Australia NRL grand final: Penrith claim 2021 premiership with 14-12 victory over South Sydney Rabbitohs

The sweet taste of victory.(AAP: Darren England)

The Penrith Panthers have beaten the South Sydney Rabbitohs 14-12 to win the 2021 NRL grand final at Brisbane’s Lang Park.

A Stephen Crichton intercept try in the 67th minute proved the difference, before the Rabbitohs missed two late chances to tie the game.

After being beaten with an early burst of tries in last year’s decider, the Panthers were the fastest out of the gate against Souths, dominating field position and scoring the first try through Matt Burton in the 17th minute.

Cody Walker answered back with a superb solo effort and Penrith, despite having 58 per cent of possession only led by a penalty goal at the break.

South levelled with one of their own just after the resumption, and held off raid after raid from a rampaging Panthers outfit over the next 20 minutes, only for Walker’s all-or-nothing cut-out pass to end up in the hands of Crichton, who went 40 metres to score.

The Rabbitohs still had time to hit back, and turned to their trusty left-side attack, with winger Alex Johnston scoring in the corner with six minutes left.

But Adam Reynolds, who’s heading to Brisbane next year after 10 seasons in Redfern, could not slot the sideline conversion, and later missed a rushed attempt at a two-point field goal that would have sent the game to extra time.

In the end, Penrith held on for the two-point victory, with superstar halfback Nathan Cleary winning the Cluve Churchill Medal as they avenged last year’s loss.

ABC