2020 NRL Grand Final – Penrith Panthers vs Melbourne Storm Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Penrith Panthers vs Melbourne Storm taking place? Sunday 25th October, 2020 – 08:30 (UK)
Where is Penrith Panthers vs Melbourne Storm taking place? ANZ Stadium, Sydney
What is the expected weather for Penrith Panthers vs Melbourne Storm? 16c, rain
What channel is Penrith Panthers vs Melbourne Storm on? Sky Sports Arena will be televising selected NRL games in the UK and you can find their schedule here. For Australian broadcasters, you can find a list here
Where can I stream Penrith Panthers vs Melbourne Storm? If televised on Sky Sports, then subscribers will be able to stream the match live via Sky Go. Alternatively, the match will be available to subscribers of Watch NRL
Where can I get tickets for Penrith Panthers vs Melbourne Storm? Click here for ticket information on 2020 NRL matches
THE TEAM NEWS
PENRITH PANTHERS
Starting 13: Edwards, Mansour, Naden, Crichton, To’o, Luai, Cleary, Tamou, Koroisau, Fisher-Harris, Kikau, Martin, Yeo – Interchanges: May, Capewell, Leota, Tetevano – Reserves: Kenny, Burton
Unavailable:
- Penrith Panthers failed to hit the heights that they reached during the regular season as their performance in last week’s preliminary final fell short of those standards but it did not deter them as they still did enough to overcome South Sydney Rabbitohs and make it a magnificent 17 wins in a row.
- In a scrappy affair littered with errors, the Panthers booked their place in the Grand Final with a 20-16 success and they will perhaps be pleased that they found another way to win having only seen 45% of the ball in last week’s contest.
- Fijian second rower Viliame Kikau will come straight back into the run-on side after he served a one-match ban last week with Kurt Capewell reverting to the bench and that means Mitch Kenny is the unfortunate man to make way from the preliminary final.
MELBOURNE STORM
Starting 13: Papenhuyzen, Vunivalu, Lee, Olam, Addo-Carr, Munster, Hughes, J. Bromwich, C. Smith, Welch, Kaufusi, K. Bromwich, Asofa-Solomona – Interchanges: B. Smith, Faasuamaleaui, Finucane, Hynes – Reserves: Eisenhuth, Momirosvski
Unavailable: Marion Seve (Injured), Max King (Suspended)
- Melbourne Storm were simply too good for Canberra Raiders as they flew out of the blocks to blitz their opponents and secure their place in the Grand Final where a similar display would likely see them earn the premiership.
- This will be the Storm’s fourth final in five years, although they will be looking to right the wrongs of their last outing in 2018 when they were well beaten by Sydney Roosters as they failed in their quest to go back-to-back.
- Head coach Craig Bellamy has worked his magic once again this season with several notable improvers in his side and he has the luxury of being able to name the same 17 for this week’s clash in what could be future immortal Cameron Smith’s final game of rugby league.
THE PREDICTION
Melbourne Storm are no strangers to the NRL Grand Final under Craig Bellamy’s tutelage and in what is his penultimate season in charge before retiring, he will be desperate to add another premiership to his collection. That too will be the case of Cameron Smith, the champion hooker who could well decide to retire at the conclusion of this game. That story has dominated the backdrop of this game and Penrith Panthers will hope to capitalise on any distractions that may have caused. The minor premiers have been the most consistent team throughout the NRL this season and they have won an extraordinary 17 matches in succession but they will not want their year to be remembered for simply topping the ladder after 20 rounds. There is very little to split between the two teams with the pair posting similar numbers in both attack and defence but the manner of Melbourne’s win last week is hard to ignore. This could be an extremely tight contest in what should be wet conditions but Smith’s experience in guiding the Storm around the pitch could be crucial and if this is to be his swansong, it should be a successful one for the Melbourne skipper.
