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Penrith Panthers vs Melbourne Storm |
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|---|---|---|
NRL Grand Final |
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| ANZ Stadium, Sydney | ||
| Panthers | Storm | |
| 16 | SCORE | 26 |
| To'o 54', Crichton 69', Mansour 73' | Tries | Olam 4', Vunivalu 31', C. Smith 40', Papenhuyzen 46' |
| Cleary 54', 70' | Goals | C. Smith 5', 23', 27', 32', 40' |
| - | Field goals | - |
The Melbourne Storm have won the NRL grand final on the back of a superb first half, defeating the Penrith Panthers to claim the 2020 premiership.
Melbourne Storm 26
Penrith Panthers 20
The NRL grand final will be decided tonight as the Penrith Panthers take on the Melbourne Storm at ANZ Stadium. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 7:30pm (AEDT).
For any number of reasons, it’s been a crazy season. But we are finally here, the grand final. Will it be the Penrith Panthers, shooting for 18 wins in a row, or the vastly more experienced Melbourne Storm?
One thing is certain. It should be a cracker.
Penrith come into the grand final after a tense 20-16 win over South Sydney. The Panthers dominated the first 40 minutes and should have held a bigger lead at the break. However, uncharacteristic handling errors hampered their progress and it took an Isaah Yeo line-break late in the game to give the Panthers some breathing space.
With wet weather predicted, Nathan Cleary’s kicking game will be crucial tonight. The back three come into the final in great form, with Dylan Edwards almost faultless.
The Panther pack’s ability to match their Storm opponents will be critical to the Panthers’ success.
In a big in for the Panthers, Viliame Kikau returns from suspension in the back row, forcing Kurt Capewell to the bench and Mitch Kenny out of the 17. Brent Naden has been named to start in the centres with Tyrone May on the bench.
The Melbourne Storm blew the Raiders off the park in the first 15 minutes of their preliminary final. It was near flawless football. Canberra never really recovered and the final 30-10 scoreline was a fair indication of the difference between the two sides.
Camerons Smith and Munster had solid games, but they were overshadowed by the brilliance of Jahrome Hughes and Ryan Papenhuyzen. The strength of the Storm pack is well known, but the team has adjusted well to the faster ruck speed and their back three are dynamic in attack.
The Storm go in with an unchanged 17. Brandon Smith copped a head knock against the Raiders but is expected to play.
Prediction
The Melbourne Storm go in as slight favourites here, and rightfully so. Their form last weekend and the experienced nature of their squad make them difficult to pick against.
But I’m going for an upset. On a greasy ANZ Stadium surface, Cleary’s kicking game will keep turning around the big Melbourne pack, much like James Maloney did in 2016.
The Panthers have plenty of firepower and, with the territory split in their favour, they will do enough to just win.
Penrith Panthers by two.
Kick-off: 7:30pm (AEDT)
Venue: ANZ Stadium, Sydney
TV: Nine
Live stream: 9Now
Odds: Panthers $2.20, Storm $1.72
Panthers
1. Dylan Edwards 2. Josh Mansour 3. Brent Naden 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Brian To’o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. James Tamou 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo
Interchange: 14. Tyrone May 15. Kurt Capewell 16. Moses Leota 17. Zane Tetevano
Storm
1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Suliasi Vunivalu 3. Brenko Lee 4. Justin Olam 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Cameron Smith 10. Christian Welch 11. Felise Kaufusi 12. Kenneath Bromwich 13. Nelson Asofa-Solomona
Interchange: 14. Brandon Smith 15. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 16. Dale Finucane 17. Nicholas Hynes
Kobi
Guest
Lots of sore losers on this site. Your team lost so blame the ref ha ha ha ha ha. Yas were real quiet when yas won 17 in a row eh.
Rob
Guest
So how do explain the Panthers first try? That was an obstruction that allowed a player to continue with a kick resulting in a try. That was a significant momentum starter and free 6 point kick start. The Panthers were their own worst enemy with errors and poor options early. They got away with errors against Roosters and Souths but those things the Storm made them pay for.
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
Square up for what? No incorrect calls before the bunker screw up try.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
Who fixed it and what was fixed
Taree Raider
Guest
Geoff, I agree, but, let every team compete playing the same set of rules, get back 10 metres in defence, let the game flow. Without wrestling in the ruck what advantage would the Storm have had over the past 16 years on every other team. How many times do the Roosters lie in the ruck looking at the Ref with a stupid look of innocence holding the attacking player down. This is the 1% advantage in every defensive set that they get. If the Storm & Roosters are referee'd to the rules, they don't generally win against a similar level team. I am very happy with the Raiders year, they did their best. The grand final on a wet ground the team that had ripped in all year (Panthers) playing aggressive fast footy were going to be smothered by a continually offside Storm defence. Take that offside advantage out of the game & what do you get. I wasn't at the game so I can't tell you how far or often they were offside but judging by the crowds response it was far & often. Hughes & Smith binned in there last 10 minutes backs up this argument. Make the game tough but fair for every side. Or bring back unlimited tackles & unlimited wrestling.
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
Should have been down to 10 in the opening 20 mins not the last 30 seconds when its all over
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
Too late. All managed that way by the ref. If Sutton is the best we have then we have a major problem.
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
Absolutely BS. A lesson on How to fix a result
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
It was FIXED
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
Sutton is a crook
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
1000% short memory. The storm were managed into that win in the first half. Did not matter what happened after that. Disgraceful.
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
dont worry about bad calls. Its allowing storm to be offside all game that made the real difference.
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
Squaring up in the 2nd half to make the reffing look like fair does not count for squat when the games already over.
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
No other team can match the storm because they get penalised out of the game. Don't kid yourselves.
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
The last 20 mins is irrelevant. Its the first 20 that determines the final result and storm got everything hand to them by Sutton. How he keeps his job is a joke. But then the NRL are a farce anyway.
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
Square up for what?
Dan Reihana
Roar Rookie
TR: The calls were correct. It's just that these sorts of offences have happened at least 4 times in every game this year, but the ref/bunker/touchies do not enforce the rules as the are written. The penalty for "escorting a kick-chaser" rule needs to be enforced every single time. It is a professional foul - aka cheating. Jarome Hughes was always aware of where Kikau was, and made sure that Kikau did not get to the ball. Therefore, deliberated cheated = professional foul = 10 minute sin bin. If Brandon Smith was in the Rooster's GF teams of 2018/19, then he would not have been sin-binned. I believe the six-again rule was aimed at the Roosters, because of their tactics over the last five years.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Congrats on the win Walter ... your team did you proud tonight
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
Look I agree with whatever it is you are whinging about - we can never have enough intrusion by rule makers and compliance inspectors in rugby league. I have long championed the idea of four referees on the field, assistants with long tape measures, barristers on the sideline, hovering drones with high definition video capability - that sort of thing. :unhappy:
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
The most active buyers of apartments along Hastings Street Noosa in the '80s were Victorians who routinely populated the place during Melbourne winters.