Roosters v Storm: NRL grand final a week early

Storm hooker Cameron Smith after the round 19 NRL rugby league match between the New Zealand Warriors and the Melbourne Storm at Mt Smart Stadium. Photo / Jason Oxenham

The ultimate NRL grand final, the Roosters against the Storm, has come a week early at the Sydney Cricket Ground tonight.

In a decade dominated by the purple of the Storm and the red, white and blue of the Roosters, both sides have won two grand finals and four minor premierships.

The Roosters have missed the finals just three times, while today will be their seventh preliminary final for three appearances in the decider.

Melbourne's run is even more impressive. Their only year out of the top eight was when they were deducted points in 2010, while they have also made seven preliminary finals for four grand finals.

Combined, only five grand finals haven't featured one of the two teams since 1999. It has also been seven years since another team topped the ladder after the regular season.

But it's their record against each other this decade which is even more compelling. Melbourne have won 10 of the match-ups, while the Roosters have walked away winners eight times, including in last year's grand final.

Showing just how tight the titanic battle has been, the Storm have scored 329 points in those games to the Roosters' 328.

The Roosters are the best attacking team in the competition this year, while their defence is ranked second.

Melbourne's defensive record is No1 in the league, while their attack is second best.

Individually, Roosters fullback James Tedesco has arguably taken Storm captain Cameron Smith's mantle as the best player in the game.

Opposing halves Cameron Munster and Luke Keary will likely be the two best five-eighths of the next five years.

Adding to the intrigue, Roosters veteran Cooper Cronk will attempt to plot the downfall of his former team in his final season, while teammate Latrell Mitchell is the NRL's top point-scorer in 2019.

The Storm have electrifying wingers Josh Addo-Carr and Suliasi Vunivalu, while rookie fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen is making a big splash.

Coaches Craig Bellamy and Trent Robinson are both widely revered, too, with Bellamy knowing only success in his 17 years at Melbourne and Robinson likewise in seven seasons at the Roosters. It's all on at the SCG.