OFFICIAL 2025 Grand Final Discussion Thread

Who wins?

  • Melbourne Storm

    Votes: 38 53.5%

  • Brisbane Broncos

    Votes: 33 46.5%
  • Total voters
    71
twentyforty said:
There’s something pretty special about a coach who can consistently send his players out for the second half with the strong belief that even though they are busted and behind on the scoreboard, this game is theirs.
Down by 10 at the break, again they repelled all efforts from the opposition to score points, winning the second half 14-0.
I think the Broncos resurgence started with the hiring of Dave Donaghy.
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They did that their last four games from rd 27 - GF.
Come from behind at half time...bloody good effort.

Storm have led at times their last two GFs and let them slip....very unstorm of old like
 
Walsh was always a bit of a show pony until the last month. He has shown a level of football maturity i didn't think he had. It wasn't just his attack that was outstanding - that try was just amazing. But also his defence and attitude to not give up have gone to another level. Its scary to think what he could do over the next few years.
 
innsaneink said:
They did that their last four games from rd 27 - GF.
Come from behind at half time...bloody good effort.

Storm have led at times their last two GFs and let them slip....very unstorm of old like
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Yes, very unstorm like, they usually finish strongly regardless of the score.
Rnd 27 Broncos were ahead 12-4, and went on with it to win the 2nd half 18-10 in a scrappy game. Walsh booted 4 penalty goals. Mariner and NAS got binned. Makes me wonder if they would have been stronger if NAS played?
 
You’ll never see a better example of a team peaking at the right time of the year. They were on the brink of missing the 8 altogether when they played the Dolphins. They were down by 14 and if they lost, they probably were out of the 8. But they rallied and won by 10, pretty much setting the tone for the next two months.
 
I blame Hudson Young for all this 🤷‍♂️

Broncos were going no where until he got in Walsh’s face.
Reece nudged him with a pseudo head butt, he was sent to the bin, copped the wrath of the Canberra crowd, flipped them the bird and stewed in the sheds for ten minutes.
Once back on the paddock, he systematically destroyed all opposition for the next three weeks.

Next time Hudson, maybe keep your thoughts to yourself 🥴
 
Siberian Kitten said:
I've never seen a GF where I so wanted both sides to lose.

Ezra Mam's car accident victims were peeved that his penalty was too light. It's sure inconsistent. If Spencer was suspended for 8 games for calling Mam a monkey, then hurting a family while driving drugged and without a licence should have been two seasons at least.

Realistically, Spencer's punishment for calling Mam a monkey should have been one or two games at most, or maybe a fine. Political correctness gone mad!

I'm also trying to imagine how many people doing what Mam did would get off without a record and $850 fine.

Mam, of course, won and had a blinder to rub the salt in. meanwhile, Walsh was unbelievable.
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Both Mam and Walsh should have binned during the game.
The NRL playing favourites again.
 
I was there
The noise and the crowd was a bit much for a guy as old as me
Think it will be my last
Didn't really care who won
Think Broncos a bit lucky
Scaped into top 4
Scaped home vs Canberra
Scaped home vs Penrith
Scraped home in GF

One surprising thing the GROUND ANNOUNCER openly barracking for the Broncos during play ? Thought he should be supportive of both teams .
Didn't think Atkins handled game well .Many lengthy stoppages in 2nd half
Now for the cricket season which is a game where the match officials have little or no bearing on the result
I LIKE THAT
 
Stevec said:
I was there
The noise and the crowd was a bit much for a guy as old as me
Think it will be my last
Didn't really care who won
Think Broncos a bit lucky
Scaped into top 4
Scaped home vs Canberra
Scaped home vs Penrith
Scraped home in GF

One surprising thing the GROUND ANNOUNCER openly barracking for the Broncos during play ? Thought he should be supportive of both teams .
Didn't think Atkins handled game well .Many lengthy stoppages in 2nd half
Now for the cricket season which is a game where the match officials have little or no bearing on the result
I LIKE THAT
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Yes
I also picked that up on the television.
Ground announcer starting the bronco chant.
 
innsaneink said:
They did that their last four games from rd 27 - GF.
Come from behind at half time...bloody good effort.

Storm have led at times their last two GFs and let them slip....very unstorm of old like
Click to expand...
Storm don't quite have those same old hard-head type players in the forwards. They are very no frills in places and it was exposed by Broncos in that back 20 minutes when the army of big Broncos backrowers plus dynamic centres were barnstorming every set, whereas Storm looked gassed.

For Broncos recently it's been about defence and handling/discipline, not lack of firepower. Their defence was shoddy the first 20 minutes, same as with Penrith, then they shored that up and kept themselves in the fight.

So whilst Reyno and Hunt aren't a match for Hughes and Munster, it's no contest in the forwards when Storm have King, Stefano, Blore, Loiero - all workman like, compared to Haas, Piakura, Riki, Carrigan, Willison. Similarly Meaney and (an injured) Howarth compared to Staggs and 2025 Shibasaki. Katoa is the best backrower on the field but he's a bit of a lone wolf for Storm.

For example Riki was pretty quiet yesterday but the Broncos have other strike options and their centres were huge, in compensation.

Then Papenhuyzen wasn't horrible but several classes below the explosive firepower and pass selection of Reece Walsh, in very 2009 Jarryd Hayne type form.
 
watersider said:
Madge won everywhere except with us. I always felt he needed that next year after finally getting cap space to sign API and papalii but we sack him before he gets the chance and go backwards. It may not have worked out, but he deserved the opportunity. Our club management was terrible.

Classic Stefano game, especially the second half. In my opinion he's a long way from the best front rowers, even considering his recent run of form. He seems to hate the rough part of the game.
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He doesn't respond well to being roughed up or his side losing momentum. Like [This word has been automatically removed] Moses he's a flat-track bully.
 
GNR4LIFE said:
Easily the best GF of the modern era.
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No way. Just because it was close doesn't make it a good game. The ref set a poor tone early and it was a game of touch foory to start with. Thankfully the second half provided an amazing performance in attack and defence by Walsh to lift the game out of a spot that could have only been regarded as a decent club game.
 
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