Grant strikes gold as Melbourne storm to classic win
Dave Lyall |
It was an NRL grand final rematch, seen as a potential rehearsal for the 2025 title bout, and Melbourne and Penrith produced a thriller befitting the billing.
Melbourne came from behind, with skipper Harry Grant doing a Harry Houdini to get his side home 22-18 in golden point at CommBank Stadium in Sydney on Thursday night.
Grant stood up when it mattered most to deceive the Penrith defence, who were waiting for a Cameron Munster field goal, to dash 10 metres from dummy half untouched to score the match-winner.
It was Grant’s second big play of the dying stages after he had forced a successful late field goal from Nathan Cleary to be called back when Moses Leota was adjudged to have been a blocker for the Storm hooker’s charge-down attempt.
“Harry’s too smart both ends. That’s pretty much it,” was how Panthers coach Ivan Cleary described the end to the game.
His son, Nathan, cut a frustrated figure when describing the Leota penalty incident.
“If it was in the field of play and you run a block shape, it wouldn’t be an obstruction, because they ruled that out,” Cleary said.
“If you’re defending a three-man, you play for the obstruction, then they don’t want that in the game. But for some reason, it’s different for a field goal.
“I thought the blocking rule was brought in so people wouldn’t stand next to the play, next to the play-the-ball. Moses wasn’t in that position.
“I don’t believe that everyone can get behind me on that field goal and then, essentially, Harry played for it because he knew he was going to get the penalty. But I don’t think Moses moved at all either, so that was pretty frustrating.”
Grant deferred the credit for his winning play, instead singling out a Trent Loiero charge-down on a Cleary field-goal attempt late in regular time.
“Throughout the game our team turned up and really had some selfless acts that kept us in the game and put us in those positions,” Grant said.
“I think Penrith dominated field position throughout the game and I think Trent’s charge-down, that’s the match-winner for me.
“I think we all know the amount of work that Trent got through throughout the game, but we all know how good of a kicker Nathan is. We all know how good he is with his field goals.
“So I think for him to put himself in the position and make that play, that’s what kept us in the game.”
Munster started at fullback in the absence of Ryan Papenhuyzen, and the Storm struggled for cohesiveness in attack in the first half, weathering a wealth of early territory and possession for the defending premiers.
The courageous five-tries-to-three victory for the Storm, in one of the most important games of the season, has thrown down the gauntlet to their premiership rivals.
Penrith came out firing in the opening exchanges and a 10th straight win beckoned, going into the break up 12-4, before Xavier Coates opened the scoring in the second half with an intercept try to turn the tide Melbourne’s way.
The Storm scored again through Joe Chan and Marion Seve, interspersed by a Scott Sorensen four-pointer, but neither team could break the deadlock in the final 16-minute arm-wrestle.
Both sides had chances to score as regular time wound down, Cleary having two field goals denied in the final minutes.
Then it was on to golden point, and Grant’s moment of deception delivered Melbourne a memorable win.
AAP
