The Penrith Panthers claimed grand final redemption with a 14-12 victory at Suncorp Stadium as South Sydney playmaker Adam Reynolds’ missed a sideline conversion attempt that proved decisive.
Last year the Panthers were defeated by the Melbourne Storm in the grand final, but they would not be denied again in an equally enthralling contest.
In a see-saw match there was little to separate the two sides. When Brisbane Broncos-bound, homegrown South Sydney product Reynolds stepped up to convert Alex Johnston’s 74th minute try, all eyes were on him. But he missed the kick and with little time left on the clock, he was forced to attempt a desperate 40-metre field goal attempt which also missed, handing Penrith their first premiership title since 2003.
“I expected to nail that,” a dejected Reynolds said post-game.
There were some opening minute nerves from referee Gerard Sutton when he wrongfully ruled a knock-on against Jarome Luai, which Penrith’s captain’s challenge swiftly overruled.
Penrith capitalised on sustained pressure in the opening 10 minutes with Blake Taaffe repeatedly tested under the Nathan Cleary high-ball. Souths showed great resilience in defence to hold out the Panthers’ relentless attack, with front-rower Mark Nicholls even wrestling an unlikely one-on-one strip to give his side back some rare possession.
After 16 minutes, off the back of three line drop-outs on fifth-tackle plays, Penrith finally found a crack in the Rabbitohs defence when they chose to run the ball on the last. Luai attracted Souths defenders before a beauty of a pass to put Matt Burton through a massive gap to score the first try of the night.
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