NRL Grand Final Preview - Roosters v Storm @ ANZ Stadium
NRL Grand Final Preview - Sydney Roosters v Melbourne Storm @ ANZ Stadium
Preview - It's the Minor Premiers against the Defending Premiers as the Roosters collide with the Storm in the 2018 NRL Grand Final at ANZ Stadium on Sunday night. Coming into 2018 as equal Premiership favourites, both sides experienced apathetic starts to the season before their class rose to the top, with the Roosters finishing the regular season in first place, whilst the Storm finished on the same number of wins in second place.
The Roosters have been the best defensive side in the NRL all season, and have been water tight in the finals' series, conceding just 2 tries in 2 games, whilst holding the Rabbitohs tryless in a memorable 12-4 Preliminary Final victory over their arch rivals. The Storm made light work of the Sharks, winning 22-6 in Melbourne to reach second straight Grand Final as they look to become the first side in a united competition, since the Broncos back in 1992 and 1993, to go back to back.
Sydney Roosters' Scouting Report - The Roosters look to have suffered a massive blow with halfback Cooper Cronk in grave doubt to take his place with a serious shoulder injury he suffered in the first half against the Rabbitohs. Mitchell Aubusson has been named at halfback, although serious consideration, I expect, would be given to playing with either Ryan Matterson or rookie Sean O'Sullivan alongside Luke Keary. The Roosters do get two significant boosts with both Latrell Mitchell and Dylan Napa back from suspensions.
Melbourne Storm - The Storm were given a huge boost with Billy Slater surviving the most dramatic judiciary hearing in recent memory as he was found not guilty of a shoulder charge, to take his place at fullback in what will be the final game of his career.
Verdict - Storm by 1-6 in a low scoring game The likely absence of Cronk and availability of Slater has swayed me towards the Storm, although I still think it will be a mighty contest. Even if Cronk does play, the likelihood is he will be at 50% capacity and the Storm will target him like no other team is capable of doing. I still have a great respect for the Roosters being the best defensive side in the NRL, and I think they put in the most impressive performance of the finals with that three tries to nil shut-out of the Rabbitohs without a couple of their big guns last week. I think this game will be a fierce defensive struggle with possibly as many as 16 points enough to win the game.
When these sides met earlier this season, the Storm won 9-7 and there wasn't an inch given on either side. I expect, given this is a Grand Final, that the whistle will be put away and the teams will take advantage of that by slowing down the ruck and turning this into a wrestle-a-thon of some sorts. At the start of the year my prediction was the Storm would play the Roosters in the Grand Final, and The Storm would do enough to win back-to-back titles and I think they can grind out a win here 16-12