NRL grand final LIVE: All the latest updates and scores as Penrith take on Melbourne at Accor Stadium

Footy fan and Souths tragic Anthony Albanese reckons it’s Panthers by four in the decider. He’s also tipping Nathan Cleary to take the Clive Churchill Medal, and Penrith winger Brian To’o to score the first try.

Fullback Jordan Lipp cut through Newtown’s line with ease there and gave the ball – but his teammate couldn’t handle the slightly wayward pass with an open tryline beckoning.

Jeremiah Simbiken smashed his way through the defense from a scrum after the Devils were denied a try just moments earlier when the video ref ruled they’d been held up.

No Queensland side has won the state championship since 2015 – and if the Devils keep this up, that will change this afternoon.

Jets legend Barry Vining, the longtime club president who played a huge role in keeping the club alive, died while watching the Jets win the NSW Cup grand final.

A minute’s silence has just been observed for the footy great, whose family said he died of a ‘heart attack of joy’ moments after Newtown’s triumph.

The Newtown Jets are taking on Brisbane’s Norths Devils for the State Championship, with kickoff set for 1.20pm.

Newtown – billed as the oldest rugby league club in Australia – are appearing courtesy of their NSW Cup grand final win over North Sydney.

The Devils made it in by winning the Q Cup decider over the Redcliffe Dolphins.

Accor Stadium posted this shot of the playing surface for tonight’s decider at midday.

A couple of things stand out…

Unlike the AFL grand final, the team logos aren’t painted on the field.

And the in-goals aren’t painted either.

While there are live sites for fans in Penrith, that’s not the case in Melbourne.

The ABC contacted the team, Federation Square – often the site of jam-packed live sites for events like the soccer World Cup – the Storm’s home ground, AAMI Park, and Melbourne City Council, and discovered fans who can’t make the trip to see the game in person have been left in the lurch.

Penrith’s Scott Sorensen (pictured) has been passed fit to play in the decider in what amounts to great news for the side.

The versatile forward had been sidelined for the last month with a hamstring injury but is now right to take to the field.

“He’ll be playing. It’s awesome. Sorro’s been a big part of our team the last three years,” Cleary said on Saturday.

“He’s a real soldier in our team.

“Everyone was pretty bummed when he got injured a few weeks ago (against Parramatta) and it looked like that was the end for him this year.”

While Cleary wouldn’t confirm which star will make way for Sorensen, it’s likely to be Matt Eisenhuth. He hasn’t featured in any of the Panthers’ grand final wins despite joining the club from Wests in 2021, the year they beat Souths to start their incredible run.

Penrith faced the same problem when they chose to stay in a hotel just metres from Accor Stadium in 2021. Some of their stars told team staff and as a result, they stayed in Parramatta to avoid a repeat – but the Storm might not have been aware of what they were going to encounter on Saturday night.

OK, advertising guru John Singleton won’t be on struggle street if Melbourne get the chocolates tonight – but even he is nervous about how much he’s punted on the outcome.

Channel Nine’s coverage of the decider kicked off today with league legend Brad Fittler revealing he has found the missing ball Johnathan Thurston (pictured below) used to kick the winning field goal in the 2015 decider.

The Steeden disappeared soon after JT slotted it through the post to give fans one of the most dramatic finishes to a grand final ever.

‘There was a bloke from the NRL, Nathan McGuirk, who thought, “You know what, I’d better find that ball because that’s going to be important in the future”,’ Fittler said.

‘So he went over behind the goalpost and the stage was still there from the entertainment that year.

‘He went ferretting underneath it and there’s the ball just sitting there.’

Here’s a handy guide so you can time your bathroom breaks/barbecuing duties/bottle shop runs and make sure you don’t miss one of the day’s big events…

• 1pm: Gates open to the public at Accor Stadium.
• 1:20pm: The NRL State Championship Grand Final begins: Newtown Jets vs Norths Devils.
• 3:55pm: The NRLW Telstra Women’s Premiership Grand Final: Sydney Roosters vs Cronulla Sharks.
• 6:30pm: The pre-game entertainment show, headlined by international star The Kid LAROI.
• 7:30pm: The main event commences: Melbourne Storm vs Penrith Panthers

• 9:30pm: Post-match celebrations, including trophy presentations and individual awards.

Thanks for joining us for Daily Mail Australia’s coverage of the 2024 NRL grand final as Penrith try to become the first team since the legendary St George side of the ’50s and ’60s to win four premierships in a row.

With two high-quality curtain-raisers and top-notch pre-game entertainment, it promises to be a massive day of footy highlighted by the two best teams in the world facing off in a clash that’s so close on paper, even

the bookies are having difficulty predicting a winner.