NRL Grand Final: Melbourne player ratings

AAP | 04/10/09 | 0

AUDIO - On the sideline with a jubilant Cameron Smith

AUDIO - Cooper Cronk: ''You won't be able to wipe the smile off my face''

AUDIO - Craig Bellamy: ''We worked hard and got lucky''

AUDIO - Departing Storm winger Steve Turner talks to the CCT

Melbourne player ratings in Sunday's NRL grand final (out of 10):

BILLY SLATER - Speed, precision and no brain explosions. The latter meaning he got the better of Jarryd Hayne - at least this time - and the Clive Churchill Medal. 9

STEVE TURNER - Brilliantly defused a Jeff Robson cross-field kick, saving a certain try. Dependable as always. 7

WILL CHAMBERS - Kept Krisnan Inu quiet, and stayed pretty quiet himself. The Queensland Reds will hope for a bit more. 5

GREG INGLIS - The complete rugby league machine bobbed up just when needed - to freakishly score a spectacular try from a bomb and to secure victory with a field goal. 8

DANE NIELSEN - Limited opportunities as the Eels defence zeroed in on Inglis' side. Solid enough. 5

BRETT FINCH - The blue and gold army's public enemy No.1, threw the pass for his side's first try but things got quieter after that. Cronk runs this show. 6

COOPER CRONK - Like an MBA-qualified CEO, runs the most efficient rugby league machine in the world. The logistical support behind the superstars. 9

AIDEN TOLMAN - One of Melbourne's unsung front-row heroes. Like many before him, does exactly what Craig Bellamy asks - and that's plenty. 7

CAMERON SMITH - Makes Cronk's job that much easier. Crafty dummy half running, tireless defence and no coincidence he wasn't there last year when his side was thrashed 40-0. 8

BRETT WHITE - A powerful game as he sought to match Fuifui Moimoi. His low centre of gravity proved a constant battering ram. 9

ADAM BLAIR - Scored his side's second try backing up Cronk. One of the Storm's hardest heads in a pack full of them. 7

RYAN HOFFMA - His wide running caused mayhem early as he sought to make up for lost time, having missed last year's decider. Opened the Storm's account running a nice angle off Finch. 7

DALLAS JOHNSON - An early shot from Moimoi ensured another game played with a head knock. A tackling machine as always and vital cog in the Storm front. 8

Interchange:
RYAN HINCHCLIFFE - Smith doesn't need a second fiddle, so Hinchcliffe's more like third. Has a premiership ring though. 5
JEFF LIMA, RYAN TANDY, SCOTT ANDERSON - One comes off, another goes on. The show never stops for Melbourne's tireless front-rowers. 7