A Decider for the Ages: Sunday’s Grand Final shaped as an epic between not only the two best teams in the premiership but the two best teams of a generation. It lived up to the hype. While the less-nuanced may have been dulled by the lack of scoring, for the purists, it really was an epic that sits behind only 2015, 2024 and 1989 in terms of quality. This was two spectacular teams who were incredibly well coached duking it out with it all on the line. This game did not have a poor period, a poor phase, a genuinely poor stretch. This was quality from two quality teams.
It was stunning the Storm entered the match favoured. Within 10 minutes it was clear betting was wrong. The Panthers were always going to be more comfortable and they were. The loss of Nelson Asofa-Solomona and the impact that would have quickly became apparent. Penrith opted early to turn this into a fitness test. They had the patience to see it through.
The Panthers just hammered the Storm through the middle, forcing the Storm onto the backfoot, nullifying the Storm stars. There was thinking that Nathan Cleary was vulnerable with a bad shoulder. He ran for over 200 metres. Penrith’s greatest quality is their synchronicity. They play as one. They did so again. That sixth sense of where to be and knowing what to do proved crucial.
It is so trite to say that this Penrith team is one of the great teams in history but they are. They have won four straight premierships in an era where the salary cap levels the playing field. They have done so by bringing through local juniors and then bringing through more. They have lifted the standard for team. They have done it their way.
Ivan Cleary now belongs in the conversation with Gibson, Bennett and Bellamy. Nathan Cleary is deserving of comparisons with all the great No.7s. Isaah Yeo is quickly becoming one of the all-time great No.13s. This Penrith team belongs in the conversation with the great St George teams.
The Penrith Panthers – once again deserving premiers.
It Was Not a Try: As regular readers of this column are likely aware, I am no apologist for NRL officials. I have been particularly scathing of The Bunker, who should be held to a standard of perfection. I offer little defence of The Bunker because arrogance, stupidity and downright nonsense usually cripples their decision-making. They will get my support this time though: the decision to disallow the Jack Howarth try was correct and those who are claiming it is need to re-centre their tin foil hats. It was an incredibly tough call and given the process, there is no way The Bunker could overturn the on-field decision. Looking at the vision, it is reasonably clear that the ball never reached the turf. Melbourne’s lack of anger at the call supports all of this. It was the game’s most controversial moment but it was handled correctly.
Grand Final Player Ratings: The true ratings for this year’s Grand Final:
1.Ryan Papenhuyzen (5) – Sharp in limited opportunities but gave away a poor pen.
2.Will Warbrick (4) – Made a poor defensive read to concede first try.
3.Jack Howarth (2) – Shocking debut where dropped key balls and missed key tackles.
4.Nick Meaney (2.5) – Missed eight tackles though did try hard with ball in hand.
5.Xavier Coates (7) – The pick of the Storm back five though couldn’t figure a way around Penrith’s big catch tactics.
6.Cameron Munster (7.5) – The Storm’s second best who did not stop trying all day.
7.Jahrome Hughes (5) – Very quiet with the Storm on the backfoot all night.
8.Tui Kamikamica (2) – Pegged to replace NAS but poor return on low mins when gassed early.
9.Harry Grant (8.5) – Penrith targeted him all night and he was brutalised in defence but was outstanding in defeat.
10.Josh King (6) – Tried hard but was typically unfashionable and lack of size hurt.
11.Shawn Blore (6.5) – Energetic enough on an edge but lacked punch with the ball.
12.Eliesa Katoa (7) – Saved two tries and got through a ton of work but lacked opportunity.
13.Trent Loiero (6.5) – Hard worker who worked hard but offered little more.
14.Tyran Wishart (5.5) – All effort but was not the type of player the Storm needed.
15.Christian Welch (4) – The Storm needed punch of the bench and he did not deliver it.
16.Lazarus Vaalepu (5) – Given only nine mins and should have been used earlier.
17.Alec MacDonald (4.5) – Had a very poor knock-on with first touch and was another who defended hard but made little impact.
1.Dylan Edwards (6.5) – A little shakier than normal but got through a ton of work.
2.Sunia Turuva (8) – Underrated showing. Scored a try. Could have had another. Sublime defending high kicks.
3.Izack Tago (7.5) – Superb in exposing Howarth all night. Led the cutback run gang.
4.Paul Alamoti (8.5) – Stunning debut where he scored and was everywhere.
5.Brian To’o (7.5) – Superb first half eating up metres before injury took hold.
6.Jarome Luai (8) – Plays his role superbly and leaves Penrith off his best GF performance.
7.Nathan Cleary (9) – The best player on the field by panels, orchestrating the win. Stunning he did not win the Churchill.
8.Moses Leota (6.5) – Workrate was well down but had some very nice touches.
9.Mitch Kenny (5.5) – Unfashionable and perhaps the luckiest player in league history.
10.James Fisher-Harris (7) – Very good showing where he laid the platform with some relentless running.
19.Scott Sorensen (7) – Late inclusion who was fantastic in all facets as he bullied Nick Meaney all night.
12.Liam Martin (8.5) – Scored a great try and saved another as he put up a superb performance that was utterly relentless and completely on brand.
13.Isaah Yeo (9) – The Panthers looked to hammer the middle all night and no player was better at that than the skipper Yeo.
11.Luke Garner (5.5) – Deserved premiership player but unlucky not to get the start. Did well enough in the centre.
14.Brad Schneider (N/A) – Did not get onto the field with the game so close.
15.Lindsay Smith (6) – Just works and works. Dropped one at the end.
16.Liam Henry (5) – Limited minutes but nearly found himself across the line.
Dally M Medal Night Disgrace: The Dally M Medal night is a disgrace and a stain on the NRL. While Rugby League is a far superior sport to any other code played in Australia, rates better, has more upside and is the superior code in Australia’s two most relevant states, its award ceremony is embarrassing and needs a complete re-think. While the AFL have the wonderful Brownlow Medal that goes for hours and has every vote read out across a glamorous evening that attracts all of the game’s stars, allows for a wonderful gambling fiesta and is steeped in tradition – and they also have All Australian night and presumably a night for the AFL best and fairest – the NRL jams everything into 90 minutes in an event that completely disrespects the best male and female players in the game. This is not a reflection on the broadcast. Fox did as well as could be expected. This is an indictment on the NRL, who has allowed the Dally M to become a joke and the night to become an embarrassment. Just copy the AFL. Get The Bunker to vote – they can’t do any worse. Read every vote out. Make it an entire night. Bring the glamour. Bring the respect. This travesty cannot be allowed to continue on.
Chooks Choke But Hold On … Just: The Sydney Roosters are the most talented team in the NRLW but have shown a shocking predisposition to choke in big finals of late – and they did so again in the Grand Final when blowing a 24-0 halftime lead to hold on for a four-point win.The first half was sensational but they stayed in the sheds at halftime as Tiana Penitani led a remarkable comeback that fell just short. The Roosters have all the talent in the world but need to be better at digging in when things aren’t going so well.
No Kernick A Joke: Brad Donald has lost only one of his 15 Tests in charge of the Jillaroos, he has two World Cups on his mantlepiece and he needs to be sacked before the Pacific Championships start after his laughable refusal to select Olivia Kernick, the Dally M Medal winner and the best player on the field in the Grand Final. Kernick is a superstar. Donald doesn’t appear to know who she is stating that she started on the bench in the last Origin this season despite her starting at lock in all three matches. He has gone for Kezie Apps, who played just three games – all losses of 16 or more – and has not played in two months. This oversight is on par with the heinous selections of Kylie Hilder, who let her state down by not picking Teagan Berry or Kira Dibb.
2024 Field Goal Update – 27: We finished the season on 27 field goals, extending to six years the number of Grand Finals without a field goal with Luke Keary being the most recent Grand Final field goal kicker.
Fun Fact #1: Penrith became just the third team in premiership history to win four straight titles after the great St George team that won 11 straight (1956-66) and South Sydney (1925-29).
Fun Fact #2: The Panthers are now tied for seventh on the list of premierships with Brisbane – two wins behind both Manly and Canterbury, having overtaken Canberra, Newtown, Melbourne, Parramatta and Western Suburbs the last four seasons.
Fun Fact #3: Liam Martin became just the fifth second rower in history to win the Clive Churchill Medal.
Betting Market of the Week: Mal Meninga’s greatest moment of madness:
- $2.60: Leaving out James Tedesco from the 2024 Kangaroos
- $2.00: Entering and exiting politics in under a minute
- $3.20: Believing he would be appointed interim South Sydney coach
- $4.40: His vicious hit on Terry Lamb in the 1994 Grand Final that ended any hopes of a Bulldogs comeback
Rumour Mill: Panthers forward Linsay Smith is rumoured to be in Mal Meninga’s Kangaroos squad for the upcoming Pacific Championships. Reagan Campbell-Gillard’s decision to join the Titans was based entirely on coach Des Hasler with the Titans mentor winning the Origin prop over with the style of play the Titans will want to play in 2025.
The Coaching Crosshairs: There should be absolutely zero chance that Jared Maxwell returns to coach the officials in 2024 after a disastrous season capped by some of the worst appointments in history. Liam Kennedy being handed the State Championship was akin to a blind man judging a mime contest. He has been proven to be pedantic and overly-officious and cost Newtown dearly. Choosing Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski over Belinda Sharpe was not only downright wrong based on performances in the NRL and NRLW this year but a shocking look to boot. It is doubtful he had any say over Ashley Klein but he would have had a hand in Adam Gee’s oversight. No coach should overcome so many heinous errors and keep their job.
Moronic Coaching Decision of the Week: Craig Bellamy is the greatest coach of all-time but his use of the bench was poor in the decider. The match was a relentless test and the Storm middles tired early yet Lazarus Vaalepu played only nine second half minutes while Christian Welch played just 17. Tui Kamikamica was blowing early and managed just two runs while the Storm were getting pumped through the middle. Shorter, sharper stints were needed.
Watch It: There has arguably never been a more awkward moment in the long history of Grand Final presentations with referee Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski, following on from his embarrassing performance in the NRLW decider, tried to lay a kiss on a young girl when receiving his medal in a truly unbelievable moment of awkwardness. The look on her face will never be forgotten. Watch it here.
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