Missed all the hype of the biggest game of NRL for the 2025 season and need and/or want to catch up in the quickest way possible? Well The Gurgler has you covered for the with our 2025 NRL Grand Final Two Minute Match Report.
Our popular Two Minute Match Reviews has been upgraded from One Minute from the regular season and offers up just enough facts and figures and opinion to make it through the waiting for an Uber or Monday morning coffee catch ups, fifty cent train rides or carpools.
2025 NRL Grand Final Thoughts
Like Jerry Springer, but for rugby league.
The Broncos have broken a 19 year drought, possibly too long for a club with the resources, players and catchment (until 2023), but still exciting for most of the folk in Brisbane.
It was a game in stark contrast to the restraints of the 2024 Grand Final, for the first half anyway, as the attack was flowing at both ends. Not having Ashley Klown as referee helped, as does having one of rugby league’s most lively players putting in one of the great shifts in a recent NRL Grand Final. On the back of one of the great finals runs in recent memory.
Reece Walsh being a game breaker has been key to the Broncos to overcoming the double-digit half time deficits in their first two finals, and it was the fullback again and on steroids (figuratively) on Sunday. His try before half time kept the half time lead of Melbourne’s to the manageable levels of their finals run. This was after the Broncos scored early, then Melbourne went full Melbourne and took over the game. Jahrome Hughes’ try just before the break gave the Storm a 22-12 lead, and they looked the stronger team. They weren’t to score another point.
But that doesn’t mean the Broncos had it all their way. Minutes after Gehamat Shibasaki scored in the 45th minute (and what a story his is for 2025) Adam Reynolds limped off injured. It could be disaster for most teams to lose their halfback, not forgetting that the Broncos recent form was without Reynolds and Ezra Mam, but Reece Walsh and Ezra Mam off the bench took over and swung the game to the Broncos.
Two quick tries before the 60th minute saw the Broncos hit the lead and taking charge, but more drama was to come as Ben Hunt went off after getting the rugby league equivalent of being hit by a train, and the Broncos were left without a halfback. Thankfully the Broncos tactic of having three of four hookers in their squad paid off as Tyson Smoothy filled in for another position.
Melbourne had their chances to claw back. An ambitious but regrettable flick pass on an early tackle break wasted one chance, and a very late attacking raid from an Eli Katoa break saw Reece Walsh seal his Man of the Match performance with a huge covering tackle. That moment said it all, it was all Broncos, and they duly hung on the win the 2025 Premiership.
QUICK HITS
TO BIN OR NOT TO BIN?
No bias involved, but Trent Loiero’s sin bin seemed out of whack with the rest of the officiating. It felt no worse than some of the previous similar tackles made that were deemed reportable but not binnable. Although it must be said, the refereeing in general was great, Grand Final worthy, and may the NRL continue to overlook Ashley Klown for years to come.
YES MAM
He may have been booed, and people still may disagree with his punishment for his off field shocker, but Ezra Mam had a huge impact on this game, and much needed for the Broncos, whose starting halves weren’t playing great. Both had made poor choices on early tackles and Reynolds even kicked one out on the full. Mam’s arrival gave the Broncos real zip and life and he combined well with Reece Walsh.
THE GREAT GEHAMAT SHIBASAKI STORY
What a turnaround for Gehamat Shibasaki. Playing in the Queensland Cup in 2024 with next to no hope of an NRL career. Gets his chance in pre season with the broncos and Michael Maguire sees something and gives him first crack at centres, and how it worked out for both. Became an NRL regular early, forced his way into the Queensland Origin team which won the series, has won a Premiership now with the Broncos, and was even called up into the Australian team. It is a story which so many weekend warriors in the Queensland Cup should take note of and hang on. And also for clubs to take some time away from the next big boom rookie and look at the huge range of talent at all ages in the Queensland and NSW Cup.
MAGUIRE MAGIC
Many people thought Michael Maguire wouldn’t work, and you couldn’t blame them, but how it did, and Maguire has now beaten Australia, won the Origin Series and NRL Premiership in consecutive years. Those that scoffed at him after not being able to take the Wests Tigers any higher will likely be pretty quiet now. And those who raised alarms at the hard training should note that in the three big finals games the Broncos stormed home in the second half. And they had the shorter turnarounds for their final games than Melbourne. Maybe it will go pear shaped in the next few years, but the trophy has been won and arguments settled for a little while.
2025 NRL Grand Final Match Big Stats Summary
Courtesy of nrl.com….here is the biggest wrap up of stats from the big game we could muster, not munster.
BEST OF STATS
- This is the first time Brisbane have beaten Melbourne in a consecutive games since July/April 2003/2004.
- Sunday’s NRL Grand Final will be the 60th meeting between these sides since 1998, which equals the record for most matches played in the NRL era, held by Brisbane v North Queensland.
- Four of the last six Grand Finals have been won by the team that finished lower on the ladder.
- Brisbane and Melbourne have met in Sydney three times since 1998, it’s three wins for the Broncos.
2025 NRL Grand Final Team of the Match & Player Stats
Here we offer up the Team of the Grand Final, using the same method we have been using all season for our team of the week and team of the season.
And for those who want more, and need more, here are the overall player stats from the Grand Final.
2025 NRL Grand Final Player Stats Comparison
A final say on stats, with a side by side comparison across key positions and players.
FULLBACKS – This comparison shows not only how good Reece Walsh was, but that Ryan Papenhuyzen wasn’t far off Melbourne’s best too.
FIVE EIGHTHS – This is to highlights just how good Ezra Mam was, we compared him to Cameron Munster who played almost twice as many minutes.
HALFBACKS – Jahrome Hughes’ brave effort to play so close to a major injury didn’t end in victory, but he certainly won more respect. And he had plenty to start with.
LOCKS – Pat Carrigan was one of the best for Brisbane in the Grand Final, and his stats against his opposite number here tells the story.
PROPS – To highlight just how good a game Xavier Willison had, his stats match and better Payne Haas in a number of areas.
SECOND ROW – You could say that Eli Katoa was twice as good as his Broncos equivalents, and these stats sort-of prove it.
