NRL GRAND FOOTBALL FINAL BITES: MELBOURNE STORM 14. CANTERBURY BULLDOGS 4.

Photo: Melbourne Storm trio Billy Slater, Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk celebrate the team’s grand final victory. Picture: Brett Costello. Source: The Daily Telegraph.

It was a high drama infamous NRL grand final this year. Melbourne Storms 14. Canterbury Bulldogs 4.

News.Com.Au reported: “Coach Craig Bellamy’s men put themselves back in the history books as premiers after defeating Canterbury 14-4 at ANZ Stadium last night.

It was a spiteful encounter with the Bulldogs, the aftermath of which will play out this week.

Halfback Cooper Cronk’s masterful display earned him the Clive Churchill Medal.

Captain Cameron Smith said Storm’s victory was one for grit and belief. “To all those players in the purple jerseys, you have
been outstanding his year,” he said. “We hit a rough spot, a lot of people were doubting where we would finish. We hung tough, we stuck solid, and we got the rewards.”

Melbourne dominated from the outset, controlling the ball in attack in a manner unheard of in a grand final.

For all of the drama, including a biting incident on star fullback Billy Slater, check it. Go Melbourne. Congratulations.

[Photo: Storm fullback Billy Slater is put in a head lock by David Stagg after Sam Perret scored a try for the Bulldogs. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: The Daily Telegraph].

~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 1.10.12~