Penrith has secured a spot in their fifth consecutive NRL grand final by defeating Cronulla 26-6, setting up a rematch with the Melbourne Storm, whom they previously faced in the 2020 final.
In Saturday’s preliminary final held at Stadium Australia, Nathan Cleary was the standout player, assisting in three of Penrith’s four tries, executing a crucial 40/20 kick, and successfully converting four out of five attempts at goal.
However, Cleary’s fitness may be a concern ahead of the grand final next Sunday against the Storm after he appeared to injure his left shoulder in a late tackle. Although he managed additional defensive work following the incident, he was removed from the game as a safety measure with five minutes remaining.
The 26-year-old halfback had already missed nine weeks earlier in the season due to ongoing shoulder issues but assured ABC Sport after the match that the injury was “all good.”
While Cronulla displayed resilience throughout the match, they found it difficult to capitalize on scoring opportunities. Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon acknowledged that his team learned a valuable lesson about pressure and execution at critical moments.
“They’re a team in the middle of a dynasty and we’re a team in the middle of development; there are levels to it, and we’re not quite there yet,” he remarked during his post-match press conference. “I’m super excited about what we can do here… I just hate losing.”
The Panthers will be seeking their fourth consecutive premiership when they clash with the Storm on Sunday, October 6. This achievement has not been matched since St George’s remarkable run of 11 championships in a row from 1956 to 1966. Moreover, Penrith is the first team to reach five successive grand finals since South Sydney managed it from 1967 to 1971.