The Penrith Panthers entered the 2024 season as the best team of the modern era, having won three straight Premierships. Having lost so many players due to salary cap restraints in previous seasons, the clubs also had to deal with the impending losses of key players Jarome Luai, James Fisher-Harris and Sunia Turuva following this season. As a result, this season become “The Last Dance” in the eyes of many.
The first shots in the 2024 Premiership race were shot in round one of the season, when the Melbourne Storm shut down the Panthers with an extremely impressive 8-0 over the defending premiers. It set the tone for the season for the Storm, as they would go on to claim the 2024 Minor Premiership with three rounds left in the season.
The Panthers looked very strong throughout the season but they did have things to overcome. Nathan Cleary would miss the majority of the season dealing with a nagging hamstring injury and they would part ways with Taylan May due to off field issues. The State Of Origin series had an effect, but despite that the Panthers didn’t lose their place near the top of the ladder. While the Storm walked away with the Minor Premiership, the Panthers finished in second place, and as the finals series rolled around, they got all of their players back and everyone was available for selection.
The 2024 NRL Finals showed that the Storm and the Panthers were just a class above everyone else. Both teams marched to the Grand Final with little to no trouble.
In 2020, the Melbourne Storm had beaten a young Penrith Panthers team in the Grand Final. That was the first of what would be five Grand Finals in a row for Penrith. Over those years, the Panthers went from a young team with no experience, to the best team in the modern era who boasted more Grand Finals experience than the Storm.
The 2024 Grand Final was an epic encounter. Both the Storm and Panthers played outstanding football, it was an extremely tense game, and both teams looked at their best. The Storm crossed first via a try to captain Harry Grant, but the Panthers would hit back just a few minutes later as Sunia Turuva crossed in the corner.
The game felt like it was balanced on a knifes edge until just before halftime when Nathan Cleary would put Liam Henry in for a rampaging try! The Storm looked tired, having been worked over in the middle of the field by Penrith in an extremely fast contest, and it was clear this was a hammer blow to their chances.
After half time the tense battle would continue, and while the Storm did everything they could do break down the Panthers defense, this great team just kept strangling the life out of the minor premiers.
The game was broken open in the 60th minute through a try to Paul Alamoti, giving the Panthers and 8 point lead. The Melbourne Storm’s attack had been phenomenal all season, and they continued to try and get themselves back into the game as they were being warn down by the Panthers defensive waves.
When the game was over, both teams were completely spent. The Panthers has become the 3rd best team of all time, having secured their fourth Grand Final victory in a row, and Liam Martin would be named the Clive Churchill Medalist as the best on the ground.
The Penrith Panthers – The 2024 Grand Final Team
1 Dylan Edwards
2 Sunia Taruva
3 Izack Tago
4 Paul Alamos
5 Brian To’o
6 Jarome Luai
7 Nathan Cleary
8 Moses Leota
9 Mitch Kenny
10 James Fisher-Harris
11 Liam Martin
12 Scott Sorensen
13 Isaah Yeo
14 Luke Garner
15 Brad Schneider
16 Lindsey Smith
17 Liam Henry
18 Matthew Eisenhuth
Coach: Ivan Cleary
Penrith Panthers 14
Tries: Sunia Taruva, Liam Martin, Paul Alamoti
Goals: Nathan Cleary 1/3
Melbourne Storm 6
Tries: Harry Grant
Goals: Nick Meaney 1/1
The win gave the Penrith Panthers their fourth straight Grand Final victory, having won in 2021, 2022, 2023 and now 2024. They secured the third longest streak of Premiership victories behind the South Sydney Rabbitohs (1925-1929) and St George Dragons (1956-1966). The win was their 12th straight finals victory in a row, which is a record.
This was the 6th Premiership in the Penrith Panthers history, dating back to 1967.
This victory secured the Panthers place as one of the greatest teams in the history of the sport.
