2024 NRL: Preliminary Finals Recap and Key Stats

Check out what happened in the preliminary finals of the National Rugby League competition.

Final Scores

STORM 48 d ROOSTERS 18
PANTHERS 26 d SHARKS 6

Review

The Melbourne Storm and the Penrith Panthers will play in the 2024 NRL Grand Final after winning their preliminary finals. It’s a rematch of the 2020 NRL Grand Final: the first of the Panthers’ five straight grand finals, and the Storm’s last premiership.

Infront of nearly 30,000 fans at AAMI Park, Jahrome Hughes scored a hat-trick against the Sydney Roosters and – if he wasn’t already – ensured he’ll be a boiling hot favourite for the Dally M next week. There was drama from the start, with Melbourne’s Nelson Asofa-Solomona sin binned from the kick-off after a high tackle on Lindsay Collins (who was ruled out for the rest of the game). The Roosters capitalised on the bin with a penalty goal and a try to Daniel Tupou for a 6-0 lead. But it was all Melbourne from there: Hughes scored a double as the Storm led 22-6 at half-time. And Jack Howarth scored after Ryan Papenhuyzen made a break off a 20-metre tap. The Roosters got back within six points with two tries in two minutes (Terrell May, Nat Butcher), before Hughes (his third try) and Papenhuyzen (his second) put the game away, while Cameron Munster finished off the demolition with his own double. The Roosters farewelled Jared Waerea-Hargreaves Joseph Sua’ali’i, Joey Manu, Sitili Tupouniua, and Luke Keary with this loss.

Penrith was too clinical for Cronulla-Sutherland in wet conditions at Accor Stadium, though the Sharks were reasonably competitive. The game threatened to turn in the 57th minute (with Penrith leading 10-2): Sunia Turuva was denied a try through an obstruction on Siosifa Talakai, Cronulla got a penalty for a high tackle on Thomas Hazelton (even though he was slipping before he was tackled by Mitch Kenny), then Sione Katoa scored to cut the margin to 10-6 with 20 minutes left. But Penrith settled, with tries to Brian To’o (off a beautiful Nathan Cleary cross-field kick), Paul Alamoti (his second), and Liam Martin. Though there was concern for Cleary after he seemed to aggravate his shoulder injury, so he was replaced by Brad Schneider with five minutes left.

Key Stats

• The Melbourne Storm made their eleventh grand final, winning 4 premierships and being runners-up 4 times, with 2 premierships stripped due to salary cap breaches.
• The Penrith Panthers became the first side since South Sydney (1967-1971) to play in six straight grand finals. They will make their eighth appearance in this year’s decider having won 5 premierships and being runners-up twice.