Grand final rematch: Revenge is a dish best served in Round 3, 2026

With the pain of grand final defeat still burning, the Melbourne Storm will get a shot at redemption against the Broncos in Round 3 of the 2026 season.

Get the red marker out and put a huge circle around Friday, March 20 for the grand final rematch at AAMI Park in Melbourne.

Having turned on one of the great deciders of the modern era in October, the Broncos and Storm square off just three rounds into the 2026 season with another epic contest in the offing.

Will Reece Walsh roll into 2026 on the same wave he rode during the finals series and the Ashes whitewash or will the Storm devise a plan to shut him down?

Can Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster stamp their quality on another big game and help Melbourne make an early statement as they chase a first premiership since 2020?

If the Storm need any extra inspiration they can take a look back at Round 3, 2025 when they rolled the Panthers 30-24 in the rematch of the '24 grand final.

And in 2024 it was the Panthers dominating the Broncos 34-12 in the rematch of the memorable 2023 decider.

Any way you slice and dice it, the Round 3 showdown between the juggernaut that is the Broncos and a Storm outfit that has been the benchmark for success in the modern era looms as a Friday night not to be missed.

March 20, 2026. Locked and loaded.