Check out what happened in the National Rugby League Grand Final.
Review
Brisbane produced another comeback win in the NRL Grand Final at Accor Stadium. With Melbourne leading 22-12 at half-time, Deine Mariner and Gehamat Shibasaki scored doubles as Brisbane won their first premiership since 2006 (after losing in 2015 and 2023). It followed comebacks from 26-12 down against Canberra in the qualifying final and 14-0 down against Penrith in the preliminary final. It’s the first time Melbourne have lost consecutive grand finals in their history.
Brisbane scored in the opening two minutes, with Clive Churchill Medallist Reece Walsh throwing a cut-out pass for Mariner.
But Melbourne quickly found their groove: three tries in 14 minutes (Nick Meaney, Eliesa Katoa, Will Warbrick) to take a 16-6 lead.
Walsh’s solo try – beating multiple defenders – cut the margin to 16-12 before Jahrome Hughes answered with his own solo try to restore the Storm’s 10-point lead.
That Hughes try (and Nick Meaney’s conversion) would be Melbourne’s last points of the game.
Tui Kamikamica made a crucial error early in the second half, dropping the ball over the tryline, which could have given Melbourne a 16-point lead.
Brisbane got within four points through Gehamat Shibasaki a few minutes later, then lost captain Adam Reynolds (calf). While Ben Hunt stepped into halfback, he was knocked out with eight minutes left.
Mariner scored his second try in the 54th minute through another cut-out pass from Walsh, but Melbourne still led by two.
And another Walsh cut-out to Shibasaki gave Brisbane the lead with 22 minutes left.
With 12 minutes left, Ryan Papenhuyzen broke from a scrum and attempted a flick pass to Warbrick, who knocked on.
Brisbane’s premiership was all but sealed when Trent Loiero was sin binned for high contact in the 77th minute, though a tackle from Walsh on Papenhuyzen with 30 seconds left made absolutely sure of it.
Walsh’s finals series will go down as one of the most influential in recent times and he earnt his Clive Churchill Medal. He scored a try, had three try assists, and kicked the goal to put Brisbane ahead. And he played a vital part in Brisbane’s wins over the Raiders and Panthers. The premiership was also redemption for Reynolds and Hunt: Reynolds played in the losing 2021 and 2023 Grand Finals and Hunt had THAT Golden Point drop in the 2015 Grand Final.
It was a premiership double for Brisbane, with the Broncos women winning the NRLW Grand Final. Though Burleigh couldn’t seal the Queensland hat-trick, with the NZ Warriors beating the Bears in the State Championship.
Results
NRL Grand Final: Melbourne Storm 22, Brisbane Broncos 26
Player Stats Table
ClubPositionPlayer NameTriesConversions1-pt FG2-pt FGPointsStormFBRyan Papenhuyzen00000WWill Warbrick10004CJack Howarth00000CNick Meaney130010WXavier Coates000005/8Cameron Munster00000HBJahrome Hughes10004PropStefano Utoikamanu00000HookerHarry Grant00000PropJosh King000002nd RowShawn Blore000002nd RowEliesa Katoa10004LockTrent Loiero00000InterchangeTyran Wishart00000InterchangeAtivalu Lisati00000InterchangeTui Kamikamica00000InterchangeAlec MacDonald00000ReplacementJoe Chan00000
ClubPositionPlayer NameTriesConversions1-pt FG2-pt FGPointsBroncosFBReece Walsh11006WJosiah Karapani00000CKotoni Staggs00000CGehamat Shibasaki20008WDeine Mariner200085/8Ben Hunt00000HBAdam Reynolds02004PropCorey Jensen00000HookerCory Paix00000PropPayne Haas000002nd RowBrendan Piakura000002nd RowJordan Riki00000LockPatrick Carrigan00000InterchangeEzra Mam00000InterchangeKobe Hetherington00000InterchangeXavier Willison00000InterchangeTyson Smoothy00000ReplacementJesse Arthars00000
10-Minute Try Breakdown – By Team
Time PeriodStorm TriesStorm ScorersBroncos TriesBroncos Scorers0–101Nick Meaney (7′)1Deine Mariner (2′)11–201Eliesa Katoa (13′)0–21–301Will Warbrick (21′)1Reece Walsh (30′)31–401Jahrome Hughes (34′)0–41–500–1Gehamat Shibasaki (45′)51–600–2Deine Mariner (54′), Gehamat Shibasaki (57′)61–700–0–71–800–0–
Score Timeline
MinuteTeamPlayerEvent TypeStorm ScoreBroncos ScoreLead0––Kick-off00Scores level2BroncosDeine MarinerTry04Broncos by 43BroncosAdam ReynoldsConversion06Broncos by 67StormNick MeaneyTry46Broncos by 28StormNick MeaneyConversion66Scores level13StormEliesa KatoaTry106Storm by 415StormNick MeaneyConversion126Storm by 621StormWill WarbrickTry166Storm by 1030BroncosReece WalshTry1610Storm by 631BroncosAdam ReynoldsConversion1612Storm by 434StormJahrome HughesTry2012Storm by 836StormNick MeaneyConversion2212Storm by 1045BroncosGehamat ShibasakiTry2216Storm by 654BroncosDeine MarinerTry2220Storm by 257BroncosGehamat ShibasakiTry2224Broncos by 258BroncosReece WalshConversion2226Broncos by 480––Full-Time2226Broncos by 4
Match Summary
First Try Scorer: Deine Mariner (Brisbane Broncos – 2′)
Last Try Scorer: Gehamat Shibasaki (Brisbane Broncos – 57′)
Half-Time Score: Storm 22 – Broncos 12
Full-Time Score: Storm 22 – Broncos 26
Biggest Lead: Storm by 10 points (22–12 at 36′)
Time Led: Storm 44 min (13′–57′) | Broncos 29 min (2′–8′ and 57′–80′) | Even ≈ 7 min
Lead Changes: 2 ( Broncos → Storm at 13′ ; Storm → Broncos at 57′ )
NRLW Grand Final: Sydney Roosters 18, Brisbane Broncos 22
Sydney Roosters Women: 1. Brydie Parker, 2. Jayme Fressard, 3. Jessica Sergis, 4. Isabelle Kelly, 5. Mia Wood, 6. Corban Baxter, 7. Jocelyn Kelleher, 8. Otesa Pule, 9. Keeley Davis, 10. Rima Butler, 11. Aliyah Nasio, 12. Jasmin Strange, 13. Olivia Kernick, 14. Shawden Burton, 15. Macie Carlile, 16. Eliza Lopamaua, 17. Jayde Herdegen, 18. Taneisha Gray.
Brisbane Broncos Women: 1. Tamika Upton, 2. Kerri Johnson, 3. Mele Hufanga, 4. Julia Robinson, 5. Hayley Maddick, 6. Gayle Broughton, 7. Ali Brigginshaw, 8. Annetta-Claudia Nu’uausala, 9. Jada Ferguson, 10. Brianna Clark, 11. Lauren Dam, 12. Romy Teitzel, 13. Keilee Joseph, 14. Destiny Brill, 15. Chelsea Lenarduzzi, 16. Shenae Ciesiolka, 17. Shalom Sauaso, 18. Reegan Hicks.
NRL State Championship: New Zealand Warriors 50, Burleigh Bears 20
New Zealand Warriors: 1. Taine Tuaupiki, 2. Setu Tu, 3. Ali Leiataua, 4. Moala Graham-Taufa, 5. Edward Kosi, 6. Luke Hanson, 7. Tanah Boyd, 8. Bunty Afoa, 9. Paul Roache, 10. Tanner Stowers-Smith, 11. Kayliss Fatialofa, 12. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, 13. Kalani Going , 14. Jett Cleary, 15. Jason Seu Salalilo, 16. Tom Ale, 17. Freddy Lussick, 18. Geronimo Doyle
Burleigh Bears: 1. Nicholas O’Meley, 2. Troy Leo, 3. Sami Sauiluma, 4. Kea Pere, 5. Mitch Watson, 6. Josh Rogers, 7. Guy Hamilton, 8. Fletcher Baker, 9. Samuel Healey, 10. Matthew Koellner, 11. Adam Christensen, 12. Ewan Moore, 13. Sam Coster, 14. Cole Geyer, 15. Lorenzo Mulitalo, 16. Takitau Mapapalangi, 17. Lochlyn Sheldon, 18. Jordan Scott