Storm v Broncos: Unchanged line-up for Bellamy; Carrigan back on deck
After seven months of grit, grind and guts, the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership comes down to the Melbourne Storm and Brisbane Broncos to decide who takes home the ultimate prize.
The Storm won their way through to a sixth decider in 10 years by taking care of the Sharks at AAMI Park while Broncos produced a mighty comeback to end the Panthers' reign in an epic preliminary final at Suncorp Stadium.
With Adam Reynolds ice cool under pressure and Payne Haas immense in the middle, Michael Maguire's men overcame a 14-point half-time deficit to advance to their first grand final since 2015.
The Storm are back in the big dance a year after going down to the Panthers in the 2024 decider, with 15 of the 17-man squad who endured that heartbreak back to seek redemption.
Among a host of epic match-ups the battle of flashy fullbacks Ryan Papenhuyzen and Reece Walsh will be a beauty, while NSW Blues teammates Stefano Utoikamanu and Payne Haas will slug it out in the middle of the park.
Playmakers Jahrome Hughes and Reynolds are pivotal to the outcome while Cameron Munster and Ezra Mam provide the X-factor and can break a game open in a split second.
The sides clashed twice in the space of 19 days late in the season with the Storm winning 22-2 at AAMI Park in Round 23 and the Broncos saluting 30-14 in Round 27 when Melbourne were without Jack Howarth, Shawn Blore and Utoikamanu.
Both contests had huge ramifications on the injury front with Reynolds, Mam and Selwyn Cobbo popping their hamstrings in Round 23 while Hughes broke his arm in Round 27 and looked long odds to make it back, let alone play a starring role in a prelim final as he did against the Sharks.
Match: Storm v Broncos
Grand Final -
home Team
Storm
2nd Position
away Team
Broncos
4th Position
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney
Team News
Storm: The Storm are 1-17 with no changes on game day. Craig Bellamy heads into a record-breaking 11th grand final with the same 17 that downed the Sharks in the preliminary final. Joe Chan fills the role of 18th man. Lock Trent Loiero makes his 100th NRL appearance.
Broncos: The Broncos are 1-17 with no late changes. Just the one change to the side that downed the Panthers with skipper Pat Carrigan's return from suspension at lock pushing Tyson Smoothy to the interchange. Ezra Mam will again come from the bench. Jesse Arthars is 18th man.
Match: Storm v Broncos
Grand Final -
home Team
Storm
away Team
Broncos
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Storm is number 1 Ryan PapenhuyzenFullback for Broncos is number 1 Reece Walsh
-
Winger for Storm is number 2 Will WarbrickWinger for Broncos is number 2 Josiah Karapani
-
Centre for Storm is number 3 Jack HowarthCentre for Broncos is number 3 Kotoni Staggs
-
Centre for Storm is number 4 Nick MeaneyCentre for Broncos is number 4 Gehamat Shibasaki
-
Winger for Storm is number 5 Xavier CoatesWinger for Broncos is number 5 Deine Mariner
-
Five-Eighth for Storm is number 6 Cameron MunsterFive-Eighth for Broncos is number 6 Ben Hunt
-
Halfback for Storm is number 7 Jahrome HughesHalfback for Broncos is number 7 Adam Reynolds
Forwards
-
Prop for Storm is number 8 Stefano UtoikamanuProp for Broncos is number 8 Corey Jensen
-
Hooker for Storm is number 9 Harry GrantHooker for Broncos is number 9 Cory Paix
-
Prop for Storm is number 10 Josh KingProp for Broncos is number 10 Payne Haas
-
2nd Row for Storm is number 11 Shawn Blore2nd Row for Broncos is number 11 Brendan Piakura
-
2nd Row for Storm is number 12 Eliesa Katoa2nd Row for Broncos is number 12 Jordan Riki
-
Lock for Storm is number 13 Trent LoieroLock for Broncos is number 13 Patrick Carrigan
Interchange
-
Interchange for Storm is number 14 Tyran WishartInterchange for Broncos is number 14 Ezra Mam
-
Interchange for Storm is number 15 Ativalu LisatiInterchange for Broncos is number 15 Kobe Hetherington
-
Interchange for Storm is number 16 Tui KamikamicaInterchange for Broncos is number 16 Xavier Willison
-
Interchange for Storm is number 17 Alec MacDonaldInterchange for Broncos is number 17 Tyson Smoothy
Reserves
-
Replacement for Storm is number 20 Joe ChanReplacement for Broncos is number 18 Jesse Arthars
Match Officials
- Referee: Grant Atkins
- Touch Judge: Chris Sutton
- Touch Judge: Dave Munro
- Senior Review Official: Ashley Klein
Last updated:
Stat Attack
- The Storm have won 17 of their last 19 games against the Broncos.
- Broncos utility Ben Hunt will join Darren Lockyer in third place on the all-time appearances list.
- Storm halfback Jahrome Hughes has scored 12 tries in 13 games against the Broncos.
- Broncos centre Kotoni Staggs has scored eight tries in his last eight games.
- Storm coach Craig Bellamy has won 14 of 16 games against Michael Maguire-coached teams.
- The Broncos have scored 197 points in their last six games.
- Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy will break Wayne Bennett’s record of 10 grand finals as coach.
- The Broncos have won only three of their last 11 games at Accor Stadium.
- The Storm have 15 players who have played a total of 21 grand finals.
- The Broncos have 12 players who have played a total of 14 grand finals.
Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.
