It was a thoroughly enjoyable game at Pepper stadium, which has seen the Roosters get home by two points.
» Click here to read the full match
Final score
Penrith Pathers 12
Sydney Roosters 14
It’s a high-quality matchup in Penrith this Saturday night as the Penrith Panthers go up against the Sydney Roosters. Join The Roar from 7pm (AEDT) for live coverage.
Penrith were abysmal, then electrifying in their two games in season 2017 and they’ll face a very stern challenge against a Roosters team that sits 2-0 and looks pretty sharp.
The one area of concern for the Roosters though is their lapses in second halves this year. They’ve been on fire early, before switching off and giving opponents a sniff.
The Panthers are a dangerous team to do this against – they can hurt teams from anywhere on the field and they do love to score piles of points quickly.
In team news, Bryce Cartwright is out after injuring his ankle/leg against the Tigers last week while Dallin Watene-Zelezniak returns to the wing after having a knee cleanout to repair meniscus damage.
For the visitors there’s a big out, with Blake Ferguson succumbing to a rib injury. He’s replaced in the centres by 20-year-old Joseph Manu.
Prediction
This will be a humdinger that can go either way, with the presumptive premiership challengers pitted against a side that’s done it all before.
Both teams are great to watch and can get a scoring run going – tonight’s game will be won by the side that can get their defence organised quickly enough to get those runs under control. For me, that’s the Roosters.
Roosters by 2.
Join The Roar from 7pm (AEDT) for live coverage.
Oingo Boingo
Guest
I've always thought Galen , Farah and Bird had a lot to do with the NSW run of losses , just as much as Pearce .
AJ Mithen
Expert
Been more than a few dodgy and crucial calls and we're only in round three...
Minefield
Guest
Roosters got a few cheap decisions but Peachey was offside in the Blake non try. Is Roach the stupidiest commentator I the world. Offside is offside and irrelevant If Penrith drop it.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
It's unusual, a lot of them have been head clashes too; wondering if it's not a side effect of players colliding front on.
jacksyd
Guest
Totally agree. If that's how the roosters are going to be treated all year then hand them the premiership now.
AJ Mithen
Expert
That's it for me from Penrith, thanks for tuning in. If you haven't gone there already, join Isaac Nowroozi for the Cowboys v Sea Eagles live from Townsville - there's always a stack of live sport to choose from at The Roar! http://www.theroar.com.au/2017/03/18/north-queensland-cowboys-vs-manly-sea-eagles-nrl-live-scores-blog-6/
AJ Mithen
Expert
I do wonder Alex if that's because everyone's so beefy straight out of preseason.
jacksyd
Guest
I don't support either team but its a tragedy when a team tries its heart out only to be denied by woeful refereeing. What does it tell you when the refs have to be escorted under heavy guard off the field?
AJ Mithen
Expert
FULL TIME STATS ATTACK POSSESSION: Panthers 47%, Roosters 53% LINE BREAKS: Panthers 2, Roosters 2 PENALTIES: Panthers 9, Roosters 9 TACKLES: Panthers 366, Roosters 328 RUN METRES: Panthers 1318, Roosters 1233 ERRORS: Panthers 8, Roosters 17 NOTABLES: Missed tackles: Panthers 24 Roosters 20 Completion rates: Panthers 78%, Roosters 68% Tyrone Peachey 17 runs, 169 metres, 1 try, 1 offload, 5 tackle breaks Trent Merrin 16 runs, 154 metres, 44 tackles, 1 missed tackle TeMaire Martin 35 tackles, 4 missed tackles Mitchell Pearce 2 try assists, 2 line break assists Michael Gordon 2 tries, 4 tackle breaks, 1 line break Jake Friend 51 tackles
steveng
Roar Rookie
I would suggest that the NRL take all the touchies to get specticles, it will do the fans and the teams a big favor. The touchies tonight were hopeless and 'YES' that was a forward pass and not a flat pass. The Panthers got robbed!!!
Alex L
Roar Rookie
We're seeing an awful number of broken orbital bones this year -- Hiku, Hopoate, and now Fisher-Harris.
AJ Mithen
Expert
FULL TIME: ROOSTERS 14, PANTHERS 12 A thoroughly enjoyable game at Pepper stadium has seen the Roosters get home by two points. It was a grinding, defensive effort indicative of the kind of pressure teams exert late in the season. Penrith fans will feel a bit hard done by with the decisive try coming from a suspect pass and there's every chance they'll be unhappy there was no penalty call on Michael Gordon's last second tackle on a flying Tyrone Peachey, but looking at the play again he went in low and the tackle did appear to bounce up off the arm and ball. Both sides had period of dominance in game that had 25 errors and 18 penalties yet still remained compelling viewing right to the end in wet, greasy conditions. The Roosters move to 3-0 in 2017 while Penrith drop to 1-2, not that any of that matters so early in the season. So... what did you make of that one, Roarers?
Andrew
Guest
wow - poor panthers were hard done by there.
AJ Mithen
Expert
80′ HELD UP!!! What a final play! Moylan crossed a kick from right to left that looked shallow, Hiku tipped the ball to Wallace, who tipped the ball to Peachey who looked for all money he was going to score before being coathangered by Michael Gordon, the ball was picked up by Kikau who was held up over the line and the Roosters survive! Panthers 12 Roosters 14
jacksyd
Guest
The refs and that touchy have killed the Panthers tonight. Absolutely disgraceful..
AJ Mithen
Expert
78′ The Panthers are coming hard! Only 25 out with tackles in hand... Panthers 12 Roosters 14
AJ Mithen
Expert
77′ Martin tries to slice through on the last and can't get it done - Roosters hold strong five out. This is a great game, for all it's errors! Panthers 12 Roosters 14
AJ Mithen
Expert
76′ Pearce loses the ball! It was a stinker of a delivery from Connor Watson, but Penrith have a shot! Panthers 12 Roosters 14
AJ Mithen
Expert
74′ TRY ROOSTERS Hoooh boy. Another sweeping 60 metre move from the Roosters, but there was a pass in there from Mitchell to Tupou that was so suspect it was wearing a Hamburglar costume. Michael Gordon finished the play nicely after Tupou has kicked ahead while being tackled. It was a pretty good try, but this will be what you're hearing about all week. The fans don't like it, but at best and being generous you'd say it was flat. Flat as a freshly laid highway that has just been rolled with a steamroller. Gordon misses the conversion and the Roosters are very, very fortunate to be in front. Panthers 12 Roosters 14
Saus
Guest
I have never rated Blocker as a caller however he is picking the poor referring calls like a dirty nose