The 2006 grand final was the first ever to feature teams which were both from cities outside the borders of New South Wales, in this case the capitals of Queensland and Victoria, yet was played at the traditional venue of Sydney's Telstra Stadium.

The Melbourne side went into the grand final as heavy favorites, having won the minor premiership (although this was later discounted when salary cap breaches at the club were exposed in 2010).

Coached by Craig Bellamy and captained by Cameron Smith, they won a record 20 out of 24 regular season games to finish in first place and win the minor premiership, eight points clear of the second-placed Canterbury.

Matt Geyer was the only remaining Melbourne Storm player from their 1999 premiership winning team and the only person at the club with grand final experience.

Brisbane's Shaun Berrigan, playing at hooker, tried to burrow over Melbourne's try-line from dummy half but was ruled to have had the ball taken from his arms by Billy Slater in a two-man tackle.

[8] The resulting penalty kick by captain Darren Lockyer in front of the posts was a gift two points for the Brisbane side to take an early 2-0 lead.

Scott Hill did well to evade a few attempted tackles and shoot a remarkable pass around the back of a Brisbane defender and into the arms of winger Steve Turner who dived over out wide.

Eight minutes into the second half, a high tackle by Justin Hodges on Cameron Smith close to Brisbane's line resulted in a minor scuffle and a penalty to the Melbourne side.

[14] Smith, also Melbourne's first-choice goal-kicker, was having a problem with his kicking leg so the task fell onto Matt Geyer whose conversion attempt went wide.

Ten minutes later a penalty was awarded to the Broncos after a high shot from Billy Slater on Shaun Berrigan and Corey Parker's kick was successful, giving his side a two-point lead at 10-8.

From dummy half Berrigan ran then passed back inside to Lockyer who gave a short ball on to Parker who did likewise for Casey McGuire.

Having won the NRL grand final, the Brisbane Broncos had earned the right to play against 2006's Super League XI Champions, St. Helens in the following February's World Club Challenge.