2004 NRL Grand Final

2004 (2004) NRL Grand Final  ()
Bulldogs Sydney Roosters 16 13
1 2 Total BUL 6 10 16 SYD 13 0 13
Date	3 October 2004
Stadium	Telstra Stadium
Location	Sydney, Australia
Clive Churchill Medal	Willie Mason (BUL)
Referee	Tim Mander
Attendance	82,127
Broadcast partner
Broadcaster	Nine Network
Commentators	Ray Warren, Phil Gould, Peter Sterling
< 2003 NRL Grand Final 2005 >

The 2004 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2004 NRL season. It was contested by the Bulldogs, who had finished the regular season in 2nd place, and the Sydney Roosters, who had finished the regular season in 1st place. After both sides eliminated the rest of 2004's top eight teams over the finals series, they faced each other in a grand final for the first time since the 1980 NSWRFL season's decider.

Background

For the second consecutive year, the NRL grand final featured two Sydney-based teams.

Sydney Roosters

The Sydney Roosters finished the 2004 regular season in 1st place, taking out the minor premiership. They subsequently won their two finals matches against the Canberra Raiders 38–12 and then the North Queensland Cowboys 19–16 to make their third consecutive grand final and their fourth in five seasons.

Bulldogs RLFC

The Bulldogs finished the 2004 regular season 2nd (out of 15). They lost their first match of the finals series against the North Queensland Cowboys 22–30 but won their next two against the Melbourne Storm 43–18 and the Penrith Panthers 30–14 to reach their first grand final since 1998.

Match details

Pre-match entertainment included a performance by Australian rock band Grinspoon.^[1]

First half

After thirteen minutes, Sydney took the first try of the game with Chris Walker scoring the try and Craig Fitzgibbon converting giving Sydney a 6–0 lead. Ten minutes later Canterbury winger Matt Utai scored the first try with Hazem El Masri failing to convert bringing the score back to 6–4. A few minutes later El Masri levelled the scores at 6–6 with a penalty goal. Just after the 30 minute mark, Brett Finch kicked a field goal to give Sydney a narrow 7–6 lead. Two minutes later Anthony Tupou made a 30-metre break for Sydney before passing to team mate Anthony Minichiello to cross under the posts with Fitzgibbon converting to give Sydney a 13–6 lead. At the 37th minute, Minichiello looked to have his second try, but was penalised for an obstruction.

Second half

Two minutes into the second half, Utai got his second try for Canterbury with El Masri converting bringing the score back to 13–12. In the 53rd minute, El Masri crossed over for a controversial four-pointer (opinions were divided on whether the winger had been sufficiently held up or not before eventually grounding the ball), but narrowly missed the conversion giving the Bulldogs the lead 16–13. With one minute left and the score at 16–13, Sydney's Michael Crocker made a half break on the Bulldogs 40 meter line but was tackled by stand in Canterbury Captain Andrew Ryan and losing the ball that gave Canterbury their 8th Premiership. It was also former Australian captain Brad Fittler's last game of football.

16	Bulldogs RLFC
Tries	2 Utai 1 El Masri
Goals	2/4 El Masri
Field Goals
13	Sydney Roosters
Tries	1 Walker 1 Minichiello
Goals	2/2 Fitzgibbon
Field Goals	1 Finch

Clive Churchill Medallist: Willie Mason

Half Time: 6 – 13

Referee: Tim Mander (1st grand final appointment)

Venue: Telstra Stadium, Sydney

Attendance: 82,127

When They Scored

13th – Sydney 6–0 (Walker try, Fitzgibbon goal)
23rd – Sydney 6–4 (Utai try)
27th – 6–6 (El Masri penalty goal)
31st – Sydney 7–6 (Finch field goal)
33rd – Sydney 13–6 (Minichiello try, Fitzgibbon goal)
42nd – Sydney 13–12 (Utai try; El Masri goal)
53rd – Bulldogs 16–13 (El Masri try)

See also

• 2005 World Club Challenge

References

External links

• 2004 NRL Grand Final at rugbyleagueproject.org
• 2004 NRL Grand Final at sportsphotography.net