Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the NRL Grand Final between Penrith Panthers and Brisbane Broncos at Sydney's Accor Stadium.
After a convoluted playoff system that saw NZ Warriors fall to the Broncos at the penultimate stage, the top two teams from the regular season have survived to face off for the Provan-Summons Trophy.
Penrith bring a record of four straight Grand Final appearances, as they shoot for their third consecutive title, while the Broncos missed the postseason altogether last year, but have been near the top of the table throughout 2023.
Of course, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary is no stranger to this stage, after contesting the 2002 Grand Final as Warriors fullback, before guiding them back to the 2011 championship game.
Both teams feature Kiwis in their line-ups, with Maori-bred Jarome Luai at five-eighth for Penrith, NZ internationals Moses Leota, James Fisher-Harris and Scott Sorenson in the pack, and Auckland-born Spencer Leniu coming off the bench.
Brisbane fullback Reece Walsh has a Māori mother, while second-rower Jordan Riki hails from Christchurch.
Join us at 9:30pm for kickoff.
