 The NRL's main championship, called the 2011 Telstra Premiership due to sponsorship from Telstra, was contested by sixteen teams for the fifth consecutive year.Of these sixteen, the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and the New Zealand Warriors finished 2nd and 6th on the competition ladder respectively.It was the first time the sides had faced each other in a season decider and the last time they played in a finals match was a preliminary match in 2008 where the Sea Eagles won 28-6.