2008 NRL Grand Final
| 2008 NRL Grand Final | |||||||||||||||||
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| Date | October 5, 2008 | ||||||||||||||||
| Stadium | ANZ Stadium | ||||||||||||||||
| City | Sydney, NSW, Australia | ||||||||||||||||
| Clive Churchill Medalist | Brent Kite, Manly[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| National anthem | Anthony Warlow | ||||||||||||||||
| Grand Final Referee | Tony Archer | ||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 80,388 | ||||||||||||||||
| TV in Australia | |||||||||||||||||
| Network | Nine Network | ||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | Ray Warren | ||||||||||||||||
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The 2008 NRL Grand Final was the annual championship game of the National Rugby League played between the Manly Sea Eagles and the Melbourne Storm.[2] 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.[3] The two teams had previously played in the 2007 NRL Grand Final, with Melbourne winning. Manly reversed this result in 2008, winning 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.
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- See also: National Rugby League season 2008 and 2008 NRL season results
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. Melbourne and Manly were also the teams which contested the 2007 NRL Grand Final, with Melbourne winning the game 34-8.
During the regular season, the Melbourne Storm won 17 of their 24 games, winning their third consecutive minor premiership on points differential from Manly and Cronulla.[4]
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.[5]
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. They narrowly won the game 16-14 after scoring a try 45 seconds before full-time, after a Broncos' handling mistake.[6]
Melbourne captain Cameron Smith was controversially suspended for a grapple tackle during the Broncos game; the two-week suspension causing him to miss the rest of the finals season.[7] Despite this suspension, Melbourne defeated the Cronulla Sharks 28-0 in the preliminary final, and entered their third consecutive grand final.[8]
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This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (October 2008) |
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Please help improve this section by expanding it with: detailed and sourced content in order to match the Melbourne section above, thereby avoiding WP:BIAS and WP:UNDUE WEIGHT. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (October 2008) |
Manly also won 17 of their 24 games but lost the minor premiership to Melbourne on points differential, Melbourne having scored 302 points more than their opposition, Manly 290. 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. Manly then faced New Zealand in the preliminary final, beating them 32-6 to advance to their second grand final in a row, and their 17th overall (excluding the 1978 grand final replay).
 Manly Sea Eagles |
Position |  Melbourne Storm |
|---|---|---|
| Brett Stewart | Fullback | Billy Slater |
| Michael Robertson | Winger | Steve Turner |
| Steven Bell | Centre | Matt Geyer |
| Steve Matai | Centre | Israel Folau |
| David Williams | Winger | Anthony Quinn |
| Jamie Lyon | Five-Eighth | Greg Inglis |
| Matt Orford (c) | Halfback | Cooper Cronk (c) |
| Brent Kite | Prop | Jeff Lima |
| Matt Ballin | Hooker | Russell Aitken |
| Josh Perry | Prop | Brett White |
| Anthony Watmough | 2nd Row | Michael Crocker |
| Glenn Hall | 2nd Row | Jeremy Smith |
| Glenn Stewart | Lock | Dallas Johnson |
| Heath L'Estrange | Interchange | Scott Anderson |
| Mark Bryant | Interchange | Adam Blair |
| Jason King | Interchange | Sika Manu |
| Steve Menzies | Interchange | Antonio Kaufusi |
| Des Hasler | Coach | Craig Bellamy |
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This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (October 2008) |
The game began with Steve Turner from the Melbourne Storm kicking off and Glenn Hall from the Manly Sea Eagles taking the first hit.[clarify] 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.
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.
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.[9] 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.[9]
The 2008 Grand Final was the last match before retirement for Steve Menzies of Manly.[9] Playing in this match brought his career games played to 349, equalling the current record.[9]
| 2008-10-05 17:15 UTC+11 |
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| Manly Sea Eagles |
40 – 0 | Melbourne Storm |
ANZ Stadium, Sydney Attendance: 80,388 Referee: Tony Archer  |
| 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) |
(Report) | Tries: None Goals: None |
| Manly Sea Eagles |
Melbourne Storm |
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|---|---|---|
| Tackles | 271 | 319 |
| Linebreaks | 8 | 2 |
| Hitups | 78 | 65 |
| Offloads | 8 | 6 |
| Missed Tackles | 44 | 34 |
| Errors | 9 | 11 |
| Dummy-Half Runs | 17 | 20 |
| Kicks in Play | 22 | 18 |
| Metres Gained | 1610 | 1148 |
| Shots at Goal | 4/8 | 0/0 |
| Scrums | 8 | 5 |
| Penalties | 5 | 4 |
| Possession | 63% | 37% |
- ^ "Manly win NRL grand final", Radio New Zealand (2008-10-05). Retrieved on 7 October 2008.
- ^ Read, Brent (2008-10-05). "Harry Bath joins legends to pass on in Centenary season", The Australian. Retrieved on 6 October 2008.
- ^ Paine, Chris (2008-10-05). "Magnificent Manly exacts grand final revenge", ABC News. Retrieved on 6 October 2008.
- ^ "NRL.com - Official Site of the NRL > Ladder". NRL.com. Retrieved on 2008-10-06.
- ^ Australian Associated Press (2008-09-14). "Warriors stun Storm in Melbourne", The Age. Retrieved on 7 October 2008.
- ^ Pandaram, Jamie (2008-09-21). "Broncos lose after miracle try", The Canberra Times. Retrieved on 7 October 2008.
- ^ Australian Associated Press (2008-09-24). "Cameron Smith guilty of grapple tackle, banned for season", Herald Sun. Retrieved on 7 October 2008.
- ^ Donaghy, Dave (2008-09-27). "Cooper Cronk drives Melbourne into grand final", Herald Sun. Retrieved on 7 October 2008.
- ^ a b c d "Manly thump Storm 40–0 in grand final". NRL.com News (October 5, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-10-05.
