2016 NRL Grand Final tips: Daily Telegraph experts pick the winner, first tryscorer and Clive Churchill Medal winner

THE Daily Telegraph’s panel of expert tipsters deliver their verdicts on the NRL Grand Final: The winner, first tryscorer and Clive Churchill medallist.

• WHAT’S YOUR TIP? TELL US IN THE COMMENTS BELOW

THE Daily Telegraph’s panel of expert tipsters deliver their verdicts on the NRL Grand Final: The winner, first tryscorer and Clive Churchill medallist.

MICHAEL CARAYANNIS

Winner: Storm by 2

First tryscorer: Wade Graham

Clive Churchill Medal: Tohu Harris

Key player: Melbourne’s superstars Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk will provide the polish but it will be the likes of Tohu Harris and Jesse Bromwich who do the grunt upfront to assist the Storm. Harris’ combination with Blake Green is underrated, and expect him to cause plenty of headaches for Cronulla halfback Chad Townsend in defence. Harris will also be called upon to stop the angled run of Sharks veteran Luke Lewis.

Secondrower Tohu Harris will do the hard yards for the Storm. Picture: AAP

PAUL CRAWLEY

Winner: Sharks by 10

First tryscorer: Wade Graham

Clive Churchill Medal: James Maloney

Key player: People have been saying it all week, momentum wins grand finals, and right now it’s running with the Sharks. And James Maloney is the key. He was outstanding in the preliminary final win and his combination on the left edge with Wade Graham tore holes through the Cowboys defence.

There is no question the Sharks have the ability to create chances, they just have to capitalise on them. Maloney is the man to make it happen.

Sharks pivot James Maloney is running hot. Picture: Getty Images

PAUL KENT

Winner: Sharks by 2

First tryscorer: Valentine Holmes

Clive Churchill Medal: Paul Gallen

Key player: No great intellect is required to realise this game will be played largely through the middle. Defence will dominate and every metre gained will come the hard way.

The Storm pack are bigger and match hardened after a season of tough middle third football. But the Sharks’ pack is nothing but grit. This is the kind of dogfight they look for.

On that, expect Gallen to make plenty of runs and plenty of yardage. He won’t be going the length of the field any time soon but, when the game is over and the metres added up, he’ll figure in the placings.

Paul Kent is backing Sharks skipper Paul Gallen to pile up the yardage. Picture: Brett Costello

MATT LOGUE

Winner: Sharks by 10

First tryscorer: Marika Koroibete

Clive Churchill Medal: James Maloney

Key player: James Maloney. Maloney has the class and composure to lead Cronulla to glory. He isn’t afraid to take on the line despite his slender frame, while his pinpoint kicking game could prove vital at the back end of the game.

Marika Koroibete is Matt Logue’s pick to make first tryscorer punters happy. Picture: Getty Images

CHRISTIAN NICOLUSSI

Winner: Melbourne by 4

First tryscorer: Suliasi Vunivalu

Clive Churchill Medal: Cam Smith

Key player: Cameron Smith is no stranger to the big stage, and his battle with Cronulla opposite Mick Ennis will go a long way to deciding this one. He has an amazing ability to dictate the speed of a game, and his antics will be enough to upset the Sharks forwards who are entitled to be overwhelmed by the occasion. The Sharkies are good swoopers, but Melbourne never surrender a lead.

What a battle.

Cameron Smith will be right in the thick of things. Picture: Getty Images

JAMES PHELPS

Winner: Storm by 14

First tryscorer: Cooper Cronk

Clive Churchill Medal: Cameron Smith

Key player: I’ll be cheering for the Sharks ... but they are going to be up against it. The Storm are rugby league clinicians and error-free football with pin point kicks will wear the Sharks down. Cronulla can grind, but not as well as the Storm. They will need to go all out in attack to cause an upset.

Cooper Cronk is a magician with the boot but he’s James Phelps’ first tryscorer tip. Picture: Getty Images

DAVID RICCIO

Winner: Sharks by 7

First tryscorer: Sosaia Feki

Clive Churchill Medal: James Maloney

Key player: Andrew Fifita. Despite the controversy circling around his every move, the Sharks prop has produced two elite level performances in Cronulla’s two final series wins. Huge man with incredible footwork and an offload which will keep the Melbourne defence guessing all night along.

David Riccio says Andrew Fifita will be making headlines for all the right reasons. Picture: Getty Images

DEAN RITCHIE

Winner: Sharks by 8

First tryscorer: Valentine Holmes

Clive Churchill Medal: Paul Gallen

Key player: James Maloney. Controls the game for the Sharks, takes the defensive line on and challenges the defence. His kicking game will be key and, most importantly, he is a calm head with Grand Final experience. If Cronulla’s forwards get on a roll, Maloney will exploit that.

Dean Ritchie fancies Valentine Holmes for first tryscorer. Picture: Mark Evans

PHIL ROTHFIELD

Winner: Sharks by 4

First tryscorer: Valentine Holmes

Clive Churchill Medal: Paul Gallen

Key player: Skipper Paul Gallen will lay the platform for victory. It’s okay to have James Maloney calling the shots and Jack Bird, Val Holmes and Ben Barba scoring the points but someone needs get the upper hand in the forwards. No one will be hungrier or more determined than the Sharks skipper. He is a proven big-game performer for the Kangaroos and in Origin.

Paul Gallen is a proven big-game performer. Picture: Gregg Porteous

BARRY TOOHEY

Winner: Sharks by 4

First tryscorer: Ben Barba

Clive Churchill Medal: Michael Ennis

Key player: Michael Ennis. To beat the Storm, the Sharks can’t get suckered into a dogfight at the ruck because it’s a battle they can’t win. They will need to play with a fast-paced, up-tempo attack that never gives the renowned Melbourne defence time to set itself. Much of that will come off the back of the creativity and spark created by Ennis with his darts out of dummy half, his subtle variations and his outstanding short kicking game.

The Sharks will be looking to Michael Ennis for creativity and spark. Picture: Gregg Porteous

NICK WALSHAW

Winner: Sharks by 12

First try: Ricky Leutele

Clive Churchill Medal: James Maloney

Key player: James Maloney. Despite weighing less than an NRL player’s lunch, Maloney will prove the difference Sunday. Despite being a dangerous attacking weapon in his own right, Maloney also provides the essential link between what has always been Cronulla’s greatest asset — its tough, uncompromising grind — and that new wave of attacking talent now existing out wide. Better, Maloney is a big-game player. For proof, look no further than his premiership with the Roosters and Origin efforts for NSW. Can’t wait to hear the touring stories once he plays himself into the Four Nations squad, either.

Nick Walshaw reckons Ricky Leutele is a special to get across the stripe first. Picture Gregg Porteous