NRL grand final 2020: All hail perfect Melbourne Storm
If this is to be Cameron Smith’s last game of rugby league, the Melbourne Storm captain went out with a bang.
Not a bad send-off. Not bad at all. If this is to be Cameron Smith’s last game of rugby league, the Melbourne Storm captain went out with a bang at ANZ Stadium on Sunday night.
Smith, tipped to retire at some point in the coming weeks, led Melbourne to the fourth premiership in their history – and the third on his watch – with a one-sided belting of Penrith.
The Storm made an error from the opening kickoff but were never troubled thereafter, the scoreline flattering the Panthers as they made a late comeback that was doomed to fail. Melbourne rode their luck at times – video referee Steve Chiddy made two massive calls that led to Storm tries – but they gave their captain and talisman the send-off his glittering career deserves.
That is, if it is the end. Smith is playing well enough to go on next year, his performance in the grand final adding to a highlight reel unlike any other in the game’s history.
“Great feeling and geez we did it the hard way — 11 men at the end, Penrith were coming home with a wet sail,” Smith said
“As an opposition club and team and organisation we have admired what Penrith have done – to win 17 in a row is a special effort.
“If there was another couple of minutes on the clock I don’t know what would have happened there. I am really proud of not just this football team that played tonight but the entire squad. We haven’t been home for about five months.
“We have had some really close-knit teams over my career at the club. We grew as a unit this year and there are connections in this team now we will have for the rest of our lives.”
No one has played more games in the premiership. No one in the past 20 years has dominated the rugby league landscape like Smith. He has been a giant of the game and he towered over Sunday night’s grand final.
He even scored his first try in a decider. The greatest in the game’s history? His resume leaves little room for debate. If Smith wanted to leave the game on top, it’s hard to believe he could exit on a more fitting stage as he added another ring to his collection.
The Storm were rampant in the first half as they raced to a 22-point lead inside the opening 40 minutes, punishing Penrith for their errors and profligacy.
They were forced to move out of Victoria months ago – setting up camp on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast – but it didn’t hamper them. They carried the hopes of a state in lockdown on their shoulders and did it with ease. What a club. What a player.
The Panthers got off to the perfect start on a wet night when Melbourne made a hash of the opening kickoff but luck quickly went the Storm’s way.
An Api Koroisau error gave the Storm the chance to go on the attack and they struck early gold after a sweeping movement finished with centre Justin Olam diving over the line. Replays suggested he had lost the ball. They also showed the ball had been dislodged by the boot of Penrith centre Tyrone May and video referee Steve Chiddy deemed the ball had been illegally knocked out of Olam’s grasp. Olam was awarded the fourth penalty try in grand final history and Smith kicked the conversion to give his side a 6-0 lead after four minutes.
Penrith were on the wrong side of the officialdom on that occasion and they found themselves out of luck again four minutes later when Josh Mansour slid over in the corner. Replays showed Stephen Crichton had taken out Brenko Lee and the try was disallowed. Penrith picked themselves up and dusted themselves off.
Two penalties too Melbourne’s lead to 10-0 but they weren’t finished yet. With nine minutes remaining in the half, Nathan Cleary went looking for points for the Panthers but he only succeeded in passing to Suli Vunivlau.
The Storm winger hit the ground, regained his feet, brushed off Mansour and raced 80 metres to score. Craig Bellamy rode him home in the coach’s box. Cleary cursed the sky. He arrived at ANZ Stadium as the key for Penrith but saved his worst 40 minutes of the year for the opening half.
Melbourne celebrated as they went clear 16-0. The Mountain Men had a mountain to climb and it got even higher with seconds remaining in the half when Smith had the ball batted from his grasp, regathered and strolled over.
Smith converted his own try and the Storm led 22-0. Penrith gathered their thoughts at halftime but they hopes of a comeback were dashed only five minutes into the second half when Ryan Papenhuyzen got on the outside of Cleary and inside of May, pinned his ears back and raced 80 metres to make the score 26-0.
Penrith finally found a response, albeit in controversial circumstances. Isaah Yeo ran behind a teammate and kicked for his winger, Brian To’o getting the ball down millimetres inside the sideline. Chiddy this time ruled in favour of the Panthers and the minor premiers had some hope.
Melbourne would finish the game with 11 men when Jahrome Hughes was sin-binned for a professional foul and Storm supporters were on the edge of their seats when Mansour scored in the corner off a Jarome Luai pass.
“It is hard to put into words- very disappointing obviously,” Penrith coach Ivan Cleary said.
“The opportunities don’t come that often. Frustrating game.
“I still can’t quite explain the game yet. I would love to have the game again tomorrow that’s for sure. I don’t think it was meant to be tonight. I don’t think we were ready for it.”
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