NRL 2007 Grand Final: Melbourne Storm vs Manly Sea Eagles

[Queenslander]

NRL 2007: Grand Final

Melbourne Storm vs Manly Sea Eagles
Telstra Stadium; Sunday 30th September, 7:15pm

vs

Referee: Tony Archer
Sideline Officials: Steve Chiddy and Russell Turner
Video Referee: Bill Harrigan and Phil Cooley


Team Notes:

Storm (1st Place)

- Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has named a 21-man squad for this Sunday's Grand Final against the Manly Sea Eagles. The game will be played at Telstra Stadium in Sydney from 7:00pm

- After the 26-10 win over the Eels in the Preliminary Final, Storm coach Craig Bellamy named an unchanged side for the Grand Final.

- After initially fearing Ben Cross would miss the Grand Final, he has been cleared of serious injury and will take his place in the starting team.

- Adam Blair and Sika Manu have been added to the 19-man squad that was named for the Preliminary Final.


Sea Eagles (2nd Place)

- Sea Eagles Coach Des Hasler has named a full strength line-up for Sunday's Grand Final.

- A seven man interchange bench will be cut down to four before kick off.

Teams:

1. Billy Slater
2. Steve Turner
3. Matt King
4. Israel Folau
5. Anthony Quinn
6. Greg Inglis
7. Cooper Cronk
8. Ben Cross
9. Cameron Smith (c)
10. Brett White
11. Clint Newton
12. Ryan Hoffman
13. Dallas Johnson

Interchange:

14. Jeremy Smith
15. Matt Geyer
16. Michael Crocker
17. Jeff Lima
18. James Aubusson
19. Garret Crossman
20. Adam Blair
21. Sika Manu

Coach: Craig Bellamy

1 Brett Stewart
2 Michael Robertson
3 Steve Bell
4 Steve Matai
5 Chris Hicks
6 Jamie Lyon
7 Matt Orford (c)
8 Jason King
9 Michael Monaghan
10 Brent Kite
11 Anthony Watmough
12 Glenn Stewart
13 Luke Williamson

Interchange:

14 Travis Burns
15 Glenn Hall
16 Mark Bryant
17 Steve Menzies
19 Matt Ballin
20 Jack Afamasaga
21 Adam Cuthbertson

Coach: Des Hasler

[Queenslander]

We'll never get a better shot

By Josh Massoud
September 22, 2007

IT'S now or never for Manly - at least according to Sea Eagles stars who are adamant that 2007 represents the club's best shot at premiership glory.

It has been revealed that stalwart Steve Menzies this week addressed teammates about converting the Northern Beaches renaissance into silverware before the salary cap inevitably erodes their roster.

Players emerged from the meeting under no illusions that defeat in tonight's preliminary final against the Cowboys could spell another dark period of waiting.

The Sea Eagles have improved each season since Des Hasler was appointed coach in 2004, when the silvertail club was in the midst of a seven-year finals wilderness.

Hasler returned Manly to the top eight the following season, and they ventured a week further into September last year.

But the Sea Eagles have truly taken off this season, and enter this game comfortable favourites to become the first side to advance to this year's grand final.

Players, however, are painfully aware that success under the salary cap is cyclical, not perpetual.

Departing hooker Michael Monaghan - who has been squeezed out of the club next year in favour of a big-money deal in England - agreed that the improving team was now staring at its "best window of opportunity".

"The salary cap tends to make things work in cycles," Monaghan said. "No team has gone back-to-back for 10 or 12 years.

"It's probably the best opportunity the club has had and Beaver spoke about it this week, that you certainly want to make the most of these opportunities because they don't come around very often."

Hard-running back-rower Anthony Watmough echoed those sentiments, adding the side boasted far higher expectations than ever before under Hasler.

"It's going to be pretty disappointing if we don't give it our all this year," Watmough said. "You don't get these opportunities hardly ever. Not many teams get this opportunity.

"Everyone is just that one year older and we are a little bit more experienced.

"We were a relatively young team last year and a lot of the boys hadn't played semi-finals, and didn't know what it was like to put back-to-back wins on the board."

Manly's vast improvement this year has come at the expense of widespread predictions the team would struggle in the wake of Ben Kennedy's retirement.

Watmough revealed the players also bought into that same paranoia, and even doubted their ability to cope until "we put a few runs on the board".

"We had a few changes to the team," he said. "Ben Kennedy left and a lot of people were questioning us a little bit.

"We were always confident in ourselves, but we needed to put a few wins together to let it sink in that we had a shot at the title.

"We got six to seven on the board straight away and from that moment our belief sort of took off.

"We beat Melbourne and knocked a few of the top guns off. Once we put a few wins together, it's grown in leaps and bounds."

Monaghan said he had barely thought about tonight potentially being his last in maroon and white.

"I'm a pretty unemotional bloke," he said.

"Maybe when the season is finished I will sit back and think about it, but at the moment I'm just looking forward to playing in a grand final qualifier, because I've never done that in my career and it's certainly something I look forward to."

The Daily Telegraph

[Super Cronk]

Melbourne got a lot of players in doubt already. Cross looks certain to miss the game which is very dissapointing!!!

I went storm by 1-12 pts, neither teams were at their best on the weekend, but im hoping that last years loss gives the storm that extra bit at the end of the game.

[jenny]

LOL i voted for the wrong team.
I think it will be Melbourne By 1 - 12 points

[Darren Lockyer]

Melbourne choked last year they will choke this year and chokes on king again. manly have knocked htme over this season and they will do it again by 7.

[jenny]

Storm to hit Sydney early

By Dave Donaghy
September 24, 2007

MELBOURNE Storm will mount a one-off Sydney raid in its quest for the NRL premiership after yesterday making its second successive grand final by defeating Parramatta.

Storm centre Matt King, playing his last game in Melbourne before heading to England, scored a memorable double to ensure the season's top two teams meet in the decider.

Melbourne, which has lost just three games this year, will meet No. 2-ranked Manly in its first finals game in Sydney this season.

Manly defeated North Queensland on Saturday night in Sydney.

Unlike last year, Storm will not return to Melbourne after flying to Sydney for the grand final breakfast on Thursday. The team will travel on Wednesday and stay at Parramatta as it tries to atone for the horrors of last year's loss to Brisbane.

Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy last night breathed a sigh of relief after King scored Storm's fourth try in the 80th minute to secure the 26-10 win at Telstra Dome.

"It's a little bit of relief on how we played and started each half," he said.

"We were under the pump both times and the game could have gotten away both times.

"To their credit, they kept sticking to what works for us.

"They're a little better at that than they were before."

The Eels started better in both halves - scoring the opening try of the game and of the second half - but Melbourne's desperation for redemption saw it home.

After Parramatta chief executive Denis Fitzgerald this week reignited the debate over the value of an NRL team, particularly such a successful one, in the middle of AFL heartland, the Storm pulled a record crowd of 33,427 - beating the attendance of the other grand final qualifier, between Manly and North Queensland in Sydney.

Melbourne had injury dramas with Ben Cross (hamstring) unlikely to play, Billy Slater leaving the field with a knee injury before returning, Israel Folau struggling with cramp, Clint Newton aggravating an ankle injury and Ryan Hoffman hurting his shoulder.

Cross is the only one in real danger of missing the decider.

Bellamy blamed himself for his team's slow start.

"I'm thinking back now at the start of the game - perhaps I put a too much time and effort into the emotional side of it," he said.

"That might have been one of the reasons why we started with plenty of effort and plenty of desire but not quite as effective as it could have been.

"They just got a little too pumped up."

Parramatta was well in the game early in the second half when Joel Reddy scored to make it 10-all.

But two penalty goals to Storm captain Cameron Smith, separated by a try to King, helped Melbourne skip to a 10-point lead.

The Eels almost clawed it back with six minutes to go when Krisnan Inu appeared to score in the corner.

Replays showed his foot was pushed into touch by a desperate Matt Geyer tackle.

It was one of three try-saving tackles, with wings Anthony Quinn and Steve Turner also coming up with big plays.

"We needed to score that one to make it more interesting than it turned out," Eels coach Michael Hagan said.

"We missed two genuine chances and probably turned the ball over on a couple of half chances. They punish you for those errors."

Parramatta put the minor premier on the back foot in the 11th minute when a two-man cut-out pass from Tim Smith put wing Eric Grothe over for the first try of the game.

The Eels had all the early play before the introduction of Michael Crocker in the 25th minute swung the momentum Melbourne's way.

Melbourne scored two tries, to Turner and Cooper Cronk, to put the game back in its control.

Smith's conversion of the Cronk try made it 10-4.

The Storm will sweat on results from the NRL match review committee after Jeremy Smith was placed on report for a high tackle on Jarryd Hayne.
FOX SPORTS

[SuperCliffy#01]

For me, as long as Manly wins by one point, i'll be a happy chappy.

[Steelers]

Melbourne to choke/get robbed again.


Manly by 1-12

[Super Cronk]

Melbourne to choke/get robbed again.


Manly by 1-12

99 still hurts huh?

[Steelers]

99 still hurts huh?

Always will :| lol

The only reason I was 'supporting' the Storm last year in the GF is because they were the lesser of two evils. This year, Manly are the lesser of two evils Feels good though to have passed on the 'choking' tag to someone so deserving

[jenny]

Injury outlook mainly good for Storm

September 24, 2007 - 1:03PM

Melbourne has received good news on the injury and judiciary fronts with prop Ben Cross the only player in doubt for Sunday's NRL grand final against Manly.

Cross was undergoing scans after injuring his hamstring in Sunday's 26-10 preliminary final win over Parramatta in Melbourne.

He's rated extremely unlikely to take on the Sea Eagles in the season decider in what would be a major blow for the Storm.

The grand final was to be Cross's last game for the Storm before heading to Newcastle next year.

Garret Crossman is on standby for Cross having filled in for his fellow frontrower in the qualifying final win over Brisbane two weeks ago.

The news was better on injured Storm duo Israel Filau (calf muscle and Clint Newton (ankle) with both on Monday declared certain starters on Sunday.

And Storm forward Jeremy Smith has escaped suspension and can play in the grand final despite being charged over a high tackle.

Smith received a grade one careless high tackle charge from the video review committee on Monday after being put on report for his hit on Parramatta fullback Jarryd Hayne.

However he will not be suspended, whether or not he enters an early guilty plea or opts to defend the charge, as it does not carry enough penalty points to incur a ban.

The incident was controversial as Melbourne players accused Hayne of staying down to draw a penalty after Smith's tackle was replayed on television then winking at them when he got up.

Hayne appeared to suffer a blow to the head in the tackle.

? 2007 AAP

[Super Cronk]

Always will :| lol

The only reason I was 'supporting' the Storm last year in the GF is because they were the lesser of two evils. This year, Manly are the lesser of two evils Feels good though to have passed on the 'choking' tag to someone so deserving

If there is anyone that knows about choking its a stg/ill fan . I wouldnt call it choking, maybe unlucky. In rugby league sometimes your good enough on the day sometimes your not. They arent chokers, they have only missed the finals twice (or is it 3 times?), sure they didnt go on to win the big one everytime they made the finals, but how many teams win grand finals everytime they make the finals?

[Super Cronk]

well that is great news!

Cross will be a massive loss but he is easily replaced. Crossman can do the job and so can a couple of younger guys.

[Queenslander]

Stewart sent for knee scans

September 24, 2007

MANLY fullback Brett Stewart was today sent for precautionary scans on a knee injury but is in absolutely no doubt to play in Sunday's NRL grand final against Melbourne.

Stewart joined a list of players with niggling injuries after coming through Saturday's win over North Queensland with some knee soreness.

Although he did not train today Stewart said there is no way he would miss Sunday's decider at Telstra Stadium.

"I would not miss it for the world," said Stewart.

"My knee was aching a bit after the game, I'm just getting some x-rays as a precaution but it's not too serious."

Over half of the Manly starting side failed to train at the club's first session at Narrabeen today and up to 11 players rested niggling injuries.

Of the side that won on the weekend only Jamie Lyon, Jason King, Anthony Watmough, Adam Cuthbertson, Mark Bryant, Michael Bani and Jack Afamasaga trained at Narrabeen.

Despite having most of his squad working on rehabilitation coach Des Hasler maintains he'll have a full squad to select his team from tomorrow.

AAP

[Queenslander]

Full Itinerary for Grand Final Day

1:30pm - Gates Open
2:00pm - Jersey Flegg Kick off

Panthers v Eels

3:25pm - Jersey Flegg Presentation
3:50pm - VB Premier League Kick off

Bears v Eels

5:35pm - VB Premier League presentation
5:45pm - NSWRL Club Championship presentation
6:00pm - Red Beret?s parachute display
6:15pm - Telstra Premiership trophy arrives on Black Hawk Chopper
6:25pm - 2007 Player recognition presentation
6:45pm - Grand Final Entertainment program commences

+ Shannon Noll
+ The Rogue Traders
+ The Hoodoo Gurus

7:15pm - Telstra Premiership Grand Final Kick off:

Storm v Sea Eagles

9:00pm - Telstra Premiership presentation and lap of honour

www.nrl.com.au