When & Where
Sunday 4th October, 7.15pm, ANZ Stadium, Sydney (watch it live on Channel 9).
The Low Down
For the first time ever, 2 Queensland teams will be competing in the NRL Grand Final. While both teams have shown impressive form all year and deserve their spot at the big dance, there can only be one winner! Recent form suggests the Broncos should be favourites, with their win over the Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium in the qualifying final, but the Broncos are a different team away from home.
In Grand Finals, it all comes down to the big moments. While there’s no better big-game player than Cowboy’s legend Johnathon Thurston (having just won his 4th Dally M Medal), the likes of Darius Boyd, Anthony Milford and Ben Hunt have been getting the job done all year for the Broncos. It’s sure to be a nail-biter this year, so make sure you don’t miss a minute!
Form
Home & away season ladder positions:
Brisbane Broncos—2nd
North Queensland Cowboys—3rd
Head-to-head results this season:
Round 3—Brisbane Broncos win at home 44-22
Round 10—Cowboys win at home 31-20
Second Qualifying Final—Brisbane Broncos win at home 16-12
The Dry Spells
The Brisbane Broncos are currently on their biggest ever premiership dry spell having not won since 2006, while the North Queensland Cowboys are yet to win a flag in their club’s history—having missed out against the Tigers in 2005.
Key Stats
- The Broncos have never lost a grand final having won 7
- It’s the Cowboys 1st grand final appearance in 10 years and they have never won a flag
- First time ever both teams are versing each other outside of Queensland
- Brisbane have dominated the home-and-away head-to-head record against the Cowboys, however North Queensland have won 3 of 4 finals against Brisbane
- Both team lineups remain unchanged from their last match
Team Lineups
Brisbane Broncos
1 Darius Boyd
2 Corey Oates
3 Jack Reed
4 Justin Hodges (c)
5 Jordan Kahu
6 Anthony Milford
7 Ben Hunt
8 Sam Thaiday
9 Andrew McCullough
10 Adam Blair
11 Alex Glenn
12 Matt Gillett
13 Corey Parker
Interchange
14 Jarrod Wallace
15 Mitchell Dodds
16 Joe Ofahengaue
17 Kodi Nikorima
18 Dale Copley
18th Man: Dale Copley
Coach: Wayne Bennett
The Broncos are unchanged after their victory against the Roosters last weekend.
North Queensland Cowboys
1 Lachlan Coote
2 Kyle Feldt
3 Justin O’Neill
4 Kane Linnett
5 Antonio Winterstein
6 Michael Morgan
7 Johnathan Thurston (c)
8 Matthew Scott (c)
9 Jake Granville
10 James Tamou
11 Gavin Cooper
12 Ethan Lowe
13 Jason Taumalolo
Interchange
14 Rory Kostjasyn
15 John Asiata
16 Scott Bolton
17 Ben Hannant
19 Ray Thompson
18th Man: Ray Thompson
Coach: Paul Green
The Cowboys side is unchanged after last week’s victory over the Storm.
If you’re watching the NRL Grand Final at home, we’ve featured a couple of Townsville restaurants you can pick up some quality takeaway, so you don’t miss a minute!
Harold’s Seafood On The Strand
Nothing beats eating fish’n’chips and watching the footy, especially when your tasty seafood selections are ordered from Harold’s Seafood On The Strand. They offer the following:
- Open 7 days for breakfast, lunch & dinner
- Local, fresh seafood
- Takeaway
With some of the best seafood in Townsville at very affordable prices, make sure you stop by Harold’s Seafood On The Strand this Grand Final weekend. Check out their LocalSearch profile for a look at their daily specials.
Gizzilli Pizza Pasta
If you’re hosting your own Grand Final party, save yourself time in the kitchen and order some delicious pizzas from Gizzilli Pizza Pasta. They offer the following:
- A selection of pizza and pasta dishes
- Delivery & takeaway available
- Open 7 days a week
With delivery available you can have the food brought to you, so you don’t have to leave the TV! Take a look at the Gizzilli Pizza Pasta LocalSearch profile for a look at their menu and opening hours.
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