2024 Round 1 Melbourne v Penrith – MELBOURNE 8 d PENRITH 0
Melbourne has kept alive their incredible Round 1 record, beating Penrith at AAMI Park.
The Storm’s streak extended to an incredible 22 seasons as Reimis Smith scored the Storm’s – and the game’s – only try in the 49th minute.
Penrith’s best chance was 10 minutes into the second half when Soni Luke scored, but it was disallowed due to an obstruction in the lead up.
It was a surprisingly scrappy game between the two premiership heavyweights, with 14 errors to Melbourne and 11 to Penrith.
It was the first time Penrith has been held scoreless since Round 22, 2022 – also against Melbourne.
Courtesy of nrl.com
- It’s only the seventh time since 1998 that a team has been kept scoreless in Round 1. Penrith did it previously in 2007. They also kept North Qld pointless in 2021, the second time the Cowboys scored zero in Round 1.
- Four teams have scored zero in a season and still gone on to win the premiership – Penrith 2022, Melbourne 2020, Bulldogs 2004, Brisbane 2000. Three of those four occurrences happen in leap years. And 2024 is also a leap year.
- Melbourne are just the third side to score eight points or less in a Round 1 clash and win – Bulldogs in 2022 and Parramatta in 2020.
- Melbourne last lost a Round 1 clash in 2001.
- Penrith last won a Round 1 away from home in 2006.
- Melbourne have only lost one of their nine games at AAMI Park v Penrith.
- It is only the fourth time Melbourne have kept a team scoreless on a Friday.
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