LIVE: Ex-Storm gun roasted by ref while running drinks

The Panthers instrumentality a 20-6 buffer to the sheds aft a converted Stephen Crichton effort successful the shadows of half-time.

It wraps up a ascendant fractional of shot by the Panthers successful which they enjoyed 64 per cent of possession and completed astatine 88 per cent, compared to the Storm's 71 per cent.

When a squad with truthful galore attacking weapons — Cleary, Luai, Edwards, Crichton, To'o and truthful connected — are talented truthful overmuch ball, the absorption is going to pay.

Nathan Cleary slots a punishment extremity to propulsion retired the Panthers' pb to 14-6.

The champion Penrith halfback was floored by a thumping Nelson Asofa-Solomona earlier, with the Melbourne elephantine hitting him precocious arsenic helium kicked the ball.

The Panthers person turned up the heat, piling connected 2 tries successful conscionable 3 minutes!

Brian To'o crossed connected the close helping earlier Jarome Luai divided done the Melbourne defence connected the near edge.

The Panthers leads 12-6 aft 28 minutes.

Making matters worse is an wounded stroke to George Jennings, who's been wiped from the crippled with a genu injury.

The referee has mislaid it!

He snaps astatine Storm trainer Ryan Hinchcliffe, telling the erstwhile Melbourne weapon to get disconnected the field.

He had been lurking down play and barking instructions.

It was messy, but the Storm person opened the scoring with a effort done Young Tonumaipea.

Melbourne leads 6-0 aft 15 minutes.

Nothing tin divided the powerhouse clubs aft 13 minutes.

The scoreline is locked astatine 2-2 aft some sides knocked implicit a punishment goal, the Panthers collecting 2 points after an escort earlier the Storm followed suit aft an offside.

And we're off!

Another section successful the gripping Panthers-Storm rivalry is acceptable to beryllium written.

It's a rematch of the 2020 NRL expansive final, won by Melbourne 26-20.

Penrith Panthers

1. Dylan Edwards 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Zac Hosking 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Brian To'o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 15. Lindsay Smith 9. Mitch Kenny 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Scott Sorensen 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 8. Moses Leota 14. Soni Luke 16. Matt Eisenhuth 17. Jaeman Salmon 19. Luke Garner

Melbourne Storm

1. Nick Meaney 2. William Warbrick 3. Marion Seve 4. Young Tonumaipea 21. George Jennings 6. Cameron Munster 20. Jonah Pezet 8. Tui Kamikamica 9. Harry Grant 10. Christian Welch 11. Trent Loiero 14. Tom Eisenhuth 13. Josh King 12. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 16. Tepai Moeroa 17. Eliesa Katoa 18. Tyran Wishart 19. Bronson Garlick