Balmain were hot favorites to win their 12th title. They had narrowly lost the previous decider to Canterbury, boasted a near test strength pack, and had finished third, behind Souths and Penrith. However, fourth placed Canberra boasted 20 more tries than their nearest rival by the time the minor premiership finished. They had qualified for their second grand final in 3 years, and only in their eighth season.
Under their aggression loving coach Warren Ryan, Balmain looked to dominate the match with their trademark punishing defence. This allowed them top dominate early field position, and English import Andy Currier kicked a penalty goal after 7 minutes. Only 4 rucks later, heavy defence forced Raiders prop Brent Todd to lose possession, and James Grant picked up the loose ball, and raced away to score in the corner. Despite Currier's failed conversion attempt, the Tigers were up 6-0 after only 10 minutes. Going heavily on the attack, only desperate defence by Mal Meninga (on Garry Jack) and Dean Lance (on Steve Roach) kept a lid on the score. However, midway through the first half, the raiders got a slight reprieve. Paul Sironen was penalised for offside, and Meninga goaled, despite the attempts of a Balmain trainer to put him off.
The Tigers had the best of the first half, and one minute from half time, put on a champagne try. Currier burst onto a perfect pass from Roach, short of halfway. When the cover came across, he kicked infield, but Garry Belcher couldn't take the catch. James Grant swooped on the ball, and put big Sironen over next to the posts. Grant's easy conversion took Balmain to a half-time lead of 12-2. Long time Tiger fans were not ignorant to the fact that Balmain had amassed the club's biggest ever half time lead in a grand final.
However, Canberra had been unlucky not to score themselves at times in the first half. Their luck changed when they grabbed possession deep in the Tigers territory when Bruce Maguire was caught for shepherding. Ricky Stuart found John Ferguson out wide, whose darting run set up Gary Belcher. Belcher stood up Currier with ease, and scored . Meninga's goal reduced the score to 12-8
Balmain had their chances, but just failed to seal victory. Mick Neil was ankle tapped by Meninga, and tacked when in space. Later, Wayne Pearce dropped the ball when only a pass to the unmarked Tim Brasher would have put him over. The Tigers were amassing a 2-12 penalty count against them, and began to tire. With 15 minutes left, coach Ryan looked to freshen up his pack, and replaced Test prop Roach with Kevin Hardwicke. Hardwicke was a noted defender, but the Raiders forwards noted the absence of Balmain's chief enforcer, and rose a notch in confidence.
Currier scored another penalty goal with 10 minutes to go. At 14-8, Balmain had a 6 point lead. Ben Elias had 2 attempts to make it 7 with a field goal. Meninga charged down the first, and the second, from 10 metres out and right in front, hit the crossbar, an bounced back into the field of play. Still, the Tigers hung on, and so did Canberra. Something had to give, and with 5 minutes left, it did. Ryan replaced the Tigers test second rower, Paul Sironen with Michael Pobjie. Another enforcer was gone.
With a last ditch effort, Canberra camped inside Balmain's territory, waiting for a chance. It came with just 90 seconds left. Garry Jack failed to take a Chris O'Sullivan kick, and Laurie Daley regathered 5 meters out. He then lobbed a pass over to Ferguson, who had come infield on instinct. 'Chicka', who had tasted defeat with Newtown in 1981, jinked and weaved his way through the Balmain pack, and scored under the posts. Meninga's goal brought the score's level at 14 all. Canberra had come back from the brink.
For the third time in history, extra time was needed. Canberra were on a roll, and Balmain were down. Garry Jack knocked on close to his own line after 6 minutes, and from the ensuing scrum, O'Sullivan landed a field goal. Canberra took the lead 15-14, and settled down to grind Balmain out of the match.
Right at the end of the first extra period, Balmain were forced to do a goal line drop, after Brasher had touched a ball in flight that went dead. Ricky Stuart took the catch 45 meters out, and launched a field goal attempt. It just missed.
The Tigers, however, still had some fight left. Wayne Pearce made a desperate break, but to no avail. A few moments later, the Tiger's last gasp saw Brasher storm into space, but the defence closed before support could arrive.
With 3 minutes left, Currier tried to grubber past the defence close to his own line. Meninga gathered the ball, and passed to replacement forward Steve Jackson. In what was by far the most memorable burst in an otherwise forgettable career, the fresh Jackson charged at the line from 20 metres out, and carried 4 desperate defenders over the line for the match winning try. In scenes of great emotion, Canberra had won, 19-14.