The Penrith Panthers continued their phenomenal run in recent years by reaching a fifth Grand Final in a row on Saturday night.
It wasn't their most clinical or pretty performance, but a second half surge saw them record a 26-6 win over a valiant Cronulla Sharks side, and setting up a rematch of the 2020 Grand Final against the Melbourne Storm.
The team is the best in the NRL era, and to confirm the point, they broke a rugby league record that had stood for 62 years with the win.
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Penrith break famous St George record for consecutive finals wins
Penrith have eclipsed the all conquering St George Dragons side from the 1950s and 1960s, with the mountain men winning their 11th finals game in a row.
St George made history with 10 wins in finals games between 1958 and 1967, which came during a time where they also won a staggering 11 premierships in a row between 1956-1966.
That record has now been broken by the modern dynasty of the Panthers, who have not lost a finals match since a shock loss in the 2021 qualifying final.
In that COVID-affected season the Panthers finished second to the Storm in the regular season and were affected by form and injury issues going into the finals series.
The concerns around them heightened when South Sydney - led by master coach Wayne Bennett - shocked the Panthers to win 16-10, with many doubting Penrith's premiership credentials after the defeat.
Yet they would use the loss as motivation to defeat rivals Parramatta in a tight clash the next weekend, before they got a huge slice of revenge over the Melbourne Storm in the preliminary final, and finally defeated the Rabbitohs in the decider thanks to a Stephen Crichton intercept try.
As they say, the rest is history, as the Panthers have gone on to win a three-peat with a crushing win over the Eels in 2022 and the greatest Grand Final comeback over the Broncos in 2023.
After finishing second this season to the Storm, the Panthers easily swatted away the Roosters in the qualifying final, winning 30-10 in their final match at BlueBet Stadium, equalling St George's record in the process.
And their win over the Sharks put them in a league of their own with 11 straight finals wins, and they will look to make it 12 in a row, as well as four premierships in a row, when they take on the Storm next Sunday.
Penrith Panthers finals winning streak
| Date | Stage | Match | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 18, 2021 | Semi-final | Penrith Panthers 8-6 Parramatta Eels | BB Print Stadium |
| September 25, 2021 | Preliminary final | Melbourne Storm 6-10 Penrith Panthers | Suncorp Stadium |
| October 3, 2021 | Grand Final | Penrith Panthers 14-12 South Sydney Rabbitohs | Suncorp Stadium |
| September 9, 2022 | Qualifying final | Penrith Panthers 27-8 Parramatta Eels | BlueBet Stadium |
| September 24, 2022 | Preliminary final | Penrith Panthers 32-12 South Sydney Rabbitohs | Accor Stadium |
| October 2, 2022 | Grand Final | Penrith Panthers 28-12 Parramatta Eels | Accor Stadium |
| September 9, 2023 | Qualifying final | Penrith Panthers 32-6 New Zealand Warriors | BlueBet Stadium |
| September 22, 2023 | Preliminary final | Penrith Panthers 38-4 Melbourne Storm | Accor Stadium |
| October 1, 2023 | Grand Final | Penrith Panthers 26-24 Brisbane Broncos | Accor Stadium |
| September 13, 2024 | Qualifying final | Penrith Panthers 30-10 Sydney Roosters | BlueBet Stadium |
| September 28, 2024 | Preliminary final | Penrith Panthers 26-6 Cronulla Sharks | Accor Stadium |
