In a pulsating contest between the two best NRL sides of the past decade, Penrith Panthers have beaten Melbourne Storm 14-6 to clinch the NRL premiership and become the first team since St George (1956-1966) to claim four consecutive titles. The historic grand final victory, before a crowd of 80,156 in Sydney, was again led by the “prince of Penrith”, Nathan Cleary, though Liam Martin claimed the Clive Churchill Medal as best player afield.
After local rapper The Kid Laroi finished a meandering set with a cover of INXS’s Never Tear Us Apart, it was time for the leading teams of 2024 to tear each other apart. Both sides ran out to AC/DC; Penrith to Hells Bells, Melbourne to Thunderstruck. It was fitting – two high voltage teams of alternating current about to ride the lightning.
