Have your say on the NRL Grand Final
Melbourne Storm has won the 2012 NRL Premiership.
Melbourne Storm has won its second NRL Premiership to add to its 1999 triumph.
It was a victory built on defence with the second half remaining scoreless despite both sides having chances to score.
Des Hasler's fairytale first season with Canterbury has come to an end, while Storm coach Craig Bellamy has cracked a smile for the first time in ages.
The game was played with plenty of passion and we're sure to hear more about Billy Slater's biting allegation against Bulldogs forward James Graham following an all-in brawl in the first half.
Cooper Cronk awarded Clive Churchill Medal for man-of-the-match
Video: Grand final - match highlights
Video: Captains speak after grand final
FULLTIME Storm 14 - Bulldogs 4
78th min: Another Canterbury kick into the in-goal area is diffused by Melbourne.
76th min: The Bulldogs continue to attack but they can't break the Storm's line and are relying on cross-field bombs.
Melbourne fans are finding their voice as the clock ticks down...
Still no score in the second half of this enthralling contest.
72nd min: Melbourne's defence has just been too good tonight. Barba and Morris have made some half-breaks down the left but the Storm cover defence is on the spot.
It's still only a ten-point margin and a Bulldogs try would set up an exciting finish.
69th min: And now it's no try to the Storm. Widdop puts up a bomb with Slater chasing through. The Storm fullback bats the ball down to prop Bryan Norrie who dives over, but Slater was marginally offside from the kick.
Desperation time now for Canterbury with 10 minutes left in the grand final.
65th min: Greg Eastwood grounds the ball for Canterbury but it's no try to the Bulldogs after a knock-on in the lead up.
The Bulldogs are coming home strongly, but with 15 minutes remaining time is running out.
61st min: WOW! Ben Barba makes a break down the left, kicks in-field for a flying Josh Morris who also kicks ahead. But the bounce is high and Billy Slater comes to the Storm's rescue, batting the ball over the dead-ball line.
The play is called back for a Morris knock-on, which he of course disputes. But what great cover and awareness by Slater.
60th min: At the hour mark and there has been no addition to the score in the second half so far.
The official crowd at ANZ Stadium is 82,976 which is a ground record!
53rd min: Cameron Smith misses with his penalty goal attempt after Sam Kasiano infringes in the ruck. The score remains Storm 14 - Bulldogs 4
Smith hangs his head in disappointment. He hasn't kicked well tonight.
49th min: Canterbury captain Michael Ennis has not scored a try this season. And he still hasn't scored a try this season after being held up over the line by rival skipper Cameron Smith.
Great defence from Melbourne, but the Bulldogs have had all the possession early in the second half.
45th min: The Bulldogs now get three repeat sets of six as the Storm try to hold them out.
Make that four sets in a row as Canterbury force another line drop-out. Melbourne are defending well at the moment - can they continue?
6.30pm: SECOND HALF
Cameron Smith gets us back underway in the 2012 Grand Final. Will the Bulldogs fight back?
Slater knocks on after the Bulldogs' first set of six so Canterbury gets a great chance to score early in the second half.
6.28pm: The Storm have only lost three of their last 95 games when they have been leading at halftime. That's an ominous stat for the Bulldogs.
HALFTIME: Storm 14 - Bulldogs 4
Melbourne had most of the ball in the first half and the scoreboard is a fair reflection of how the first 40 minutes played out.
The Bulldogs defended well, but have conceded three tries. They are probably lucky to be only trailing by 10 points and are still in this.
The Storm have executed well in their attacking third with Cronk and Widdop making all the right decsisions so far.
39th min: STORM TRY - Justin O'Neill
Melbourne get another try before halftime as Storm winger Justin O'Neill leaps to get on the end of a Cooper Cronk kick. He then crashes through a Ben Barba tackle to score in the corner.
Smith misses his conversion. Storm 14 - Bulldogs 4
32nd min: STORM TRY - Billy Slater
Melbourne hits back with that man Billy Slater scoring a try off a Cooper Cronk short-ball.
Great pass by Cronk - similar to Widdop's pass for the first Storm try.
Smith converts the try. Storm 10 - Bulldogs 4.
25th min: BULLDOGS TRY - Sam Perrett
The Bulldogs get on the board with a try to Sam Perrett after a Krisnan Inu grubber kick. A fight then breaks out with Inu resenting Billy Slater sliding in late with his knees on Perrett.
All players come in and punches are thrown.
Billy Slater, who has a bleeding ear, has made a biting allegation against James Graham. The incident is placed on report.
Inu misses with his conversion attempt and it's all square. Bulldogs 4 - Storm 4.
23rd min: Bulldogs still weathering the storm (pun intended). They now get a penalty and the Dogs go on the attack.
19th min: Bulldogs get a three-on-one on their left side, but Storm winger Sisa Waqa knocks the ball down. Close call there for the Storm.
14th min: Melbourne get their fourth set of six in a row after forcing another line drop-out. Can the Bulldogs hold them out?
Storm get a penalty for a high shot with Smith pointing to the posts to take a penalty goal shot from close range, slightly to the right.
Smith misses with his penalty goal attempt! The Bulldogs finally get their hands on the ball. Storm 4 - Bulldogs 0
9th min: Ben Barba makes an error, failing to catch a Cooper Cronk bomb with the ball going over the dead-ball line.
The Storm then force another drop-out and go on the attack again. It's all the Storm so far in this match.
7th min: STORM TRY - Ryan Hoffman
Melbourne Storm draw first blood with second-row forward Ryan Hoffman sliding over for a try on the Bulldogs' right edge.
Gareth Widdop provided the short ball for Hoffman, with Billy Slater running the decoy.
Cameron Smith misses with his conversion attempt. Storm 4 - Bulldogs 0
3rd min: Pretty even in the early exchanges. BANG! Storm halfback Cooper Cronk is smashed in a tackle by Bulldogs centre Krisnan Inu.
Ben Barba makes a break down field but play is called back for a Bulldogs knock-on.
5.23pm: KICK-OFF The Bulldogs kick-off the 2012 NRL Grand Final!
5.20pm: The teams take the field for the National Anthem, sung by The Voice star Sarah De Bono.
5.10pm: Check out Nine News reporter Matt Snelson get mobbed by Doggies fans during his live cross into the news! A classic television moment!
4.54 Joel and Benji Madden with band Good Charlotte rock the crowd at ANZ Stadium.
Joel wears a Bulldogs jersey while Benji has donned a South Sydney Rabbitohs jumper. The band kicks-off with 'I Don't Wanna Be in Love'.
The Voice star Joel fires up the crowd before cranking things up with the song 'Last Night'.
4.45pm: Irish band The Script perform their song
'Hall of Fame' as a tribute to this season's retiring NRL stars.
Petero Civoniceva, Nathan Hindmarsh and Dean Young are among those hanging up their boots. Which NRL star will you miss most?
Grand Final teams:
BULLDOGS: Ben Barba, Sam Perrett, Josh Morris, Krisnan Inu, Jonathan Wright, Josh Reynolds, Kris Keating, Aiden Tolman, Michael Ennis, Sam Kasiano, Frank Pritchard, Josh Jackson, Greg Eastwood. Interchange: James Graham, Dale Finucane, Corey Payne, David Stagg.
STORM: Billy Slater, Sisa Waqa, Dane Nielsen, Will Chambers, Justin O'Neill, Gareth Widdop, Cooper Cronk, Jessie Bromwich, Cameron Smith, Bryan Norrie, Sika Manu, Ryan Hoffman, Todd Lowrie. Interchange: Ryan Hinchcliffe, Kevin Proctor, Jaiman Lowe, Richie Fa'aoso.
4.36pm: Canterbury captain Michael Ennis spoke to Wide World of Sports about coach Des Hasler's influence on the Bulldogs this season.
4.34pm: Earlier today Wests Tigers thrashed Canberra Raiders in the Toyota Cup Grand Final, while Newtown Jets defeated Balmain-Ryde Eastwood Tigers in the NSW Cup Grand Final.
4.32pm: The NRL Grand Final is trending on Twitter and you can join the conversation with Wide World of Sports @wwos9 using #nrlgf.
4.30pm AEST: Hello and welcome to ninemsn's live coverage of 2012 NRL Grand Final Day.
It's a glorious spring day in Sydney with perfect conditions for the clash between Canterbury Bulldogs and Melbourne Storm at ANZ Stadium.
To get you in the mood, The Footy Show panel picked their biggest moments from the 2012 season including highlights from Cooper Cronk, Ben Barba and Greg Inglis.
What did you think of the 2012 NRL Grand Final?
Who were the best players for the Storm and the Bulldogs?
What are your general thoughts on the 2012 NRL season?
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