This crown will be extra sweet

THE Storm’s class of 2020 could be the best team in Melbourne history after producing one of the great grand final performances to win the most unique NRL premiership. Under the guidance of coach Craig Bellamy and the direction of mercurial captain Cameron Smith, the Storm snapped Penrith’s 17-game winning streak with a 26-20 triumph at ANZ Stadium last night.

The win was as remarkable as Melbourne’s resilience, determination and dedication this year.

The Storm were forced to leave Melbourne on June 24 as the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic started to gather steam in Victoria’s capital.

The players were told they were leaving for two or three weeks. Four months later, they are yet to return after making the Sunshine Coast home. The Storm will take the Provan-Summons trophy with them when they finally go back to Melbourne on Wednesday following what has been a season for the ages. And despite being one of the NRL’s most maligned clubs, few could begrudge Melbourne for their efforts in 2020. This is a team that was written off by many early in the year.

They no longer boast the likes of NRL legends Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk or Greg Inglis. They had no genuine halfback.

But the Storm have something that cannot be measured in statistics and representative jerseys.

At 37, Smith is in the twilight of his career, but still as dominant as ever. There was a sense he would refuse to lose this grand final, his 430th and possibly last NRL match, and

Storm skipper Cameron Smith after scoring a try.

that is how it panned out.

The Storm made the most unStorm-like start when halfback Jahrome Hughes allowed the opening kick-off to bounce, causing an error.

It was one of the few times Melbourne would put a foot wrong in a first-half blitz which saw them lead the young Panthers 22-0 at the break.

The Storm’s defence was desperate and the game was as good as over, despite a late surge by Penrith.

The youth of Penrith was no match for the big-game experience and military-like precision of Melbourne.

In his 18th season at the helm of the Storm juggernaut he has created, Bellamy has produced arguably his greatest feat. This was Bellamy’s third legitimate premiership from his ninth grand final – after the Storm were stripped of the 2007 and 2009 titles for salary cap breaches.

The Storm won their first title in 1999 and the 2012 premiership has held a special place in the heart of the Storm because it was their first following the massive salary cap penalties.

The Storm were dominant in 2017 and the grand final against North Queensland was a cakewalk.

But this title will always be remembered given the challenges the Storm faced, and overcame, to be crowned 2020 champions.