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Penrith winger Brian To'o has scored three tries in near perfect Panthers victory over Melbourne to advance into their fourth consecutive NRL grand final.
The Panthers ran over the top of the Storm 38-4, a record winning margin in a preliminary final.
To'o scored a hat-trick of tries, on the back of a brilliant game by Panthers captain Nathan Clearly.
At times on Friday night, Penrith barely got out of second gear and made light work of a Storm side short on power and panache.
Any hope Melbourne had relied on them being disciplined and faultless to stop Penrith from getting into their groove.
Their patience lasted a little over two minutes, Marion Seve giving away a penalty which allowed the Panthers to attack and finish their set with Brian To'o going over in the corner.
Justin Olam hit back for the Storm before dropping another with the line beckoning which prompted the first of several skirmishes with Melbourne brute Nelson Asofa-Solomona front and centre of it all.
Asofa-Solomona was happy to throw his weight around and, when he hit Nathan Cleary off the ball in the 15th minute, a further melee kicked off.
Nelson Asofa-Solomona of the Storm scuffles with Panthers players during the NRL Preliminary Final match between the Penrith Panthers and Melbourne Storm at Accor Stadium on September 22, 2023 in Sydney, Australia.(Getty Images: Brendon Thorne)
Cleary kicked a penalty goal and with Asofa-Solomona hooked by Craig Bellamy soon after, Penrith cut through the Melbourne middle with ease.
It didn't help that as Asofa-Solomona watched on, prowling from the sidelines, his Storm teammates continued to drop balls or give the Panthers piggybacks up the field.
Lock Isaah Yeo, who was a standout for Penrith, guided his side into the right areas with To'o adding a second and Sunia Turuva crossing to give the Panthers an 18-4 lead at half-time.
Melbourne mustered a fight for the early part of the second half but their lack of respect for the ball cost them once more.
Cleary and Dylan Edwards profited, crossing twice in a four-minute salvo to knock the wind out of any Storm fightback.
To'o crossed for his second career hat-trick and Cleary nudged over a penalty late in the game to twist the knife even further and give the Panthers a unique shot at history.
Livewire five-eighth Jarome Luai was given an early mark after emerging unscathed in his first game back since suffering a dislocated shoulder.
The 34-point margin was the largest in a preliminary final in the NRL era.
Penrith became the fifth side to make four consecutive deciders since grand finals became mandatory in 1954.
It was a big game tonight that turned into a complete mismatch thanks to the dominance of this Panthers team, that has joined four of the all time greats in making four-straight grand finals.
Tomorrow at a sold out Lang Park, we'll find out who they will meet.
Will it be the Broncos?
Will it be the Wahs?
I'll be on hand at Lang Park to bring you all the action from the second preliminary final.
Keep your eyes on ABC Sport for all your analysis of what we've seen tonight from Nick Campton, who's been tapping away on the keys at the Olympic Stadium for us.
I'll see you back for live coverage tomorrow night.
Lots of love for dad from Nathan Cleary
(ABC Sport)
Bloodied.
Bruised.
Far from bowed.
Nathan Cleary paid tribute to dad Ivan after the match on ABC Radio.
"I know he’s my dad, but it’s special," he told ABC Sport.
"He doesn’t do it for the accolades, he does it for the club. We love him."
Will the Warriors or Broncos be able to do any better?
Thanks for the blog Simon, not the result I was hoping for but probably what was expected. Go Broncos tomorrow.
- Mike
All eyes will switch to Lang Park tomorrow, where the Broncos and Warriors will meet to decide who will be given the opportunity to challenge these Panthers in the grand final next week.
Both teams have their plans I'm sure - but they have a big game to get through first.
Happy Birthday Stephen Crichton
Stephen Crichton, who won't forget his 23rd birthday any time soon, has been speaking to Channel 9.
"Pretty special. My last year, this was the goal at the start of the year.
"These guys have been with me ever since the start of the journey from my debut. The same group since the start. They have been with me all the way to the end.
"It was good to get the win in front of our home fans, and in front of my family.
"Penrith has always been my home since I've moved over from Samoa. I went to the club and gave them 100 per cent next week to get the win. Should be good."
Jarome Luai's shoulder 'all good'
(ABC Sport)
Jarome Luai was excellent tonight - especially given his shoulder was dislocated just 29 days ago.
"We did it to ourselves, we gave away too much ball," he says.
"Can’t do that against a side like Penrith.
"[We] need to have a hard look at ourselves and come back next year."
He has a point.
A 68 per cent completion rate, 14 errors, a penalty count of 9-4 against Melbourne ... the statistics don't lie.
The Storm also gave away two ruck infringements and two inside 10 metre penalties.
Too many.
The Panthers, meanwhile, only made eight errors.
Early arm wrestle key for Panthers win: Brian To'o
(ABC Sport)
Hat-trick hero Brian To'o has just been speaking to ABC Radio.
"It was an arm wrestle at the start," Brian To'o tells ABC Sport
"To come out on top was really good."
He had 164 metres from 19 runs, 46 metres post-contact, 11 tackle breaks.
Hugely impressive.
Isaah Yeo had a brilliant game too
(Getty Images)
A Panthers-high 188 metres from 22 runs for the Panthers forward — 57 of those metres post-contact.
He also made 34 tackles, second only to Mitch Kenny for the Panthers in this match.
Nathan Cleary was extraordinary again
(Getty Images)
One try, one try assist, 18 points in total.
He ran the ball 14 times for 93 metres.
It's another magnificent performance.
Panthers are through to the grand final
(Getty Images)
Too easy for Penrith in the end.
This Panthers team are special - who is going to stop them?
Penrith are on the cusp of history and have got there without really breaking a sweat.
Astonishing dominance from the Panthers over the Storm tonight in front of 35,000 in Sydney.
Penrith 38-4 Melbourne
An eighth-straight finals victory.
A fourth-straight grand final.
The biggest preliminary finals win in NRL history.
77' Panthers dominating
There were three line breaks each in the first half.
The Storm have had five to nil in this second 40.
James Fisher Harris tries to make it six with a break little burst but his pass is fumbled forward by Cogger and although Edwards picks up the loose ball, he is not allowed to go on with it.
75' Shoulder charge Storm
The Storm need to keep their composure now.
That's a bit shoulder charge from Marion Seve on Izack Tago.
There's a bit more of a flash point now - that line in the sand is a very distant memory.
A Panthers player is saying "that's what it's for" presumably asking for a sin bin.
Might not be a bad idea.
Nathan Cleary is taking the heat out of things by taking a shot at goal though and he makes it 38-4.
73' Dangerous tackle Storm
Jack Cogger is scragged pretty high by Will Warbrick chasing back.
There are bodies all over the place actually after a couple of hits on Storm players as they chipped a loose ball through the Panthers line.
But the flash point comes as Cogger is nailed.
Panthers players fly in from everywhere but there's nothing really in it.
69' BRILLIANT FROM THE PANTHERS
Isaah Yeo made the half-break with Storm players hanging off him down the middle of the pitch.
The Panthers move the ball to the right side quickly, Cleary takes the ball to the line, passes quickly to Izack Tago, who flicks it on in the same motion to Brian To'o who dives over in the corner.
(Getty Images)
It's a hat-trick for To'o.
Penrith are romping home now.
Cleary adds the extras, 36-4 is the score.
66' Penrith fail to complete a set
For only the third time tonight the Panthers fail to complete a set.
James Fisher-Harris failed to play the ball correctly, with Liam Martin lurking for the pick and go.
It's a rarity in this game.
63' Nathan Cleary stabs a kick in to earn a repeat set, twice
Brilliant stuff again from Nathan Cleary.
He is ghosting around all over the place whenever the Panthers have the ball and this time pokes a little stab kick through into the in-goal.
Jahrome Hughes tries to get out of the jam he finds himself in — but cannot and the Storm will have to drop the ball out from under their posts.
They kick it 20 metres this time, but back come the Panthers and Cleary again with a little stab kick through, this time Olam is there to punch it behind with Edwards in close attendance.
59' Nathan Cleary is opened up!
A head impact from a Trent Loiero tackle sees Nathan Cleary's eye opened up — there's a lot of claret.
(Getty Images)
You'd think that would have to be an HIA — but nothing surprises me.
He's been strapped up and is good to continue ... OK.
58' Nelson Asofa-Solomona on report
The wheels have already come off for the Storm — but now the axles are bending and twisting.
Nelson Asofa-Solomona is pinged for a dangerous tackle and has been placed on report.
57' Jarome Luai is off
The cotton wool comes out for the shoulder of Luai.
Jack Cogger comes on for him.
55' Dylan Edwards seals it!
(Getty Images)
Jarome Luai moved to the left side, found Stephen Crichton, who held off Jahrome Hughes and flicked a delightful pass wide out to Turuva, who then passed inside to Dylan Edwards and there is no stopping the Panthers now!
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