Storm coach Craig Bellamy’s perfect record remains intact after his side pulled off a gritty 8-0 win over the reigning premiers Penrith in Melbourne.
Bellamy made it 22 straight Round 1 wins to continue an incredible record that dates back to his first season as an NRL head coach in 2003.
It took an eternity but the first and only try of the match but it finally arrived when Storm centre Reimis Smith crossed out wide in the 50th minute.
The Panthers had only just had a try of their own rubbed out for obstruction and from the ensuing penalty Cameron Munster’s replacement, Jonah Pezet, put a bomb up for Smith to score in the corner.
Melbourne centre Nick Meaney looked certain to score on the stroke of halftime before an epic try-saving cover tackle from Dylan Edwards and Taylan May.
Meaney booted a penalty goal in the 10th minute and it proved the only points of a scrappy first half that included 11 penalties and 14 errors.
The Panthers had their chances but a string of uncharacteristic errors from their star players, including co-captains Nathan Cleary and Isaah Yeo, stifled their attack all night.
It’s the first time Penrith have been kept scoreless since Round 22, 2022, and marked a fifth straight upset to open the 2024 NRL season.
Here are three of the biggest talking points out of the match from NCA Newswire’s Lance Jenkinson.
