NRL grand final live updates: Penrith Panthers take on Brisbane ...
Nathan Cleary has engineered the greatest comeback in grand final history to hand Penrith an historic NRL three-peat with a 26-24 win over Brisbane.
Down 24-8 with 18 minutes to play, Cleary set up two tries and scored one of his own in the dying minutes to give the Panthers the lead and earn himself a second Clive Churchill Medal.
The most crucial of those came with three minutes left when Cleary darted back through the middle of the field to score and then convert take a two-point match-winning lead.
Penrith then held on for the final minutes, with Scott Sorensen intercepting a Reece Walsh offload to end Brisbane's hopes of victory.
The win overtakes Melbourne's comeback from 14 points down against St George Illawarra in 1999 as the biggest-ever in a decider.
The victory also stakes Penrith's claim as one of the all-time great rugby league sides, becoming the first team since Parramatta in 1983 to win three straight titles.
But it hasn't been completed in the NRL era or under a salary cap.
Making Cleary's effort even more remarkable was that he did it without five-eighth Jarome Luai, who succumbed to a shoulder injury with 28 minutes to play.
Penrith looked shot early in the second half when Ezra Mam scored three tries in the space of 10 minutes to take Brisbane from 8-6 down to a 24-8 lead.
All three tries came from a distance, with Mam stepping past Lindsay Smith and Izack Tago for his first and Isaah Yeo and Cleary for his next.
Walsh then inserted himself into the game, stepping past Cleary, fending off Tago and putting Mam over for his hat-trick.
But after his two defensive lapses, Cleary made up for it as he masterminded a Penrith fightback.
With 18 minutes to play, Cleary stepped through the Broncos' line and put Moses Leota over, reducing the margin to 10.
From the next set he produced a pinpoint perfect 40-20, before sending Stephen Crichton over moments later following a Pat Carrigan error.
Then, just as Brisbane looked set to hold on, Cleary stepped through a broken defensive line to give the Panthers their fifth title and by far their most miraculous.
Penrith had earlier dominated the first half, but only had an 8-6 half-time lead to show for it when Thomas Flegler crashed over for Brisbane right on half time.
Despite their charge, the loss means the Broncos' premiership drought will extend into a least an 18th season.
Earlier, the Knights beat the Titans 24-18 to claim consecutive women's premierships.
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Of course he was all over the entire comeback, but this was THE moment.
Strength, speed, footwork, skill and, most importantly the mental strength and resilience. He NEVER believes he's beaten and when he plays like this, he never is.
For the second time in their past two grand finals, the Brisbane Broncos are broken.
"It's still hard to comprehend from where we were, but that's rugby league," Broncos coach Kevin Walters tells ABC Sport.
"It can be a nasty game.
"It shouldn't finish like that sometimes."
In a heartbreaking contrast to the Cleary boys, Kevin Walters has to pick up his distraught son, Billy.
The Panthers coach says he "can't put into words" exactly how that happened.
"All the training all the sacrifices and the belief. I don't know how that happened. We were in all sorts," he tells ABC Sport.
"They looked every bit as athletic and dangerous as we hoped they wouldn't.
"It didn't look great. Every time they had the ball they looked 10 feet tall.
"Sometimes the closer you are to the end you can start worrying about the result and maybe that's what they did."
Key Event
Nathan Cleary. That's it, that's the headline.This mountain of a man, this legend of the sport at just 25 years of age has won the Clive Churchill Medal for the second time, adding to his 2021 honour.
Even, nay especially, with Jarome Luai sidelined and Isaah Yeo off for 15 minutes with an HIA, Nathan Cleary grabbed this team and said "come with me". And boy did they.
He finishes with a try (the match-winner), two try assists, 162 run metres, four goals, four tackle breaks, two line breaks and 660 kicking metres.
The finish to that game might be the greatest 25-minute stretch of individual rugby league football I've ever witnessed.
(Getty)"Hardest game I've ever played," Cleary says on the podium, praising the Broncos and Ezra Mam in particular, as "a freak".
"They're easily the most dangerous team in the NRL," he tells ABC Sport.
"Ezra and Reece made me look stupid a couple of times."
Arguments about the title of "world champions" notwithstanding, you can't argue against Jarome Luai's proclamation.
"Best team in the world," Luai tells ABC Sport.
Certainly in the NRL right now, and maybe ever.
"No-one gave 'em a chance, but we believed on the sideline," Luai says.
"I still can't believe it."
Key Event
THE PENRITH PANTHERS ARE THREE-TIME NRL PREMIERS!!!What a truly phenomenal comeback by this unbelievable team.
It was 24-8 when Ezra Mam scored his third try in the 54th minute. And still it felt like the Broncos had given them too much time.
And so it proved.
Even, actually especially, with Jarome Luai sidelined by injury and Isaah Yeo, Nathan Cleary grabbed this time by the scruff of the neck and said "come with me" to triple premiership glory.
The Brisbane Broncos are on the wrong side of yet another heartbreaker in yet another one of the greatest grand finals ever that they absolutely will never want to hear about again.
They have to go short off the kick-off, which has been fraught with peril so far tonight.
Penrith regather! They'll truck it up and boot long.
Key Event
NATHAN CLEARY IS THE HERO FOR PENRITH!!!There was nothing happening when the ball went to the short side, but he stood up his opposite number Adam Reynolds, then Billy Walters, then Reece Walsh to dot down under the posts.
Nathan Cleary will convert from right in front of the uprights.
Penrith are in front 26-24 with less than two minutes to play.
Brisbane finally land one in the field of play, but Penrith is surging from 30m out.
Reynolds tries the 40/20 on the fourth but Brian To'o is awake to it. Penrith attack from their own 30m line.
The Broncos are rushing Penrith with their defence, and it ends with Crichton trying to chip again under pressure, and this time Cobbo makes a superb reflex catch.
But the Broncos still have a mountain of work to get out of danger.
This time it's out on the full! Nathan Cleary with another clutch catch with his foot in touch.
Stephen Crichton pulls off a brilliant chip and he and Sunia Turuva (with some helpful knees) pin Reece Walsh in the in-goal for a forced dropout
They can't go short again can they?
He's scythed through them on halfway and gets the Broncos going forward.
But the fifth-tackle option falls apart.
The Storm led 26-0 in the 52nd minute in 2020 when the Panthers started their comeback in that one.
They ended up losing 26-20, but this time the equation is easier and they have more time.
Key Event
STEPHEN CRICHTON IS IN!! THE COMEBACK IS ON!!!Speed and power from the Penrith centre, getting outside Kotoni Staggs, holding him off and finishing through an admittedly poor cover tackle from Reece Walsh.
Nathan Cleary converts. The Broncos still lead, but it's squeaky bum time at 24-20.
Key Event
66' Kobe Hetherington with a try-saver!The Panthers were pressing and it looked for all money like Moses Leota was over under the posts, but Kobe Hetherington cut him in half right on the line on the last.
But the Panthers go back on the attack from halfway as Pat Carrigan knocks on in a heavy tackle.
Key Event
65' Monumental 40/20 from ClearyThe halfback seems to be playing better now that he doesn't have to share. Penrith right on the attack from 18 metres out.
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