Penrith has secured a spot in their fifth consecutive NRL grand final by defeating Cronulla 26-6, setting the stage for a rematch against the Melbourne Storm, whom they faced in the 2020 final.
Nathan Cleary was instrumental in the preliminary final held at Stadium Australia on Saturday, contributing to three of Penrith’s four tries, executing a crucial 40/20 kick, and successfully converting four out of five goals.
However, concerns about Cleary’s fitness have arisen after he appeared to suffer a shoulder injury late in the match. Although he continued to contribute defensively after the incident, he was substituted as a precaution with five minutes remaining.
The 26-year-old had previously missed nine weeks during the season due to recurring shoulder instability, but he assured ABC Sport after the match that his shoulder was “all good.”
Cronulla put up a commendable fight during the game but struggled to capitalize on key opportunities. Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon acknowledged that his team was taught a valuable lesson in maintaining 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’s levels to it and we’re not quite there yet,” he stated during his post-match press conference. “I’m super excited about what we can do here… I just hate losing.”
The Panthers will be looking to claim their fourth consecutive premiership when they face the Storm on Sunday, October 6—a remarkable achievement that hasn’t been accomplished since St George’s 11 consecutive wins from 1956 to 1966. Penrith is also the first team to make five straight grand finals since South Sydney did so from 1967 to 1971.