The wait is almost over to see who will be crowned NRL premiers with the Brisbane Broncos and Melbourne Storm fighting for glory at Sydney's Accor Stadium.

Sydney Olympic Park

The Melbourne Storm and Brisbane Broncos are preparing to face off in the NRL grand final, with both teams motivated by recent losses in previous finals. The Storm, led by coach Craig Bellamy, have a strong historical record against Broncos coach Michael Maguire, but the Broncos recently defeated the Storm in the last game of the regular season. 

Former Storm player Cooper Cronk highlighted the importance of star performances, particularly mentioning Rhys Walsh for the Broncos and Harry Grant and Cameron Munster for the Storm. Defensive strategies to contain key players, such as Rhys Walsh, are expected to be crucial. In other news, the Brisbane Broncos women's team claimed the NRLW Premiership, marking their first title win since 2020 after a comeback victory against the Roosters.

Storm and Broncos set for NRL Grand Final kick-off

Yeah, they do, Scotty. And also a remarkable record between the coaches. I can tell you that Craig Bellamy has 13 wins and just three losses against Michael Maguire. But as they say, you're only as good as your last game, and imagine his Broncos beat the Storm in the last game of the regular season. There's another remarkable stat. The Broncos have only led for 14 minutes from a possible 174 minutes throughout the finals campaign. And what that tells us, Scotty, is that one, they're the comeback kings, and two, they are always in the fight. Now, both of these teams are out for redemption tonight. And if we look back in history, that favors the Storm. In 2006, they lost, 07, they won, 08, they lost, 09, they won, 2016, they lost, 17, they won, 2018, they lost, 2020, they won. I spoke with Storm legend Cooper Cronk a little earlier today and asked him about Craig Bellamy's uncanny ability to bounce back. Well, I don't think it's anything to do with Craig Bellamy. It's the thing about any player that loses a grand final, you just don't want that feeling ever again. So I think it's a huge motivating factor tonight. I think the Brisbane Broncos in 23, what happened, they had nine fingers on the premiership and it got taken away from Nathan Cleary and the Panthers. Well, Melbourne Storm last year, they went very close too. So having lost a couple, you don't want that feeling again. So I think it comes down to the individual and particularly the best players. If the best players have a bit of swagger tonight, I think they get the job done. Whether it's Rhys Walsh, Adam Reynolds or Harry Grant and Cameron Munster, I think it comes down to the best players. You just mentioned swagger and Rhys Walsh, he's arguably the most dangerous man in rugby league right now. How did the Storm go about shutting him down? Well, Craig Bellamy's got a history of shutting down some good players in grand finals. So they would have done their homework. They will come up with a defensive plan. It might think about coming from outside in and not getting the ball to Rhys Walsh. I think the secret weapon for the Melbourne Storm is Billy Slater. He knows Rhys inside out, knows him as good as Malcolm Maguire will do. So he'll know how to shut down Rhys' strengths. But on the flip side, Rhys can be found out in the last play. So I think there might be a little bit of a trick shot there from the Melbourne Storm to try and find Rhys Walsh out. But no team's been able to stop Rhys for the last, call it, six weeks. And that's what grand final's about. Can you deliver your best performance on 8pm on a Sunday night? Stefano Utuikamano is a gentle giant, but he poked the bear this week, calling the Broncos stuck up. Do they take it personal tonight? I think they do. I think it's more sort of fodder for everyone else to talk about. Does it play a part? Look, I don't think Craig Bellamy, knowing Craig and what a Melbourne Storm player does, I don't think grand final week is the best week to be poking Patrick Carrigan or Payne Haas. But get the popcorn out, because if Broncos kick off, they'll be kicking to Stefano. Which is, I hope he's got a good carry in him. Well, I expect you to tip Melbourne, but how much? Brisbane are in red-hot form, but I think Melbourne Storm's defence is stronger than Brisbane's. I think they come up with a plan to shut down Payne Haas and Rhys Walsh. And then if Melbourne Storm's spying get off the leash, I think they win 13-plus. So Scotty, a big thank you to Cooper Cronk for his time there today. I'll tell you what, whatever happens in the big one, the Broncos will be celebrating. They have just won the NRLW Premiership for the first time since 2020. We talk about the Broncos men being the comeback kings, well these girls were the comeback queens today. They led 12-0 at halftime, the Roosters came back to lead 18-12, and the Broncos in the end got it done. James Ingram will have all the highlights later in sport, but for now Scotty, it's back to you with the rest of sport.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he hopes to announce the release of all the hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza in one fell swoop in the coming days.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Netanyahu: Gaza peace deal is 'close'

The government shutdown reached its fourth day on Saturday. The Senate on Friday went home after another failed vote to keep the government open. Willie James Inman has the latest.

Washington

No signs of compromise as government shutdown continues

Tensions are high in Portland, Oregon, as National Guardsmen could possibly be deployed there as early as this weekend. Federal agents and demonstrators squared off again, but Portland's mayor and chief of police say they don't need the help.

Portland

Protests in Portland as National Guard mobilizes

“I believe they are ready for a lasting peace.” the U.S president wrote on social media after Hamas announced it was willing to release the hostages and hand over power to other Palestinians.

Trump urges Israel to stop bombing Gaza after peace breakthrough

Israel slowed its Gaza offensive on Saturday after U.S. President Donald Trump demanded it stop bombing in response to Hamas saying it was ready to free hostages under the U.S. plan to end the two-year-old war.

Middle East Conflict

Could the Trump deal end the Gaza war?

Sanae Takaichi has been elected as the head of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and is therefore likely to become the next prime minister and the first woman to lead the country.

Tokyo

Japan's ruling LDP elects first female prime minister

U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged Hamas's partial acceptance of a ceasefire proposal drafted with Israel, and ordered Israel to stop bombing the Gaza strip.

Trump orders Israel to stop bombing Gaza

The state Attorney-General says the city is violating the law by sharing license data with federal agencies. The El Cajon mayor has accused the state of 'bullying' cities.

El Cajon

State sues El Cajon over license plate data

Sean "Diddy" Combs was sentenced on Friday to more than four years in prison on two prostitution-related charges. It follows a roughly two-month-long trial where Combs was acquitted on more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking.

Manhattan

Sean "Diddy" Combs sentenced to over four years in prison

The United States Senate on Friday (October 3) failed to advance competing plans to extend federal funding and end the government shutdown, likely pushing the funding lapse into at least next week.

U.S. Senate fails to pass funding bill to end government shutdown

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on social media another strike targeting a vessel allegedly connected to narco-trafficking off the coast of Venezuela. CBS News' Reed Cowan reports.

Hegseth announces another strike against vessel off Venezuela coast

Sarah Mullally has been named as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury in the 1,400-year history of the role, but her appointment immediately drew criticism from conservative Anglicans mainly based in Africa who oppose women bishops.

Canterbury

Church of England names first female archbishop

Israeli forces have intercepted the last vessel of an aid flotilla headed for Gaza. The convoy was in international waters, prompting accusations that Israel violated maritime law. Protests have been staged in cities around the world.

Israel's interception of Gaza aid flotilla prompts protests

U.S. President Donald Trump said that he is issuing a Sunday evening deadline for Hamas to agree to a U.S. peace proposal, backed by the Israeli government, to end the war in Gaza.

Trump issues deadline for Hamas to reach ceasefire deal

Prince William opened up on comedian Eugene Levy's Apple travel show, "The Reluctant Traveler," about his wife Kate, his mother, Princess Diana, and changes to the monarchy when he becomes king.

London

Prince William opens up about family, future plans for monarchy

The White House says the first round of mass layoffs resulting from the government shutdown could be announced on Friday. CBS News' Nancy Cordes reports.

Government shutdown mass layoffs could begin today, White House says

One of the two people who died during the Manchester synagogue attack on Thursday was possibly struck by police gunfire, authorities say. CBS News' Imtiaz Tyab reports.

Manchester

One victim likely killed by police during Manchester synagogue attack

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke at the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi, Russia on Thursday (October 2). He fired back at U.S. President Donald Trump's remark calling Russia a "paper tiger", suggesting NATO might be one instead. Putin also warned that if the United States supplied Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine it would trigger a dangerous new escalation.

Sochi

Putin warns U.S. Tomahawk supply to Ukraine would trigger escalation

Ukraine and Russia have carried out another exchange of prisoners of war. About two hundred Ukrainian prisoners released by Russia have arrived in the Chernihiv region near Ukraine’s border with Belarus.

Chernihiv

Ukraine Invasion

Russia, Ukraine exchange 185 prisoners of war in latest swap

Two Jewish men were killed and three other men were seriously injured in a terror attack outside a synagogue in the northern English city of Manchester, authorities said.

Two killed in U.K. terror attack outside synagogue on Yom Kippur

President Trump has declared the U.S. is in an "armed conflict" with drug cartels as the White House calls drug runners "unlawful combatants."

Trump declares U.S. in 'armed conflict' with drug cartels

The head of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Presidential Library has resigned after sources say he resisted a request from the Trump administration to give a sword from the library's collection to King Charles.

Abilene

Eisenhower library head resigns

Two regional jets crashed into each other on the tarmac at New York's LaGuardia Airport when the wing of one aircraft hit the front end of another. One flight attendant was injured.

LaGuardia Airport

Two regional jets collide on tarmac at New York's LaGuardia Airport

Blame was thrown around by all sides on the first day of the shutdown after the White House and Congress failed to agree on a way to keep the U.S. government funded and open. The White House said layoffs to the federal workforce were ‘imminent.’

White House says federal worker layoffs ‘imminent’ after shutdown

Jane Goodall, the British conservationist and researcher renowned for her work with chimpanzees, has died at age 91. The Jane Goodall Institute confirmed her death on Instagram Wednesday, saying she died of natural causes.

Los Angeles

Jane Goodall, chimpanzee researcher and conservationist, dies at 91

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order, promising military action if necessary, to defend Qatar in the face of any future attack. It follows an Israeli strike on Doha last month, targeting a Hamas negotiating team. Qatar called the attack a violation of its sovereignty, prompting Trump to issue the new security assurances to the Gulf nation.

Doha

Trump signs executive order protecting Qatar after Israeli strike

The Israeli military is pressing on with its offensive in Gaza, launching strikes across the territory, as Hamas weighs up its response to the U.S. peace proposal. Debora Patta reports.

Jerusalem

Israel continues Gaza offensive as Hamas weighs U.S. peace deal

The Supreme Court has added another blockbuster case to its new term of cases. The court announced it would hear whether President Trump can legally fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Jessica Levinson has more.

Supreme Court to weigh Trump firing of Fed's Lisa Cook

Flash floods in Ukraine's Odesa killed at least nine people, including a family of five trapped in their home as it was engulfed by water, emergency services said on Wednesday (October 1), as torrential rain left hundreds in need of rescue and thousands without power.

Odesa Oblast

Deadly flash floods hit Odesa after downpours in Ukraine's south

Parts of the U.S. government remain closed after Senate votes failed to pass funding. A GOP-backed House bill fell short of the 60-vote threshold, leaving 750,000 federal workers facing furloughs and possible military pay delays.

Breakdown