A lot has changed since 2020.
Back then, the Panthers were a crew of hotshots looking to complete a daring turnaround from 10th to premiers within the space of 12 months.
The Storm, on the other hand, were fuelled by back-to-back heartbreaks at the hands of the Roosters and looking to notch another title for skipper Cameron Smith whose ‘will-he-or-won’t-he’ retirement decision had dominated the airwaves in the preceding months.
Even though Covid had threatened to derail the season, both squads made it to Grand Final day in late-October.
Only a touch over 37,000 people were allowed into ANZ Stadium that Sunday to spectate a Grand Final chock-full of sliding doors moments.
Penrith – whose competition-best defence had helped them to an 18-1-1 record and the club’s first minor premiership in 17 years – found themselves lost in the moment early and never really had a chance to recover.
PNG international Justin Olam was awarded a penalty try just three minutes into the contest before the Storm found themselves happy to nudge further ahead via penalty goals.
Suliasi Vunivalu picked off a Nathan Cleary cut-out a half-hour in to race off 80 metres downfield and swan-dive his way into the in-goal area before the ever-wily Smith picked up a ball which had been knocked loose from his grip to dive over next to the sticks and make it 22-to-nothing heading into the break.
A 22-year-old Ryan Papenhuyzen sliced through off a yardage scrum in the early exchanges of the second forty to extend the lead further and all but ensure that the Provan-Summons Trophy was Melbourne-bound.
Four tries in the final half-hour somehow saw Penrith within six points with time still left on the clock but their final-play Hail Mary attempt was thwarted and Melbourne celebrated.
Papenhuyzen took home the Clive Churchill, Smith retired, and Penrith went into the summer fuelled by a pain that would spur them to three-consecutive premierships and counting.
Everyone knows the story by now.
Stephen Crichton’s intercept propelled them past Souths for No.1, a Dylan Edwards masterclass saw them tear apart Western Sydney rivals Parramatta for No.2, and Cleary put together the greatest 20-minute stretch the sport has seen to break Brisbane’s hearts and secure No.3.
No one really knows what awaits this Sunday.
Melbourne are the minor premiers and have scored 85 points through their two postseason wins (and 213 points across their past five outings).
Penrith have been forced to rely on their regenerative pathways system to replace the players they have been forced to shed each season courtesy of the league’s salary cap.
Josh Mansour, James Tamou, Matt Burton, Kurt Capewell, Viliame Kikau, Apisai Koroisau, Stephen Crichton and Spencer Leniu have all departed with Jarome Luai and James Fisher-Harris set for their final games in Penrith colours this Sunday.
Izack Tago, Mitch Kenny, Lindsay Smith, Sunia Turuva and Liam Henry are just some of the juniors who have enjoyed remarkably smooth transitions into the top grade.
Eight Panthers who tasted the heartbreak of the 2020 decider will be there again this Sunday whilst just four Melbourne counterparts will stand opposite them.
The Storm and Panthers have been the premiership’s two standout sides over the past seven months – it is only right they meet in the season’s final game.
Nelson Asofa-Solomona will miss the clash due to his high shot which knocked fellow big man Lindsay Collins out in the opening carry of last week’s prelim.
Lazarus Vaalepu – a 25-year-old rookie hailing from Queanbeyan – comes onto the pine with Fijian international Tui Kamikamica starting.
Penrith meanwhile have again named Scott Sorensen among the reserves as he looks to return from a hamstring problem.
What happens on Sunday night is anyone’s guess – those backing against Penrith in recent years haven’t had much joy but Melbourne’s recent run of form is hard to look past.
Facing the ferocious one-two punch of Fisher-Harris & Leota – or one-two-three punch should you include the best lock of the modern era Yeo – the Storm middles will look to punch above their weight as they have done all season to give their megastar spine quartet the necessary space to score points.
Both teams play conflicting styles – Melbourne will look to play fast and give their daring attackers as many opportunities as possible to create.
Penrith will rely on their outside backs out of yardage to keep their forwards fresh for defensive purposes with Nathan Cleary’s boot to be called upon to strangle the Storm territorially.
There are too many storylines to cover heading into this one: the battle of the mastermind coaches, Fisher-Harris and Luai’s Penrith swansongs, Dally M favourite Hughes vs. consensus best player on the planet Cleary, Papenhuyzen’s stunning injury comeback, Penrith’s Fourpeat dream. You name it.
Rugby league will be the winner, of that I’m certain.
