It’s that time of the year again. After yet another incredible season, the NRL Grand Final is fast approaching. Craig Bellamy’s Melbourne Storm topped the table, but can they go all the way and win the showpiece event at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium on the 6th of October? It’ll go right to the wire, we can assure you of that.
The Roosters are the current favourites despite finishing behind Melbourne Storm on the NRL ladder. Trent Robinson’s team are the defending champions and have won 14 premierships in the past. It’s easy to see why they’re fancied by fans and Australian rugby tipsters. However, they’ll need to be at their best if they want to win the title for the second consecutive season.
During this guide, we’ll weigh-up the top four teams in the competition. We’ve compiled the latest stats and results to bring you our NRL Grand Final predictions. Can the Roosters make it back-to-back wins or will the Canberra Raiders surprise everyone? We’ll share our thoughts and highlight the main candidates below.
Grand Final Main Contenders
Sydney Roosters – The Roosters have been nothing short of exceptional this season. They’ve claimed the scalps of several teams including the Parramatta Eels, Brisbane Broncos, and Cronulla Sharks. However, they’ve also lost games against Melbourne Storm and South Sydney Rabbitohs.
One major positive is that they have plenty of experience on the big stage. Sydney are serial winners who can grind out results in the big games. That’s why they’re the current favourites. Cooper Cronk will play a huge role as we move towards the Grand Final.
Melbourne Storm – Storm are desperate for more glory after winning the minor premiership. What’s more, Craig Bellamy’s side beat a host of top teams during the regular season including the Sydney Roosters. If the two best teams in the NRL meet in the Grand Final, Storm will be confident that they can turn the current champions over.
Storm’s 36-year-old captain Cameron Smith has played more than 400 games for the club. He’ll be eager to put last year’s heartbreak behind him and bring the championship back to Melbourne. This team has talent in abundance, so don’t rule them out.
Canberra Raiders – The Raiders have an outside chance of winning the NRL Grand Final, but we feel that the two teams mentioned above are the sides to beat. Having said that, the Raiders did turn Storm over back in August. They won 22-18 after a thrilling game.
Ricky Stuart’s men have one of the strongest squads in the NRL. However, whether they can win the title remains to be seen.
South Sydney Rabbitohs – September was a mixed month for the South Sydney Rabbitohs. They beat the Roosters 16-10 on the 5th of September. However, Trent Robinson’s team obliterated the Rabbitohs the following week.
This suggests that either team can win on the day, but if we were placing a wager on one of them, it’d be the Roosters. Rugby is a funny sport at times, so we wouldn’t rule anything out.
