Melbourne Storm came for the king – and they missed by an agonising margin.
Two attempts to score tries in the second half told the story. The Storm looked to have regained the lead minutes into the restart after some outrageous athleticism from Xavier Coates kept a high ball from going out of bounds.
Jack Howarth is brought down in the grand final.Credit: Getty Images
Jack Howarth, the Storm’s youngest starting player, caught the pass from Coates and tried to burrow his way over the line.
One replay made it appear a try, but whatever the review bunker saw resulted in a no-try ruling.
Some longer blades of grass or the tilt of the camera and maybe the Storm win the match. Grand finals are won and lost on such moments.
Instead, Coates was beaten in the air on the hour mark and Panthers centre Paul Alamoti sprinted for the corner, diving one hand and touching the ball down just before the Storm’s chasers arrived.
That gave the Panthers a 14-6 lead, the eventual final score, and the tiring Storm, despite summoning all they could to mount a comeback, couldn’t regain the lead.
Penrith were going for four straight titles, the Storm for their first since 2020 and Accor Stadium was heaving with Panthers and Storm faithful who travelled from all parts to see history.
Despite Storm skipper Harry Grant scoring the first try on 22 minutes, the Storm were forced to defend for their lives for much of the first half and in crucial passages at the finish when they desperately needed two more tries.
They will rue the odd error or missed tackle, but they asked the Panthers every possible question – and the now four-time champions answered them.
Eliesa Katoa, Grant, Trent Loiero and several others were relentless, while Jahrome Hughes and Ryan Papenhuyzen had no chances to break free of the Penrith defence.
Katoa’s ability to force two turnovers would win many other deciders, as would the drive Grant provided from dummy half.
This Storm side is youthful enough to use this experience and come back determined to go one better in 2025.
That will seem a lifetime away right now, but the Panthers will lose players next year and the Storm will gain plenty from this night.
When you are trying to take down a historic champion, you have to have things go your way, and the Storm didn’t conjure enough of those moments.
Xavier Coates keep the ball in before Jack Howarth’s no-try.Credit: Getty Images
Storm star Cameron Munster was put on report in the final minutes for an alleged bite on Alamoti, whose arm was just under Munster’s mouth. Referee Ash Klein said he couldn’t be sure, but he saw saliva on Alamoti’s arm and put it on report.
Munster could be heard saying he swears he didn’t do it. The replay wasn’t convincing but on the night, the Panthers were.
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