STATS THAT MATTERED IN SYDNEY ROOSTERS’ NRL GRAND FINAL WIN
*Luke Keary is the first five-eighth to win the Clive Churchill Medal since Greg Inglis in 2007. He had 12 more possessions than in any other game this year, and kicked 18 times compared to his season average of four during the run into the decider.
*Cooper Cronk became the first player in 44 years to win back-to-back titles at different clubs.
*Cronk also became the first halfback to play in eight grand finals for his fifth win, confirming his status as one of the game’s greats.
*Cronk was forced to make just nine tackles. Despite playing with a broken scapular, he was one of just five Roosters not to miss a tackle.
*The Sydney Roosters led 18-0 at halftime, the same scoreline Melbourne had over North Queensland in the break at last year’s decider.
* The 17 penalties blown were the most in a grand final in the NRL-era, beating the previous high 11.
*Melbourne’s Cameron Munster was the first player to be sin-binned in a grand final since Terry Lamb in 1995, and the first man ever to be binned twice in a decider.
*Trent Robinson’s win was his 100th as a coach – the second most wins for a Roosters mentor and behind just Arthur Halloway, who had 105.
*Melbourne have failed in their quest to win back-to-back titles, leaving Brisbane’s 1992-93 team the last side to do it some 25 years ago.
*Despite the Storm’s loss, Cameron Smith became the first hooker to ever pass 200 points in a season, doing so in his record 36th finals match.
*Billy Slater’s career didn’t end the way he would have wanted, but he still finishes with 23 finals tries, the most in history. His career also ends with 190 four-pointers, the second most in history.
*Blake Ferguson’s 161 metres took him past the 5000 mark for the season, making him the third player in history to reach the milestone and the second Rooster behind Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in 2013.
*James Tedesco’s 214 metres was the most by a fullback since Greg Inglis’ 233 in 2014. Tedesco also set up two tries and had one tackle bust.
Stats: Fox Sports Stats