2024 NRL Grand Final Preview
It’s finally here. After 27 rounds and three weeks of finals matches, it’s time for the big dance, as Melbourne Storm take on Penrith Panthers at Accor Stadium, Sydney.
Who will come out on top? What should we look out for? Let’s dive in and take a closer look.
Melbourne Storm recent history
The Storm have been hot on the Panthers’ heels in recent years, and they even beat them to the Minor Premiership this year. In fact, their win over Penrith in round 24 saw them clinch it with three rounds left to spare.
As for Grand Final appearances, this will be Melbourne’s first since 2020, when they beat the Panthers 24-20 to win their fourth premiership.
Penrith Panthers recent history
The Panthers come into this weekend’s game aiming to win their fourth straight Premiership. It’ll be their fifth straight Grand Final, and the last one they lost, back in 2020, was against…Melbourne Storm.
Since then, the Panthers have been a juggernaut, and their win over the Sharks last weekend was their 11th straight win in finals footy – a new premiership record.
Head-to-head in 2024
The teams met each other twice in the regular season, with the Storm coming out on top both times. In round one, they picked up an 8-0 win at AAMI Park, then in round 24 their 22-24 win at BlueBet Stadium saw them claim the Minor Premiership, and possibly deliver a psychological blow.
How they got here
The Storm looked extremely classy in their preliminary final against Sydney Roosters, as they won 48-18. They even played the first 10 minutes with a man less after Nelson Asofa-Solomona was sin-binned with the first tackle of the game.
Despite that setback though, and the Roosters going 0-6 up, Melbourne bounced back in style, and all their big-hitters looked in fine fettle. Newly-named Dally M winner, Jahrome Hughes bagged a hat-trick to help secure Melbourne’s 11th Grand Final appearance.
As for Penrith, they were a little more labourious in their 26-6 win over Cronulla Sharks, but they still had enough about them to get the job done.
A try and two penalties saw them take a 10-2 lead into the interval, and despite the Sharks briefly pulling the score back to 10-6, two tries in three minutes from Brian To’o and Paul Alamoti killed the Sharks off, before Liam Martin wrapped things up four minutes from time.
Melbourne Storm team news
Coach Craig Bellamy has suggested he’ll leave it to the last minute before naming his matchday 17. One thing that is for certain is that Nelson Asofa-Solomona will be missing after his sin bin last weekend. That led to a four-game suspension, which the Storm failed to get overturned.
Lazarus Vaalepu was named in the original 17 as his replacement earlier this week, but Joe Chan is still a possibility to force his way on to the bench, having been named in the extended squad.
Nick Meaney, Harry Grant and Jahrome Hughes all picked up injuries last weekend, but it’s highly likely they’ll all play, given the magnitude of the game.
Sua Fa’alogo could also make the bench this weekend. The livewire utility has featired at full-back and on the wing in 2024, and he made a comeback from a hamstring injury in reserve grade last week. At the very least, he could be named as 18th man.
Penrith Panthers team news
Like Craig Bellamy, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary was also keeping his cards close to his chest in the pre-match presser this week.
Scott Sorensen has been named in the extended squad, and Penrith will hope to name him in the matchday 17, but he’s a long shot. If he does come in, then Matt Eisenhuth is likely to make way.
Brad Schneider has been named at number 14, and he;s likely to stay there given that star man Nathan Cleary is nursing a shoulder complaint. There’s no chance of Cleary missing out, but if he is forced off injured, then Schneider will likely come on to replace him.
Don’t be too surprised to see Daine Laurie squeeze onto the bench either, or at least make it to 18th man. The utility can cover a number of positions, and his versatility could see him take Schneider’s spot.
Our prediction – Melbourne Storm 14-12 Penrith Panthers
This one’s impossible to call, and I’m just glad these two teams made it to the Grand Final. Whatever happens, this could be one of the best games of all time, and that’s not just hyperbolic nonsense, as these two have been the standouts all year.
The only reason I’m tipping the Storm to edge it is because they looked the more impressive of the two last weekend, but the Panthers are more than capable of raising their game when they need to, so this really could go either way.
