Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy has delivered a withering assessment of the Storm’s ability to handle Reece Walsh after losing its second successive NRL grand final.

Melbourne couldn’t lay a finger on Walsh on Sunday night as the maverick fullback sparked a second-half fightback.

Brisbane edged a 26-22 grand final win and Walsh was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal.

Walsh has been electrifying throughout the finals series and had inspired the Broncos to comeback wins over Canberra and Penrith to reach the decider.

But Bellamy was clearly frustrated his side had failed to take notes on the livewire No.1, who finished with three try assists and scored one of his own when he pinballed through some feeble Melbourne defending.

Asked what his side could have done to stop the Brisbane fullback, Bellamy bluntly replied: “I think there’s some things you can do, you could tackle him. Obviously we didn’t.

“He’s a good player. He’s quick and he’s strong. That’s probably the X-factor in him, to be quite honest.

“I know everyone knows he’s quick, but he’s so strong in contact and we didn’t do much of a job.”

The Broncos savour their victory at Accor Stadium in Sydney. Photo: AAP

Bellamy and Storm captain Harry Grant were devastated at Sunday’s post-match press conference as they faced up to a premiership that was there for the taking.

The Storm led by 10 points at halftime before the Broncos ran it down.

“There’s going to be a lot of games of footy before the grand final next year,” Bellamy said.

“We’re just worried about what we’re doing at the moment.

“I think there were a couple of things we thought we learned from last year but obviously we didn’t. They’ll be doubled down on in our pre-season.”

Grant has now lost two consecutive grand finals as Storm captain and was left frustrated at how his side threw away the chance to win Melbourne’s first premiership since 2020.

“Everyone can probably understand the pain,” Grant said.

“It’s hard to get here. There’s a lot of work that goes into being here and a lot of people put time and effort throughout the season.

“It’s not easy to get here and you don’t need to be in a rush to get back here.

“We can’t get back here tomorrow. But what we do tomorrow can certainly help. I think that’s painful to listen to, but it’s about what’s next now.”

Walsh’s outing was a fitting end to a finals series he has dominated, having also saved Brisbane against both Canberra and Penrith.

But as good as his finish was in the 94-minute epic against the Raiders earlier this month, Sunday night was even more special.

With Brisbane trailing by 10 at the break, Walsh kept the Broncos in the match when he first scrambled to stop Tui Kamikamica getting a ball down.

From the next set, Mam sent Gehamat Shibasaki over on the left edge, breathing life back into the game.

Reece Walsh was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal. Photo: AAP

Walsh shines

Walsh’s outing was a fitting end to a finals series he has dominated. But as good as his finish was in the 94-minute epic against the Raiders earlier this month, Sunday night was even more special.

With Brisbane trailing by 10 at the break, Walsh kept the Broncos in the match when he first scrambled to stop Tui Kamikamica getting a ball down.

From the next set, Mam sent Gehamat Shibasaki over on the left edge, breathing life back into the game.

Walsh then unleashed three minutes of attacking brilliance, with his quick hands first sending Deine Mariner over with a cut-out ball to make it a two-point game.

Brisbane then had the lead when Walsh got the ball, accelerated and threw another cut-out ball for Shibasaki to grab his second with 23 minutes to play.

Then with Melbourne fighting to take back the lead, Walsh produced two more try-saving plays to keep the Broncos on top.

The fullback first chased down opposite number Ryan Papenhuyzen when he broke from a scrum, before another last-line-of-defence tackle on the Storm No.1 in the dying minutes.

“That was definitely up there,” Broncos coach Michael Maguire said of Walsh.

“He was outstanding.

“He saved five tries out there, phenomenal. Right to the death, which is the spirit of this team.”

Jahrome Hughes, of the Storm, celebrates scoring a try. Photo: AAP

Brisbane’s efforts to hold on came after it capitulated in similar circumstances two years ago against Penrith, as well as back in 2015 at the death against North Queensland.

But it was a different team on Sunday, holding on until the siren and amid more drama with Melbourne lock Trent Loiero sin-binned late for a shoulder charge.

Earlier, Walsh was the shining light for Brisbane in a first half dominated by Melbourne.

The No.1 laid on the fastest grand-final try of the NRL era when he burst onto a ball in the fourth minute, bust through Jack Howarth and sent a cut-out ball Mariner’s way.

But Melbourne led 16-6 through a brilliant 15-minute spell from Harry Grant, Cameron Munster, Jahrome Hughes, Eliesa Katoa and Papenhuyzen.

And while Walsh’s superb 30-metre try reduced the margin, Hughes appeared to have Melbourne on its way to a title when he scored to make it 22-12 at halftime.

Ultimately though the Storm made too many poor choices in the second half, and was left to settle for a second straight grand-final loss after last year’s defeat to Penrith.

-with AAP