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Find your frequency hereSuper-Coates flies high for Storm win in golden point thriller
Sam Kosack • August 15th, 2025 12:26 am
Harry Grant has stolen victory for the Melbourne Storm in a golden point thriller, ending the Penrith Panthers nine-game winning streak with a 22-18 victory.
In what could well be a preview of the 2025 grand final, the rematch of last season’s big dance promised to be one of the games of the year, with great ramifications for the final make-up of the ladder at stake.
Nathan Cleary looked to have landed his second match-winning field goal in three weeks in the 77th minute, but a blocker penalty on Moses Leota, and two subsequent charge downs on two additional attempts, would deny him of his hero’s moment.
Instead that moment belonged to Harry Grant who went left when everyone went right, throwing a dummy and slicing through the Penrith defence, who were all focused on Cameron Munster lining up for the field goal.
But if Harry Grant was the hero, Xavier Coates was Achilles; unbreakable and unstoppable in attack and defence.
Missing Jahrome Hughes and Ryan Papenhuyzen, and with Cameron Munster playing fullback for the first time in seven years, Coates was instrumental, scoring two tries, including one length of the field intercept, running for 230 metres, breaking eight tackles, and an incredible aerial try assist, tapping it back for Joe Chan to score his second career try.
May as well throw in the partridge in the pear tree.
Coates was humble post-game, praising his teammates for their effort in making their gritty win "simple" through discipline and attitude.
“I just try to keep it simple week in week out,” Coates said to SEN League post-game.
“I want to do my job to the best of my ability. If I do my job and the other 16 boys on the field do their job, it’s going to be a simpler night.
“If I complete my job and the other boys complete their job it’s going to be a simpler night.”
Five-eighth Jonah Pezet, playing just his second full game of rugby league for the season, was far more glowing of the winger’s performance.
“Best winger in the comp, nearly the best player in the comp at the moment,” Pezet told SEN League post-game.
“He just keeps providing and keeps turning up for us, whether it’s the intercepts last week and then the intercept this week and scores the try.
“Wen you kick it to him he catches it, it’s unreal to have a player like that in your team.
“He’s so good.”
Coates’ centre partner, Marion Seve became the first player in NRL history to wear protective eyewear during a game, having ruptured his eyeball in a previous match, ultimately requiring stitches behind his eye.
The loss is the Panthers’ first since Round 12, where they sat in last, and despite the loss, the difference in quality between then and now is stark.
The Panthers will need the Warriors to lose to the Dragons tomorrow if they are to remain in the top four at the end of the round, before continuing their tough charge to the finals against the Raiders and Bulldogs in the next fortnight.
