NRL grand final 2020: Melbourne Storm beat Penrith Panthers– live!

7.27am EDT 07:27

And with that, we should leave the Storm players to their celebrations. And the Panthers to their commiserations. Melbourne won it in the first half; Penrith ensured there was a period of squeaky bum time for the Storm as time ran out, but ultimately, Cam Smith’s team held on and are NRL premiers once again.

Thanks for joining us. Here’s Emma Kemp’s match report:

Updated at 7.39am EDT

7.14am EDT 07:14

The Storm players get up onto the stage and one-by-one receive their premiership rings from Craig Bellamy. Time for Cameron Smith to speak again – plenty of thank yous, respect for Penrith etc. Peter V’landys and Andrew Abdo get a mention for getting the competition back up and running. But nothing about his future plans, natch.

He signs off with some words of wisdom for his teammates: “Lastly, fellas, this 2020 season, it’s one like no other and what we’ve been able to achieve tonight, it’s – we’ll never forget it. We’ll remember it for the rest of our lives and a big congratulations to everyone, particularly the boys that are celebrating their first premiership. Hold on to that forever, boys.”

Cue Tina Turner….

7.08am EDT 07:08

The kid looks a bit overwhelmed. “This is unbelievable,” he says. “I’m pretty speechless. I got pretty emotional after the game. It’s been a bloody tough year. We didn’t know where we were going. We were sitting on the tarmac at Bankstown Airport and we didn’t have a clue where we were going. We just stuck together, we overcome and adapted and we got history.

“It’s been a great year. Been able to play with the GOAT and these boys again, thanks, Penrith. You are really good. 17 in a row is an unbelievable achievement. Well done to you guys. Thanks to our fans who stuck strong. Especially our ones back in Victoria. It’s a tough time back in Victoria. It’s a tough time back there at the moment and we wear the V on our jersey proudly. Can’t wait to go back there and celebrate with you guys, so thank you.”

Ryan Papenhuyzen lost for words on stage. Photograph: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Updated at 7.16am EDT

6.59am EDT 06:59

Josh Addo-Carr and Cam Munster, being nice about Penrith. Here’s JAC:

“We knew the Panthers would come out firing. We got the start that we wanted. You know, full credit to Panthers. They will be a very tough side for many years to come.”

And Munster: “We know what Penrith are like, the best team. Their attack outstanding. That’s the reason why they are the minor premiers. We knew we had to start well. We didn’t off the kick-off, but 50/50 in some tries there, just ended up getting the right bit of green. But full credit to Penrith tonight. It’s been the best team all year like I said.”

6.56am EDT 06:56

And the maestro Cameron Smith: “We did it the hard way there, 11 men in the end. Penrith were coming home with a wet sail and playing the footy they played all year. It’s just been terrific.

“As a club and team and organisation, we’ve admired what Penrith have done this year, to win 17 in a row in this competition, it’s a special effort. On top of what everyone’s been through this year, as I said before the game, it is going to be a great contest. There’s another couple of minutes on the clock, I don’t know what would have happened there. You’ve got to give credit to Penrith. They fought to the end.

“I’m just really proud of this – not just this football team that played tonight, the entire squad. There’s a handful of players there that they trained, they trained hard every year and applied it every day, applied themselves every day to help the 17 going out on the weekend and they didn’t even get a game of football this year. You know, the entire squad has done a fantastic effort. We haven’t been home for about five months. You know, just with the conditions that we’ve been under, I think it’s just a remarkable effort to be here tonight and to get a victory.”

6.53am EDT 06:53

A disappointed Nathan Cleary: “Super disappointing. I thought I let the boys down, but, yeah, hopefully we’ll be back.

“There were a few moments through our intercept and obviously the one at half-time, and, just let in too many ordinary tries. They were too good.

“We’ve got a taste of it now. It’s going to hurt for along time, but it’s fuelled us for next year. Train harder than ever now.”

6.51am EDT 06:51

Melbourne tryscorer Ryan Papenhuyzen: “I’m so emotional.Oh, wow! The whole day was just the unknown. You don’t know what’s going to happen. You’re so confident in the boys, but these guys coming off 17 in a row, the most butterflies I’ve ever had. These boys, we’ve done it so tough this year. We have the V on our jersey because back home they’re doing it a lot tougher than we are. That is unbelievable, so proud of the boys. I didn’t think I would be able to do one of these and we’ve done it.

“Our first half, that’s the best defensive performance I have seen from our side this year. We had confidence after last week that we could start well and done that. They came back strong at the end, but our first half definitely set the platform. That’s unbelievable.”

6.48am EDT 06:48

What a finish to the game! My goodness, the Panthers made you think they could actually pull off a miraculous comeback. In the end, they fell just short, as Melbourne Storm once again prove they’re the best in the business. Stick around for the post-match interviews.

6.46am EDT 06:46

Full-time: Panthers 20-26 Storm

80 mins: Such drama late on but the Storm hang on! Melbourne are NRL premiers!

6.45am EDT 06:45

Try: Panthers 20-26 Storm

80 mins: Cleary scores! He runs at the Storm defence all on his own and goes over! He declines the kick and they’ll have one final chance to score – one play to go the length of the pitch…

6.44am EDT 06:44

79 mins: It’s been one hell of a fight by Penrith, but they’ve simply run out of time. Melbourne look like they’re going to hold on. Meanwhile, Smith is sinbinned for a professional foul and the Panthers will finish with 11 men on the pitch.

6.42am EDT 06:42

77 mins: Time is running out for Penrith. Mansour can’t get on the end of a loose ball in the Storm in-goal following a Kikau kick… it’s not going to be their night.

6.38am EDT 06:38

74 mins: The Storm defence looks slight ragged as Penrith turn up the offensive heat. Lui kicks a high swirling ball forward which Papenhuyzen does really well to hold in the Storm in-goal. It’s now that the nerves will be heightened and errors can be made.

6.36am EDT 06:36

Try: Panthers 16-26 Storm

73 mins: The Panthers are back in this! Incredible scenes in Sydney! Lui throws a brilliant ball over the top to Mansour who’s all alone out wide and touches down! Cleary’s kick is askew, but still, we have a game on our hands here. Are the Panthers about the stage one of the greatest comebacks of all time?

6.34am EDT 06:34

72 mins: The Panthers have the wind in their sails now – they can smell a comeback. They get anther six as the crowd turns up the volume. Clearly jinks forward…

6.32am EDT 06:32

71 mins: Panthers ball. Crichton threatens. Storm repel the attack. But hang on – they’re looking into a professional foul now – Hughes on Kikau as the Panthers man looked to race onto a kick. Cam Smith argues the toss but it’s ruled as a professional foul and Hughes is off! Drama at ANZ Stadium with nine minutes to go in the 2020 grand final!

6.28am EDT 06:28

Try: Panthers 12-26 Storm

69 mins: The crowd erupts as Crichton gives the Panthers a glimmer of hope! Cleary is at the centre of the move, passing to Lee who in turn feed Crichton. The youngster steps inside and out before barrelling across the line and, with 11 minutes remaining, do we have a game on our hands?

6.25am EDT 06:25

67 mins: Papenhuyzen! What an athlete! He leaps yards over the touchline to knock a high kick back into play. Amazingly he keeps it alive – tremendous effort!

6.23am EDT 06:23

65 mins: A brief moment of excitement for the Panthers as they look to break on the left hand side, but Mansour’s unexpected attempted kick is smothered and the move fizzles out. The groan from the stands is audible…

6.22am EDT 06:22

63 mins: The Storm are nearly through again here after a brilliant pass from Kaufusi to Lee, but he is held up. Last tackle is called and the pressure eases.

Updated at 6.30am EDT

6.18am EDT 06:18

61 mins: Melbourne hold a 20-point lead, with 20 minutes to go, and they begin a new set on the 20m line. But they make a mess of it and Penrith come away with the ball.

6.17am EDT 06:17

60 mins: Even if Penrith received a boost from that try, time is rapidly running out for them to capitalise. A quarter of the grand final remains, and the Storm are again pressing forward.

6.15am EDT 06:15

57 mins: Dale Finucane is hit hard by Kikau, and the big man gets up gingerly. In fact, he’ll have to come off for an HIA. It’s a brutal game, rugby league.

Updated at 6.15am EDT

6.11am EDT 06:11

54 mins: Are Penrith back in this one now? Certainly the crowd have been revived by that try – and the slice of luck finally afforded to them.

6.10am EDT 06:10

Try: Panthers 6-26 Storm

53 mins: But hang on, Penrith look to have got one back! Yeo dinks a kick through and Brian To’o races onto it and grounds the ball right in the corner! There’s a degree of controversy over the legality of the kick in the first place, Yeo having taken advantage of running behind one of his own players, but the Bunker isn’t bothered about that. To’o is adjudged to have stayed in play and the try stands! Cleary adds the two, off the post and through.

Updated at 6.11am EDT

6.04am EDT 06:04

52 mins: It looks like the Storm have scored again, as play is switched from left to right. Hughes kicks through and Vunivalu sprints ahead of Mansour to touch down! But replays show it wasn’t a clean touch down, and the try won’t stand. Worrying signs for Penrith, regardless.

6.03am EDT 06:03

51 mins: Here come the Storm, surging down the left hand side of the ANZ Stadium pitch. The passing is slick, the running is hard…

6.01am EDT 06:01

48 mins: Mansour gets dragged back about 10m by three Storm players – not the direction the Panthers need to be going at this stage. Melbourne look in total control – and that feeling doesn’t go away as moments later Kikau is pulled up for touching the ball a second time as he tries to roll it under his boot. Oh dear, these errors are going to be costly for Penrith.

5.58am EDT 05:58

Try: Panthers 0-26 Storm

46 mins: Papenhuyzen scores! Is that it? Brilliant play from the Storm man who spots a hole in the Panthers’ line, puts his head down and hoons off to score what could be a crucial try for the Storm! Smith… misses with the extras! But still, a healthy lead has just got even healthier and the Panthers have it all to do.

5.54am EDT 05:54

45 mins: Moments later Penrith are called for a Leota knock-on. He challenges the call but after a brief break, it’s unsuccessful.

5.53am EDT 05:53

43 mins: Cleary launches a huge kick under pressure that Vunivalu allows to bounce. He recovers and the Storm go again with a fresh six. But Addo-Carr makes a hash of his handling, some confusion follows and there’s a knock on somewhere. Penrith will feed a scrum.

5.50am EDT 05:50

41 mins: And we’re back under way in Sydney. Given what Cleary just said, can the trophy engraver crack on with writing Storm on the premiership trophy as soon as Melbourne score again? Here they come early this second half… Munster kicks at the end of their six – a decent one at that.

5.48am EDT 05:48

Ivan Cleary still believes. “Obviously didn’t go quite to plan in the first half, but I think it’s important we score next. Doesn’t have to be straight away. We can’t concede another point, another try. We can do that. Anything can happen. Get some momentum going. That’s the goal at the moment. They don’t score again and we’re next to score.”

5.47am EDT 05:47

Sterlo on the TV has just said it will be the greatest premiership comeback if the Panthers can get back into this one. He’s not wrong.

Billy Slater, meanwhile, says of his old mate Smith becoming the all-time top points scorer in grand finals (42): “Just another record for Cameron Smith. Boy, didn’t he go to work in that first half. The great No 9, it started with an early kick out of dummy half. He turned the Penrith Panthers around and allowed his aggressive defensive line to get up and apply the pressure on it. He kicked multiple penalty goals and it’s just his true indication in defence, he’s so effective in that middle third of the field. He’s suffocating Penrith Panthers, but picking up the right options and also picking up the first try of his grand final career. So this is his grand final career. So this is his first grand final try. If this is his last game, he’s certainly making it count.”

5.44am EDT 05:44

The first 40 minutes in brief:

5.34am EDT 05:34

Half-time: Panthers 0-22 Storm

What a half of NRL football! It’s going to take quite some comeback from the Panthers if they are to catch the Storm after the break. Penrith will feel disappointed to be 22 point down without a reply, but many have found out to their cost that Cameron Smith in this kind of mood is an awful proposition. The irrepressible Smith has been immaculate with his kicking this half, and added that try late on for good measure. If this is going to be his last game, he’s going about making it a memorable personal performance.

There’ll be plenty more twists and turns to come. Time to take a breath for now though. Half-time show coming up…

5.28am EDT 05:28

Panthers 0-22 Storm

40 mins: Smith celebrates a try! The immediate call is “no try”! Koroisau knocks the ball out of Smith’s hands as he tries to pass, but the veteran picks it up quickly, spots an opening and dives over the line. There’s no problem with that and Smith has his try! He adds the extras and the Storm will head into the sheds with a commanding lead!

5.25am EDT 05:25

38 mins: Oof, Asofa-Solomona surges forward as Melbourne threaten the Penrith line again.

5.23am EDT 05:23

36 mins: The intensity-ometer has just been turned up, as a couple of bone-crunching tackles come in from the Storm defence. The ball eventually goes forward and Melbourne will feed a scrum. The challenge for Penrith now is to keep Melbourne out until the half-time siren sounds.

5.20am EDT 05:20

34 mins: Melbourne get another set of six – and another chance inside the Panthers half to trouble the scorekeepers. Smith goes to Munster, who is brought down 5m out from the line before Kaufusi attempts a kick that is smothered. The Panthers survive.

Updated at 6.29am EDT