For the second year in a row, the team which went on an incredible winning run throughout the regular season won't win the premiership.
Last year it was the Panthers who lost in the grand final following 17 wins on the trot, this year it would be Melbourne who failed to convert their wins into the ultimate success.
Slide through to see the teams with the greatest winning streaks.
15 wins - Cronulla Sharks 2016
The Sharks dominated the 2014 NRL season, going on a 15 game winning streak between rounds 5-20.
They would go on to win their first premiership in their history as they defeated the Storm in the final.
Perhaps an omen for the Panthers...
15 wins - Manly Sea Eagles 1995
Peaked too soon as they lost the grand final to the Bulldogs.
15 wins - South Sydney Rabbitohs 1925-1926
Won 12 in 1925. Continued the streak until round three in 1926.
15 wins - Melbourne Storm 2012-2013
What started late in 2012 continued to the grand final and into round seven of 2013.
16 wins - South Sydney Rabbitohs 1908-1909
The Bunnies won the comp in 1908 and only dropped one game in 1909 as they starred in inaugural seasons of the then NSWRFL comp.
16 wins - Eastern Suburbs Roosters 1912-1913
The likes of Dally Messenger helped the Roosters win 16 on the trot across two seasons.
17 wins - Canterbury Bulldogs 2002
The Doggies went on a remarkable run in 2002 before they were stripped of all their points for salary cap breaches,
17 wins - Penrith Panthers 2020
The Panthers went on an incredible run during the 2020 season, however, failed to win the one game that mattered as they fell to the Melbourne Storm in the grand final
19 wins - Melbourne Storm 2021
After going down to Penrith in a tight one in round three, the Storm wouldn't lose again until they ran into the Eels in round 24.
Having lost to Melbourne in last year's grand final, the Panthers' preliminary final win would have been extra sweet.
19 wins - Eastern Suburbs Roosters 1975
The Chooks of '75 set an incredible record to rack up 19 wins in-a-row. The round 22 loss was exorcised when they went on to win the grand final.
