Storm vs Panthers Predictions: Cleary and Co. to achieve four in a row

The modern-day dominance of the Penrith Panthers will either be ended or extended on Sunday morning when they take on Melbourne Storm in the NRL Grand Final at Accor Stadium in Sydney (kick-off 09:30 BST, live on Sky Sports+ HD from 07:40).

Ivan Cleary’s outfit are aiming to become the first team since the St George Dragons in the 1950s and ‘60s to win fourth consecutive Australian rugby league championships, but the Storm were the last team to deny them back in 2020. Here are my Storm vs Panthers predictions ahead of the biggest game on the RL calendar.

Storm vs Panthers Odds

After winning the Minor Premiership, the Storm are billed as favourites for the season showpiece. Betfred have them as the narrow pick at 5/6, implying a 54.5% probability of Melbourne repeating their 2020 GF win over the Panthers.

Penrith are 21/20 for the win in 80 minutes, while the use of golden-point extra-time to decide the champions of Australia for the first time is 16/1.

Team News

The big news of the week was the failure of Nelson Asofa-Solomona’s appeal against a fourth-match ban for high contact on the Sydney Roosters’ Lindsay Collins in the Preliminary Final.

Despite many onlookers suggesting it was Collins who had initiated the contact, the giant Storm front-rower will have to sit out the Grand Final. Tui Kamikamica is the man named to replace him in the starting lineup, with Lazarus Vaalepu stepping up to the bench.

Rugby League Odds

Nathan Cleary’s troublesome shoulder has been the focus for many Panthers fans, with the talismanic half-back named as a starter as hoped but with Brad Schneider on standby on the bench.

Scott Sorensen has yet to appear in the Panthers’ play-off run, but he could be called up from his initial reserve slot if he is cleared to play after his hamstring issue. Matt Eisenhuth is the most likely man to make way on the bench if Sorensen does get the nod.

Panthers total points over 22.5 @ 7/5

While Grand Finals can so often be low-scoring, cagey affairs, molded in the fashion of a State of Origin Game 1, there are also those slugfests that can exhibit the very best of the sport’s attacking talent.

Just last year, the Panthers’ remarkable comeback from 24-8 down to beat the Ezra Mam-inspired Brisbane Broncos showed just what the best of the best can do with ball in hand.

And while I’m not about to tip another dramatic 18-point turnaround, I can definitely see a Panthers side sparked by Cleary, Jarome Luai and Dylan Edwards to score four tries.

The Storm might have been the best team in the country this season, but their defence could be leaky on occasion. And under the big game pressure I can well see Melbourne giving Cleary that millisecond advantage that he doesn’t need a second invitation to take.

Panthers by 1-12 points @ 21/10

I was very tempted to plump for the 1-5 margin market here, with the Panthers 6/1 to win by that slender amount. But I’m giving myself a little more leeway.

Basically, I’m just not prepared to back against the club which has won three successive Grand Finals. This is the same coach and many of the same players who have shown time and again that they have all the elements necessary to get the job done.

That is not to underestimate the Storm, it is simply recognition of the juggernaut that is this Penrith Panthers outfit. They have beaten some brilliant sides to get to the pedestal they currently sit on, even giving the Broncos that 16-point edge last season.

So I’m happy to put all my chips in with the champs, and with the buffer of the 1-12 margin market I reckon 21/10 is excellent value. Whether it comes in or not, I can’t feel bad about going with the team that always win. And I would also bet on it being an absolute cracker.

You can read all our latest Rugby League Betting Tips at our dedicated Betfred Insights Rugby League content hub.