NRL Finals 2020: Penrith Panthers beat South Sydney Rabbitohs 20-16 | Match Report

The Penrith Panthers are on the verge of smashing an incredible 65-year record when they take on the Storm in the 2020 NRL Grand Final, with just one loss for the season after downing the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the preliminary final.

Penrith's Nathan Cleary celebrates a try by Penrith's Brian To'o during the Penrith v South Sydney NRL Final at ANZ Stadium, Homebush. Picture: Brett Costello

It has been the Cleary family’s lifelong dream.

Now Penrith coach Ivan Cleary and son Nathan are within striking distance of achieving the most memorable moment of their lives.

Unbeaten in four months, the Panthers - and Cleary’s - are chasing their most important win of all after advancing to the club’s first grand final since 2003 by ending South Sydney’s season in a thrilling 20-16 preliminary final win at ANZ Stadium last night.

In front of a crowd of 30,116, the 2020 minor premiers set a date with the irrepressible Melbourne Storm in Sydney next Sunday.

“The dream is to win it - that’s the dream,’’ Ivan said.

“It’s nice to get there, you can’t win it, unless you get there.’’

Fittingly, Ivan and Nathan are attempting to become the first father-son coach-player combination to win a grand final together since John and Martin Lang won the 2003 premiership with Penrith together.

Penrith will boast the support of an entire city during a week-long grand final build-up with Melbourne no stranger to playing the role of gatecrasher to the game’s biggest party.

“They’re an unbelievable team, unbelievable players, we’ll need to be on our A-game if we’re to beat them,’’ Nathan said.

“They’ve been the benchmark for so long, so we’ll have to improve again.’’

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After 17 straight wins the Panthers are set for their first Grand Final appearance in 17-years. Picture: Brett Costello.

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A Penrith-Melbourne grand final is the ultimate reward for the two most consistent teams - having finished first and second on the NRL competition ladder respectively - and the two best defensive teams all season.

The Panthers are sweating on the availability of several key stars following last night’s brutal match saw a courageous Rabbitohs outfit push Penrith until the final siren.

Hit-men James Fisher-Harris and Zane Tetevano both face a nervous wait after committing high tackles.

“There were some similar ones tonight where low (falling) tackles end up in high tackles...I think common sense will prevail,’’ Ivan said.

Despite returning to the field after succumbing to a shoulder complaint in the second-half, Penrith hooker Api Koroisau said he was in no doubt for the decider.

“It was a stinger, but it ran down my neck, so it felt a bit different, I had no power,’’ Koroisau said.

“I didn’t want to hinder the team by being out there, but it ended up coming good.’’

Man-of-the-match Api Koroisau could be in some doubt for the Grand Final after picking up a shoulder injury. Picture: Getty Images.

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The Panthers will need to rectify their right-side defence over the course of the next seven-days after South Sydney repeatedly cracked the Penrith right-edge.

However, the power-game led by gun back-rower Isaah Yeo, the brilliance of Dylan Edwards at the back and Cleary’s kicking game was the catalyst to Penrith securing their ticket to a grand final.

How much the 80-minute fight that saw a gutsy South Sydney fight until the very end will be a major factor in their preparation for the Storm.

Rugby league fans need to appreciate that when they watch Penrith coach Ivan Cleary’s young side, they are witnessing something special.

The Panthers absorbing win over the Rabbitohs was incredibly their 17th-consecutive win.

Isaah Yeo helped set-up the match winning try after an incredible run. Picture: Getty Images.

If this awesome Panthers side can roll through the famous purple wall from Victoria to lift the Provan-Summons trophy, they will smash one of the game’s oldest standing records.

The longest winning streak to claim a grand final victory currently stands at 11 by Manly in 1972 and South Sydney in 1955 - 65-years ago - a number the Panthers would crush by seven games should their current streak remain unbroken.

The Panthers could also become the first team since the 1959 St George Dragons to win the premiership with one loss or less throughout the whole season.

The Rabbitohs were never out of the game and took the game to the wire. Picture: Getty Images.

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Having last lost a match in June, Penrith are riding on a wave of confidence and will go into the decider with genuine belief having beaten Melbourne 21-14 in their only previous match-up this year - in round six at Campbelltown.

“They’ve been extremely good this year, the most important thing this week is that we deliver as close to our best performance and then that will restrict what they’re capable of,’’ Ivan said.

In a major boost for the Panthers, devastating left-edge backrower Viliame Kikau will return to the grand final line-up after missing last night’s match qualifier due to suspension.

Having first rolled through the Eels in week one of the finals and then the Raiders on Friday night, the Storm will start $1.75 favourites with the TAB and Penrith $2.10.