Unstoppable Panthers go a fourth and prosper with epic NRL grand final win over Storm
Penrith have joined St George and South Sydney as the only teams to win four or more consecutive premierships in the code’s 116-year history following an epic 14-6 win over Melbourne.
Liam Martin has an ambition. To do his late brother proud. You reckon he got a thumbs up on Sunday night.
Martin was inspirational and then some as Penrith won their fourth straight NRL premiership in a thunderous 14-6 triumph over Melbourne.
What a premiership decider in front of 80,156 spectators at Sydney’s Accor Stadium. Bruising, brilliant. The start was more helter-skelter than the opening strides of The Everest horse race. Players were pinballing, zigzagging, hurtling downfield at a frantic pace. Blokes looked knackered after 15 minutes. They found another 65 in a riveting, bone-jarring, jaw-dropping game that went run-for-run, hit-for-hit, basically point-for-point until the iron-willed, unstoppable opportunistic Martin blew proceedings wide open just before halftime.
With the Storm leading 6-4 in the 38th minute, Martin scored in typical fashion. Head down, backside up, going like the clappers, charging forward like he might go through the grandstand wall. He roared in his crowning moment like few have roared before. If he plays with the strength of two men, there’s a reason.
Martin’s older brother, Jarred, was lost to suicide a decade ago. The teenage Liam couldn’t be found in the aftermath. He was eventually located, sobbing, at his local football ground. Yes, Jarred would have been proud of his little brother’s non-stop defensive commitment and courage. And his attacking intent and aggression. Equally, little brother should have been proud of himself.
“I can’t believe it. I’m still pinching myself,” Martin said after the match.
“That was tough. It was so hard. It’s a dream come true.”
The Panthers joined the legendary St George Dragons (1956-1966) and South Sydney Rabbitohs (1925-1929) as the only clubs to have won four or more consecutive grand finals in the code’s 116-year history. The rarest of air, confirmation of one of the great dynasties. The one-time “chocolate soldiers” wore electric pink and produced a performance of brutal, breathtaking beauty. Blistering attack, bulldozing defence, pretty in pink. The “chocolate soldiers” tag was a sledge of their incompetence in the days when they couldn’t win a chook raffle. Chocolate soldiers no more. They’re forgotten how to lose.
The Storm opened the scoring when captain Harry Grant – described as “a good little leader” by his mother during the week – threw a dummy, went right, threw another dummy, went left and gave his side a 6-0 lead after 22 minutes. A great little leader, doing his duty, but the Panthers struck back almost immediately with a four-pointer that was executed as meticulously as a professional dance routine.
Co-captain Nathan Cleary shovelled the ball to Jarome Luai, who used his magic hands to tap the ball to Paul Alamoti. He pirouetted and sent Sunia Turuva over in the corner – before Martin was rewarded for his heart-and-soul effort with his game-breaker.
The Storm were on the wrong end of a controversial call in the 49th minute.
They were trailing 10-6, hanging in there, when Jack Howarth went agonisingly close to scoring despite the attention of a handful of Panthers defenders. It was such a close call the “Bunker” video review system was asked to adjudicate. The eye in the sky ruled in favour of the Panthers and that was all she wrote.
An absolute highlight of a rollicking night was the ferocious man-on-man battle between Martin and Storm playmaker Cam Munster. During a spicy build-up, Munster claimed Martin, his Australian Test teammate, hated him, which was news to Martin, who said everything was fine. They ripped into each other as if they wanted to take it out to the car park. Martin roared like few have roared before when he put the Panthers ahead. And again at full-time. Thumbs up.
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