Penrith has solidified its position as rugby league’s top team in nearly 60 years by winning their fourth consecutive premiership with a 14-6 victory over Melbourne. However, some fans argued that the Storm had been unfairly deprived of the title.
In a grand final filled with drama, including allegations of biting and controversies surrounding the video review, Penrith pulled ahead late in the match, which was witnessed by a crowd of 80,156 at Accor Stadium on Sunday night.
This victory marks only the third time in history that a team has won four straight premierships, the first since the legendary St George team achieved 11 in a row from 1956 to 1966.
As the match neared its conclusion, concerns arose over allegations that Melbourne’s Cameron Munster had bitten Paul Alamoti’s arm in the second half. Munster denied the accusation, but referee Ashley Klein placed him on report, stating he could not be sure of what had occurred.
Nonetheless, the highlight of the evening was Penrith’s achievement of their fourth consecutive title.
Liam Martin had an outstanding performance for Penrith, earning his first Clive Churchill Medal as player of the match. Nathan Cleary once again played excellently, despite appearing to struggle with a shoulder injury toward the end of the game, while Brian To’o showcased his strength in gaining yardage before sustaining a knee injury.
Jarome Luai had a memorable farewell in the Penrith No. 6 jersey, contributing to the setup of two tries in his final game before moving to Wests Tigers.
Melbourne felt the absence of the suspended Nelson Asofa-Solomona in the middle, and their star-studded spine struggled to create opportunities due to Penrith’s control of territory.
However, they also believed they were unlucky following a pivotal bunker decision in the 50th minute when Jack Howarth seemed to score, bringing the score to 10-10 with a kick pending.
Referee Klein initially ruled that Dylan Edwards and Izack Tago had held Howarth up, and the bunker upheld this decision despite replays suggesting the ball had been grounded.
Some fans voiced their frustrations, claiming the Storm were unfairly denied a try due to the decision.
“Melbourne robbed on that held-up ball. Should have been a try. Clear as day in replays,” one fan expressed on X (formerly Twitter).
Another added, “Melbourne Storm robbed… a try is a try… don’t need to be from NSW to know that… couldn’t handle it, could you, Sydney #NRLGF.”
One more commented, “That’s two dreadful decisions this weekend. You can actually see the ball on the ground for this one, which makes it even worse. Melbourne robbed of a try.”
The scoreline of 10-6 held for another ten minutes until Martin extended Penrith’s lead with a crucial eight-point advantage.
As he chased a bomb from Cleary, Martin jumped to contest the ball with Xavier Coates, successfully securing possession before offloading it to Moses Leota, who set up Paul Alamoti for the try.
Alamoti’s try effectively clinched the grand final at Accor Stadium. The Panthers then defended against five consecutive sets from the Storm on their goal line, making key plays that secured their victory.
“No one is going to do this again,” a jubilant Luai remarked after the final whistle. “I can’t put it into words. History doesn’t matter. We are soaking up this moment. Just to win one grand final is so special. This group of guys, no one works harder than these boys, and we got what we deserved.”
Luai played a pivotal role in the win. After Melbourne struck first with a try from Harry Grant in the 23rd minute, Penrith took control of the game. They quickly responded with a brilliant play on their left side, where Alamoti passed back to Luai, who sent Sunia Turuva over for the try.
With Penrith trailing 6-4 just before halftime, Luai stepped up again during a critical moment. Following a powerful run from To’o, Luai shifted the point of attack on the last tackle, passing to Cleary, who then delivered a short ball to Martin. This allowed Martin to break through and give the Panthers a 10-6 lead at the break.
By securing the victory, Penrith avenged their 2020 grand final loss to Melbourne and made history as the first fully professional men’s team to win four consecutive titles in any Australian code this century.
“I’m actually lost for words,” Cleary expressed. “Four years ago, I was standing there crying after losing to these guys, who have been the best for such a long time. We’ve just won four in a row. It is honestly mind-blowing.”
GET MORE RELATED CONTENT ON LIFESTYLEROOM.NET
Leave a Reply