The Cake Tin curse is lifted and the final two teams are in for the NRL final

Talofa koutou! What a weekend of sports, the All Blacks curse has been lifted at the Cake Tin, while the NRL grand final competitors have been decided. The America's Cup challengers are closing in too! Let’s get stuck into it.

1. All Blacks topple Australia in the capital

The curse at the Cake Tin is no more. The All Blacks beat the Wallabies 33-13 in Wellington at the weekend in the last test of the Rugby Championship. The victory was also the first time since 2018 the ABs have won in the capital.

Australia powered through the ABs line early in the match to get an early lead. But youngster Wallace Sititi was the catalyst for the home team's first try, breaking through the Australian defence. A great support line from Anton Lienert-Brown then set up for a perfect draw and pass to put Sevu Reece over for the first.

The Wallabies were rewarded from the All Blacks’ ill-discipline, with two penalty goals putting them in front. But, two tries from Will Jordan and Caleb Clarke took the ABs into the break with a six point lead. It took a further twenty minutes for the next points to be scored from the All Blacks, whose poise secured them the win.

Scott Robertson's men now look towards the Autumn tests in the Northern Hemisphere where they face Ireland, England, Italy and France.

2. Penrith Panthers secure fifth straight NRL grand final

2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and now 2024. The mighty Penrith Panthers secured their fifth-straight grand final appearance with their commanding win against the Cronulla Sharks, 26 - 6.

It was an arm wrestle in the opening twenty minutes, but, as the Panthers often do, wore out the Sharks with their consistent pressure. A Nathan Cleary 40/20 was the catalyst for the Panthers to open the scoring, with Cleary also providing the assist for Paul Alamoti in a clean front-door play.

Meanwhile, the Melbourne Storm rampaged against the Sydney Roosters with a commanding 40 point win at AAMI Stadium. Melbournes spine was too clinical, with Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Monster sharing five tries between themselves.

Now the stage is set for Accor Stadium in Sydney, as the two best teams in the competition will battle it out for the 2024 premiership. Can Penrith win their fourth straight title, or will the Melbourne Storm stake their claim as the best team of 2024? How good!

3. Silver Ferns lose close encounter

In a one-point thriller, the Silver Ferns went down in their opening match for the Taini Jamison Trophy series against England, losing 59-58 at Auckland's Trusts Arena.

The game was closely contested throughout, with both teams exchanging leads, but a crucial turnover forced by England's Funmi Fadoju in the final moments sealed the victory for the visitors.

Despite strong performances from shooter Grace Nweke (49/55) and debutants Claire O'Brien and Parris Mason, the Ferns were ultimately beaten by inconsistent momentum and critical turnovers, as acknowledged by captain Amerliaranne Ekenasio.

The two teams meet again on Wednesday in Porirua.

4. Challengers close in on America’s Cup final

That’s right, the sailing news continues! The race to face the defending champion Team New Zealand continues, with Ineos Britannia and Italy’s Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli battling each other to secure their place in the final.

Luna Rossa secured a narrow four-second victory over Britannia in the America's Cup challenger series, evening the score at 2-2 in challenging wind conditions off Barcelona.

The Italian team overcame an earlier setback when they had to concede a race due to damage to their wing sail, but managed to replace it in time for the second race.

The Louis Vuitton Cup competition will resume on Monday, where teams will vie for the first to secure seven victories. The ultimate winner of this series will earn the right to face defending champions New Zealand in the prestigious America's Cup final.

5. Overtime Podcast wraps

The season is over, the Overtime Podcast wraps up this week! It’s been a great opportunity to learn and grow in the sports realm alongside sports great Willie Poching.

Throughout our 18 episodes, we’ve welcomed Olympians, Sports Content Creators, Journalists, Broadcasters, Students, Rugby League Legends and even highlighted both Willie and myself’s sporting ventures.

With a combination of in-depth sports chats, predictions for the biggest sports matches, and our expert opinions mixed in with a bunch of laughs - this year of the Overtime Podcast has been a treat.

It’s also been an awesome chance to keep my love for sports alive through talanoa, and I hope the podcast can continue to grow to new heights in the future. Maybe next year I’ll be an expert in sailing, or even golf!

In the meantime, you can find Willie and I every Saturday for the remainder of the year on 531PI’s Pacific Grandstand show from 8 - 11 AM. Fakaaue lahi for the support!

Matty’s Golden Point

Matty’s Golden Point is a piece of advice shared weekly on 531PI’s Pacific Grandstand show.

“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.”