2024 NRL Grand Final
| Company type | Sporting event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rugby league |
| Founded | 6 October 2024 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
Area served | Australia |
Key people | Ivan Cleary (Penrith Panthers coach), Craig Bellamy (Melbourne Storm coach), Liam Martin (Clive Churchill Medalist) |
| Products | Rugby league match |
Number of employees | 80,156 (attendance) |
The 2024 NRL Grand Final served as the conclusive match of the 2024 National Rugby League season in Australia, taking place on 6 October at Sydney’s Accor Stadium. The reigning champions, Penrith Panthers, overcame the minor premiers Melbourne Storm with a 14–6 victory in front of 80,156 attendees, achieving their fourth straight premiership and sixth overall title. The Clive Churchill Medal for best player on the field was awarded to second-row forward Liam Martin.
Preceding the main event were the 2024 NRL State Championship and the NRL Women's Premiership Grand Final. Coverage was provided live by the Nine Network, with Australian rapper The Kid Laroi headlining the pre-game entertainment.
Background
| Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| QF | Cronulla Sharks (H) | 37–10 |
| PF | Sydney Roosters (H) | 48–18 |
| Legend: (H) = Home ground; (A) = Away ground; (N) = Neutral venue | ||
| Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| QF | Sydney Roosters (H) | 30–10 |
| PF | Cronulla Sharks (N) | 26–6 |
| Legend: (H) = Home ground; (A) = Away ground; (N) = Neutral venue | ||
The 2024 NRL season represented the 117th professional rugby league campaign in Australia and the 27th under the National Rugby League banner. It consisted of 27 rounds followed by a finals series featuring the top eight teams.
The 2024 Melbourne Storm season, marking their 27th year, was guided by coach Craig Bellamy with captain Harry Grant. Playing home fixtures at AAMI Park, Melbourne topped the ladder with 44 points and a 19–5 win-loss record, earning the J. J. Giltinan Shield as minor premiers. The club also set a new record for average home attendance at 21,067 spectators.
In their 58th season, the 2024 Penrith Panthers season was overseen by coach Ivan Cleary, with co-captains Nathan Cleary and Isaah Yeo. Hosting matches at BlueBet Stadium, Penrith secured second place on the ladder with 40 competition points and a 17–7 record.
This grand final represented only the second occasion Melbourne Storm and Penrith Panthers faced off in a championship decider, following their encounter in the 2020 premiership—the Storm’s most recent grand final appearance and last premiership triumph. That 2020 final also marked the beginning of Penrith’s unprecedented streak of five consecutive grand final appearances, a run unmatched since the era of the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 1971.
During the 2024 regular season, Melbourne secured two victories over Penrith: an 8–0 win at AAMI Park in round 1 and a narrow 24–22 triumph at BlueBet Stadium in round 24. Their latest finals meeting occurred in the 2023 preliminary finals, where Penrith dominated with a 38–4 victory.
Team selection
For Penrith, Dylan Edwards, Brian To'o, Jarome Luai, Nathan Cleary, James Fisher-Harris, Liam Martin, Moses Leota, and Isaah Yeo each participated in their fifth straight grand final.
Returning from a hamstring setback, Penrith forward Scott Sorensen replaced Luke Garner on the interchange bench, while Matt Eisenhuth was moved to the reserves.
Following a five-match suspension after the preliminary final, Melbourne Storm forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona was sidelined. This resulted in the inclusion of Lazarus Vaalepu, who made his seventh NRL appearance and stood as the least seasoned grand finalist since 1994.
Melbourne retained the rest of their lineup unchanged; four players had prior grand final experience, notably including Cameron Munster in his fifth such match.
Broadcasting
The event was broadcast live across Australia's Nine Network and New Zealand's Sky Sport. Radio listeners could tune in via the ABC, Triple M, 2GB, and the SEN.
Entertainment
The game-day entertainment was headlined by Australian rapper The Kid Laroi.
Officiating
Ashley Klein served as referee for his third NRL grand final, assisted by touch judges Chris Sutton and David Munro, with Grant Atkins overseeing bunker operations.
Attendance
The match attracted a crowd totaling 80,156 spectators.
Match summary
<section begin=scoreboard/>Template:Rugbyleaguebox<section end=scoreboard/>
|
FB || 1 || Dylan Edwards
WG || 2 || Sunia Turuva
CE || 3 || Izack Tago
CE || 4 || Paul Alamoti
WG || 5 || Brian To'o
FE || 6 || Jarome Luai
HB || 7 || Nathan Cleary
PR || 8 || Moses Leota
HK || 9 || Mitch Kenny
PR || 10 || James Fisher-Harris
SR || 12 || Liam Martin
SR || 19 || Scott Sorensen
LF || 13 || Isaah Yeo
IN || 11 || Luke Garner
IN || 14 || Brad Schneider
IN || 15 || Lindsay Smith
IN || 16 || Liam Henry
CS || 17 || Matt Eisenhuth
Post-matchBy clinching their fourth straight premiership, the Panthers became the first team since the St. George Dragons in 1959 to accomplish such a streak. Their sixth overall title places Penrith tied for seventh in the all-time Premiership rankings, alongside the Brisbane Broncos. Holding five championships during the NRL era, they have outpaced both the Sydney Roosters and Melbourne Storm, establishing themselves as the most decorated club since 1998. Opening matchesThe grand final was preceded by two opening fixtures: the NRL State Championship and the NRL Women's Grand Final, each aired live throughout Australia on the Nine Network. References |
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