1. The Green Machine wins the greatest of them all - 1989
Many rugby league purists still point to the 1989 decider between Balmain and Canberra as the greatest grand final ever played. The entire 100 minutes of this gripping extra-time drama had to be seen to be believed, but it was Canberra's final two tries that will be best remembered. After trailing 12-2 at the break, the Raiders remarkably levelled the scores 90 seconds before the end of regulation time when ageless winger John Ferguson was handed the ball from the scraps of a Chris O'Sullivan bomb. He somehow managed to navigate through a pack of Tigers players to score. Big Mal Meninga converted, taking the match into extra-time and setting the scene for little-known replacement forward Steve Jackson to transform himself into a grand final hero courtesy of a colossal 20m solo try just two minutes from the death, sealing the Raiders' first-ever premiership.
2. Albert to the Rescue - 1997
The greatest-ever finish in rugby league finals history occurred in the 1997 ARL decider when winger Darren Albert crossed in the final seconds to enable the Newcastle Knights to register their first-ever premiership against hot favourites Manly. The underdog Knights fought back strongly to level the scores at 16-16 before half-back Andrew Johns took a punt with eight seconds remaining by taking the short-side option out of dummy-half and sending the speedy Albert away to score. The subsequent celebrations in Newcastle were as legendary as the try.
3. 'The Gladiators' - 1963
The Dragons had just claimed their eighth-successive premiership with a memorable 8-3 victory over Wests in some of the worst conditions imaginable. Soon after the full-time siren newspaper photographer John O'Gready snapped an emotional image that would that would come to epitomise rugby league mateship forever and a day and form the inspiration for the game's major trophies from 1982 onwards. The towering frame of a muddied victorious St George skipper Norm Provan embracing pint-sized Wests captain Arthur Summons is what rugby league is all about.
4. The Courage of 'Satts' - 1970
South Sydney were smarting after the previous season's shock grand final loss to the Tigers and there was nobody keener to atone for that defeat than Bunnies skipper John Sattler. Just five minutes into the 1970 decider Sattler had his jaw smashed in an off-the-ball incident with Manly prop John Bucknall. How the Rabbitohs legend managed to compete for the remaining 75 minutes of the game in such pain is anyone's guess, but he did, leading Souths to a 23-12 victory in one of the most courageous performances by an Australian sportsman ever.
5. A call of Olympic Proportions - 1999
Probably the most talked-about decision by a match official in finals history occurred in the 1999 decider when video referee Chris Ward was called upon to make a ruling that would ultimately decide whether Melbourne or St George Illawarra would raise the premiership trophy. The Dragons led 18-14 with three minutes remaining when Melbourne winger Craig Smith was taken high by opposite Jamie Ainscough in pursuit of a Brett Kimmorley corner kick. The high contact knocked Smith out, forcing him to lose the ball and leaving on-field referee Bill Harrigan little choice but to refer the matter upstairs. Much to the amazement of the 108,000-strong crowd at Sydney's new Olympic Stadium, Ward ruled a penalty try, leaving Storm winger Matt Geyer the simple task of converting from in front to give his side a stunning victory.
6. The Bulldogs' amazing revival - 1998
As far as comebacks from the dead go, it's difficult to overlook the deeds of the Canterbury Bulldogs in the second preliminary final of 1998. The Bulldogs made a habit of engineering stirring revivals that season, but the granddaddy of them all came on an overcast Sunday afternoon when down 18-2 with not long to go in the match, Canterbury piled on three tries in an extraordinary seven-minute period to burst back into contention. Winger Daryl Halligan exorcised some finals demons from earlier in his career to slot a sideline conversion that took the game to extra-time and from then on the Doggies powered home to an astonishing 32-20 win.
7. Bob McCarthy intercept try - 1967
One of the most-replayed pieces of footage to come out of the 1960s would have to be Bob McCarthy's famous 75-yard intercept try in the 1967 grand final. Back in the day forwards were not supposed to have pace, but big 'Macca' was from a different mould. He had everything and he used all his speed and anticipatory skills to swoop on an ill-directed Col Brown pass and thrill the big SCG crowd as his tree-trunk thighs powered towards the try-line. McCarthy's effort put the Rabbitohs in front at half-time and they used that momentum to sneak home against Canterbury and become the first side to break the 11 premiership-winning streak of the Dragons.
8. 'That Tackle' - 2003
The Panthers' grand final fairytale in 2003 could have so easily been taken away from them had 31-year-old lock Scott Sattler not pulled off one of the more remarkable try-saving cover-tackles ever seen. The Roosters bagged a four-pointer just after half-time and most probably would have ridden a wave of momentum to victory had Sattler not come from the clouds in the 55th minute to cut down winger Todd Byrne, dragging him into touch when a try looked imminent. The momentum well and truly shifted back to Penrith from that point on, etching Sattler into grand final folklore alongside his father John.
9. 'That Try' - 1980
The 1980 grand final was hardly a classic although it did produce one of the great grand final tries. Canterbury-Bankstown had a dull encounter with Easts all sewn up with five minutes remaining, so the time was ripe for 'The Entertainers' to click into gear. Full-back Greg Brentnall crashed through the Roosters defence off a deft Graeme Hughes pass before launching a massive kick downfield. Tiny winger Steve Gearin never took his eyes off the ball during his hotly-contested pursuit with Easts' Kevin Hastings and he came up trumps with a sensational grab that resulted in the most freakish of rugby league tries.
10. 'Guru's' Barnstormer! - 1983
Eric Grothe was a class above most wingers and he proved it in the most devastating of ways in the 1983 preliminary major semi when from 40m out he beat six accomplished Canterbury defenders in an astonishing run that helped Parramatta to a 30-22 victory. It was the most destructive solo try in finals history and a touch down that epitomises the Eels' dominance of the era.