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Although the occasion of playing against the top of the table Dragons in front of a big home crowd got the better of the Panthers younger brigade, the performance of experienced duo Frank Pritchard and Luke Lewis provided coach Matthew Elliott with an insight of what to expect from his two best players if Penrith make the finals.
In a game where Penrith displayed more than enough effort and commitment to challenge the Dragons, it was their execution with the football in hand that let them down badly against the premier side in the NRL.
Young players Jarred Sammut, Luke Walsh and Wade Graham were each the victims of the Dragons constant defensive pressure, which forced the Penrith trio into constant error when in possession.
Sammut at fullback dropped two bombs and failed to stop half Jamie Soward from scoring a try that broke Penrith’s backs.
Panthers half Luke Walsh was anything but composed against the Dragons, getting in caught in possession on the last tackle on numerous occasions to gift easy turnovers to the Dragons.
But for all the Dragons dominance in the first half, they only led twelve nil at half time, thanks to some courageous defence from the Panthers, and the induction of two premier players from the bench.
Representative stars Frank Pritchard and Luke Lewis each adapted brilliantly to the Dragons finals-like pressure, playing key roles which allowed the Panthers to pose themselves as a threat early in the second half.
Lewis’s return from injury could not have come at a better time for coach Matthew Elliott, as the NSW origin player showcased all his premiership experience to score two tries in the opening ten minutes of the second half, one of which was wrongfully denied by the video referee.
Indeed Lewis could not have made that sort of impact off the bench were it not for the barnstorming efforts of Kiwi second rower Frank Pritchard.
After returning from injury in last week’s draw against the Warriors, Pritchard was at his devastating best against the Dragons.
In a game where most of Penrith’s forwards struggled to make 100 metres against a stern Dragons defence, Pritchard proved to be a constant menace for Wayne Bennett’s big men.
Coming off the bench, the Kiwi international made one line break and 13 hit-ups for 147 metres.
Panthers team-mates Trent Waterhouse and Frank Puletua could only muster 118 and 109 metres respectively despite starting the game.
Indeed every one of Pritchard’s runs saw the mobile forward force his way through the advantage line, particularly early in the second half, which the Panthers coincidently dominated.
Although his efforts could not garner Penrith a valuable two competition points, Pritchard’s performance against the Dragons was no doubt a sight for sore eyes for coach Elliott, considering the Kiwi back rower has often made a habit of putting in lazy performances in the past when he has returned from injury.
Those days however look gone, and the Panthers will be hoping that both Pritchard and Lewis only get better to ensure that the mountain men have a presence come the playoffs.