Tears, titles and trick shots: Best of the Storm-Panthers rivalry

Modern day masters Melbourne and Penrith clash for the 48th time in their history on Thursday night at AAMI Park when another chapter will be written in a storied rivalry. 

The Storm hold a 31-16 advantage in their head-to-head clashes, including the 2020 grand final triumph, but the Panthers got the spoils in their most recent meeting in the 2024 decider to make it four premierships on the trot.

NRL.com takes a look back at some of the best matches involving Melbourne and Penrith since the Storm's foundation year of 1998.

Storm v Panthers: 12 of the Best

Round 7, 1998 – Storm make an early statement

The Storm announced themselves in a big way in 1998 with seven wins in their first eight games, including a 22-14 triumph over Penrith in the first meeting between the two sides.

A double to John Carlaw and tries to Paul Bell and Robbie Kearns was enough to get Melbourne home in front of 10,000 fans at Olympic Park.

The Storm would go on to finish the regular season with 17 wins and progress to the semi-finals, laying the foundation for their premiership success in 1999.

Round 5, 2004 – Famous Amos at the double

The Panthers won the competition in 2003 but one thing they couldn't do was beat Melbourne in their two meetings during their premiership year, so they had a point to prove early in 2004.

A crowd of 19,214 crammed into Penrith's suburban stadium for their second home game of the year and witnessed a high-scoring contest on a Sunday afternoon.

Amos Roberts crossed for a double as the Panthers skipped to an 18-6 lead before the Storm fought back with Matt King getting over the line twice.

Melbourne set up a grandstand finish but the reigning premiers held on to make a small statement with a 30-26 win.

Round 12, 2006 – Cronk's golden touch

A field goal to Cooper Cronk with 47 seconds left in extra-time proved the difference in a thrilling contest at Olympic Park in 2006.

It was the third time in the opening 12 rounds that Penrith had featured in golden point after a late try to Greg Inglis tied the game up late.

Luke Lewis was enormous for the Panthers at five-eighth but threw an intercept pass for Matt Geyer to run the length of the field. 

Cronk sent Jake Webster over before half-time before Michael Gordon put Penrith back in front in the 63rd minute.

Field goal attempts from Cronk, Cameron Smith and Steve Turner had no success before the Storm halfback booted them home in the final minute. 

Round 5, 2009 – Maloney's Storm debut one to remember

Melbourne were looking to avoid back-to-back defeats at Olympic Park for the first time since 2005 after the Titans stunned them at home a week earlier.

Storm coach Craig Bellamy handed an NRL debut to James Maloney with the late bloomer immediately adding some impact for the side. 

Penrith started their campaign with Luke Lewis in the halves alongside Jarrod Sammut for a 2-2 record and were searching for their first win against Melbourne in four years.

Nothing split the teams at half-time before a late penalty goal from Cameron Smith put the Storm in front and they defended their line for the final quarter of the game. 

Round 9, 2013 – Panthers defy the odds 

Penrith were languishing in 13th and long odds to beat Melbourne given their losing streak to the Storm had stretched to 11 matches since 2005.

However, the Panthers came out firing against a near-strength Storm outfit with three tries in the opening half – all of which weren't converted from out wide.

David Simmons crossed twice on the right edge while Travis Robinson scored from a Luke Walsh kick on the left to set up a 12-0 lead.

An irate Craig Bellamy let his team know they were in for a battle at half-time but despite holding the Panthers scoreless in the second half, they couldn't respond with points themselves as the streak ended.

Round 2, 2014 – Cronk puts the boot in

Melbourne were coming off a shock finals exit in 2013 and faced a Penrith outfit looking to improve under Ivan Cleary after two seasons of failure.

Both sides traded three tries and two goals each to set up a 14-14 scoreline late before Cooper Cronk nailed his first field goal attempt to give the Storm a one-point lead.

Not to be outdone, the Panthers hit back with 90 seconds left with a field goal through Peter Wallace.

However, some genius play from Cameron Smith, who found space to kick the ball out on the restart, earned the ball back for his side before Cronk slotted another one point to make it 18-17.

The Panthers were given a chance on the siren to kick a penalty goal after the Storm muddled up a short restart but Wallace's long-range attempt fell short.

Storm legend Billy Slater celebrated his 250th game with a win but also spent time in the sin bin midway through the second half for a professional foul.

Round 25, 2018 – Ciraldo's Cam-do attitude

A final-round match with plenty to play for with Melbourne eyeing the minor premiership and Penrith looking to lock in a home elimination final.

Anthony Griffin's sacking in August brought interim coach Cameron Ciraldo into the fold and the rookie Penrith mentor did what no other could do since 2005 – beat the Storm in Melbourne.

While the scoreline would suggest Penrith held on to a six-point lead for victory, an off-night with the boot from Nathan Cleary (1/6) flattered the Storm, who conceded five tries.

The Panthers were also forced to deal with the sin-binnings of Josh Mansour and James Tamou on separate occasions but held their nerve defensively.

Mansour and Waqa Blake scored doubles while Christian Crichton's intercept try late in the game helped secure the result.

Grand final, 2020 – First-half blitz seals it for Storm

The Panthers entered their first decider since 2003 as minor premiers following a 17-game winning streak with only Melbourne standing in their way.

The Storm had all the experience and led by Cameron Smith were always going to be a tough opposition given their success in the past.

A 28-0 scoreline after 45 minutes stunned the Panthers with Smith's try on half-time and Ryan Papenhuyzen's runaway effort making it a one-sided contest.

Penrith, to their credit, set up a grandstand finish with four tries in the final 28 minutes but their poor start brought heartache for Ivan Cleary's side

Round 3, 2021 – Kikau try-saver seals Panthers revenge

Penrith didn't have to wait long for a grand final rematch but the clash was nothing like the night in October with Nathan Cleary and Clive Churchill Medal winner Ryan Papenhuyzen both sidelined.

The retirement of Cameron Smith was another notable change but nevertheless, both sides put on a show to ensure the rivalry between both clubs was starting to build.

An opening try to Brandon Smith set the tone early for Melbourne before Charlie Staines levelled the scores from out wide.

The Storm looked to have had the result in the bag until a 78th-minute try to Kurt Capewell snatched Penrith the lead.

Not a team to go away without a fight, Melbourne had one last chance to snatch victory but the hands of Viliame Kikau held Justin Olam up over the line in one of the more miraculous finishes of the season.

Preliminary final, 2021 – Nathan's trick shot stuns Storm

Nathan Cleary produced a piece of magic in the third minute of the match at Suncorp Stadium to lay on a try for Stephen Crichton as the Panthers sent the defending champs packing.

The trick shot try was a carbon copy of one scored by Roosters winger Matt Ikuvalu against the Storm in round six and ultimately proved the difference in an engrossing contest won 10-6 by Penrith.

Coach Ivan Cleary had watched Roosters captain James Tedesco kick to the corner from dummy half under the Melbourne goalposts after noticing that Storm winger Josh Addo-Carr had come in-field and Nathan practiced the move in the build-up to the prelim final.

The tactic paid off when Nathan jumped into dummy half and kicked across-field for an unmarked Stephen Crichton to score one of the great finals tries.

Round 1, 2024 – Storm keep remarkable streak alive

The Storm produced a magnificent defensive display to down the premiers 8-0 and stretch their unbeaten opening round record to a staggering 22 years.

In front of a boisterous home crowd at AAMI Park, Craig Bellamy's men dug deep to launch their season in style without stars Cameron Munster and Nelson Asofa-Solomona.

A lone try to Reimis Smith in the 50th minute and two goals to Nick Meaney was enough for the Storm as the Panthers were held scoreless for the first time since Round 22, 2022, also against Melbourne.

Ryan Papenhuyzen returned from injury in style with 20 runs for 146 run metres while Storm skipper Harry Grant came up with 44 tackles, Eli Katoa made 37 and Trent Loiero 36.

Grand final, 2024 – Panthers complete the four-peat

The Panthers cemented their reputation as the one of greatest teams in the game's history with a clinical 14-6 victory over the Storm at Accor Stadium.

The Panthers became the first team since the mighty St George side of the 50s and 60s to win four premierships in a row and did it on the back of a barnstorming display by Clive Churchill Medal winner Liam Martin and the class and composure of Nathan Cleary.

The Storm struck first through Harry Grant in the 23rd minute before the Panthers responded just four minutes when Sunia Turuva crossed,

Martin's try just before half-time proved critical and Paul Alamoti crossed 20 minutes into the second term to give the Panthers a buffer they never surrendered.

The Panthers' back three of Dylan Edwards, Brian To'o and Turuva had 73 runs and made 646 metres between them.