A preview of the 2021 NRL Grand Final between the Penrith Panthers and South Sydney Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday 3 October, 7.30pm.
The Panthers come into the decider looking for redemption after last year’s loss to the Storm, while the Rabbitohs will be looking to send Wayne Bennett off in style with a remarkable eighth NRL premiership as coach.
Team news
The Panthers have been dealt a blow with recruit Tevita Pangai Junior ruled out with injury. However, they have a more than handy replacement with Moses Leota returning to the starting front row. There are also injury clouds over Dylan Edwards and Brian To’o but they have both been named and are expected to take their place on Sunday night.
The Rabbitohs have a settled lineup and are running with the same 17 as their first two finals.
There will also be a focus on the battle of the coaches after Cleary and Bennett traded words before and after their meeting in the first week of the finals.
Souths have the coaching advantage with Bennett boasting a remarkable 7-2 Grand Final record while Cleary is 0-1 after last year’s loss.
Click here for full team lists.
The form
Penrith (H&A 2nd, 21 wins, 3 losses)
Coach Ivan Cleary describes his young team as battle-hardened after having to do it the hard way in the finals. The Panthers are still not at their best in attack, but their defence is the best of any team this season. They have scored just four tries in their three finals but have allowed only four as well. They conceded less than 12 points a game this year and that record will be big come Sunday.
South Sydney (H&A 3rd, 20 wins, four losses)
Not many gave them a chance after star fullback Latrell Mitchell was rubbed out for the finals but they now enter the grand final as the form team after shocking Penrith in week one of the finals and dismantling Manly in the preliminary final. They averaged over 32 points a game this season, but it was their resilient defence that got them over the line against Penrith in the qualifying final.
The key matchups
Nathan Cleary (Penrith) vs Cody Walker (South Sydney)
The two maestros will have the bulk of responsibility for their respective sides on Sunday night. Individually they’ve been outstanding in their own right this season and were both selected in the Dally M Team of the Year. Cleary has been in control all year with his kicking game, composure and win rate (he’s only lost one game across NRL and State of Origin all season), while Walker has been creatively brilliant in attack for the Rabbitohs with an incredible 37 try assists.
All eyes will be on Nathan Cleary as he looks to guide his Panthers to a premiership. Cody Walker has been brilliant this season and could hold the key to a Rabbitohs win.
Isaah Yeo (Penrith) vs Cameron Murray (South Sydney)
They’re in no way the flashiest players on the field, but the two opposing No.13s are the heartbeat of their respective teams. The NSW Origin teammates are similar in their work ethic and ball-playing ability, but most importantly they’re both water-tight in defence and lead the way for their packs. Their match-up in the middle and how ruthlessly they apply kick pressure will go a long way to determining the winner on Sunday.
Isaah Yeo has become one of Penrith’s most important players this year. Cameron Murray continues to prove why he is one of the best middle forwards in the NRL.
The storylines
Penrith Premiership redemption
After a record-breaking 17-straight wins into the 2020 decider, coach Cleary was forced to admit his young Panthers side simply weren’t ready to win a premiership after they were beaten 26-20 by Melbourne. Another year on and with the pain still burning, they’re a tougher team for the experience. An amazing bond between the group of local juniors has again delivered Penrith to within one win of the premiership. Halves Jarome Luai and Cleary have a wicked strike rate too. Across all NYC, NRL and State of Origin games, they’ve won 55 of 58 games they’ve been partnered together since the start of under-20s.
Souths hoping to farewell Reynolds and Bennett in style
The mastercoach gets a 10th grand final in his third year at the club and can sign off a winner before handing over to Jason Demetriou next year. The Rabbitohs’ run to the decider makes Bennett the first man to coach four clubs in grand finals. He is almost certain to coach in the NRL again in charge of the 17th franchise, but it would be a fitting way for Bennett to head into his first gap year with a premiership. After a 10-year NRL career at Souths, club junior Reynolds will play his last game in the red and green before heading to Brisbane next season. A fairytale finish for the departing skipper is deserved.
Ivan Cleary is hoping for redemption after last year’s grand final upset loss. 
Wayne Bennett is looking to leave Souths with his eighth NRL premiership.
The stats
Penrith’s defence has been the best of any team since Melbourne in 2007 for the past two years, letting in a miserly 11.9 points per game in 2020 and 2011. The Panthers have used it to bail them out of trouble in each of the past two finals, and it will be difficult for South Sydney to penetrate again on Sunday.
Six of the past seven runners-up to make the following year’s grand final have won. That bodes well for a Penrith team who have constantly leaned on the pain of the 2020 loss to Melbourne to motivate them this season.
Blake Taaffe has had no problem slotting in for Latrell Mitchell at fullback for South Sydney. In his three games there since Mitchell’s ban, Taaffe has set up four tries while chiming in nicely as part of the Rabbitohs’ potent edges on both sides of the field.
The Rabbitohs’ defence is far superior to what it appears. While South Sydney ranked third for defence on this year’s ladder, they have averaged just 13.9 points per game against them since round 20.
History between the sides
Played: 88, Panthers won 40, Rabbitohs won 47, one drawn
Premierships: Panthers 2, Rabbitohs 21
This will be the first time the sides have met in a grand final.
Meetings in 2021:
- Round 11 – Rabbitohs 12 – 56 Panthers at Apex Oval, Dubbo
- Round 23 – Panthers 25 – 12 Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
- Qualifying final – Panthers 10 – 16 Rabbitohs at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville
The Panthers dismantled the Rabbitohs back in round 11, leaving plenty of question marks over Souths with no side ever winning an NRL premiership after conceding 50 points in a game during the season.
The Rabbitohs matched it with Penrith for much of their round 23 contest until the Panthers pulled away late.
Souths then shocked the NRL world with a gritty six-point win in a qualifying final that sent them straight through to a prelim and forced Penrith to go the long way to a grand final.
Pre match predictions
Wayne-ing fortune: Wayne Bennett to mastermind his seventh premiership in his final year at South Sydney. – Denholm Samaras
Cleary eyes, full hearts, can lose: Nathan Cleary to win a Clive Churchill medal in a losing team. – Denholm Samaras
Point-blank redemption: Nathan Cleary to nail a field goal from close range to deliver Panthers premiership redemption. – Vincent Samaras
Cult hero crosses: Souths cult hero Mark Nicholls crosses for the first try in the Grand Final. – Vincent Samaras
With AAP
Get all the latest Canberra news, sport, entertainment, lifestyle, competitions and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Canberra Daily Daily Newsletter. Sign up here.
