In a thrilling showdown between the two top NRL teams of the past decade, the Penrith Panthers emerged victorious over the Melbourne Storm with a 14-6 score, securing the NRL premiership and becoming the first team since St George (1956-1966) to win four consecutive titles. The momentous win, witnessed by a crowd of 80,156 in Sydney, was spearheaded by the “prince of Penrith”, Nathan Cleary, although Liam Martin was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal for being the best player on the field. Following a set by local rapper The Kid Laroi, which concluded with a rendition of INXS’s Never Tear Us Apart, the stage was set for the leading teams of 2024 to clash. Both sides entered the field to iconic AC/DC tracks; Penrith to Hells Bells, Melbourne to Thunderstruck, setting the tone for a high-voltage encounter.
The grand final, featuring two heavyweight teams, was played with relentless intensity. Both squads launched aggressive attacks from the outset, testing each other’s defenses and nerves as the game heated up. Jarome Luai showcased his agility, while Cam Munster displayed his versatility. Liam Martin’s tackles were as effective as folding laundry, and Shawn Blore’s hits were as powerful as flattening pikelets. When direct attacks failed to break through, both teams resorted to more tactical approaches: offloads, dink kicks, grubbers, and cut-outs. Penrith nearly scored in the fifth minute when Moses Leota charged close to the line, but Isaah Yeo’s inside pass was dropped.
The high-paced game produced moments of brilliance, but after 20 minutes, fatigue began to set in. Munster’s tackle on Cleary led to Blore’s advance to the 10m line and a fast play-the-ball. Harry Grant seized the opportunity, darting into space and evading a tired Liam Martin to score, making it 6-0. Penrith retaliated swiftly when Storm winger Will Warbrick mishandled a Luai bomb, gifting the Panthers another full set. Cleary and Luai quickly connected with Paul Alamoti, who passed to winger Sunia Turuva for a try in the corner. Cleary’s conversion attempt missed, but the score was now 6-4, keeping the grand final on a knife’s edge.
A poor kick by Papenhuyzen gave Penrith a halfway restart near halftime. A desperate tackle prevented Turuva from scoring, but Luai’s long pass caught the Storm off guard. Cleary secured the ball and passed to Martin, who advanced at speed to put Penrith ahead 10-6 at halftime. Both teams had completed 17/20 sets, but Penrith had dominated 17 minutes to 13, averaging almost 20m per set more than Melbourne. Nathan Cleary had 148m running metres from 20 hit-ups, and his injured shoulder held up. However, it was Cameron Munster who first made an impact in the second half, launching a bomb that Xavier Coates caught, feeding Jack Howarth, who was controversially denied a try by the TMO.
Despite their attacking prowess, Penrith’s three previous premierships were built on defense. This defensive resilience was tested as Munster and Hughes orchestrated multiple raids. Cleary’s precise kicks kept them safe. The second half mirrored the first: 22 minutes of intense struggle followed by a moment of individual brilliance. Cleary’s kick found Martin, who then passed to Leota, who delivered a perfect ball to Alamoti. As the crowd roared, Alamoti scored, making it 14-6. With a quarter left, the Storm still had a chance for a fifth premiership in 10 grand finals under Craig Bellamy’s 22-year reign. But they couldn’t find their rhythm. Penrith held on, etching their name in history and giving Nathan Cleary and his coach father Ivan a legacy to treasure.
