MELBOURNE STORM 22 BRISBANE BRONCOS 26
TOM SMITH, Accor Stadium, Sydney, Sunday

REECE WALSH produced an individual performance for the ages to inspire Brisbane to victory in an exhilarating Grand Final.

The fullback scored a searing try, assisted three more and saved a string in defence to collect the Clive Churchill Medal and lead the Broncos to their first premiership in 19 years.

Melbourne dominated possession in the first half to establish a 22-12 lead at the break – but with Walsh in untouchable form, the comeback kings posted three unanswered tries in the second half.

On a night of injury carnage, Brisbane lost veteran halves Adam Reynolds (calf) and Ben Hunt (concussion) late, as well as Josiah Karapani (HIA), while the Storm’s Jack Howarth (groin) lasted only 15 minutes.

First-year coach Michael Maguire becomes just the sixth man to lead two clubs to the ultimate prize, eleven years after claiming the title with Reynolds at South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Hunt also exorcised the demons of the 2015 decider, when he dropped the golden-point kick-off which invited North Queensland Cowboys to sink Brisbane.

Ezra Mam made a massive impact off the bench while Gehamat Shibasaki and Deine Mariner both bagged braces in powerful performances out wide.

Maguire and Craig Bellamy both named unchanged line-ups to the sides who prevailed in their respective preliminary finals.

However, these two clubs took very different paths to the decider.

After a signature campaign where they never strayed from the top four, Bellamy’s Melbourne posted straightforward play-off wins over Canterbury Bulldogs and Cronulla Sharks to book their eleventh grand final in 23 seasons under the master coach.

Maguire’s outfit, on the other hand, sat outside the top eight midway through the season before things clicked.

Then in the post-season, Brisbane produced a miracle, 94-minute golden-point victory over Canberra Raiders before overturning a 14-0 half-time deficit to end Penrith Panthers’ stranglehold on the NRL crown.

Walsh bounced off Howarth to hand Mariner the opener on three minutes, but opposite number Ryan Papenhuyzen responded by putting Nick Meaney in.

Jahrome Hughes then delivered a deft grubber for Eliesa Katoa to turn into four points and Will Warbrick scrambled over to put Melbourne 16-6 up (Meaney having kicked two goals).

Enter Walsh. The white-hot number one left a string of purple jumpers in his wake to post a stunning 31st-minute solo try which will be replayed ad nauseam (Reynolds registered his second goal).

Not to be outdone, Hughes’ fancy footwork helped restore Melbourne’s ten-point buffer by the break.

Soon after the restart, Tui Kamikamica looked certain to extend that lead thanks to a Cameron Munster grubber, only for Walsh to rattle the ball loose.

Then up the other end, Shibasaki collected a Mam pass to shave the deficit.

Walsh appeared to release Mariner with an audacious cut-out which was deemed forward, but there was no denying Mariner on the end of a Walsh bullet down the other flank.

Walsh sprayed the conversion attempt to level – but riding a wave of momentum, the mercurial star soon assisted Shibasaki to put Brisbane in front on 58 minutes, Walsh converting.

With Brisbane’s injuries mounting and Melbourne probing, Walsh somehow reeled in a runaway Papenhuyzen to preserve the lead.

Trent Loiero was sinbinned for a late high shot, but the silverware wasn’t in hand until Walsh denied Papenhuyzen yet again.

GAMESTAR: After Reece Walsh set up a stack of tries then saved a handful in defence, there was zero doubt about who the Clive Churchill Medal belonged to.

GAMEBREAKER: The premiership was secure once Walsh supplied his umpteenth try-saver on Ryan Papenhuyzen at the end.

MATCHFACTS
STORM
1 Ryan Papenhuyzen
2 Will Warbrick
3 Jack Howarth
4 Nick Meaney
5 Xavier Coates
6 Cameron Munster
7 Jahrome Hughes
8 Stefano Utoikamanu
9 Harry Grant
10 Josh King
11 Shawn Blore
12 Eliesa Katoa
13 Trent Loiero
Subs (all used)
14 Tyran Wishart
15 Ativalu Lisati
16 Tui Kamikamica
17 Alec MacDonald

Tries: Meaney (8), Katoa (14), Warbrick (22), Hughes (35)
Goals: Meaney 3/4
Sin bin: Loiero (78) – high tackle

BRONCOS
1 Reece Walsh
2 Josiah Karapani
3 Kotoni Staggs
4 Gehamat Shibasaki
5 Deine Mariner
6 Ben Hunt
7 Adam Reynolds
8 Corey Jensen
9 Cory Paix
10 Payne Haas
11 Brendan Piakura
12 Jordan Riki
13 Patrick Carrigan
Subs (all used)
14 Ezra Mam
15 Kobe Hetherington
16 Xavier Willison
17 Tyson Smoothy

Tries: Mariner (3, 55), Walsh (31), Shibasaki (46, 58)
Goals: Reynolds 2/3, Walsh 1/2

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 12-6, 16-6, 16-12, 22-12; 22-16, 22-20, 22-26

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Storm: Eliesa Katoa; Broncos: Reece Walsh

Penalty count: 6-4
Half-time: 22-12
Referee: Grant Atkins
Attendance: 80,223