Live: Red-hot Roos surging clear in electric Rugby League World Cup final

Just a moment for Jacob Preston …

And Cameron Murray …

All tournament, Preston has been such a weapon. He’s constantly running the right line, poking his nose through, getting offloads away. And, of course, shortening folks up in defence every time.

And Murray, once again completely changed the tempo of the game the moment he came onto the field. His leg speed and ability to land on his knees or belly and get quick play the balls is unmatched.

Harry Grant and Cameron Munster tear them apart through the middle and Tom Dearden breaks them on the right.

He hits Liam Martin, who’s looking for a winger, but there’s no-one there and he knocks on.

Jahrome Hughes slices a bomb off the outside of his boot and it comes down short, apparently surprising Bradman Best, who was jogging back to tackle Jamayne Isaako if he caught it.

But the ball hits him in the calf. Grant Atkins says it’s still the last as Hughes is tackled, but Hughes challenges and they win as Best played at it by getting into the contest.

The Kangaroos sweep left and Bradman Best can’t handle the Reece Walsh pass. Jahrome Hughes swoops and he’s off to the races.

He brushes off Walsh, but here comes Best, mowing him down and forcing the ball loose with an amazing tackle.

Jahrome Hughes produces a miraculous try-saver down low on Reece Walsh.

Then the Kiwis are trucking it off their line with Casey McLean. Kotoni Staggs gets under the ball and drives him across the field, and Liam Martin slams him into the turf, forcing the error.

The Kangaroos are hooting and hollering.

Tom Trbojevic is in another aerial contest, this time with Kalyn Ponga.

The ball bounces out off Ponga, but did it collect any of Trbojevic? Not according to Grant Atkins.

Back-to-back close calls going Australia’s way.

This has been an electric game thus far. Better than the tournament opener.

If the standard stays this high, we could be in for an all-time classic.

The Kangaroos break down the right and Tom Trbojevic tries to weave the pass back to Tom Dearden for a certain try, but Kalyn Ponga shoots the gap to knock it down.

Tino Fa’asuamaleaui takes a charge into the line. He’s wrapped up by two defenders and shortened up by James Fisher-Harris.

The ball comes out and he’s called for a knock-on, but the captain’s challenge is immediate and Jeremy Marshall-King clearly ripped it out.

First hit-up off the kick-off and James Fisher-Harris is scattering defenders, and earns his team a penalty.

So the Kiwis are straight back over halfway. Surging.

The New Zealand right side shift is slick, but the Kangaroos slide well to cover it, forcing Kalyn Ponga into an ill-advised grubber.

Bradman Best has it covered, but he can’t handle. So the Kiwis will reload.

The bomb puts Reece Walsh in a contest with Ronaldo Mulitalo, and the Kangaroos fullback knocks on as the Kiwis winger arrives at full speed.

New Zealand packs a scrum 10 metres out.

The Kangaroos are on the move deep in New Zealand territory on the last, but the pressure is too much and Cameron Munster hooks a kick into the on-goal for a seven-tackle set for the Kiwis.

The Kiwis have the numbers left and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui is forced to defend at three man.

Jahrome Hughes hits Isaiah Papali’i short and he’s through, but bug Tino recovers and drags him down.

The Kiwis bomb towards the posts and Kotoni Staggs arrives at the last moment to make a phenomenal catch.

But the first hit-up from Tom Trbojevic, he’s too upright and the Kiwis carry him back into the in-goal.

The Kangaroos signal a bit of their intentions with an early shift on the first tackle deep in their own territory, then a bit of a Harry Grant scoot and swerve and weave.

The bomb goes long, Kalyn Ponga catches, and the Kiwis can get into their work.

The atmosphere is electric.

These teams kicked off in the tournament opener that ended up as a classic, but this game promises to deliver even more after both teams have improved every game throughout this World Cup.

Isaah Yeo is leading out the Kangaroos, alongside former premiership teammate James Fisher-Harris out front for the Kiwis.

But the New Zealanders are making the Aussies wait.

The anthems and then the haka are ahead of us.

The teams are delivering their last messages in the sheds.

The crowd’s building.

The light show is going off.

We’re not far away now from the 2026 Men’s Rugby League World Cup final.

Reece Walsh’s Broncos endured a historically bad premiership defence and he barely played State of Origin for the defeated Queensland Maroons this year.

But a maiden World Cup win could make that all a distant memory.

Does he have one last masterclass in him?

Let’s have a look back at some Rugby League World Cup history.

The Kangaroos have won 12 men’s Rugby League World Cups, including nine of the past 10, which doesn’t leave much room for anyone else to have broken through over the years.

Despite being the de facto number two in the world for the past few decades, New Zealand has only one crown, in 2008; while Great Britain won three, including the inaugural 1954 final against France, and the 1960 and 1972 deciders.

So that’s:

• Australia – 12: 1957, 1968, 1970, 1975, 1977, 1988, 1992, 1995, 2000, 2013, 2017, 2022
• Great Britain – 3: 1954, 1960, 1972
• New Zealand – 1: 2008

Coach Jess Skinner and captain Isabelle Kelly are beaming behind the podium.

Kelly is asked about how this team, which seems almost unbeatable, stays motivated.

“When you wear the Jillaroos jersey you’re always striving to be the best,” Kelly says.

It’s a culmination of a long journey for the Australian skipper.

“I’m nearly 10 years into this jersey I came in as quite a young girl.”

Kelly says players like Ruan Sims, Ali Brigginshaw and Renee Kunst “really shaped me to be the player I am today”.

“I feel very honoured that we were able to get the job done.”

And she counts the retiring Millie Elliott as one of those women.

Jaime Chapman and Jess Sergis sneak away from celebrations to grab the cooler and sneak up on Jess Skinner, who wins the World Cup in her first time as coach.

Meanwhile, the players are still celebrating in the streamers while ground staff are raking them up.

It may have looked easy in the first half, but Jillaroos captain Isabelle Kelly thanks them for a great game.

“It’s been such a great rivalry for so many years now. We were really excited to come up against the best of the best and thank you for such a great game.”

Kelly reserves special praise for the squad players who didn’t get on the field today, including Ellie Johnston, Julia Robinson, Jocelyn Kelleher, Makenzie Weale, Sarah Togatuki and Quincy Dodd.

They’re all welcomed into the team photo for the trophy lift as Tina Turner’s Simply The Best rings out.

The New Zealand captain is clearly disappointed but incredibly proud of her team and her country, especially the fans who followed them all around the tournament, form Newcastle, to Christchurch, to the Gold Coast, back to Newy, and up here to Brisbane.

“As a proud Kiwi girl, thank you so much to all of our fierce and staunch supporters that have been with us throughout the tournament.”

New Zealand won the first three Women’s World Cups, but has since lost the title of the world’s best to Australia.

Hale promises they’ll be back.

“The best of the Kiwi Ferns is still to be shown, so stay with us.”

Tough to argue with that first-half hat-trick in a game without any second-half points.

She also equalled the record for most tries in a World Cup, with 13.

The Jillaroos prop announced her retirement from rugby league and she goes out with another State of Origin, premiership and a World Cup victory (all of them unbeaten).

One player who shared in all three of those with her, Keeley Nizza, can’t hold back the tears as she talks about her great mate.

“Millie’s a champion, she’s my best friend in the world, she’s just the ultimate champion,” she tells ABC Sport.

“Sorry, I’m so emotional.

“There’s no better competitor in the game, it’s not a coincidence she’s come back this year and we’ve gone undefeated.

“I don’t think there’ll ever be a player like her. I’m incredibly lucky to get to play alongside her.”

The Kiwi Ferns try a chip over the right side and Isabelle Kelly gets back to reel it in, but she’s monstered by Alexis Tauaneai, losing the ball and allowing Mackenzie Wiki to swoop and dive in for a late try.

Remarkably, New Zealand ends the tournament without having conceded a single second-half point.

The Kiwi Ferns try one more time down the right through Mackenzie Wiki, but skipper Isabelle Kelly gets across to lasso her into touch in a phenomenal one-on-one tackle.

The New Zealand fullback has been one of the Kiwi Ferns’ best tonight and her night ends in misery, going down like she’s been hit by a sniper, grabbing at her hamstring and limping off the far side of the field.

Jesse Southwell breaks through the middle and manages to offload to Kezie Apps, or should I say towards Kezie Apps, as she can’t reel in the ball from high above her head.

This second half is just a points desert.

Hi Phillip,

The crowd has grown throughout the game, which unfortunately means they’ve turned up mostly for what has been a really poor showing in this second half.

It’s a sell-out tonight.

A forward pass is thrown to Sariah Paki to end another set in disappointment for Australia. And the wait goes on for our first points since a 40-point first half.

Simaima Taufa and Raecene McGregor are both down after a really heavy head clash. Both players will end the game in an HIA-enforced 15-minute break you’d think.

The New Zealand halfback goes off, but Taufa is staying on despite being opened up by the contact.

Abbi Church drops a bomb from Jesse Southwell on the last to hand the ball to New Zealand.

And this game is limping to the finish line.

The field position hasn’t been that far in Australia’s favour in this half, but the attack from New Zealand has been pretty ordinary.

And this time the set ends with a rushed left-foot kick by Apii Nicholls that trickles dead.

The Kiwi Ferns are on the front foot after a break by Apii Nicholls.

But the Jillaroos just keep turning up across the park to cut them off.

Isabelle Kelly and Jaime Chapman are the prime movers.

Jesse Southwell pins New Zealand deep with a brilliant kick over the head of Mackenzie Wiki.

They give away a penalty to give the Kiwi Ferns another piggyback upfield, but Tiana Penitani-Gray rattles the ball loose as Stacey Waaka takes a charge.

Abbi Church marks a bomb, then fumbles in the tackle, handing the Kiwi Ferns a full set inside the 10 metres.

Olivia Kernick gets through the line with some lovely sleight of hand and has the chance to set up Kezie Apps, but she holds up the pass too long and gets hit as she throws it, missing the mark.

Isabelle Kelly wins another captain’s challenge as the Jillaroos are called for a knock-on before the Kiwi Ferns fumbled on a left-side shift.

Replays back up the Jillaroos and they keep the ball.

Jesse Southwell rolls in a grubber and Apii Nicholls gets back to clean it up. She turns back upfield and is whacked high by Isabelle Kelly.

Then, first tackle after the touch finder, Tiana Penitani-Gray is pinged for a lifting tackle on Stacey Waaka.

Piggy-backing the New Zealanders over halfway.

The Jillaroos are surging on New Zealand’s tryline and challenge all over the width of the field.

Eventually Tarryn Aiken pokes her nose through as she cuts back against the grain, but she’s stopped just a metre short.

The Kiwi Ferns try a chip over the top and Jess Sergis takes a great one-handed grab in the face of a couple of very offside chasers.

She breaks through and looks to offload to Tamika Upton, who would have surely gone the rest of the way, but she’s thrown it over her head to Mele Hufanga. Then she fumbles and it ends up with the Jillaroos again.

Belinda Sharpe says Australia knocked on, but Isabelle Kelly challenges, and it’s successful again. The Jillaroos get the ball back.

And find no man’s land! But Chantay Kiria-Ratu manages to rein it in before the gold jerseys arrive.

The heat out there has prompted organisers to lengthen half-time by about five minutes.

The Jillaroos line up out to the right and it’s just pure class all across the park as Tarryn Aiken, after hitting Shaylee Bent with a short ball on the previous play out this side, this time goes out the back and Tamika Upton burns Mele Hufanga for pass to unleash Abbi Church, who returns the ball to her fullback to dive in.

The Kiwi Ferns regather Chantay Kiria-Ratu’s bomb and offload back in-field.

Australia is pinged for a knock-on in the scrap for the ball, but the Jillaroos challenge and it’s spot-on.

Instead of a fresh set from 20 metres out, the play goes back to the previous play the ball and this time Tamika Upton fields the bomb.

New Zealand hasn’t had much of a chance to turn it on, but there’s clearly a plan to spread the ball wide to get out of trouble.

This time it pits Mele Hufanga against Tarryn Aiken in the sort of match-up that would be illegal on Main Event.

Fortunately the rest of the defence arrives to help her out.

When I turned up at the ground today, I was pretty worried about the weather.

It is properly hot and very classically muggy in Brisbane. I’d hate to be playing footy in mid-November in the sub-stropics.

So the tournament has instituted hydration breaks halfway through each half, which is a good idea, but seems a little redundant when the Jillaroos are scoring every three minutes.

I’ll pass this on to Mr V’landys and get you sorted, Lief.

The last tackle looks like a mess from New Zealand but eventually the ball finds Raecene McGregor and she chips over the top for Golden Boot winner Stacey Waaka to leap over Isabelle Kelly.

She offloads back to McGregor supporting back up through the middle, but the halfback knocks on with the tryline almost within reach.

The Kiwi Ferns have a full set deep in Australian territory, but never threaten and eventually the ball dies with five-eighth Chantay Kiria-Ratu.

It’s a third straight kick-off to exactly the same spot, but the Jillaroos get themselves in a tangle trying to field it.

The ball cleared Tarryn Aiken and prop Simaima Taufa was happy to take the catch and the hit-up, but fullback Tamika Upton decided she needed help and instead barrelled into her, knocking the ball dead.

The Jillaroos march upfield off a penalty and once again go to work.

The ball comes right and Tarryn Aiken turns Shaylee Bent back under. The Aussie back rower bobbles the pass and it appears to freeze Georgia Hale as Bent breaks through and dives in from close range.

New Zealand tries to spin it left to get out of trouble, but Kaiyah Atai knocks it on cold.

The back rower was out on the wing and couldn’t handle a simple pass.

Shannon Mato, a former World Cup winner with the Jillaroos, leads the Kiwi Ferns in an advance during the haka.

And the Jillaroos respond.

They come face to face, before Mato embraces Sariah Paki and the teams get in some last-minute warm-ups before kick-off.

The Jillaroos and Kiwi Ferns are out on Lang Park and lined up for the anthems.

And now it’s time for New Zealand’s haka.

So, in a year with only a handful of international rugby league games, the award for the best player in men’s international rugby league was given to a player who played one and a half games, BEFORE the most important international game of the year in which he would have been in direct competition with his closest rival for the award.

Cool.

At least Stacey Waaka winning the women’s award was more up-and-shut, but still bizarre behaviour by International Rugby League.

The Australians and the New Zealand have split all six women’s world titles since they started playing World Cups back in 2000.

The Kiwi Ferns won the first three, before the Jillaroos won in 2013, 2017 and 2022.

• 2000: New Zealand 26-4 Great Britain
• 2003: New Zealand 58-0 New Zealand Māori
• 2008: New Zealand 34-0 Australia
• 2013: Australia 22-12 New Zealand
• 2017: Australia 23-16 New Zealand
• 2022: Australia 54-4 New Zealand
• 2026: Australia vs New Zealand

So this afternoon will be the tie-breaker.

The only change for either of these teams is a massive call by Jillaroos coach Jess Skinner, subbing out five-eighth Jocelyn Kelleher for Jesse Southwell.

Southwell only played in the 124-6 win over Wales, while Kelleher has been one of Australia’s best throughout the tournament, pairing perfectly with Sydney Roosters’ premiership-winning teammate Tarryn Aiken.

Not only has Kelleher lost her starting gig, she’s been completely cut from the 17.

Brutal.