Five Of The Best NRL Grand Finals

Counting down to Sunday’s big game, when the Sharks go after their first ever NRL title against the multi-titled Storm, Jamie Wall looks back on five Grand Finals that set the benchmark.

Grand Finals have a long and storied history going back 108 years. St George won 11 in a row from 1956-66, including three straight over Western Suburbs. South Sydney won back to back finals in 1970-71, then had to wait 43 years for the next one. Cronulla, the Gold Coast and the Warriors haven’t won any (yet).

Not all grand finals are good, the ones played between 1984 and 1986 the saw an aggregate of only 29 points. But we’re not here to talk about the bad ones, here’s the best ones of recent times to get your blood pumping before Sunday afternoon’s kickoff:

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1989: Canberra Raiders 19 Balmain Tigers 14

Poor old Kevin Hardwick. Back in the days of permanent replacements the splendidly mulleted forward came on with the game in the balance, much to the obvious disgust of Steve ‘Blocker’ Roach. Up until then, the Tigers had played a magnificent game to be ahead, but it’s obvious the late changes gave the Raiders some much needed impetus going into the final stages. Cue extra time, Steve Jackson’s miracle try and the rest is history. Hardwick may be having the last laugh tough, all Blocker is good for these days is making regrettable quotes during commentary.

Watch 1989 Grand Final highlights on YouTube

1997: Newcastle Knights 22 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 16

Up until this match, the only thing slightly memorable to come out of Newcastle in the 1990s was Silverchair. That all changed just before full time when a charged-down Andrew Johns field goal attempt set up a huge gap for Darren Albert to literally walk through to score the winning try. If you want to know how much it meant to the coal-mining town, just listen to this insane local radio broadcast. Of course, this game does need a bit of an asterisk next to it as it one of two grand finals played in 1997 due to the Super League war. However, it was the only one with a pre-finger-poke John Hopoate and this unique try celebration from Robbie O’Davis.

1999: Melbourne Storm 20 St George-Illawarra Dragons 18

Initially, it was hard to see how the Melbourne Storm were going to work, given the stunning lack of success of other expansion teams (anyone remember the Adelaide Rams?). But they made the grand final in only their second year of existence, then won it by the arsey method of a penalty try. It’s so unheard of, commentator Ray Warren calls it “the most controversial decision in grand final history,” though really is was one of the most straightforward calls ever made. Meanwhile, his mate Peter Sterling doesn’t even know how the ruling works. This was of course before the Storm turned into the biggest salary cap cheats ever about a decade later.

Watch 1999 Grand Final highlights on YouTube

2005: Wests Tigers 34 North Queensland Cowboys 16

This grand final is home to the best back-flip pass and best fend ever seen in the NRL’s showpiece event. It’s home to the incredible capping off of an incredible season for the once-lowly amalgamated Tigers clubs. It’s home to the crowning performance of Benji Marshall’s career and the beginning of the ascent to greatness of Johnathan Thurston. But, most importantly of all, it’s home to easily the most post match f-bombs uttered in sports history.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lhd53ET_14

2015: North Queensland Cowboys 17 Brisbane Broncos 16

While JT didn’t get to hold the premiership trophy in ’05, he only had to wait a mere 10 years before he could. However, after all that time it must’ve been a real punch in the guts when he watched the Broncos score with their very first possession. Like a true champion, he engineered the Cowboy’s thrilling last minute try, then watched in agony as his conversion attempt clanked off the upright, sending the grand final into golden point for the very first time. Unfortunately for Ben Hunt, Thurston aimed the kickoff squarely at him, which the Broncos half promptly dropped. Thurston’s long wait was over moments later when his field goal sailed through the uprights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVAQuRC5qlY