flanagan rocks back in his chair, disappointed, his players are already lined up ready for the Storm. Their body language shows who’s on top.
31 min: The Sharks are making easy metres now. Quick play-the-balls and offloads have them charging downfield. The Sharks would love another try before the break.
28 min: The Sharks’ impatience costs them. They spin it left early doors — before sucking the defence in, that is. Leutele finds himself running out of room and Chambers and Proctor pick him up and drive him over the sideline. Good defence.
27 min: Koroibete can’t claim a bomb and it’s batted backwards by the Sharks. Cronk picks up the crumbs but when he’s tackled the ball spills lose. The Sharks will attack again from deep inside Melbourne territory!
25 min: A right side move by the Storm is going nowhere and Chambers kicks back inside to no-one. Barba cleans up and here come the Sharks again. They’ve started this game so well, with much of the energy and speed they showed last week against the Cowboys.
21 min: Feki cleans up another dangerous kick, again doing well to get the ball back into the field of play.
Peter Sterling is noting the proximity of the Storm players to each other. He doesn’t say “you could throw a blanket over them” but he might have. “The Storm are getting monstered,” adds Gould.
20 min: The drop-out reaches the halfway line. The Storm look a little ragged.
Replays show that Bird had his arm caught between a tackled player and a falling Gallen. Ouch! That would have felt like a baby grand falling on your arm. Bird did make the next tackle one-armed.
19 min: I missed the why but Jack Bird is in some distress, and getting treated by a trainer. Meantime, Barba cleans up a grubber, just, and runs it dead under pressure.
17 min: The ball falls off the kicking tee as Smith looks to restart the game, but it topples off during his run-off. It’s all going wrong for the Storm at the moment.
They’re brilliant front-runners, the Storm, but how will they go having to chase the game?
Conversion! Melbourne 0-8 (Maloney 16)
Another close-in shot for Maloney and the Sharks are up by eight.
Try! Melbourne 0-6 (Barba 15)
But it won’t matter! From a scrum 5m out Gallen pops out from lock, picks up the ball and passes back inside to Barba who had packed down in the second row! He runs untouched to score.
Updated
14 min: A massive moment in the game! Maloney steps straight through the line and has only Munster to beat. He passes inside to Luke Lewis and he sets sail from 20m out. A few metres from the tryline an despairing dive from Blake Green pulls him down from behind but Lewis slides ever closer to the white stripe! His momentum looks enough to carry him over but... no! He stops centimetres from the line. What a tackle!
13 min: Valetine Holmes, now, fields a kick, and he too does well to make some metres in traffic.
12 min: The Storm kick deep into the corner and Feki does very well to get into the field of play.
Melbourne then pound the Storm with some rattling defence, making metres difficult. As a consequence they’ll start their next set near the halfway line.
9 min: After the Storm pick up 50m in five tackles Cronk bombs but Barba takes it cleanly and skips out of the first tackle. Hanging out on the right edge, like a street hood, Fifita makes another great run, slicing past Harris before his inside flick pass, a getable one, is dropped by Townsend. Fifita looks up for it so far.
Penalty goal! Melbourne 0-2 Cronulla (Maloney 7)
And from 10m to the right of the right upright Maloney puts first points on the board.
Updated
6 min: Townsend, on the wrap around inside the Storm’s 20, is blindsided by Koroibete, and the winger’s attempt to make a ball and all tackle catches Townsend across the chin. That’s a penalty and he’s on report. Not that he’ll care. This is his final game of NRL. He’s off to rugby.
5 min: Having found touch deep in Storm territory the Sharks surge forward. No attempt at expansive football; one charge after another. They get close enough for an Ennis grubber which pings about dangerously but the Storm regather — in their own in-goal. Drop out.
2 min: Cronk dribbles a grubber into touch 10m out from the Sharks’ line. A very professional dribble, according to Gus Gould.
A big charge from Fifita has three Storm players hanging off him like plastic bags in a tree on a windy day. His play the ball is messy but the Storm are penalised for fiddling in the ruck.
Peeeeeeeep!
1 min: James Maloney lobs it deep and the Sharks swarm. Two tackles later a high shot on Jordan McClean by Ennis earns the Storm an early penalty. Enthusiasm got the better of the Sharks there.
Updated
Gallen is smiling again as the crowd roars its appreciation of Dami Im’s rendition of Advance Australia Fair. On that, despite the calls of Anthony Mundine, every player stood at attention.
Cronulla to kick off, running right to left on my screen.
Here they come!
The Sharks are out on the arena, Paul Gallen leading them out with a steely look on his face (which is to say, his regular look). Ennis follows him out in black head gear. But Gallen lets a smile slip out and he looks genuinely touched by the reception of the crowd, a Sharks home crowd by and large.
And now it’s the Storm, Cameron Smith, leading the Storm boys onto ANZ Stadium. They get booed and razzed but they’ll be used to that.
Shots from the dressing rooms. Cooper Cronk has yet to get his shirt on. But I’m sure he will. He’s a good chance for the Clive Churchill Medal, I’d say.
Cronk’s nose, by the way, illustrates the toughness of this game. It’s currently at 5 ‘o’ clock and, I imagine, will continue to slowly work it’s way towards 6 ‘o’ clock (anti-clockwise, unfortunately for him) until he retires.
Sharks coach Shane Flanagan (who we’re told has shared family holidays with Craig Bellamy) talks to Fittler:
“The Shire has been unbelievable today and I’m sure it’s going off there now,” he says. “[We feel good but] you can’t take anything for granted. We’ve just got to get a good start, and do all the things that got us here.”
Of course, they must have. Good call, Tony:
Do you think the NRL forgot about daylight saving?
— Tony Harper (@toneharper) October 2, 2016
Atmosphere 🔥🔥 #NRLGF #MelbourneProud pic.twitter.com/Oi7bEovTcB
— Melbourne Storm (@storm) October 2, 2016
The Storm’s twitter feeder appears to be starting a word association game. I’ll go first: Astronaut.
Keith has been joined by Jessica ‘NRL’ Mauboy and they are singing something I’ve never heard before and won’t hear again if I see or hear it coming.
Keen eyed readers with an eye to kids’ bedtimes will note that the scheduled kickoff time is minutes away. That’s not going to happen, is it? The NRL simply cannot meet a scheduled kickoff time. I suppose it’s funny.
Speaking of hair straighteners, our headline act is now on stage. As MC Richard Wilkins tells us, it’s “one of Australia’s favourite sons!” Not, it’s not Ross Higgins who played Ted Bullpitt in Kingswood Country. It’s Keith Urban.
Can’t say he’s my cup of tea but he sings better than Richie Sambora, and he’s done well to rise above his name. Not too many Keiths have made it big. There’s Keith Richards, Keith Miller, Keith Moon and, um, that’s me done.
Oh, Keith Galloway. Leeds Rhino’s player and, of course, a former Tiger and Shark. He’ll be barracking for Cronulla, you’d think. Yep:
Go the Sharkies pic.twitter.com/VcHoVHMVmC
— Keith Galloway (@kgalloway85) October 2, 2016
Last year’s grand final headliners, Cold Chisel, lit the place up. They should have been invited back to do it again, year after year until Jimmy’ voicebox burst into a million pieces and scattered through the universe.
So, no Chisel this year. We do have, however, Bon Jovi’s Richie Sambora and Orianthi (nope, me either) singing Dead or Alive. Richie’s been at his mum’s hair straightener again. He’s not in the kind of shape Sting’s in, but he’s no Meat Loaf either.
It’s hard to gauge the crowd’s support from my television set but they seem to be cheering politely.
Sambora and Orianthi (still don’t know) are now singing Livin’ On A Prayer, sounding like a not especially good Bon Jovi cover band.
I wonder how Jon feels about Ritchie and the Aussie chick cashing in on some of Bon Jovis biggest hits.#NRLGF #NRLPreshow pic.twitter.com/1M8VMuzLgP
— James Halliday (@J1984hallJames) October 2, 2016
It’s gone too far, hasn’t it?
I can't have been the only one to have noticed the dabbing flag holder #NRLGF pic.twitter.com/jnGDXGzxfH
— Andrew Brown (@AndrewBrownAU) October 2, 2016
I don’t like to mention odds, but I will tell you the Storm are slight favourites. Their head-to-head against the Sharks looks tasty, too. In round 26, remember, they beat the Sharks 26-6.
Melbourne have won 11 of their past 13 games against the Sharks#NRLGF pic.twitter.com/Bb4JiC2unB
— NRL (@NRL) October 2, 2016
Craig Bellamy, 13 years at the Storm, has a few words. He looks relaxed. The calm before the storm:
“I fee pretty good... a little nervous, but that’s normal,” he says, before Fittler points out 11 of his team have never played in a decider before. “You can’t tell them how they should be feeling or thinking,” Bellamy says. “They will have different emotions and will be excited. Grand finals are pretty hard to get to. Hopefully they will enjoy it.”
Brad Fittler has done a head count of the crowd and the numbers are in: “It’s 90% Sharks support. I’ve never seen a crowd so one-sided.
To be expected. I’m sure many Storm fans have travelled north for the game but I don’t image too many live in the Harbour City. Why would they when they’ve got the mighty Yarra and all those laneways.
Rugby league, the great survivor.
Yep. Rugby league in crisis. No one will watch the sport ever again. #NRLGF pic.twitter.com/xHRGLBRymD
— Hamish Neal (@hamishneal) October 2, 2016
Wish I’d said this:
Will Eddie Hayson get a farewell? #NRLGF
— Matt Bungard (@TheMattBungard) October 2, 2016
Jessica Mauboy having cleared her pipes on stage (I mean to say that she was singing, not, well...) the NRL’s retiring players are being introduced to the crowd. It’s quite a list and includes Cronulla rake Michael Ennis who, as you’d expect, hasn’t come out with the others as he’s got a game on.
Along with Ennis there’s Bronco Corey Parker (who ended his career on 347 matches), Dragon Ben Creagh, Knight Jeremy Smith (who played for both the Storm and the Sharks at various points), Jack Reed (Brisbane Broncos), Sam Perrett, Antonio Kaufusi (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Glenn Hall (North Queensland Cowboys), Anthony Watmough (Parramatta Eels), James McManus, Kade Snowden, Todd Lowrie (Newcastle Knights), Nigel Plum (Penrith Panthers), Joel Reddy (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Glen Buttriss (Canberra Raiders), Dene Halatau (Wests Tigers), Nathan Friend, Luke Douglas (Gold Coast Titans) and Ali Lauitiiti (Warriors).
So, Sam Tagatese comes into the game having not played in five weeks due to a shoulder injury. A risk, but Shane Flanagan wanted another big bopper in the squad. Kurt Capewell is te unlucky player to drop out of the Sharks’ 17.
Meanwhile, utility Ben Hampton has retained his place despite not playing a minute during last week’s preliminary-final victory over Canberra.
Cronulla Sharks:
1. Ben Barba
2. Sosaia Feki
3. Jack Bird
4. Ricky Leutele
5. Valentine Holmes
6. James Maloney
7. Chad Townsend
8. Andrew Fifita
9. Michael Ennis
10 Matt Prior
11. Luke Lewis
12. Wade Graham
13. Paul Gallen (c)
Interchange
14. Gerard Beale
15. Chris Heighington
16. Sam Tagataese
17. Jayson Bukuya
Teams:
Melbourne Storm
1. Cameron Munster
2. Suliasi Vunivalu
3. William Chambers
4. Cheyse Blair
5. Marika Koroibete
6. Blake Green
7. Cooper Cronk
8. Jesse Bromwich
9. Cameron Smith ©
10. Jordan McLean
11. Kevin Proctor
12. Tohu Harris
13. Dale Finucane
14. Kenny Bromwich
15. Tim Glasby
16. Christian Welch
17. Ben Hampton
One of the great traditions of NRL grand final day is the playing of the other grades as curtain raisers. (How I wish it was still a grand final day, with the kick off of the big one at 315pm — I will continue to shake my fist at the evening kick-off until the day I die, or the day I lose my fists in a terrible typing accident.)
Anyway, the results of the earlier games are as follows:
FT in #HoldenCupGF@sydneyroosters 30 def. @PenrithPanthers 28 #NRLGF pic.twitter.com/8Ygoie10RO
— NRL (@NRL) October 2, 2016
The Illawarra Cutters have defeated the Burleigh Bears 54-12 to claim the Intrust Super Championship!#IntrustSuperChamps #NRLGF pic.twitter.com/MdR7PYgxtf
— NRL (@NRL) October 2, 2016
A premiership to a team from the Illawarra! How about them apples? How many will progress into the St George Illawarra Dragons’ lineup for 2017?
When I look at those old clips I think of all the Cronulla greats and ‘pretty goods’ who never won a grand final for the Sharks: Tommy Bishop, Gavin Miller, Greg Pierce, Steve Rogers, Andrew Ettingshausen, Mark McGaw, David Peachey.
Gavin Miller. Sharks legend. Go Sharkies pic.twitter.com/umBRR5wq8X
— Briggsy (@champingyon) October 2, 2016
Then I think of all the Storm greats who never won a premiership with the Storm: Greg Inglis.
Anyone old enough to remember Cronulla’s first grand final appearance? It was back in 1973, just six years after the club came into being. For Cronulla, it featured a baby-faced Steve Rogers as well as Englishmen Tommy Bishop and Cliff Watson. The latter two were tough, rough men, hewn out of rock with faces their sculptor never got around to applying the finishing touch to. It’s roundly regarded as one of the most violent league matches of all time:
What about the Storm’s first grand final appearance, which took place just one year after the club made its debut in 1998? That they won shows how unfair life can be. Consider Cronulla supporters (well, some of them) have been waiting about 50 years and not one sip of champagne. The Storm supporters of 1999 —all 19 of them— were rewarded for their (what exactly? Loyalty? Persistence? Ability to endure heartbreak and heartache?) with a premiership in their club’s second season.
I recall being in Melbourne at the time and, after fulltime, wandering around Fitzroy and realising that just about no-one I saw would have watched the grand final and fewer still would have given a toss about the result. I then thought of Dragons fans crying into their jumpers, inconsolable at what had just taken place:
Turn away, Dragons fans, take yourself to your happy place (or just watch up until Nathan Blacklock’s belting try then stop the video):
Pre-ramble
Good evening, welcome to this grand final live blog, a blow-by-blow account of the Cronulla Sharks’ attempt to overcome the weight of their own historical mediocrity, and the might of the Melbourne Storm, and win their first ever premiership after 50 years of trying!
Alternatively, welcome to this grand final live blog, a blow-by-blow account of the mighty Melbourne Storm’s attempt to snuff out the dreams of perennial losers, the Cronulla Sharks, and win their third (above board) premiership since joining the NRL in 1998!
It all depends of what perspective you take, doesn’t it?
What about the neutrals’ perspective? The overriding perception is that both teams don’t exactly tug on the heartstrings in the way that, say, a puppy dog rolling in toilet paper does. Or is supposed to. So, many neutrals may be apathetic at this stage as to which team to support.
For those who go beyond neutrality, for those who dislike both teams, “hate ’em!” even, well, they’re in a pickle. But at least they’ll have the consolation of seeing one team they loathe lose today. So that’s nice.
Strictly speaking, Cronulla are this year’s obligatory fairytale team and should attract the bulk of the support. Indeed, early scenes from the ground show a sea of light blue. Or that could just be the colour of the seats.
But as I said in my preview on Friday:
… given Cronulla’s peptides scandal and the on/off-field behavioral history of the likes of Gallen, Fifita, and Ennis, men as hard to love as sand in your gusset, the Sharks’ fairytale is more like something from the oeuvre of the Brothers Grimm than Disney.
Quoting yourself, it’s desperate isn’t it? I suppose I could have spent precious time and said more or less the same thing again but in a slightly different way but sod that, right? So here I go again:
If the Sharks aren’t universally loved then neither are the Melbourne Storm who, in NSW at least, will forever be tarred with the Original Sin of being based in Victoria and of being born out of Super League in the way Damien (Omen) was born of a jackal. Oh, and there’s the don’t-mention-the-war matter of the salary cap rorting that saw the Storm stripped of both their 2007 and 2009 premiership titles.
Bit negative, right? But I feel it had to be acknowledged. To get it out of the way, like.
All this isn’t to say, of course, that there’s no interest in this game. It’s the grand final for crying out loud! I’m interested. You’re interested. It’s why we’re here.*
It’s also not to say that once the game gets underway neutrals may just find themselves drawn into a brief flirtation and cheering on one of the teams, just for the evening. Maybe even the haters might find the cloaks of bias and cynicism reefed from their shoulders.
It’s grand final day night. Anything can happen!
Well, two things could happen. The Sharks will finally get something to put in their trophy cabinet (Do they even have a trophy cabinet? If so, what for?), or the Melbourne Storm, as relentless as a Terminator with OCD, will cap their sixth grand final appearance in 11 seasons with another premiership.
Should be a belter.
Join me, email me, tweet me. Share your thoughts, dear reader!
Kick-off: 7.15pm local
*I may also be getting paid. But don’t worry, it’s not much. You heard of shekels?
Paul will be with you shortly but in the meantime, check out what he had to say about these two sides in his grand final preview.
