Full Time
80:00
7:30pm Sun October 25, 2020
Grand Final - Accor Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park / Wanngal - Crowd: 37303
80min

FULLTIME :: Melbourne Storm are the 2020 Premiers!

80min

Panthers get the kick-off with four seconds to go. The ball flies left, right and everywhere.. it ends up in the hands of Felise Kaufusi.

79min

One play left.

79min

Conversion: Panthers
Attempted by Nathan Cleary.

The halfback declined the kick.

Storm lead Panthers 20 - 26 Storm
79min

Try: Panthers
Scored by Nathan Cleary. Kick to come.

Cleary steps, steps and gets to the line.

Storm lead Panthers 20 - 26 Storm
79min

Brandon Smith now goes off the field. Professional foul.

78min

Panthers try to find something to keep the game interesting but Papenhuyzen and Vunivalu do enough to concede the dropout.

76min

Smith tries to throw one short and it goes forward. Panthers scrum.

75min

Papenhuyzen with a short kick and trapped Edwards. Goal line dropout.

74min

Edwards tries to take the bomb but spills it. Storm can kill it here.

73min

Nathan Cleary was caught on fourth. It leaves the kicking duties to Luai whose bomb is too deep. Seven tackle set for the Storm.

71min

Conversion: Panthers
Attempted by Nathan Cleary.

Cleary misses.

Storm lead Panthers 16 - 26 Storm
71min

Try: Panthers
Scored by Josh Mansour. Kick to come.

GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! Obstruction cleared. Mansour tipped toed down the sideline and scores.

Storm lead Panthers 16 - 26 Storm
71min

BUNKER TIME! Checking for obstruction. Mansour might have got in.

70min

RED LIGHTS.. NO TRY! It was never going to be a TRY. The bunker has to ruled that it is a professional foul from Hughes. He is off to the sin bin. He won't make it back.

70min

BUNKER TIME! Hang on here. Has Jahrome Hughes had a professional foul to stop Kikau there.

68min

PENALTY PANTHERS! James Fisher-Harris has a messy PTB. He gets the whistle.

68min

Conversion: Panthers
Kicked by Nathan Cleary.

Cleary quickly converts.

Storm lead Panthers 12 - 26 Storm
68min

Try: Panthers
Scored by Stephen Crichton. Kick to come.

GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! Quick look and he got it down. Crichton was stopped there and he kept moving to the goal line.

Storm lead Panthers 10 - 26 Storm
68min

BUNKER TIME! Crichton might have crossed.

67min

Panthers try to spin it on last. Naden got free, released Cleary who pinballed. Last sees them die with the ball.

66min

Oh dear! Ryan Papenhuyzen shows off some amazing leaping ability. He flies over the sideline and bats it back for Vunivalu to take.

65min

PENALTY PANTHERS! Crichton gets stripped.

63min

Storm show some wonderful rugby league there! Kaufusi sliced through, found his fullback and Brenko Lee goes close. Panthers see out the set and get a seven tackle set.

62min

Kikau has tried to catch the Cleary bomb and loses it.

60min

Storm hand it right back and Craig Bellamy who was ropable moments ago. He would be more than that after that knock on. Followed quickly by a strip that is pushed forward.

58min

PENALTY STORM! Naden offside. It was a mess of a play.

58min

Panthers again drop it coming from their own end. Storm are ready to celebrate this victory.

56min

Crichton loses it as the Panthers have to play catch up now.

56min

PENALTY PANTHERS! Going on with the tackle.

55min

Storm are so good they let Dale Finucane have a kick! It wasn't bad but the Foxx is marked. Handover.

52min

Leota overruns the ball. Panthers hand it right back.

52min

Conversion: Panthers
Kicked by Nathan Cleary.

Cleary gets his first shot of the night.He nails it.

Storm lead Panthers 6 - 26 Storm
52min

Try: Panthers
Scored by Brian To'o. Kick to come.

GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! After a lengthy check, the obstruction is cleared. To'o got the put down right. This is going to be talked about again.

Storm lead Panthers 4 - 26 Storm
52min

BUNKER TIME! Panthers try to find something. We have NO TRY. Checking obstruction, put down and touchline. A lot to see here.

51min

PENALTY PANTHERS! Kikau continues to try to find something. He strode through and got a penalty.

51min

RED LIGHTS.. NO TRY! That wasn't in the same postcode. Vunivalu with an obvious knock on.

51min

BUNKER TIME! Vunivalu might have his second. Checking grounding.

50min

PENALTY STORM! Panthers are running on empty here. Could be dangerous.

49min

Kikau loses the ball, again.

48min

PENALTY PANTHERS! Offside.

47min

Storm tried again to make something happen on the left. It fell apart. Here comes Brent Naden! He looks to do something for the Panthers.

44min

Panthers go short. Storm recover.

44min

Conversion: Storm
Attempted by Cameron Smith.

Smith looking to continue his clean record tonight. First tough kick and he sprayed it.

Storm lead Panthers 0 - 26 Storm
44min

Try: Storm
Scored by Ryan Papenhuyzen. Kick to come.

Blink and you'll miss it! Storm make them pay off the scrum. Papenhuyzen dummies and goes the length of the straight. GAME. SET. BINGO.

Storm lead Panthers 0 - 26 Storm
44min

Oh dear, Moses Leota loses it. CHALLENGE! It was a loose carry. UNSUCCESSFUL.

43min

Storm tried to find some space from their own end but it ended up just rolling across the sideline. Panthers ball in prime territory. Can they be first to strike?

40min

KICK-OFF! The last half of NRL for 2020 is underway!

40min

Storm roll out onto ANZ Stadium, looking to finish this contest off. The Panthers have shown they have belief all season but they're going to need a lot of it to pull this one off.

40min

HALFTIME :: Wow what a half. Storm in complete control.

40min

Conversion: Storm
Kicked by Cameron Smith.

Smith converts his own try. Lovely moment of his daughters celebrating the four-pointer on replay.

Storm lead Panthers 0 - 22 Storm
40min

Try: Storm
Scored by Cameron Smith. Kick to come.

GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! Knocked out by Api Koroisau. Smith picked it up like a routine ball and dives over.

Storm lead Panthers 0 - 20 Storm
40min

BUNKER TIME! Cam Smith might have one before the break. Checking the handle.

38min

PENALTY STORM! Leg pull breaks down the play. Storm can see out the half with the ball.

37min

Panthers trying to play some football from their own end. Passes to the left and May throws it forward. Storm can probably put this to bed with more points.

33min

Nothing has gone right for Kikau this half. He tries to keep it going but knocks on. On further inspection. It is not a good call.

30min

Conversion: Storm
Kicked by Cameron Smith.

Another easy kick, another goal for Smith.

Storm lead Panthers 0 - 16 Storm
30min

Try: Storm
Scored by Suliasi Vunivalu. Kick to come.

Panthers have been frustrated into that. Cleary tries an extravagent pass and it only landed to Vunivalu. The winger slipped, got up, brushed off the defender and took it the distance.

Storm lead Panthers 0 - 14 Storm
26min

PENALTY PANTHERS! Offside. Panthers can strike back.

26min

Penalty Goal: Storm
Kicked by Cameron Smith.

Cam Smith will take a further two points here. That is his third goal of the night.

Storm lead Panthers 0 - 10 Storm
25min

PENALTY STORM! Brandon Smith was ironed out after he passed. The Cheese is Gooda to go.

24min

Kikau loses it again. He charged hard at Jahrome Hughes, got through the line, lost it forward though.

21min

Penalty Goal: Storm
Kicked by Cameron Smith.

Smith has the ball on the tee. After what was an deluge of pressure from the Panthers. Smith will pilot home the penalty goal.

Storm lead Panthers 0 - 8 Storm
21min

PENALTY STORM! Panthers force an error but Kikau was offside. Storm will take the two.

20min

The kicking game for the Panthers hasn't been it's usual slick self thus far. Cleary's latest was batted back by Kikau but Vunivalu was there to wrap up.

16min

Storm have been dogged in defense thus far. They have repelled the Panthers from the potent second kick. The first one was hauled in by Liam Martin and shifted wide, again to Crichton, whose third effort is reeled in.

15min

RED LIGHTS.. NO TRY! Crichton was easily held up. The Panthers have it on last.

15min

BUNKER TIME! Stephen Crichton tries to burrow in. Checking held up.

14min

Panthers have been messier than the scene at Panthers leagues club (I assume) but they get six more. Right on the attack.

13min

Good shot from Liam Martin and Nathan Cleary to dislodge it from Kenny Bromwich.

11min

PENALTY STORM! Kikau passed it off the ground. He got one-on-one with Hughes, beat him but messed it up with the pass.

7min

RED LIGHTS.. NO TRY! Stephen Crichton has taken out the man. The slick move is chalked off and the majority Panthers crowd in Sydney are ropable.

7min

BUNKER TIME! Panthers might have hit back. Checking the lead runner, touchline and grounding.

6min

We have our first set restart of the night. Panthers camped on the line.

3min

Olam loses it again on an early shift. It's judged a knock on.

3min

Conversion: Storm
Kicked by Cameron Smith.

Cam Smith gets a kick from in front now. He nails it.

Storm lead Panthers 0 - 6 Storm
3min

Try: Storm
Scored by Justin Olam. Kick to come.

GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! Wow. IT IS A PENALTY TRY! Tyrone May used his legs to kick the ball out and Olam in the referee's opinion was going to score.

Storm lead Panthers 0 - 4 Storm
3min

BUNKER TIME! Justin Olam might have the opener. Called NO TRY. Checking grounding and foot on the sideline.

3min

Now Panthers have thrown it away. Koroisau tried to find an offside marker but lost it.

2min

Storm see off the first raid. It was a tame kick from Cleary and Jesse Bromwich was there to fall on the ball.

1min

That is NOT how you start the Grand Final! Jahrome Hughes let the ball bounce, Brenko Lee was almost sent into touch then Felise Kaufusi knocked on.

KICK-OFF! Here we go. Nathan Cleary has it on the tee. He boots it into the watery Sydney sky and we're underway!

Both teams have entered the field! It has become real Panthers and Storm fans! 80 minutes from glory or defeat? Who knows! Let's enjoy this game of footy! Two sides - who have been the true class of this season - ready to rip and tear. Panthers were Minor Premiers and both times have gone on win the Premiership. Storm are just consistency personified. Will they win it for possibly their captain's final game (only time we'll mention this) but either way, the rain brings the theatre and the players will bring the drama to end what has been an extrodinary season. As they say in Celebrity Death Match 'lets get it on'

Trophy and ball delivered with a club legend from each clubs assisting that being Ryan Hoffman and Greg Alexander (with some stylish gloves) and we're so close to kick-off!

Welcome to the 2020 NRL Grand Final! The pre-game kicked off in terrific fashion with a parade of retiring/departed NRL and NRLW players before Hannah Southwell & Nathan Cleary were awarded the Player's Champion awards. It was lovely to see Amy Shark a Titans fan and worked for the club got the crowd grooving with her set which featured an INXS cameo. Now we're getting set for the last of the festivities before the big dance (sorry guys) kicks off.

Referees & scorers:

Referee: Gerard Sutton

Touch Judges: Todd Smith, Chris Butler

Video Referee: Steve Chiddy

PENRITH PANTHERS (20)
Tries: Brian To'o, Nathan Cleary, Stephen Crichton, Josh Mansour
Field Goals:
Conversions: Nathan Cleary (2/4)
Penalty Goals:

MELBOURNE STORM (26)
Tries: Justin Olam, Cameron Smith, Suliasi Vunivalu, Ryan Papenhuyzen
Field Goals:
Conversions: Cameron Smith (3/4)
Penalty Goals: Cameron Smith (2/2)