The Penrith Panthers have been waiting all season for this match.
Many of us thought we’d be seeing these two in the big dance once again. Sport doesn’t work that way, though, and with the Storm obliterating the Sea Eagles in Week 1 of the finals and the Rabbitohs shocking the Panthers, it catapulted the two onto opposite sides of the draw.
Last week, the Panthers just had to get past Parramatta, walking on the eggshells of sudden death finals footy a week sooner than they hoped. Their gritty 8-6 win has them come up against the opponent that they have waited all season to face.
In the post-match press conference after last year’s grand final, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary lamented, “I’d love to have the game again tomorrow, that’s for sure.”
The Panthers’ entire season has had that flavour about it. They overcame all obstacles last year, to charge to the top of the ladder and into the grand final. But when it came down to the biggest game of all, they just didn’t perform how they wanted to.
You don’t get any concessions for being runner up. You just have to start all over again, get back into the grind and find the motivation to go one better next time. The Panthers got into that grind, and once again beat just about everyone to finish top two.
The three games they did drop during the regular season had some context about them too, and if it weren’t for their Origin representation, they probably finish first once again.
They were explosive for the first 12 rounds. Every bit the cocky and confident minor premiership team they had been in 2020. And can you blame them? They always seemed to have the answer to any threat that came their way.
The back end of the season has been a little different, though. They have had to deal with injuries, namely to star halfback Nathan Cleary, as well as navigate the mid-season Origin period with seven representatives throughout the series. They haven’t had it all their way as they so often have recently.
They’ve kept winning, but not in the same way. Watching their last two regular season games against the Tigers and Eels, they weren’t at their best despite winning by big margins. They looked like a team that was tired of running over opponents that offered little resistance and like they were ready for the big time.
By the time it came to South Sydney, it was as though they had bought too much into the narrative that the grand final was theirs to lose. They’d beaten the Rabbitohs on the march to the finals last year, and just a few weeks ago and surely they would do so again, earning a week off and one step closer to the rematch everyone was talking about. That’s just not how it panned out, though.
The loss against the Rabbitohs roused the Panthers. They didn’t click so much in attack last week, but they had real resolve in defence and were prepared to win ugly. It could have quite easily been the Eels that progressed, but the Panthers just hung in, with some missed opportunities in attack as well.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
The Panthers have to be looking back to their Round 3 match against the Storm as inspiration to win this one. A game where they didn’t hit the front until the 79th minute, then held off a final desperate Storm raid after the siren to win the game.
The Panthers haven’t been clicking in attack, but they have still been stoic in defence. They have some individuals really struggling for form but as a team in defence they are performing as well as ever. Three tries conceded in two games of finals footy is a real effort no matter what and it should give them the confidence that if they can score a few tries, their defence can win them this football game.
The Panthers aren’t Manly, they aren’t looking to one man at the back to win them the game, they are a team where if everyone does their job, they win.
If Dylan Edwards catches everything on the full and runs it back with gusto. If Brian To’o runs 300 metres off his own line. If Nathan Cleary tests Ryan Papenhuyzen with his kicking game and nails everything off the kicking tee. If James Fisher-Harris, Liam Martin and Moses Leota take it to the Storm pack. If Villiame Kikau finds a bust down the left with Matt Burton in support.
If those things happen, the Panthers can win this game.
Most of all, they have to be prepared to win it in the 80th minute and go the length with this champion Storm team. They lost last year’s decider to the Melbourne side because they panicked. They had some possession and territory but nothing to show for it, while the Storm got on the board through a couple of lucky opportunities.
They panicked and the mountain just got higher and higher. It was a testament to them that they even had a chance to win it in the 80th minute but they can’t leave themselves that much to do this time around.
The same fate befell Manly against the Storm. They were too slow out of the blocks and Melbourne didn’t miss. You can’t give them anything that comes in the shape of errors, field position or penalties. They will hurt you, they are comfortably the most clinical and efficient side in the competition and that is what has them such heavy favourites going into this one.
Here the Panthers are again, their season set to be decided against the Storm. The team they so desperately want to be. The success they want to cultivate. Even if they win they still have the grand final, but you sense this is the Panthers’ greatest psychological test, the only team they haven’t conquered.
The “tomorrow” that Ivan Cleary wanted has finally come for the Panthers, ten long months later. Will the result be any different on Saturday?
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
500 , start speculating.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Man , they're funny. Empire ???? 2 premierships in 55 years. Wish you well.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
The Cows . We have had our time in the Sun. Great ride it was too. Now, I'm now looking forward to 2035. That's our next 'window' I reckon.
Duncan Smith
Roar Guru
Which team do you support?
Duncan Smith
Roar Guru
He's the one brought it up. Now, I want to quantify how much he hates the Storm, based on how much he's prepared to lose to see them lose. Less than $100 = only mild hate, but more than $1000 = real hate!
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
Bit harsh to ask a man how much he punts, you won't get an insight of what it means to him without his income and wealth as well and not sure we should be demanding that of people in an open forum on the internet :thumbdown:
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
Seeing as we agree that finals are when it counts, tell me again why you think Panthers can score more than 1 try when that is all they have managed 2 weeks of finals in a row
London Panther
Roar Rookie
I’m loving the Evil Empire stuff; you know you are doing something right when you have the Storm supporters running scared…
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
I'll be having a Bentspoke Barley Griffin Pale Ale and possibly a Crankshaft tonight Walter - if you haven't tried Benstpoke give it a crack. Made locally in Braddon. We mightn't be in the prelims this season but we know how to make good beer!
Tom G
Roar Rookie
The only way Hynes will see game time us if the game is already win or someone gets injured. Bellamy is not going to replace Munster unless he has to or it doesn’t matter and he wants to rest him
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
100%. If Cleary has anything less than an 8 out of 10 game, they lose. And even 8 out of 10 might not be enough.
Duncan Smith
Roar Guru
So tell me Jimmy, how much did you put on? Then we can speculate on how sincere you are about being ecstatic if Melbourne lose. In other news, Grant is not better than Cameron Smith, just younger, and the president did not end up keeping that BJ private.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Duncan , Duncan, I am the last person in the world to bèlieve in conspiracy , period. I always say if the president of the USA can't keep a B. J. quiet , what chance does anyone else have. Take 'the premiership was decided before last year's Christmas dinner ' the same way as you would take ' The Olympic gold medal was decided before Usain Bolt got an Uber to the Airport'. Putting a sinister twist on that line is possible I guess, if you are paranoid. I backed the Storm on November 20th last to win the comp, when I became certain C Smith was retiring. They gave me $ 7.50 for a result I regarded as a foregone conclusion. I have not ben as certain since 2017 when I backed Melbourne in a December. I rate Grant higher than Smith as a nine . Not as influential but technically better. His weakness is the physicality. I thought B Smith wouId solve that problem. So in summary I rated Melbourne higher than last year. I rated Penrith slightly lower and the Roosters the same (before all the injuries.) No other team rated within cooee ofnthose 3. I stand by ' the premiership was decided before Christmas pudding'. Of course , I would be ecstatic to be proved wrong.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
It may not be the popular view but I think the Panthers might spring an upset tomorrow. The Storm are capable of having a bad night, they proved that against the Eels twice, the last time when they were by far the better side but couldn’t get out of their own way , making mistake after mistake
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Just back up a second..Melbourne will bench Munster if he’s being contained by Penrith and Hynes will step in ? Injured is not ‘shut down’. Sure..
Walter Black
Guest
I will have that beer and toast you and all Canberra fans (it just won't be VB though, can't stand the stuff). Respect!
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
I agree with all that Geoff except the last bit. I really , really hope I'm wrong.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
It took me until around 20th November. I became certain when I became sure Cameron Smith was retiring. Now I haven't done my 2022 ratings yet but I reckon 2022 is almost certainly Storm 3. It seems to me 2023 and 2024 will be Roosters reprise . They will make the four next year but I don't think their young players will be quite ready. It's really easy when a comp only has two teams. Easy and boring.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
Fair enough Walter – enjoy the rest of the season. I can imagine the past 18 months in Melbourne have been hell – and we’ve only had a couple of months of it here in Canberra. And you are right the Storm have a huge following – the benefit of a one team town in a sports mad city. The Broncos are up there as well of course but have been dismal in the past few years so support might have dropped off a bit. Along with many other neutrals I suspect I face a dilemma in knowing who to support tomorrow. The Panthers have been harder to like than the Storm in the past couple of years with the way their players carry on and Cleary with a broomstick up his you know whatsit. I think I’ll just enjoy the contest and say let the best team win. A lot of people are writing off the Panthers but I think the tough games they’ve played may help their preparation if anything. They are now used to finals footy and the Storm don’t want to go in complacent after that easy win against Manly. I was silly enough to tip the Panthers so I’ll have to support them now. But if the Storm win – which is most likely – have a beer for me Walter. Just wish it was the Raiders playing. Such a dismal year after everything was so promising at the start. Will be happy if they can jag Fogarty to play half back for next season along with Peachy as utility.
The Sporacle
Roar Rookie
We will see soon enough, remember no one gave Parra a chance against the Storm, most people wrote off qld in 20. You don't finish top 4, MP the year before and all of a sudden become plodders. They'll be right in it from the start and I'm pretty sure the Storm know its not going to be a cakewalk :thumbup: