NRL Grand Final Tips & Preview - Melbourne Storm vs Penrith Panthers for the 2024 premiership

Ryan Tucker

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Last updated: 01 Oct 2024

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Ryan Tucker 01 Oct 2024

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Melbourne Storm vs Penrith Panthers expert predictions for Sunday’s Grand Final
Penrith aims for a fourth consecutive title
Key predictions: Penrith to win, game total under 41.5 points, Brian To'o to score a try

Can the Panthers make it four premierships in a row (Getty)

Melbourne Storm vs Penrith Panthers Predictions

The 2024 NRL Grand Final will be contested by the two best teams all year. Storm won both meetings in the regular season, but Penrith are bidding for a fourth straight premiership and are backed.

Melbourne Storm vs Penrith Panthers Predictions
Head to Head
Melbourne Storm Form
Melbourne Storm Team News
Melbourne Storm Team List
Penrith Panthers Form
Penrith Panthers Team News
Penrith Panthers Team List

The Panthers are predicted to have the answers to the Storm attacking questions and wrap this up in a game that will go Under the Total.

Penrith have scored 20 points or more in 3 of their last 4 Grand Finals.
This is the highest Game Total set by bookmakers since before 2019.
The Panthers were the best regular season defensive team allowing only 15.8 points per game.
Brian To’o has scored 10 tries in his last 8 finals matches at Accor Stadium

Head to Head

There is a lot of history between these two teams since the beginning of the 2019 season. They have clashed 13 times with 10 games during the regular season and three finals.

In 2020, the Storm and Panthers met in the Grand Final with Melbourne winning 26-20. This sparked what now has been total dominance from the Panthers with Penrith winning the next three Grand Finals in a row including sending Melbourne packing in the 2021 and 2023 finals series.

Melbourne did win both matchups this season, an 8-0 victory in Round 1 as well as a 24-22 win in Round 24

Melbourne Storm Form

The Storm took the 2024 Minor Premiership after finishing first on 19 wins for the season. They were the first team to book their spot in the Grand Final after dismantling the Sydney Roosters in the Prelim a week ago.

Melbourne have been the pinnacle of consistency for the majority of the season despite going through multiple periods without their first choice fullback, five-eighth, halfback or hooker.

A combined 25 games were missed by Papenhuyzen, Munster, Hughes and Grant through the regular season. Even with time missed the Storm finished 2nd in Points Scored, 1st in Linebreaks, 5th in Tackle Busts and 3rd in Scoring Defence.

They scored 37 and 48 points in their two finals games this year, dominating Possession and Territory in both matches.

Melbourne Storm Team News

Nelson Asofa-Solomona failed in his bid at the judiciary to have his high tackle ban reduced. He will therefore miss this game as well as a few games to start next season.

His spot in the front row is taken by Tui Kamikamica with Lazarus Vaalepu coming onto the bench.

Melbourne Storm Team List

1. Ryan Papenhuyzen

2. Will Warbrick

3. Jack Howarth

4. Nick Meaney

5. Xavier Coates

6. Cameron Munster

7. Jahrome Hughes

8. Tui Kamikamica

9. Harry Grant

10. Josh King

11. Shawn Blore

12. Eli Katoa

13. Trent Loiero

Interchange

14. Tyran Wishart

15. Christian Welch

16. Lazarus Vaalepu

17. Alec MacDonald

Reserves

18. Grant Anderson

19. Joe Chan

20. Kane Bradley

21. Tepai Moeroa

22. Sualauvi Faalogo

Penrith Panthers Form

The Panthers put away the Sharks in the Prelim last weekend to book their spot in their 5th consecutive Grand Final.

Penrith won 17 of 24 games during the regular season which saw them finish 2nd in the Minor Premiership. They were the best defensive team in the league throughout the year, allowing only 15.8 points per game to their opposition.

On the attacking end the Panthers accrued the most Run Metres per game at 1582m, finishing 6th in Points Scored, 2nd in Tackle Busts and 4th in Linebreaks.

They won their last two games of the regular season before going 2 from 2 in Finals with strong showings over the Syndey Roosters and Cronulla Sharks, those games never in doubt.

Penrith Panthers Team News

The Panthers are unchanged from the team that took them through the Prelim over the Sharks. Scott Sorensen is named in the reserves but there is still no word on his injury or chances to play.

Penrith Panthers Team List

1. Dylan Edwards

2. Sunia Turuva

3. Izack Tago

4. Paul Alamoti

5. Brian To'o

6. Jarome Luai

7. Nathan Cleary

8. Moses Leota

9. Mitch Kenny

10. James Fisher-Harris

11. Luke Garner

12. Liam Martin

13. Isaah Yeo

Interchange

14. Brad Schneider

15. Lindsay Smith

16. Liam Henry

17. Matt Eisenhuth

Reserves

18. Casey McLean

19. Scott Sorensen

20. Trent Toelau

21. Daine Laurie

22. Luke Sommerton

Verdict

2024 NRL Grand Final Melbourne Storm v Penrith Panthers

Penrith are backed to win a fourth straight Grand Final on the back of their defence with the total and margin staying close.

Penrith Panthers

Moneyline

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Under 41.5

Game Total

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Brian To'o

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