Melbourne Storm edge epic battle with Penrith Panthers

MELBOURNE STORM 30 PENRITH PANTHERS 24
TOM SMITH, AAMI Park, Thursday

MELBOURNE exacted some revenge on Penrith in a brutal Grand Final rematch dampened by Nathan Cleary’s early head-injury assessment.

Cleary exited in the eighth minute following a clash with opposite number Jahrome Hughes, injecting club debutant Blaize Talagi into the fray earlier than planned, while the Storm also lost Nick Meaney to a broken jaw and Grant Anderson to a knee complaint.

Fresh off the bye, playmakers Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes lit up a greasy AAMI Park after props Stefano Utoikamanu and Josh King laid the platform.

Penrith on the other hand have now lost two in a row, following their shock defeat to the undermanned Roosters last Friday — although they lost no admirers for this gutsy away effort minus their key man.

These two heavyweight clubs have forged a famous rivalry since the outbreak of Covid, meeting four times in the post-season.

While Craig Bellamy’s men won both of their regular-season contests in 2024, Ivan Cleary had the last laugh in October, claiming the Grand Final 14-6.

This clash cemented these sides’ status as two of the teams to beat again in 2025, although the Storm shaded this arm wrestle.

On the team sheets, exciting ex-Eel Talagi made his club bow off the Panthers’ bench and Thomas Jenkins filled in at fullback with Dylan Edwards sidelined by a groin injury and deputy Daine Laurie also injured.

For the hosts, enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona returned from the five-game ban that cost him last year’s Grand Final and New Zealand’s Pacific Championship campaign.

The Storm drew first blood on five minutes, with some quick hands supplying Anderson in the right corner.

The game changed when the two halfbacks collided, leaving the men in pink without their captain and star playmaker.

Back-rower Eliesa Katoa extended Melbourne’s lead on the end of an inch-perfect Hughes chip which beat a web of back-pedalling defenders.

Meaney’s penalty goal stretched the margin to 14, but the Cleary-less Panthers refused to give up.

The visitors struck through Paul Alamoti down the right flank after Hughes booted a kick out of the full.

And Alamoti soon added a second in very similar fashion, with the fingerprints of Jenkins and Izack Tago all over the build-up, to shave the gap to just four at the break.

Adding to the bad news for the Storm, Munster was placed on report for an ugly hip-drop tackle on Liam Martin in between and Meaney fractured his jaw in a head clash with Asofa-Solomona.

The visitors then took just four minutes of the second half to snatch the lead, when Casey McLean cashed in on a set play from a scrum.

Aerial specialist Xavier Coates reeled in a Munster bomb to restore Melbourne’s advantage, although they soon lost Anderson to a knee complaint.

Filling in on the wing with the backline ravaged by injury, Tyran Wishart turned a looping Hughes cut-out into four more points.

The Panthers weren’t done, with Brian To’o crossing twice in six minutes late on.

But Munster’s grubber to Ryan Papenhuyzen gave the hosts enough to defend in a high-pressure finish.

GAMESTAR: Storm stand-off Cameron Munster assisted three of his team’s five tries.

GAMEBREAKER: Munster’s deft grubber to Ryan Papenhuyzen with seven minutes left gave Melbourne the points tally they needed.

MATCHFACTS
STORM
1 Ryan Papenhuyzen
2 Grant Anderson
3 Jack Howarth
4 Nick Meaney
5 Xavier Coates
6 Cameron Munster
7 Jahrome Hughes
8 Stefano Utoikamanu
9 Harry Grant
10 Josh King
11 Shawn Blore
12 Eliesa Katoa
13 Trent Loiero
Subs (all used)
14 Tyran Wishart
15 Alec MacDonald
16 Tui Kamikamica
22 Nelson Asofa-Solomona

Tries: Anderson (5), Katoa (11), Coates (48), Wishart (59), Papenhuyzen (73)
Goals: Meaney 3/3, Papenhuyzen 2/3

PANTHERS
22 Thomas Jenkins
5 Brian To’o
3 Izack Tago
4 Paul Alamoti
24 Casey McLean
6 Jack Cole
7 Nathan Cleary
8 Moses Leota
9 Mitch Kenny
10 Lindsay Smith
11 Scott Sorensen
12 Liam Martin
13 Isaah Yeo
Subs (all used)
15 Isaiah Papali’i
16 Liam Henry
17 Luke Garner
18 Blaize Talagi