The Melbourne Storm have held off the surging Penrith Panthers 26-20 to claim its fourth NRL premiership in a dramatic grand final at Sydney’s Olympic stadium.
The Storm led 22-0 at half time, blowing the Panthers away on the scoreboard despite the two sides appearing relatively evenly matched.
After the break, Clive Churchill medallist Ryan Papenhuyzen appeared to seal the game when he ran 80 metres to extend the lead to 26-0.
However, a controversial try awarded to Brian To’o — despite there appearing to be a clear instance of obstruction in the build up — saw the Panthers rally to come within a score of pulling off a dramatic, unlikely comeback.
Two more tries followed for the Panthers, the second after the Storm were reduced to 12 men when Jahrome Hughes was sent off for a professional foul.
In an extraordinary finale, the Storm then had Brandon Smith sent off in the final minute, with Nathan Clearly reducing the deficit to six points with a last gasp try, giving the Panthers three seconds to find a miracle score against an 11-man defence.
However, with three seconds remaining on the clock the Panthers could not go the length of the field, handing the Storm its fourth Premiership.
Cameron Smith became the leading points scorer in NRL grand finals with 46.(AAP: Dean Lewins)
Sensational Storm power to early lead
After a frenetic opening to the contest, it was the Storm that drew first blood after just three minutes.
Justin Olam initially appeared to have dropped the ball over the line after Josh Addo-Carr’s excellent pass inside.
However, replays showed Tyrone May used his foot to kick out and dislodge the ball as Olam dived, resulting in the Bunker awarding a penalty try, with Smith adding the extras from in front.
The Panthers thought they had hit back almost immediately through Josh Mansour, only to be cruelled by a marginal Bunker decision.
Mansour dived over in the corner after the Panthers capitalised on an Olam error and a six-again call, but Steven Crichton was correctly adjudged to have impeded Brenko Lee in the build up.
The Panthers asked plenty of questions of the Storm in the first half but some fierce middle defence from the Storm, coupled with some frantic tackling out wide, kept the Panthers at bay.
Down 10-0 approaching the half-hour mark, Cleary looked to try and make something happen, pushing a long, looping pass wide, but Suliasi Vunivalu acrobatically pounced on the wayward pass, claiming the ball and raced 80 metres to score flamboyantly under the posts.
Suliasi Vunivalu scored a sensational 80-metre breakaway try.(AAP: Dean Lewins)
Penrith looked rattled, and things were about to get worse just before the half time break.
After giving away a penalty — their fifth of the half to the Storm’s one — Smith opted to run the ball, sending Nelson Asofa-Solomona crashing towards the line only to repelled by some staunch Panthers defence.
However Smith picked up from dummy half, had the ball knocked out of his hands by Koroisau, and picked up to score under the posts.
Initially ruled a knock on, the Bunker overturned the decision to hand Smith his 48th career NRL try and give the Storm a 22-0 lead at the break.
Cameron Smith scores his 48th NRL try.(AAP: Dan Himbrechts)
Penrith’s lucky break
“Obviously didn’t go quite to plan in the first half,” Ivan Cleary said just prior to the resumption.
Things didn’t start much better in the second.
A failed captains challenge for a clear knock on by Moses Leota was punished almost immediately by a moment of magic from Papenhuyzen.
The Storm fullback, who was added to the NSW Blues squad during the match, spotted a gap between Cleary and May and, with a swerve of his hips, flew through it, racing 80 metres to score.
Ryan Papenhuyzen was rewarded for a superb performance with an Origin call up and the Clive Churchill Medal.(AAP: Dan Himbrechts)
If the Panthers had felt aggrieved by early decisions going against them — although none could be said to be controversial — they were delivered a huge slice of luck in the 54th minute.
Brian To’o was incorrectly awarded a try despite Isaah Yeo clearly running behind his decoy runner, a move that should have been called for obstruction.
However the Bunker ruled that the try stand, leading NRL Immortal Andrew Johns to say on Channel 9’s commentary, “they don’t know the rules.”
Panthers resurgence sets up remarkable finale
Nathan Cleary (right) said that he “let the boys down” with a sub-standard performance.(AAP: Dean Lewins)
The Panthers had left themselves a lot to do, but were handed more belief thanks to another try from Crichton, who bamboozled Lee with a neat inside step after a left-side shift,
With the score at 26-12, the Panthers were given a huge boost when Hughes was sent to the sin bin for a professional foul after blocking Kikau’s run.
Mansour added another from the next play against the short-handed Storm thanks to a lovely lofted pass by Jarome Luai.
Brandon Smith was then sent to the bin with less than 60 seconds left, increasing Penrith’s belief.
Cleary, who would have been disappointed after a relatively poor game, powered through three tacklers to set up a grandstand finale, reducing the deficit to six points with just three seconds left.
Penrith threw caution to the wind, flinging the ball from one side of the field to another in an attempt to pull off a miracle score, but could not find a way through, handing the Storm the win.
Earlier, the Brisbane Broncos won their third straight NRLW title with a 20-10 win over the Sydney Roosters.
Look back at how the action unfolded in our live blog.
Key events
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Live updates
3hhours agoSunSunday 25 OctOctober 2020 at 8:16am
By Jon Healy
Pinned
2020 NRL GRAND FINAL
13mminutes agoSunSunday 25 OctOctober 2020 at 11:42am
By Jon Healy
And that’s time
(AAP)
That completes a remarkable season for the Melbourne Storm.
There were plenty of jokes about them being housed in a resort up on the beautiful Sunshine Coast, and that’s true, but that doesn’t change the fact that they weren’t home for basically the entire season. And anyone who’s spent time away from home knows that even if you’re in a nice place, it still ain’t home.
They also missed out on playing at one of the best grounds in rugby league, AAMI Park. So to bunker down and not just get on with things, but excel and actually have one of their best seasons in years is unbelievable.
Then, when I and a lot of other people thought they had lost that ability to go up an extra gear come finals time, they turned it on completely. Tonight was another such performance and I don’t think many people can deny they’re deserving premiers.
We’ll of course wait and see what happens with Cameron Smith’s future, but for now, he will just celebrate another premiership as one of the game’s greatest champions.
For me, I’ll say good night and I’ll see you come State of Origin time on November 4.
18mminutes agoSunSunday 25 OctOctober 2020 at 11:37am
By Jon Healy
Pity Storm didn’t thank Sunshine Coast for hostingthem during this COVID period of isolation in luxury.
-M Bullen
You know what, I agree.
I think they were just very focused on talking to the fans back in Victoria, but that’s a good shout. I was surprised.
32mminutes agoSunSunday 25 OctOctober 2020 at 11:23am
By Jon Healy
Well that was gutting for Penrith
You can’t help but feel for the Panthers and Nathan Cleary in particular.
(AAP)
That is some Ben Hunt-level heartbreak. He didn’t have a great game, but he did score a banging grand final try and wasn’t the reason they lost.
Still, it’s just got to be so hard to cop after a season like that. In some ways, I’m sure they would have rather not gotten so close.
But after the season they had, I’m glad Penrith kept it close. They didn’t deserve to get trounced after the runaway minor premiership and 17 straight wins.
These guys will be back and you have to think will start next season as premiership favourites.
46mminutes agoSunSunday 25 OctOctober 2020 at 11:09am
By Jon Healy
The rings are being presented by Craig Bellamy
Watching Nicho Hynes lining up for the rings, I just realised the poor bloke didn’t even get on the field. Rough.
Now it’s Cameron Smith’s turn to speak.
“A really big thank you to Ivan and James and the rest of the Penrith squad for a fantastic game tonight, boys.
“We got out to a good lead there, but as all champion teams do, they hang in and fight back and you did that. I’m just glad that clock ran out in the end. You showed why you’ve been on top of the competition all season and 17 consecutive wins and this competition, the best rugby league competition in the world, it’s a fantastic effort.
“So thank you very much for the game tonight and all the very best next year.”
Smith is also just the latest to thank Peter V’landys and the Project Apollo team for getting the game back out on the park. Even if that means being away from home and their families.
“We haven’t been in our homes for five months. We haven’t slept in our own beds for five months. And in the last 80 days we’ve been out of our accommodation twice, but we turned up every day with a great attitude. We turned up every day being resilient and wanting to get better and wanting to get here tonight and win it all, and we’ve done it.
“So thank you very much firstly to our families for the great sacrifice you’ve made, and a huge congratulations to all our players over here.”
No retirement announcement from Captain Smudge. He dropped a “and lastly, before I go” followed by a big pause, but he just wanted to shout out the big ‘V’ again. Cheeky Cameron.
51mminutes agoSunSunday 25 OctOctober 2020 at 11:03am
By Jon Healy
Ryan Papenhuyzen wins the Clive Churchill Medal!
(AAP)
Talk about great stories; this bloke.
It was a popular choice too. The NRL officials had to pull the Storm players off the hug to let him onto the stage.
“It’s been a bloody tough year. We didn’t know where we were going. We were sitting on the tarmac at Bankstown Airport and we didn’t have a clue where we were going. We just stuck together, we overcame and adapted and we got history. So thanks to the boys.
“Thanks to our fans who stuck strong. Especially our ones back in Victoria. It’s a tough time back in Victoria. We wear the ‘V’ on our jersey proudly. Can’t wait to go back there and celebrate with you.”
At the start of last year, he was behind Jahrome Hughes and Scott Drinkwater in the fullback pecking order. Through sheer persistence and skill, he is now one of the best players in the NRL and had confirmed earlier tonight that he will be in Brad Fittler’s State of Origin side.
Amazing.
55mminutes agoSunSunday 25 OctOctober 2020 at 10:59am
By Jon Healy
Justin Olam, The 10 million people of PNG are all supporting you, your name is now written down in the history book on Rugby League in PNG…
-Felix Kachau
He clearly feels it too. The guy has passion coming out of every pore and he was genuinely sobbing at full-time.
What an emergence he’s had.
At the start of the year he was obviously strong and athletic, but he was so erratic. In the space of a couple of months, he has turned into an absolute NRL star. What a story.
59mminutes agoSunSunday 25 OctOctober 2020 at 10:56am
By Jon Healy
Players can’t celebrate with their families
Ryan Papenhuyzen and Cameron Smith have both spoken about how they can’t hug their partners and kids because of the bubble. That’s got to be tough.
“Unfortunately can’t give them a hug or a kiss or anything like that, but a great feeling,” Smith said.
“I’m just really proud of not just this football team that played tonight, but the entire squad.
“There’s a handful of players there that trained hard every day and applied it all year to help the 17 going out on the weekend and they didn’t even get a game of football this year.
“The entire squad has done a fantastic effort. We haven’t been home for about five months. Just with the conditions that we’ve been under, I think it’s just a remarkable effort to be here tonight and to get a victory.”
1hhour agoSunSunday 25 OctOctober 2020 at 10:53am
By Jon Healy
Nathan Cleary is gutted
He’s beating himself up as if he lost the team the game, which he definitely did not.
“I let the boys down, but hopefully we’ll be back.
“There were a few moments that intercept and obviously the one at half-time, and, yeah, we just let in too many ordinary tries. They were too good.”
That’s tough to watch for a kid who’s had such a great season.
1hhour agoSunSunday 25 OctOctober 2020 at 10:46am
By Jon Healy
Key Event
THE STORM WIN THE GRAND FINAL 26-20!
(AAP)
After a nervous and insane minute of hot potato, the ball found its way into the hands of Felise Kafusi, and that ended things.
Justin Olam is beside himself in tears. Cameron Smith is running around like a headless chook trying to find all his people.
The end of that game was actually ridiculous and Brandon Smith would have been excommunicated had the Panthers pulled that off.
The first sin-bin was understandable, but the Storm tried to get too cute when they should have just played footy, and it almost cost them.
1hhour agoSunSunday 25 OctOctober 2020 at 10:44am
By Jon Healy
TRY TIME CLEARY! WOW!! IS IT ON?!?!
He’s declined the kick, so they’ll have a set against 11 MEN!!
1hhour agoSunSunday 25 OctOctober 2020 at 10:44am
By Jon Healy
80th minute: SIN BIN FOR BRANDON SMITH!
He was intentionally wasting time and he’s off, pushed off the field by Josh Mansour.
1hhour agoSunSunday 25 OctOctober 2020 at 10:43am
By Jon Healy
78th minute: The Panthers are getting offloads away at will.
They had them dead to rights on the right, but Justin Olam comes up with a banger of a legs tackle on Naden.
DROPOUT! The Koroisau grubber was perfectly weighted and Vunivalu had a brain melt, leaving the ball behind for some unknown reason. But Papenhuyzen cleaned up.
1hhour agoSunSunday 25 OctOctober 2020 at 10:40am
By Jon Healy
77th minute: Trying to be careful, Smith goes too slow and throws a forward pass. The Panthers have a scrum 90 metres away from points.
1hhour agoSunSunday 25 OctOctober 2020 at 10:40am
By Jon Healy
76th minute: REPEAT SET!
Ryan Papenhuyzen grubbers into the in-goal and gets the dropout. Those two kicks might have secured him the Clive Churchill Medal. It’s certainly up for grabs. It’ll probably be Smith though.
1hhour agoSunSunday 25 OctOctober 2020 at 10:38am
By Jon Healy
75th minute: The bomb goes up from Papenhuyzen, and the Panthers knock on!!
Storm with the ball and a full set right on Penrith’s line.
1hhour agoSunSunday 25 OctOctober 2020 at 10:36am
By Jon Healy
74th minute: The Storm need to defend on halfway because they can’t stop them close to the line.
Shocking kick by Luai. They were on the front foot and he launched a bomb way too deep. Seven tackles from the 20 for Melbourne.
1hhour agoSunSunday 25 OctOctober 2020 at 10:34am
By Jon Healy
JOSH MANSOUR IS IN!!
Game on!
Jarome Luai floated a miracle ball out to Mansour and he’s dotted down out wide.
The conversion misses, but the Panthers are right in it. Storm lead 26-16 but they have 12 men and seven and a half minutes left.
1hhour agoSunSunday 25 OctOctober 2020 at 10:33am
By Jon Healy
72nd minute: The Storm are right up against it here.
The Panthers have them in trouble up the middle and wide.
1hhour agoSunSunday 25 OctOctober 2020 at 10:32am
By Jon Healy
72nd minute: Penrith won’t be told this game is over.
We’re off to the bunker again. Jahrome Hughes could be off to the sin bin here.
JAHROME HUGHES SIN-BINNED!
Cleary grubbered through and Hughes changed his angle to obstruct Viliame Kikau. It’s not a penalty try, but Hughes is off for 10 minutes.
The Storm will end this game with 12 men. Can they hold on.
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Source:: ABC News
