The State of Origin period looks set to be a very taxing one for the Penrith Panthers, judging from their meek capitulation to a Dragons side which once again clicked into the gear necessary to record a comprehensive 28 point win over the mountain men.
Making do without the services of star players Petero Civoncieva, Michael Jennings and Luke Lewis, the Panthers were always going to find it difficult to replicate the form that allowed them to post a record breaking victory over the Roosters last week.
The Dragons themselves struggled early on, as should be the case when a side is missing key quartet Ben Creagh, Justin Poore, Michael Weyman and Darius Boyd to Origin duty.
Wayne Bennett’s men, however, woke up from their slumber to race out to a ten-nil lead courtesy of tries to Beau Scott and Ben Hornby.
Despite the early points, the Panthers still displayed enough confidence and belief to put themselves back in the contest.
Young five-eighth Wade Graham scored a try after catching a neat bomb from half Luke Walsh to place Penrith within four of the lead.
That try effectively placed momentum on the Panthers shoulders, as they started to display the football that has garnered them four consecutive victories leading into their tussle against the Dragons.
Despite leading by six at half time, Dragons coach Wayne Bennett knew that this was a game that could have easily slipped away, and made it his duty to address his troops about the process of playing consistently for the remainder of the contest.
It was a pep talk that allowed the Dragons to once again make a bold statement about their premiership credentials this season.
Although they were missing some integral figures, the Dragons were able to replicate the exact form that saw them post a convincing win over the Sharks last week, keeping in mind that they only led by four at the interval.
Just two minutes after half time, Wendell Sailor scored a try, being the beneficiary of some beautiful attacking football from centre Chase Stanley.
And although Frank Pritchard replied for Penrith, it only proved to be a minor hiccup as Sailor, Michael Lett, Jamie Soward and Nick Emmett posted tries for the Dragons to seal a victory that places them on top of the table, pending the result of Sunday’s clash between the Knights and the Bulldogs.
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