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Nathan Cleary played a starring role as Penrith laid to rest any concerns about their form as the NRL finals approach, ending South Sydney’s 10-game winning streak and making a statement with a 25-12 victory at Suncorp Stadium.
After the Rabbitohs bolted out of the blocks to lead 12-0 after 23 minutes, last year’s grand finalists Penrith produced a near-perfect second half to show they are back near their best.
Cleary was back to his old self as he terrorised former teammate Josh Mansour with his bombs, while Paul Momirovski was an unlikely hero with his boot.
“They were getting dominated early by Souths but some brilliance from Cleary has had him in complete control,” said Mick Ennis on Fox Sports.
“He has taken everything away from Souths, his kicking game has been incredible. Suffocating… Nathan has been outstanding, he needed a big night confidence-wise.
“He’s been the Nathan Cleary of earlier in the season and this last 50 minutes he’s been great.”
Cleary brings the game level! Who will come out on top? ????#NRLPanthersSouths
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???? WATCH via @kayosports https://t.co/w71JCzxv0q pic.twitter.com/VvWi4pRpqP— Fox League (@FOXNRL) August 20, 2021
The only worry for Penrith was a concussion suffered by fullback Dylan Edwards, leaving Stephen Crichton to make his mark at fullback.
While the two sides will almost certainly face each other again in a qualifying final next month, Penrith showed they loom as a title challenger to defending premiers Melbourne after their first game at anywhere near full strength since June.
And it was Cleary who had his fingerprints all over it, creating something out of nothing for the Panthers’ first points.
The halfback put on a two-man cut-out ball for Kurt Capewell, before winger Paul Momirovski kicked back in field for Cleary to score.
Momirovski’s boot had Penrith back to 12-10 down on halftime, when he got cramped for space on the right before a shallow chip helped Crichton score.
Then it was Cleary’s kicking game that was the difference in the second half.
The Panthers No.7 kept Penrith locked in on the Rabbitohs’ line, with a Tom Burgess high tackle allowing Cleary to kick the Panthers level.
Moments later they found themselves in the lead when Mark Nicholls was pinged for a downtown penalty, letting Cleary kick Penrith two clear.
And after Matt Burton put winger Brent Naden over unmarked, it was a Cleary field goal from 20m out that wrapped up the game before a late Api Koroisau try.
The result means South Sydney will enter the finals without a win over either the Panthers or Melbourne this season.
While they conceded 50 against both those sides earlier this year, Friday night at Suncorp Stadium at least showed how far they have come.
But at the same, they still have some way to go
Their first try came after an Edwards error and their second through Latrell Mitchell was after a perfect Adam Reynolds 40-20, but they lacked the impetus in the second half.
Playmaker Cody Walker was unable to make the same impact he has in the past three months, while none of their forward ran 100 metres.
They also ended the night with Keaon Koloamatangi on report, potentially in trouble for a crusher tackle on Naden.
Meanwhile, Manly have shrugged aside the absence of Tom Trbojevic, conjuring a second-half revival to beat Canberra 19-18, boost their NRL top-four hopes and deny the Raiders entry to the top eight.
The Raiders looked to have the measure of the Turbo-less Sea Eagles in a gritty first spell that played into their hands as they ran up a 12-0 halftime lead.
But hard-running pair Moses Suli and Haumole Olakau’atu ignited the Sea Eagles while Jake Trbojevic laid two match-changing tackles and captain Daly Cherry-Evans sealed the win with his boot.
Trbojevic knocked the ball loose from Charnze Nicholl-Klokstad’s first carry in his return from neck surgery, Morgan Harper scoring from the next play to level proceedings.
Then he somehow managed to halt Josh Papalii as the Raiders prop stormed within reach of an equaliser.
Either side of that tackle Cherry-Evans laid on a pinpoint grubber for a Curtis Sironen try and then nailed the decisive late field goal to put them seven ahead.
Introduced for the last 25 minutes of the match, Nicholl-Klokstad did go over with 30 seconds to play.
But, after being piggy-backed up field by a penalty, Jordan Rapana scuffed his two-point field goal attempt from 45m that would have snatched a win.
“I don’t think they were thinking about it like that,” Manly coach Des Hasler said of his side finding a way to win without their star fullback, who he said would return from his cheek injury next week.
“They knew they had a game tonight with plenty of cause for both sides, both had goals.
“It was tough game of footy and I think we needed that game actually, it’s come at a good time.”
The result put the Sea Eagles level with the Sydney Roosters, who have a game in hand, in fourth with two games remaining while the Raiders missed their chance to jump from ninth to seventh.
“We’d be in the grand final if it was down to courage and effort,” frustrated Raiders coach Ricky Stuart said.
“Unfortunately we needed a bit more than that and in certain periods of play we didn’t have it.
“It’s hard losing that way when you put so much courage and effort into 80 minutes of footy.”
Manly looked offensively lost in their first scoreless first half of the season, seven errors to the Raiders’ four not helping their cause.
Harley Smith-Shields scored after Joe Tapine had stripped possession then Jack Wighton put Bailey Simonsson over in the corner to set up Canerra’s halftime lead.
Olakau’atu, denied a try in the first half after replays found an obstruction, wasn’t turned away a second time though.
He twisted out of a tackle to score after Suli (career-high 217 run metres) had made the break to begin the Sea Eagles’ resurgence.
© AAP
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