2007 NRL Grand Final

Sunday, 30 September 2007 · Telstra Stadium, Sydney, New South Wales

2007 Grand Final ▾

2007 NRL Grand Final result: Melbourne Storm def. Manly-Warringah, 34-8, at Telstra Stadium, Sydney, New South Wales on Sunday, 30 September 2007.

Sourcing caveat: Melbourne's 2007 premiership was later stripped by the NRL in April 2010 after systemic salary cap breaches were uncovered; the on-field result (Melbourne 34-8) is recorded here as it occurred, with the stripped-title context noted explicitly rather than omitted.

Result

TeamScore
WinnerMelbourne Storm34
Runner-upManly-Warringah8

Attendance: 81,392

NRL 2007 — full season ladder & finals series

PosClubPWDLPFPADiffPts
1Melbourne Storm242103627277+35044
2Manly Warringah Sea Eagles241806597377+22038
3North Queensland Cowboys241509547618-7132
4New Zealand Warriors2413110593434+15929
5Parramatta Eels2413011573481+9228
6Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs2412012575528+4726
7South Sydney Rabbitohs2412012408399+926
8Brisbane Broncos2411013511476+3524
9Wests Tigers2411013541561-2024
10Sydney Roosters2410113445610-16523
11Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks2410014463403+6022
12Gold Coast Titans2410014409559-15022
13St George Illawarra Dragons249015431509-7820
14Canberra Raiders249015522652-13020
15Newcastle Knights249015418708-29020
16Penrith Panthers248016539607-6818

Qualified for the finals series — top 8 (McIntyre final eight system) that season.

Finals series

Qualifying Final

DateResultVenueAttendance
7 Sep 2007New Zealand Warriors 10–12 Parramatta EelsMt Smart Stadium, Auckland (NZ)28,745
8 Sep 2007North Queensland Cowboys 20–18 Canterbury-BankstownDairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville, QLD24,004
8 Sep 2007Manly-Warringah 30–6 South Sydney RabbitohsBrookvale Oval, Sydney, NSW19,785
9 Sep 2007Melbourne Storm 40–0 Brisbane BroncosOlympic Park, Melbourne, VIC15,522

Semi-Final

DateResultVenueAttendance
15 Sep 2007Parramatta Eels 25–6 Canterbury-BankstownTelstra Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park, NSW50,621
16 Sep 2007North Queensland Cowboys 49–12 New Zealand WarriorsDairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville, QLD21,847

Preliminary Final

DateResultVenueAttendance
22 Sep 2007Manly-Warringah 28–6 North Queensland CowboysSydney Football Stadium, Moore Park, Sydney, NSW32,611
23 Sep 2007Melbourne Storm 26–10 Parramatta EelsTelstra Dome, Melbourne, VIC33,427

Grand Final

DateResultVenueAttendance
30 Sep 2007Melbourne Storm 34–8 Manly-WarringahTelstra Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park, NSW81,392

Permalink to this season's ladder page →

Match officials

RefereeTony Archer

Scorers

Melbourne StormTries: Anthony Quinn — minute unconfirmed; Greg Inglis — minute unconfirmed; Michael Crocker — minute unconfirmed; Matt King — minute unconfirmed; Greg Inglis — minute unconfirmed; Clint Newton — minute unconfirmed; Anthony Quinn — minute unconfirmed
Goals: Cameron Smith (3/8)
Manly-WarringahTries: Steve Matai — minute unconfirmed; Chris Hicks — minute unconfirmed
Goals: Matt Orford (0/2)

Teams

Melbourne StormManly-Warringah
1Billy SlaterFullbackBrett Stewart1
2Steve TurnerWingMichael Robertson2
3Matt KingCentreSteve Bell3
4Israel FolauCentreSteve Matai4
5Anthony QuinnWingChris Hicks5
6Greg InglisFive-EighthJamie Lyon6
7Cooper CronkHalfbackMatt Orford (c)7
8Ben CrossPropJason King8
9Cameron Smith (c)HookerMichael Monaghan9
10Brett WhitePropBrent Kite10
11Ryan HoffmanSecond RowAnthony Watmough11
12Dallas JohnsonSecond RowGlenn Stewart12
13Sika ManuLockLuke Williamson13
Substitutes
14Jeremy SmithMark Bryant16
15Matt GeyerSteve Menzies17
16Michael CrockerJack Afamasaga20
17Jeff LimaAdam Cuthbertson21
Craig BellamyCoachDes Hasler

Clive Churchill Medal

Greg Inglis (Melbourne Storm).

Match context

Melbourne and Manly-Warringah met in a decider that promised a tight contest between two of the competition's strongest sides but instead turned into a rout, remembered as much for a controversial defining incident as for the scoreline. Melbourne led 10-4 at half-time through tries to Anthony Quinn and Greg Inglis, with Manly's Steve Matai crossing in reply. The turning point came early in the second half when Manly fullback and Dally M Rookie of the Year Brett Stewart was knocked unconscious attempting to field a high kick, hit heavily by Michael Crocker and Billy Slater in a collision that sparked lasting debate about dangerous contact on players contesting the ball in the air. With their attacking spark removed, Manly's resistance collapsed, and Melbourne ran riot, adding further tries to Quinn, Inglis, Matt King and Clint Newton. Inglis, in just his second full NRL season, was electric throughout, scoring twice and producing a stunning long-range solo try in which he shrugged off multiple defenders with a bulldozing fend, a moment still regarded as one of the finest individual grand final tries. He was a comfortable and popular winner of the Clive Churchill Medal. Manly managed a late consolation try to Chris Hicks but the 34-8 final margin stood as one of the largest in grand final history at the time. It was Melbourne's second premiership in franchise history and confirmed the club, under coach Craig Bellamy and inspired by the emerging trio of Inglis, Slater and Cameron Smith, as the dominant force in the competition. The result, however, was later stripped from the record books: on 22 April 2010 the NRL disqualified Melbourne from this and other premierships after uncovering systemic salary cap breaches spanning 2006 to 2010, meaning no official premiers were recognised for 2007 in the aftermath, a fact this site notes alongside the on-field result for historical completeness.

Sources

Data last verified: 11 August 2026.

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