2008 NRL Grand Final

Infobox NRLGF
gf_year=2008


home=Manly Sea Eagles
away=Melbourne Storm
home_abbr=MAN
away_abbr=MEL
home_total=40
away_total=0
home_half1=8
away_half1=0
home_half2=32
away_half2=0
date=October 5, 2008
stadium=ANZ Stadium
city=Sydney, NSW, Australia
MVP=Brent Kite, Manly [cite news |url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2008/10/06/1243793bd803|title=Manly win NRL grand final |date=2008-10-05 |publisher=Radio New Zealand |accessdate=2008-10-07]
anthem=Anthony Warlow
referee=Tony Archer
attendance=80,388
network= Nine Network
announcers=
last=2007
next=2009The 2008 NRL Grand Final was the 100th annual championship game of the National Rugby League played between the Manly Sea Eagles and the Melbourne Storm. [cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24450874-5012431,00.html |title=Harry Bath joins legends to pass on in Centenary season |last=Read |first=Brent |date=2008-10-05 |publisher=The Australian |accessdate=2008-10-06] The game was played following the 2008 regular season on 5 October 2008 at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney.

The 2008 Grand Final was the first Grand Final played in daylight since the introduction of the night Grand Final in 2001.cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/05/2382491.htm |title=Magnificent Manly exacts grand final revenge |last=Paine |first=Chris |date=2008-10-05 |publisher=ABC News |accessdate=2008-10-06] The two teams had previously played in the 2007 NRL Grand Final, with Melbourne winning. However, despite predictions of a tight contest,Fact|date=October 2008 Manly won 40-0; the largest Grand Final winning margin in the history of the game, and the first Grand Final since 1978 where the losing team did not score a point.

Lead-up

During the regular season, the Manly Sea Eagles and the Melbourne Storm met twice: Round 5 and Round 22. The Round 5 result in Melbourne went the Storm's way with a 26–4 victory. The Round 22 game was a closer contest, with Melbourne winning again, 16–10 at Manly's Brookvale Oval.Fact|date=October 2008 Melbourne and Manly were also the teams which contested the 2007 NRL Grand Final, with Melbourne winning the game 34-8.

Melbourne Storm

During the regular season, the Melbourne Storm won 17 of their 24 games, [cite web |url=http://www.nrl.com.au/Stats/Ladder/tabid/10251/default.aspx |title=NRL.com - Official Site of the NRL > Ladder |publisher=NRL.com |date= |accessdate=2008-10-06] winning their third consecutive minor premiership by a goal difference of 12 points [cite web|url=http://www.pr-inside.com/melbourne-again-leads-australian-rugby-r792113.htm |title=Melbourne again leads Australian rugby league |publisher=PR-Inside.com |date=2008-09-07 |accessdate=2008-10-06] and becoming the only team to do this in the history of the competition.Fact|date=October 2008

In the qualifying final, Melbourne played the New Zealand Warriors. Melbourne lost this game 18-15 after a Warriors try from Michael Witt two minutes from full-time; becoming the first minor premier side since the introduction of the McIntyre finals structure in 1999 to lose to the eighth-placed team. [cite news |url=http://news.theage.com.au/sport/warriors-stun-storm-in-melbourne-20080914-4g7r.html |title=Warriors stun Storm in Melbourne |author=Australian Associated Press |date=2008-09-14 |publisher=The Age |accessdate=2008-10-07] The loss against New Zealand saw Melbourne matched up against the Brisbane Broncos in the semi-final; the team the Storm lost against in the 2006 grand final.fact|date=October 2008 They narrowly won the game 16-14 after scoring a try 45 seconds before full-time, after the Broncos forced an errorclarify|For the non-NRL public, what does this mean?|date=October 2008 in their last set. [cite news|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/national/national/sport/broncos-lose-after-miracle-try/1278263.aspx|title=Broncos lose after miracle try|last=Pandaram|first=Jamie|date=2008-09-21|publisher=The Canberra Times|accessdate=2008-10-07] Melbourne captain Cameron Smith was contoversially suspended for a grapple tackle during the Broncos game; the two-week suspension causing him to miss the rest of the finals season. [cite news |url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/nrl/story/0,27074,24397423-14823,00.html |title=Cameron Smith guilty of grapple tackle, banned for season |author=Australian Associated Press |date=2008-09-24 |publisher=Herald Sun |accessdate=2008-10-07] Despite this suspension, Melbourne defeated the Cronulla Sharks 28-0 in the third finals round, and entered their third consecutive grand final. [cite news |url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/nrl/story/0,27074,24409217-11088,00.html |title=Cooper Cronk drives Melbourne into grand final |last=Donaghy |first=Dave |date=2008-09-27 |publisher=Herald Sun |accessdate=2008-10-07]

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

Manly also won 17 of their 24 games, but lost the minor premiership to Melbourne because of goal difference.Clarifyme|What was Manly's goal difference?|date=October 2008 Halfback Matt Orford was presented with the Dally M Award for his performance during the regular season, while Brett Stewart was awarded Tryscorer of the Year, with 19 tries.

In the first finals round, Manly defeated the St. George Illawarra Dragons 38-6. Melbourne's loss to the New Zealand Warriors in the same round meant that Manly did not have to play in the semi-final round. Manly faced New Zealand in the third finals round, beating them 32-6.

Teams

Match summary

First half

The game began with Steve Turner from the Melbourne Storm kicking off and Glenn Hall from the Manly Sea Eagles taking the first hit.Clarifyme|Does "first hit" mean Hall received the ball, or was the victim of the first tackle?|date=October 2008 The first try was scored in the 24th minute by Matt Ballin of the Sea Eagles, who became the first hooker to score the first try in an NRL Grand Final since 1991. Matt Orford was unable to covert the try. Manly almost scored again three minutes later, but the ball bounced out of play. The second try was scored by Michael Robertson in the 34th minute, after being given the benefit of the doubt by video referee Bill Harrigan. Again, Matt Orford was unable to convert the try, and the score remained at 8-0 until half time.

econd half

Seven minutes after the resumption of play, a kick from Matt Orford out wide to Michael Robertson saw Manly score their third try, which was converted by Steve Matai. Robertson scored again four minutes later.

Steve Matai was injured and removed from the field nine minutes before full time; he was substituted for by Steve Menzies, who scored Manly's seventh try a minute later.

Results

The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles defeated the Melbourne Storm 40-0, scoring eight tries, four of which were converted. This is the highest NRL Grand Final margin in NRL history, eclipsing the 1975 Grand Final where Eastern Suburbs defeated St George, 38–0.cite web |title=Manly thump Storm 40–0 in grand final |date=October 5, 2008 |url=http://nrl.com.au/News/Latest/tabid/10244/default.aspx?id=53127 |publisher=NRL.com News |accessdate=2008-10-05] It is also the first time that a team has been kept scoreless in an NRL Grand Final since the 1978 NRL Grand Final Replay where Cronulla lost to Manly 16–0.

The 2008 Grand Final was the last match before retirement for Steve Menzies of Manly. Playing in this match brought his career games played to 349, equalling the current record.

Match details

rugbybox
date=2008-10-05
17:15 UTC+11
home=leagueicon|Manly Sea Eagles|16 Manly Sea Eagles
score=40 – 0
report= [http://nrl.com.au/News/Latest/tabid/10244/default.aspx?id=53127 (Report)]
away=leagueicon|Melbourne|16 Melbourne Storm
homescore=Tries: Ballin 24'
Robertson 34', 47', 52'
Kite 58'
Williams 68'
Menzies 73'
Bell 76'
Goals: Orford (0/2)
Matai (2/4)
Lyon (2/2)
awayscore=Tries: None
Goals: None
stadium=ANZ Stadium, Sydney
attendance=80,388
referee=Tony Archer flagicon|AUS|rugby

Match statistics

References