2025 R3 Thu - Melbourne 30-24 Penrith @ AAMI

[League Unlimited News]

NRL 2025 - Round 3
Melbourne Storm v Penrith Panthers
AAMI Park, Melbourne / Wurundjeri (TICKETS)

Thursday 20 March 2025
Kickoff 8:00pm AEDT.
Live on Nine, 9Now, Fox, Kayo.

1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Grant Anderson 3. Jack Howarth 4. Nick Meaney 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Shawn Blore 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Trent Loiero
14. Tyran Wishart 15. Alec MacDonald 16. Tui Kamikamica 17. Lazarus Vaalepu
18. Bronson Garlick 19. Joe Chan 20. Kane Bradley 21. Coby Williamson 22. Nelson Asofa-Solomona

Changes from last round:
Out: Will Warbrick (wing)
In: Grant Anderson (wing), Bronson Garlick (reserve), Joe Chan (reserve), Kane Bradley (reserve), Coby Williamson (reserve), Nelson Asofa-Solomona (reserve)

1. Daine Laurie 2. Casey McLean 3. Izack Tago 4. Paul Alamoti 5. Brian To'o 6. Jack Cole 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. Lindsay Smith 11. Scott Sorensen 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo
14. Brad Schneider 15. Isaiah Papali'i 16. Liam Henry 17. Luke Garner
18. Blaize Talagi 19. Trent Toelau 20. Matt Eisenhuth 21. Luke Sommerton 22. Thomas Jenkins

Changes from last round:
Out: Dylan Edwards (fullback)
In: Brad Schneider (bench), Isaiah Papali'i (bench), Blaize Talagi (reserve), Trent Toelau (reserve), Luke Sommerton (reserve), Thomas Jenkins (reserve)
Changes: Daine Laurie (bench to fullback), Matt Eisenhuth (bench to reserve)

Referee: Adam Gee Sideline Officials: David Munro, Phil Henderson Video Referee: Chris Butler

HEAD TO HEAD - 1998 - 2024​

	TOTAL	MEL	PEN	DRAWN
ALL MATCHES	47	31	16	0
AAMI	9	8	1	0

LAST FIVE MEETINGS​

YEAR	ROUND	RESULT	VENUE	CROWD
2023	Round 23	PEN 26-6	BlueBet	19953
2023	PF	PEN 38-4	Accor	35578
2024	Round 1	MEL 8-0	AAMI	20169
2024	Round 24	MEL 24-22	BlueBet	20516
2024	GF	PEN 14-6	Accor	80156

BIGGEST WINS​

YEAR	ROUND	RESULT	VENUE	CROWD
2004	Round 17	MEL 66-14	Olympic Park	9042
2023	PF	PEN 38-4	Accor	35578

NEXT FOUR MATCHES​

	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7
MELBOURNE	SGI (A)	MAN (A)	WAR (H)	DOL (A)
PENRITH	SOU (A)	NQL (H)	DOL (A)	SYD (A)

LAST THREE MATCHES​

	Round 1		Round 2
MELBOURNE	PAR	W 56-18	BYE
PENRITH	CRO	W 28-22	SYD	L 32-38

STATE OF PLAY: 2025 SEASON​

	POSITION	PLAYED	BYES	W-L-D	FOR	AGAINST
MELBOURNE	1st	1	1	1-0-0	56	18
PENRITH	10th	2	0	1-1-0	60	60

 

[Valheru]

I would predict Penrith to bounce back and win after last week against any team at any location except Melbourne in Melbourne.

Storm comfortably.

 

[mozza91]

Wouldn’t want to play Penrith after last week. Wouldn’t want to play Melbourne in Melbourne at anytime.

Just kick both of them out of the comp.

 

[soc123_au]

Ivan spent the weekend installing new syncros and playing with diff ratios.

Taking the 2 14 down with not much time on the clock last Friday shows the belief is still there.

And surely we cant play that badly again for a while.

I think we can get it done here. Melbourne in Melbourne being about as hard as it gets could turn out to be a blessing.

 

[Stinkfinger]

Storm vulnerable. Starting with 2 byes. Panthers certainties.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Hmm usually the Penrith match day thread is full of smug the second it goes up, wonder why not this week?

Shame that Edward’s is out, takes a bit away from the blockbuster. Storm have had 2 weeks to get ready for this and will be viewing it as more then 2 points. Panthers obviously smarting from the roosters debacle and won’t play that badly again.

Penrith getting up here isn’t as far fetched as a lot of people think. Being in Melbourne will help them, they’ll go in a with nothing to lose siege mentality. Will need to get a lot more from the 6 and if the young winger plays like he did v East’s storm will punish him beyond belief.

tipping storm by 10 but Penrith to always be in the game.

 

[blue bags]

Ivan spent the weekend installing new syncros and playing with diff ratios.

Taking the 2 14 down with not much time on the clock last Friday shows the belief is still there.

And surely we cant play that badly again for a while.

I think we can get it done here. Melbourne in Melbourne being about as hard as it gets could turn out to be a blessing.

Dragon's beat Storm in Melbourne last year
Maybe use those tactics

 

[Woody90]

Penrith will never play as badly again as they did on Friday and even then if that game had gone on another 5 minutes they probably would have still won…saying that though Storm just have a look about them this year and I think they’ll be too strong.

 

[This Year?]

 

[Dragon Slayer]

Penrith looking vulnerable out wide in defence.

Dylan Edwards is a massive loss as the last line.

Penrith will be up for this for sure.

But you can’t go past Melbourne in Melbourne with an extra week to prepare and the issues discussed above.

 

[Chins]

I'll be going against my normal rule of not punting on my own team to win games. The $3.34 to win is absurd

 

[yobbo84]

Yeah, I can see the Panthers losing to Melbourne, and then come out absolutely fired up against their Round 4 opponents, who is *checks notes*... ahh crap.

 

[Valheru]

I think Edwards being out is a good thing in the context of his rounds 1 and 2 performances where he clearly wasn't right. The replacement should be better than that version of Edwards.

 

[Belza1]

STORM by 16

 

[Saxon]

I'll be going against my normal rule of not punting on my own team to win games. The $3.34 to win is absurd

Stupid money.

 

[Fangs]

Happy with a result either way.

Give little brother down south a win to get the rest of the competition excited. Or the peoples team get up. Its a win win scenario.

 

[Someone2]

I'll be going against my normal rule of not punting on my own team to win games. The $3.34 to win is absurd

Just donate it to charity the Tab dosnt need more money

 

[ColdWetPanther]

Panthers by 18.

Not uncommon to lose to a lower team with a big match on the horizon and the boys will be up for this game.

 

[ColdWetPanther]

Didn’t see Warbrick was out till just now. So we now know with about 99.9% certainty which sides the bombs are coming down now!!

 

[Desert Qlder]

Why hasn't the nickname Moses 'The Motor' Leota been bestowed?

From Gus' podcast he wanted to be a mechanic.