SEPTEMBER 26th,2025. AAMI Park, Melbourne, 7.50pm
The Penultimate Test: Sharks, Storm, Broncos, and Panthers Chase Grand Final Glory
The stage is set for the most agonising weekend of the NRL season—the one where dreams teeter on the brink. Four teams stand tall, knowing that by Sunday evening, only two will march forward to the grand final, while the others are left with nothing but the sting of what might have been.
Friday night in Melbourne promises fireworks as the relentless Sharks clash with the resurgent Storm, a battle of grit against power under the bright lights of AAMI Park. Then on Sunday afternoon, Suncorp Stadium becomes the cauldron where the Broncos will lock horns with the reigning kings, the Panthers, in a showdown brimming with history, pride, and ambition.
There’s intrigue everywhere: will the well-rested Broncos and Storm hold the edge, or will the hardened Panthers and Sharks—battle-tested from the bottom half of the Top 8—find another gear when it matters most?
For Melbourne, the cavalry has arrived just in time. Star halfback Jahrome Hughes has fought his way back from a fractured forearm, electric fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen returns after a concussion layoff, and tough back-rower Shawn Blore has recovered from a fractured larynx. Their comebacks bring a ripple effect—Nick Meaney shifts to the centres, Grant Anderson steps aside, and young half Jonah Pezet makes way for Hughes. Blore’s inclusion off the bench pushes Ativalu Lisati into the starting pack, with Joe Chan sliding into the reserves.
It’s a weekend of fine margins and heavy stakes. By the time the sirens sound, the path to glory will be cut in half.
Storm:
1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. William Warbrick 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. Ativalu Lisati 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Trent Loiero Bench: 14. Tyran Wishart , 15. Shawn Blore 16. Tui Kamikamica 17. Alec MacDonald Reserves: 18. Bronson Garlick, 19. Grant Anderson 20. Joe Chan 21. Jonah Pezet 22. Sualauvi Faalogo.
Sharks’ Second Chance at Glory: Storm Stand in the Way of a Grand Final Return
Ever since that magical night in 2016, when the Sharks lifted the premiership trophy for the first time, the Shire has waited for another taste of the big stage. In the years since, Cronulla have been ever-present in September, missing the finals only once, yet the grand final has remained tantalisingly out of reach.
Now, just one victory separates them from Accor Stadium on October 5. But in their way stand the Melbourne Storm—rugby league’s modern masters. Since falling to the Sharks in that 2016 decider, the Storm have returned to three more grand finals, triumphing over the Cowboys in 2017 and the Panthers in 2020, before falling to Penrith in last year’s ultimate contest. If anyone knows how to navigate the pressure of this moment, it’s Melbourne.
Still, the Sharks carry belief. Back in Round 11, under the lights at Sharks Stadium, Craig Fitzgibbon’s men outlasted the Storm in a thrilling 31-26 victory. That memory, combined with the momentum of recent weeks, fuels the belief that lightning can strike again.
For that to happen, much will depend on their powerhouse prop Addin Fonua-Blake—the man recruited to transform the Sharks from contenders into champions. Against Canberra, he thundered through for 156 metres, pushing his season average to 161 per game. On Friday night, his collision course with Stefano Utoikamanu and Josh King promises to be one of the defining battles.
Cronulla make just one change for the clash: Oregon Kaufusi returns from the bench to replace the unfortunate Tom Hazelton, sidelined with concussion. It will be Kaufusi’s 22nd appearance of the season, while Dan Atkinson once again fills the 18th-man role he has owned so often this year.
The stakes are simple, the script is clear: win, and a grand final dream comes alive. Lose, and the wait continues.
Sharks:
1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. KL Iro 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Toby Rudolf , 11. Billy Burns 12. Teig Wilton 13. Jesse Colquhoun Bench: 14. Briton Nikora 15. Siosifa Talakai 16. Oregon Kaufusi 17. Braden Hamlin-Uele Reserves: 18. Daniel Atkinson 19. Mawene Hiroti 20. Jayden Berrell 21. Tuku Hau Tapuha 22. Hohepa Puru.
Key Stats
The Storm have won their last four finals at AAMI Park.
The Sharks have conceded only 14 points per game over the past three months.
Storm hooker Harry Grant has scored six tries in his last six games against the Sharks.
Sharks winger Ronaldo Mulitalo has scored eight tries in his last five games.
Storm winger Xavier Coates has scored 41 tries in 38 games at AAMI Park.
Officials
Referee: Ashley Klein, Touch Judges, Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski, Chris Sutton, Bunker, Chris Butler.
Storm’s Golden Rule Meets Sharks’ Rising Tide
For Melbourne, the luxury of a week off was well earned after grinding past the Bulldogs in a brutal contest. Across the divide, the Sharks have turned heads with back-to-back statements—first dismantling the Roosters, then brushing aside the Raiders with authority. The whispers that Cronulla are perennial September pretenders have been silenced, replaced by the roar of a side brimming with belief. Playing at pace, tackling with venom, and led brilliantly by Nicho Hynes, Braydon Trindall, and Blayke Brailey, the Sharks look every inch a team built for the big occasion.
Yet, here stand the Storm, masters of survival. Even when not at their best, even with stars like Jahrome Hughes absent, they find a way. Harry Grant and Cameron Munster are the heartbeat of Melbourne’s big-game aura, dragging teammates with them into the furnace of finals football. Around them, a machine of role players does its work with ruthless efficiency. At the ruck, where Melbourne so often tighten their grip and strangle hope, they remain near-unbeatable.
History has long offered a simple truth: never tip against the Storm. And though the Sharks surge with confidence, the old rule still looms large. Storm by 8.
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