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NRL Finals 2023: Penrith Panthers through to grand final after dominant 38-4 win over Melbourne Storm

The Penrith Panthers are through to their fourth straight grand final appearance, after Nathan Cleary produced a masterclass performance in a dominant win over the Melbourne Storm.

Martin Gabor, Brent Read and Wilson Smith
6 min read
September 22, 2023 - 11:32PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
The Penrith Panthers are off to their fourth straight grand final. Picture: Getty Images
The Penrith Panthers are off to their fourth straight grand final. Picture: Getty Images

The Panthers are 80 minutes away from winning a third-straight title after the NRL’s most dominant team destroyed the Storm 38-4 to book a spot in next Sunday’s grand final.

It will be their fourth decider in as many years with Penrith becoming the first team since the Storm to make four grand finals in a row and confirming their status as the most dominant force of the NRL era.

Winning has become contagious out west but they have a clean bill of health heading into the grand final with five-eighth Jarome Luai getting through unscathed in his first game back from a dislocated shoulder.

The rep star hadn’t played in a month but looked fine on Friday with his coach giving him an early mark with 22 minutes to go after he made 13 tackles and missed just one as the Storm struggled to exploit any potential weakness.

Penrith Panthers are through to their fourth straight grand final appearance. Picture: Getty Images.
Penrith Panthers are through to their fourth straight grand final appearance. Picture: Getty Images.

Luai didn’t have to do much with halves partner Nathan Cleary toying with the Storm defence while co-captain Isaah Yeo was immense through the middle ahead of an epic showdown against either the Broncos or Warriors.

It’s going to be a tall order for whoever wins on Saturday given the Panthers have now won eight-straight finals matches and have conceded just 66 points in that run, with Friday’s squad wearing a special jersey to honour the 2003 premiership side.

TO’O GOOD

He’s never been known as a try-scoring machine but Brian To’o had developed into Penrith’s biggest threat out wide and continued that on Friday with a first-half double in front of a partisan crowd of 35,578 fans at Accor Stadium.

The pint sized winger has now scored in 10 of his past 11 games and has taken his season tally past 20 tries for the first time in his prolific career.

Fellow winger Sunia Turuva also got in on the action in the first half to push the score out to 18-4 despite the Storm dominating possession and field position.

But To’o was the headline act and put the cherry on top with his third try deep in the second half to go with 165 metres, nine tackle busts and four line-breaks.

Brian To'o was a standout for the Panthers, scoring his second career hat-trick. Picture: Getty Images.
Brian To'o was a standout for the Panthers, scoring his second career hat-trick. Picture: Getty Images.

IMPERFECT STORM

You’ve got to be just about perfect if you want to beat Penrith, and while the Storm clouds rolled in ominously throughout the first half, it was merely a drizzle that summed up their season.

Teams don’t get many chances against the Penrith juggernaut but Melbourne did create a handful of opportunities which they failed to convert.

It was a major issue for the visitors who let themselves down with their discipline, with the Panthers scoring all three of their first-half tries on the back of a penalty and two errors.

The premiership favourites were clinical in the red zone unlike the Storm who scored a soft try early through Justin Olam, only for the PNG star to spill the ball with the line wide open a few minutes later.

Nelson Asofa-Solomona threatened to let loose, after a scuffle broke out following a late hit on Nathan Cleary. Picture: Getty Images.
Nelson Asofa-Solomona threatened to let loose, after a scuffle broke out following a late hit on Nathan Cleary. Picture: Getty Images.

They could have easily been in front at the break but hurt themselves with a couple of loose passes after Will Warbrick and Harry Grant had broken through.

It was a frustrating watch for Storm coach Craig Bellamy who has grown used to his teams finishing off those chances, but it just hasn’t been the same Melbourne side in 2023.

The loss of veterans Felise Kaufusi, Brandon Smith and Kenny and Jesse Bromwich has left a gaping hole in their forward pack, while they lack class out wide with Ryan Papenhuyzen and Xavier Coates both injured.

A preliminary final flattered them given how inconsistent they were this season, with Bellamy and his staff needing to find a few more diamonds in the rough if they want to contend with the top teams in 2024.

FIGHTING CHANCE

Jarrod Wallace might want to reconsider getting in the ring with Nelson Asofa-Solomona after the Storm giant threatened to let loose in a fiery first half.

The decision to start the hulking prop didn’t go to plan with the New Zealand international restricted to just three carries in his first stint which may have explained why he saw red twice in a matter of minutes.

Tensions threatened to boil over when he got into a tangle with Liam Martin which sparked a melee, with Asofa-Solomona then pushing the limit when he knocked Cleary over way after he passed the ball.

Players from both sides rushed in but referee Adam Gee opted not to send him to the sin bin because it was a push rather than a shoulder charge.

RELIVE OUR LIVE COVERAGE BELOW

70TH MINUTE: PANTHERS 36-4 STORM

Its all over, stop the fight. Brian To’o has his third try of the night (his second career hat-trick). Cleary converts to put the Panthers up by 32 points with just under 10 to go. The Panthers are off to their fourth straight grand final.

57TH MINUTE: PANTHERS 30-4 STORM

Aaand on the very next set the Panthers are over again, with fullback Dylan Edwards going over after Stephen Crichton put Sunia Turuva into space with a perfect offload. Cleary converts again to put Panthers in front by 26 points. Five-eighth Jarome Luai has been given an early mark in his return from injury.

55TH MINUTE: PANTHERS 24-4 STORM

Storm have been dealt a massive blow, with Panthers cracking the Melbourne defence to score first in the second half. Penrith backrower Liam Martin was the man to break through the Storm, running over the top of Cameron Munster to put Nathan Cleary over untouched for his first try of the night. Cleary converts. Storm have a fair margin to claw back now if they’re any hope of coming back in this preliminary final.

HALF-TIME: PANTHERS 18-4 STORM

It’s one way traffic right now, with Penrith in complete control right now. Nathan Cleary has produced some magic in the 28th minute, switching to the left side of the field to put the Panthers other winger, Sunia Turuva, over in the corner. Cleary converts to put this side in front by two converted tries. Jarome Luai played a role in the lead up, but is clearly still not at 100% as he recoveres from a shoulder injury.

23RD MINUTE: PANTHERS 12-4 STORM

Panthers winger Brian To’o is over again for his second try of the night, with Penrith starting to take control of this preliminary final clash. Cleary converts to put his side ahead by 6.

18TH MINUTE: PANTHERS 6-4 STORM

Melbourne Storm enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona has narrowly avoided being sent to the sin-bin for a late tackle on Panthers star Nathan Cleary. While only marginally late and more of a push than a tackle, referee Adam Gee said this was a “line in the sand”. Cleary takes the two points after being awarded a penalty.

11TH MINUTE: PANTHERS 4-4 STORM

Justin Olam has redeemed himself just minutes after conceding the first try, beating Panthers centre Izack Tago to open Melbournes account for the night. Nick Meaney misses the attempt at conversion.

4th MINUTE: PANTHERS 4-0 STORM

The Panthers have opened up the scoring in their preliminary final against Melbourne, with Brian To’o scoring the first try of the match. Nathan Cleary and Dylan Edwards combined to put To’o over in the corner, after a poor defensive read from Storm centre Justin Olam. Cleary misses the attempt at conversion.

7PM: LATE MAIL

Melbourne will start Friday night’s preliminary final with Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Bronson Garlick after Harry Grant and Christian Welch were moved back to the interchange bench.

Garlick has come into the Storm squad at the expense of Tyran Wishart, who has missed the Final Cut.

Grant and Welch were named in the Storm starting side on Tuesday.

Melbourne half Jahrome Hughes and Penrith five-eighth Jarome Luai will both start the game after overcoming injuries to take their place. Hughes was in doubt with a calf problem while Luai will take a shoulder injury into the game.

Panthers: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Izack Tago 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Brian To’o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Scott Sorensen 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo

Bench: 14. Jack Cogger 15. Lindsay Smith 16. Spencer Leniu 17. Luke Garner

Reserves: 18. Tyrone Peachey

Storm: 1. Nick Meaney 2. William Warbrick 3. Marion Seve 4. Justin Olam 5. Reimis Smith 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Tui Kamikamica 19. Bronson Garlick 16. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 11. Trent Loiero 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Josh King

Bench: 9. Harry Grant 10. Christian Welch 15. Tom Eisenhuth 17. Tariq Sims

Reserves: 14. Tyran Wishart

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