As we head into October, that can only mean one thing… we’re at the business end of the NRL season. Here’s your mate Joe Fortune with the ultimate guide to give you the heads up on all you need to to know about this year’s NRL Grand Final.

 

Pre-game Build Up

In the lead-up to the NRL Grand Final, there’s plenty happening to get fans excited and hyped up about. During Grand Final week, Sydney buzzes with a range of events. The NRL hosts a Fan Festival, featuring live music, food stalls, and player appearances, offering a great chance for fans to get up close and personal with the footy players. There are also open training sessions, where supporters can watch their teams prepare for the big game.

For the most up-to-date info on these events, keep an eye on the NRL website and local event listings on your team’s website or social media account. Plus, it has been confirmed that there will be a special performance from global superstar, The Kid Laroi, live at the Grand Final.

 

Who, When and Where

The NRL Grand Final 2024 will be held at Accor Stadium in Sydney. The match will see Melbourne Storm take on the Penrith Panthers and is due to kick off at 7:30pm AEDT on Sunday, October 6th. Earlier in the afternoon, you can also enjoy this year’s NRLW Grand Final, which is between the Sydney Roosters and Cronulla Sharks.

 

How to Get There

To get to the NRL Grand Final at Accor Stadium in Sydney’s Olympic Park, you’ve got a few good options. The easiest way, I reckon, is to catch a train on the T1 Western Line to Lidcombe Station, then switch to the T7 Olympic Park Line, which takes you straight to Sydney Olympic Park Station. From there, it’s just a short but lively walk to the stadium.

If you’re driving, go early and follow the signs to Sydney Olympic Park and grab one of the available spots, but keep in mind it will also be busy when you try to leave, as well as when you arrive!

You can also hop on a local bus that heads to Sydney Olympic Park, or how about taking a ferry to Parramatta Wharf and then transfer to a bus or train? For those who don’t mind cycling, there are bike racks at the stadium and bike paths around the area.

If you prefer someone else to take the strain out of getting to the match, then the likes of Uber and Didi are, of course, available but look out for price surging. The 13Cabs App is also decent if you’re looking to book a taxi in advance to take you there or pick you up afterwards.

 

How to Watch

The NRL Grand Final 2024 will be streamed live and free on Channel Nine, and through its digital platform, 9Now. If you’re looking to stream on demand, Kayo Sports will also have live coverage of the game, but you will need to pay to view it.

 

Grand Final Stats

South Sydney Rabbitohs holds the record for the most premierships in NRL history, with an impressive 21 titles. Its first win came in the very first Grand Final in 1908, and by 1932, they had notched up 11 premierships, with the most recent of its wins coming in 2014.

In recent years, the NRL Grand Final has, for the most part, been all about 3 teams. The Melbourne Storm, led by its super coach Craig Bellamy, have been super impressive, winning premierships in 2012, 2017, and 2020. The Sydney Roosters has also made its presence felt with victories in 2018 and 2019, demonstrating the importance of strong club culture and savvy leadership.

But most recently, it is the Penrith Panthers that has dominated in Grand Finals, finishing as runners up in 2020 before claiming the title in 2021, 2022 and 2023. This success highlights a shift towards teams building on strong youth development and long-term strategies and has created a new era in the competition. Under head coach Ivan Cleary, the team has been setting new standards for other sides to look at how they go about setting up their clubs in order to be competitive, especially towards the backend of the season.

 

Melbourne Storm

The Melbourne Storm was established in 1998 and has very quickly become an absolute powerhouse in the NRL. The impact was instant, as Melbourne reached the finals in their debut season. Under the guidance of coach Craig Bellamy, the Storm has developed a reputation for always being bloody competitive and has a great strike rate in reaching the finals.

In 1999, Storm won its first premiership, marking the beginning of a golden era. Melbourne went on to claim multiple titles in the early 2000s, featuring stars like Billy Slater, Cameron Smith, and Cooper Cronk. However, their success was marred by controversy when they were stripped of their 2007 and 2009 premierships due to salary cap breaches. Despite this setback, the Storm bounced back, winning three premierships during the next 10 years, all under its supercoach Bellamy.

Penrith Panthers

The Penrith Panthers were formed in 1966, and are based in Western Sydney. They joined the NSWRL competition in 1967 and quickly became known for their strong community ties. After years of hard work, the Panthers finally claimed their first premiership in 1991, a landmark moment for the club.

The late 1990s saw the team face challenges, but a resurgence came in the mid-2000s, culminating in their second premiership in 2003. Under the leadership of coach Ivan Cleary, the Panthers reached new heights, reaching 5 consecutive Grand Finals from 2020-2024. Having won their last 3 finals, Penrith is trying to complete a four-timer, something which hasn’t been achieved since the 1960s!

Joe’s NRL Grand Final 2024 Pick

If you’re wanting to have a bet on a team in the 2024 AFL Grand Final, then the Joe Fortune Pick is Penrith. With several of the players set to leave for other clubs next season, this looks like being the crowning moment for the Panthers to cement this as a dynasty which will be talked about for years to come.

 

How to Watch the 2024 NRL Grand Final: Streaming, TV, and Tickets

The NRL Grand Final for 2024 will be at Accor Stadium, which is in the suburb of Lidcombe, Sydney. Kick-off is anticipated to be at 7:30pm AEDT on Sunday, October 6, 2024, but… this might vary nearer to or on the day itself so keep your eyes peeled for updates wherever you get your sports info from. Here’s your mate Joe Fortune helping you out with a quick guide on how to watch and get tickets for this footy showpiece.

 

How to Watch the NRL Grand Final

The 2024 NRL Grand Final is exclusively live to view on Channel 9 around the whole of Australia, and the good news is that it is free… thankfully this hasn’t been hidden behind a paywall yet! If you’re on the move or just have your mobile phone with you then no worries as the game will be streaming live on the 9Now App. If you haven’t downloaded it yet you should do so in advance as you need to register to sign in and yes, it is also free to watch.

How to Get NRL Grand Final Tickets 2024

To get tickets for the 2024 NRL Grand Final the first place to start is by visiting the NRL’s website www.nrl.com.au – it is easy to use, and you can’t miss the section on the menu which says tickets! If you’re an NRL member and part of your team’s membership program, you might get priority access to tickets. Keep an eye out for messages, emails and texts as they might offer tickets or packages for teams that make it to the NRL Grand Final.

As always you can also look at secondary ticketing platforms for tickets but do make sure the seller is legitimate and that you trust the tickets are real. The final option is to track down family or friends who might have access to a box or corporate hospitality, sure it’s a long shot but you know how someone always pulls out of these events so why not try to get on an unofficial waiting list!

 

When to Watch

As an important heads up to footy fans around Australia, daylight saving starts on Sunday 6^th October so that means you’ll need the following info to make sure you don’t miss out on watching all the 2024 NRL Grand Final.

Here’s my easy-to-follow guide to kick-off times around the country starting with NSW, the ACT, Victoria and Tasmania; it will be at 7:30pm AEDT for all of them.

For viewers in South Australia, it’ll be 7:00pm ACDT and up in Queensland the game will start at 6:30pm AEST.

Fans in the NT can enjoy the action at 6:00pm ACST and last of all but certainly not least, in Western Australia the NRL Grand Final gets underway at 5:30pm AWST.

 

Where to Watch the NRL Grand Final

I reckon if you aren’t going to the game, there is nothing better than either heading to your local pub with your mates to watch the NRL Grand Final. Just make sure you get the comms turned on to add to the atmosphere. Or… get your tv out on your deck with all the wires getting tangled up and set up your living room outdoors. Knocking back a few cold ones with your neighbours washing down a load of snags fresh off the barbie sounds pretty good to me!

 

Joe’s Pro Tip

On Monday 7^th October it is a public holiday in the ACT, NSW, Queensland and South Australia. If you’re a mad footy fan like Joe Fortune what could be better than having a good old Sunday sesh leading into the NRL Grand Final as if you live and work in these spots, you’ve no work the following day so no worries about when you wake up. Wherever you live I’m sure you’ll have a ripper evening enjoying the match.