After struggling for almost twenty years since their inception in 1967, the Penrith Panthers experienced major success during the early 90’s with a Grand Final appearance in 1990 and then a maiden Premiership victory in 1991 against the Canberra Raiders. The Panthers then became one of the few clubs in rugby league history to follow up a wooden spoon year in 2002 with a Premiership the following season.
Penrith winger Michael Gordon delivered the inspiration his team has been seeking to get their NRL campaign back on track on Friday night.
Locked 16-all with North Queensland at a damp CUA Stadium, Gordon scored a sensational 55-metre solo effort to snap the Panthers’ losing streak and seal a dramatic 24-16 win.
The Panthers were made to [...] Read article
NRL preview panel for round 21 matches (all times AEST).
Friday
Canterbury Bulldogs v South Sydney Rabbitohs at ANZ Stadium, 7.35pm
Head to head: Bulldogs 72, Rabbitohs 63, drawn 4
Last clash: Rabbitohs 38-16 at ANZ Stadium (rd 4, 2010)
TAB Sportsbet: Bulldogs $2.30, Rabbitohs $1.60
FootyTab: Bulldogs +2.5
Souths appear to be back after a rough match of mostly narrow losses [...] Read article
Just as the NRL finals picture was beginning to take shape, four of the top five sides lost at the weekend, leaving the playoff race as open as it’s ever been.
South Sydney and Manly won on Sunday and the Gold Coast on Friday to dismiss fears they were on the slide, while the top three [...] Read article
Furious Penrith coach Matt Elliott stormed out of the coach’s box before the final hooter, unable to watch his side sink to their third successive defeat as Melbourne triumphed 18-10 in an ugly NRL clash at AAMI Park on Saturday night.
In a frustrating, error-ridden affair, Storm skipper Cameron Smith kicked a conversion from the sideline [...] Read article
The Hayne Train is running right on time. Parramatta superstar Jarryd Hayne scored one brilliant try and had a hand in four of his side’s others as the Eels came back from 22-0 down to run down Penrith in a CUA Stadium thriller on Saturday night.
Hot on the heels of his three-try effort against North [...] Read article
Penrith skipper Petero Civoniceva says the NRL minor premiership is not on the club’s radar despite the Panthers facing the friendliest run home of any finals contenders.
Currently two points behind ladder leaders St George Illawarra, the Panthers will only play two sides currently in the top eight over the closing eight rounds.
But Civoniceva warned that [...] Read article
Warriors coach Ivan Cleary struggled to recall a more courageous performance than the one his NRL side produced in holding on to beat Penrith 12-6 at CUA Stadium on Sunday.
Parked on their own line as a mountain of errors and lopsided 11-3 penalty count seemed destined to crush their resolve, the Warriors somehow clung to [...] Read article
Western Sydney has become the new blank canvas for sports administrators keen to project their visions of dominance of the 21st century Australian football scene.
To their eyes Western Sydney has it all. A huge, young, diverse population. Stadia to suit tastes large, small, round and rectangular. And enough indications of a collective consciousness to hint [...] Read article
After a rocky start early in the season, no-one could have predicted the rise of the Penrith Panthers as genuine NRL Premiership contenders. The Dragons have been labelled as certain Premiership winners, particularly with the demise of the Melbourne Storm. But Penrith have been the quiet achievers this season.
Rising up the ladder, they now [...] Read article
We’re heading into the business end of the season, so it’s only fair the round review heats up as well.
Tigers v Titans. Campbelltown Stadium, Campbelltown. Friday 7.35pm
Much has been said about ‘Paul’ the psychic Octopus who has famously been picking FIFA World Cup winners, but most people don’t know that Paul’s first love is actually [...] Read article
Kogarah Jubilee Oval’s prodigal son returned to top level rugby league last night, as Mark Gasnier made a solid if unspectacular return in the Red V in the Dragons’ 12-8 loss to Penrith.
The NRL’s own website could barely hide its excitement in the lead up, declaring, “Gaz is back! Yep, after 661 days in the [...] Read article
Back from a work related hiatus (translation: Work controls my life).
Broncos v Tigers. Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane. Friday 7.35pm
Whilst usually spending much of his time treating his players to wisdom and general rugby league martyr-like insight, Tigers coach Tim Sheens has decided to get a little selfish, and has treated himself to a new sports car. [...] Read article
The Sydney Roosters have proved four playmakers are better than one, bursting Parramatta’s bubble in a red-hot 48-12 thrashing of the Eels at Parramatta Stadium.
Halves Todd Carney and Mitchell Pearce, lock Braith Anasta and fullback Anthony Minichiello – who bagged two tries – ran riot as the Roosters scored eight tries to two and notched [...]
Wests Tigers survived a bombing barrage to consolidate fourth spot on the NRL ladder with a hard-earned 24-22 win over Cronulla at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday night.
Second rower Liam Fulton bagged a double as the Tigers outscored the Sharks five tries to four in a patchy performance against a spirited Cronulla side.
The Tigers sparkled only [...]
This years Four-Nations promises to be the best held in the Southern Hemisphere. Well, let’s put it out there and say ever.
With the double header and the new Eden Park, Papua New Guinea on the international scene to show their stuff against the best – also reminding the NRL that they are around for admission [...]
South Sydney’s finals charge copped a debilitating double blow with star import Sam Burgess put on report as Canterbury registered a stunning 32-12 upset NRL win at ANZ Stadium on Friday night.
As Bulldogs fullback Luke Patten scored his 100th try in the top grade to cap a mixed night, the Rabbitohs left themselves with plenty [...]
Penrith winger Michael Gordon delivered the inspiration his team has been seeking to get their NRL campaign back on track on Friday night.
Locked 16-all with North Queensland at a damp CUA Stadium, Gordon scored a sensational 55-metre solo effort to snap the Panthers’ losing streak and seal a dramatic 24-16 win.
The Panthers were made to [...]
At the start of the year I made a resolution not to blast referees this season. My resolution was made partly through a feeling that it was a tough job and having some no name blogger tapping away in fury did little to reach a productive solution of improved refereeing and two.
If the improvements that [...]
I’ve just seen the replay again of Matai’s supposed ‘high hit’ on Robbie Farah last Sunday, and need to vent. I was at the game right in front of the incident. Farah was rolling around on the ground pretending to be concussed in a performance that the Italian football team would have been proud of.
The [...]
NRL preview panel for round 21 matches (all times AEST).
Friday
Canterbury Bulldogs v South Sydney Rabbitohs at ANZ Stadium, 7.35pm
Head to head: Bulldogs 72, Rabbitohs 63, drawn 4
Last clash: Rabbitohs 38-16 at ANZ Stadium (rd 4, 2010)
TAB Sportsbet: Bulldogs $2.30, Rabbitohs $1.60
FootyTab: Bulldogs +2.5
Souths appear to be back after a rough match of mostly narrow losses [...]
Rugby league legend Benny Elias has been appointed to the board of A-League club Perth Glory.
Elias played 234 games for Balmain, 22 State of Origin games for New South Wales and 14 internationals for Australia and in 2005 was named one of the 25 greatest ever NSW players.
“Benny Elias brings a winning culture and attitude [...]
Parramatta believe they’ll be the more desperate side, the Sydney Roosters says it’s their “biggest test yet” – either way, it promises to be one of the NRL games of the year.
The league’s two form sides will clash in what is expected to be a sell-out at Parramatta Stadium and has been unusually scheduled as [...]
