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2016 NRL Grand Final highlights: Cronulla Sharks claim premiership 14-12 over Melbourne Storm

2nd October, 2016
Kick-off: 7:15pm (AEDT)
Venue: ANZ Stadium, Homebush
TV: Live, Nine Network
Betting: Storm $1.83, Sharks $2.05
Overall Record: Played 31, Storm 21, Sharks 10
Last meeting: Round 26, Storm 26 defeat Sharks 6 at AAMI Park
Last five: Storm 4, Sharks 1
Match officials: Matt Cecchin and Ben Cummins

Melbourne Storm
1. Cameron Munster 2. Suliasi Vunivalu 3. Will 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
Interchange: 14. Kenneath Bromwich 15. Tim Glasby 16. Christian Welch 17. Ben Hampton 18. Young Tonumaipea 19. Slade Griffin 20. Matt White 21. Felise Kaufusi 22. Ryan Morgan

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
Interchange: 14. Gerard Beale 15. Chris Heighington 16. Sam Tagataese 17. Jayson Bukuya 18. Kurt Capewell 21. Joseph Paulo
Cameron Smith and Paul Gallen with the Provan-Summons trophy. (AAP Image/Paul Miller)
Expert
2nd October, 2016
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26211 Reads

Match result:

The Cronulla Sharks have claimed the 2016 NRL Premiership, defeating the Melbourne Storm by two points on Sunday night.

All the wash-up from the NRL grand final:
» LORD: Gallen leads Sharks into history books
» PRICHARD: 13 extra seconds, but the Sharks did it
» Five talking points
» Ten best tweets from the match
» Sharks player ratings
» Storm player ratings
» Match report: Sharks’ wait over

Final score
Melbourne Storm 12
Cronulla Sharks 14

Match preview:

Join The Roar for live scores and coverage of the NRL grand final from 7:15pm (AEDT).

Minor premiers the Melbourne Storm look to do the double and take out the Provan-Summons trophy against the Cronulla Sharks, who are trying to overcome the biggest drought in premiership history.

The Storm haven’t been to the grand final since 2012, but that doesn’t stop the experience and talent on display in the side.

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Cronulla, meanwhile, haven’t been to a grand final since the Super League war, and before that you have to go all the way back to 1978.

Melbourne’s form leading into the finals was a little bit shaky, but they got back into form during the last round of the season against the Sharks to win the minor premiership and simply haven’t looked back.

In the first week of the finals, they controlled the game brilliantly against the Cowboys for a six-point win, before returning from a week off to beat the Canberra Raiders by two points in a very physical, but excellent, performance.

The Sharks also entered the finals on the back of some form that was less than certain, and that was only exacerbated when they lost to the Storm in Round 26.

However, after a less than ideal start against the Raiders in the first week of the finals, they bounced back to win a thriller by two, before thumping a tired North Queensland Cowboys side last week.

The key battle of this match is certainly between the forward packs, and how they can give field position to creative players – namely Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith, Michael Ennis and James Maloney.

Whichever forward pack gives those guys more time to perfect their craft will have a much better chance at putting up the necessary points to win.

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The Storm are the king of wrestle and physical play though, meaning the Sharks backs, particularly Valentine Holmes and Jack Bird, must get involved through the middle of the field.

In team news, there isn’t much to report. Melbourne have gone with a nine-man bench, adding Felise Kafusi, Matt White, Ryan Morgan, Slade Griffin and Young Tonumaipea, while the Sharks have six, adding Sam Tagatese and Joseph Paulo to the pine.

The history between the sides makes for grim reading for Sharks fans, as they have only been able to win ten of the 31 matches, and only one of the last four, with all losses being blowouts. The clubs, however, have never met in finals.

Prediction
The Storm are just too clinical. There won’t be much in it, but Melbourne to win the premiership.

Storm by 4.

Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of the NRL grand final from 7:15pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to get involved by dropping a comment in the section below.

Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde

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