I now favour Panthers to win due to big Asofa Solomona being rubbed out of the grand final.
I don’t think there was much in the tackle with Lindsay Collins. NAS just stood his ground, face square on to Collins, with his arm wrapping around the back of a Storm team mate. That team mate Blore? was first arrival to the charging Collins; knocking Collins into NAS high chest and shoulder.
I think I’m remembering correctly JWH returning a kick off with forearm high; collecting and knocking out Moses Suli this year.Deemed an accident in the rough n tumble of kick returns and no action taken. BTW quite a few kick off kick returns see the defence engage classic shoulder charges with mostly everyone shrugging their shoulders‘ as no injuries occur. NAS wasn’t a shoulder charge, just circumstances as big Collins charged at the defence.
Panthers must be elated as NAS has been exceptional for Storm in past few weeks.
Finally, my recollection of Choc Mundine’s dropped ball early in the second half was that he was hit hard with a swinging arm to the top of his head as he drove low to score. The hit stunned Choc and he dropled the ball. Funny I think the Storm player that hit Choc was the winger that Ainscough whacked for the end of game penalty try. Tell me if I have remembered that correctly?