Round 24: Panthers v Storm preview
We could be having a preview of the 2024 NRL Premiership Grand as Round 24's Thursday night special sees top-of-the-ladder heavyweights Penrith Panthers host the Melbourne Storm at BlueBet Stadium.
The season's pointy end has seen the Panthers hit scintillating form, on a five-game win streak, and Nathan Cleary firing on all cylinders. In their last outing, the Panthers managed to beat the Eels 36-34 at Commbank Stadium, something the Panthers had not been able to achieve at that venue since 2019.
It was an across-the-board show from the mountain men, with Brian To'o, Izack Tago and Sunia Turuva all scoring doubles. Nathan Cleary was again a standout, while Isaah Yeo led from the front.
But the game was not without incident and a headache for coach Ivan Cleary, as Panthers and Origin wrecking ball Liam Martin copped ten minutes in the bin for a dangerous tackle, resulting in a one-game suspension for this round. Scott Sorensen will also miss the game with a hamstring injury. The next men up to replace them will be Liam Henry and Mavrik Geyer. Panthers fans will be hoping the naming of Dylan Edwards and James Fisher-Harris in the reserves could be a late change closer to game day.
The Storm came off a somewhat shakey win against South Sydney in the last round, 28-16. Melbourne had been leading 22-4 at halftime but seemed to go to sleep and look for shortcuts, allowing Souths to test their resolve. Coach Craig Bellamy felt it was a lost opportunity to put their foot down against the opposition. Much like the Panthers last round, it was an across-the-board effort from the ladder leaders. Ryan Papenhuyzen, Jahrome Hughes and Harry Grant were all firing; even big Nelson Asofa-Solomona scored a try. But as Bellamy reiterated after the game, as a team, they went to sleep and made it hard for themselves, something that won't be as easy to get out of against the Penrith outfit.
The Storm forward pack will be boosted by Eli Katoa's return from a knee injury.
Last meeting: Round 1 2024 - Storm 8 Panthers 0
Who to watch: Of course, Captain Nathan Cleary will be out for a game on his home turf, with the minor premiership at stake and the only team standing in their way to play. The Penrith backline is settling in well around Cleary since his return, with Daine Laurie proving his worth while Edwards has been out - and the deputising fullback has an appetite for return metres. Tago and To'o were asked questions last week and were happy to answer them with high-performance rugby league.
With Martin out, Lindsay Smith gets a chance to flex his set of skills in the front row. Smith has shown agility for a big mobile forward and has been handy with the ball to boot as well. Yeo is destined to put a big performance in, as well as Moses Leota, who will lead the charge against an intimidating Storm forward pack.
And it's Nelson Asofa-Solomona who will put his hand up to get the attention of the Panthers pack. Being backed up by Grant, Katoa, Josh King, and Loiero means the middle will be a busy place for each team to assert dominance.
Before going to sleep, the Storms' supreme halves combination of Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes showed us why they are at the top of the ladder last round. Jack Howarth and Grant Anderson have been playing their part in the team's efforts of late and are not in a hurry to relinquish their promotions to the run-on side easily. The speedy Papenhuyzen and the athletic Will Warbrick wrap up a backline with a lot to tackle and some hard targets in the Panthers' backline to mark.
FAVOURITE: The consistency of the Panthers puts them at good odds to take the game this Thursday night. The Storm have been good, but Bellamy is keen to see the team go for the full 80 minutes.
MY TIP: The last match in Round 1 was trench warfare, and the Storm took it out 8-0. With almost a full season under their belts, these teams have shown they are the cream of the crop. Both have ‘X' factors, and both have been able to put on multiple tries with only moments remaining. It will be a battle across the board easily and likely a close game based around defence. The Storm will edge ahead from a big forward pack, the visitors by 2 to add fire to the finals season around the corner.
