Good desperate defence from the Storm in the final minute to keep Panthers try-less.
Croft taking over for Smith, misses.
GREEN LIGHTS..TRY! Bromwich gets the all clear. Another four pointer for the visitors. Not enough evidence to over turn.
BUNKER TIME! Jesse Bromwich might have powered over.
PENALTY STORM! Pushing in the ruck. Storm in no rush. Tap and go.
8 away from Hazem!
PENALTY STORM!
Unhappy night for Edwards. He tries to get the set going, but spills it.
Smith moves two closer to the record.
Seve slices through! Simple ball and his leg movement just got him through some lazy defence. The interchange forward is swarmed by his teammates in the celebration.
The unhappy night continues for Penrith. Waqa Blake spills one right on their own goal line. Storm can add some icing to the celebration cake here.
That was the slickest the Panthers looked tonight. They created the opening on the right, but the swarming Storm defence covered it well.
A hat-trick of steals for Munster. Storm right on the attack.
Hugggge spiral bomb just takes an age to re-enter orbit, forcing Jahrome Hughes into an error. It will be a dropout. Can Penrith get back in the game? Nope. A short restart goes into Storm hands.
Almost the carbon copy of Addo-Carr's first try. This time, the final pass inside goes to Maloney instead who tries to start a counter.
Maloney sees one go through his fingers. That is the twelfth error tonight from the Panthers.
Toughest assignment tonight for Smith. Perched right on the sideline, swings it inside.
There is the try for Addo-Carr. Clinical movement through the hands from the Storm stripped numbers and Addo-Carr goes across then does some shadow boxing.
DWZ back on the field, and loses it on the inside ball.
Rare chance for the Fox tonight. He goes high to compete with Blake but can't come down with the ball.
CROWD: 10,973 in here at Bathurst.
MUNSTER AGAIN with a steal. Edwards tried to back into the defence but has the ball ripped away, as the five-eighth breaks down the right, trying to position Addo-Carr, who loses it.
Storm were streaming through in numbers again, denied by a forward pass. It looks like the machine has clicked into gear for last year's runners-up.
Smith makes it a dozen the difference.
A standard kick from Munster bounces softly in front of Edwards. The fullback makes a meal of it and the chasing Croft takes the four pointer.
Cautious start from both sides. Finding their way through the middle and kicking nice and deep on last. Blow for the Panthers as DWZ hasn't returned from the sheds.
Here come the two sides for a hopefully better second half. Storm looking to make it 3 from 3 to start the season while the Panthers need to get themselves into a rhythm.
HALFTIME! It won't be a half that lives long in the memory. Marred with penalties and errors, Storm have the only try through Cam Munster with a penalty goal from both teams complete the score.
Panthers try a short trick play in the final minute but Addo-Carr cleans up well. Storm have repelled the very basic attack that Panthers have thrown at them with ease.
He nails an elementary two. Storm out to a converted try lead.
PENALTY STORM! Brandon Smith gets the whistle. Waqa Blake tried to spark his side with a big hit on Munster but the half bounced again. Cam of the Smith variety will take the shot.
PENALTY STORM! Now the home side have erred against the referee. Smith sends them over halfway.
Liam Martin gets his first carry in the NRL, and like the rest of the contest, it is an error. Storm scrum.
PENALTY PANTHERS! A few quick charges and the Panthers catch the defense out.
Fuimaono, fresh on the field gets into the swing of things, dropping the ball.
Caught in two minds, Croft tried to kick before he had possession, Panthers survive.
Wonderful return from Cleary to evade several defenders and get into the field of play but he has it ripped away by Munster! Storm with it again.
PENALTY STORM! Some relief for the visitors. A piggyback penalty from their own end. Storm might have to be reintroduced to this end of the field. It hasn't seen action since the Munster try.
Panthers lose their way on last again. Ball hit the ground midway through the set, then on last, Winterstein is caught with the ball.
That was symptomatic of the Panthers issues early. They have looked good in possession but not really challenged the Storm line. The latest breakdown came when the ball just hit Tamou as he trailed through the line.
The Storm have repelled them brilliantly thus far. They have another set to go though, Maloney's low kick is shunted out. Smith puts the dropout near the halfway.
A nothing kick from Cleary gets a result! Cam Smith and Asofa-Solomona make a mess of the reception and we're set in a pattern currently.
Make it FIVE-nil! Storm way too eager on their line. Panthers tap and go.
PENALTY PANTHERS! Munster now doesn't clear the ruck. Count is 4-nil early to the home side.
Mediocre set close to the line from Penrith. They tried swinging both left and right but no chink in the Storm armour. Maloney's final tackle kick is calmly recovered by Vunivalu.
It's been an unhappy night thus far for Asofa-Solomona. Again, from the scrum this time he spills it.
Panthers get bodies in motion there, Edwards tried to get on the outside but a rushing Vunivalu forced the error.
Maloney shoots one through low on last, it looked too long but held just enough for Vunivalu to toe it dead. Repeat set incoming.
PENALTY PANTHERS! Offside from the rushing Storm defence. Panthers take their time and tap.
Nelson Asofa-Solomona spills it clean from a hit on kick-off! Panthers right on the attack.
Mid range effort to start for Cam Smith. The captain slides it inside the uprights perfectly.
GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! No touch from Addo Carr, the contact is cleared and Munster swoops onto the ball.
BUNKER TIME! Panthers make a mess of it at the back, and Munster looks to have profited. Checking if the Fox has touched it.
Panthers opt for the two. Maloney gets the tee out, 20 out on the left hand side. The veteran strides in, nails it.
First PENALTY of the evening for the home side. Panthers shoot for touch after Nelson Asofa-Solomona holds on too long in the tackle. Quickly followed by a second for a strip.
A short ball on the left, meant for Winterstein is spilled.
That wasn't an ideal finish. Storm kick is taken by the wind and Josh Mansour puts a foot across the line to make sure it's out on the full. Big chance for the home side.
James Maloney tumbles one through the frigid Bathurst air and off we go! Storm with first use.
Storm stride out onto a chilly Carrington Park, they're of course, in their traditional purple. The bell tolls, for the Panthers who get a good ovation, ready to kick off!
Welcome to the Central West for the final part of this Super Saturday. The undefeated Storm travel to Bathurst to take on the one and one Panthers! The visitors hold a commanding record against Panthers winning the last 15 of 17. Let's see how tonight goes.
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Ashley Klein, Adam Cassidy
Touch Judges: Jeff Younis, Drew Oultram
Video Referee: Jared Maxwell, Ben Galea
PENRITH PANTHERS (2)
Tries:
Field Goals:
Conversions:
Penalty Goals: James Maloney (1/1)
MELBOURNE STORM (32)
Tries: Cameron Munster, Brodie Croft, Josh Addo-Carr, Marion Seve, Jesse Bromwich
Field Goals:
Conversions: Cameron Smith (4/4), Brodie Croft (0/1)
Penalty Goals: Cameron Smith (2/2)