The Panthers have defied losing six players to Origin to defeat the Canterbury Bulldogs 30-18 at Bluebet Stadium, with half Kurt Falls enjoying a dream night on debut.
Once a teammate of Nathan Cleary’s at St Dominic’s College, he did a decent impression of his more celebrated friend, kicking five from six and laying on the first try of the night with a pitch-perfect kick for Chris Smith, as well as matching up defensively with Matt Burton and Josh Addo-Carr.
The 25-year-old, who has waited patiently for his chance in the NRL, has been a standout in NSW Cup and transferred that form to the top grade, roared on by family and friends in the grandstand.
“He had a really good start,” said Ivan Cleary. “He was busy, had a run straight away. He had a kick, a try assist and a goal all in the space of five minutes, which helps.
“Defensively, their left edge with Burto and the Foxx were always going to be a big focal point and Falls was in and around that, defensively as well.”
For anyone who had wondered if the Panthers’ second string were better than the Bulldogs’ first team, the question was answered relatively swiftly in the first half: they are.
Some of the new faces were awfully familiar – Sean O’Sullivan, Robert Jennings, Charlie Staines and Matt Eisenhuth would all get into the Bulldogs’ team.
“We’ve got guys here that know what to do,” said Cleary. “Eisenhuth and Charlie Staines have played a lot of footy in our NRL team in the last two years. Sean O’Sullivan has played well every time he’s played for us, but you can’t fit him in the team. It’s nice for them to get an opportunity.
“If everyone is doing their job, it’s much easier for everyone to shine.”
In truth, it was the non-Origin contingent who came to the fore. Viliame Kikau gave his new employers at Belmore a taste of what they have bought for next year, dominating the left edge in both attack and defence, while James Fisher-Harris, Dylan Edwards and Taylan May all impressed.
The Dogs did have their moments, usually provided by Matt Burton and Josh Addo-Carr, but they were fleeting and, in truth, there was always the feeling that Penrith could go through the gears if required.
This was another performance where they looked better with ball in hand than they have most of the season, but the Panthers defence, even missing a few, is still the best organised in the NRL and repelled the Dogs with relative ease.
“I’d like to think we’re getting closer,” said Mick Potter. “We’re letting teams get away from us early on, then pulling them back a little.
“We keep coming up with penalties and errors in yardage that let the other team back in. We need to build resilience in our D early on. Right at the moment, it’s not acceptable and we need to start better.
“I think we’re breaking teams up a little bit more, and I’m actually quite happy with our attack. But we’re giving the other team too many opportunities and we’re not resilient enough to hold them out.”
Jake Averillo, shifted to fullback for the first time in place of the dropped Matt Dufty, had some shaky moments but offered plenty as well from the back.
“Jake’s played fullback in lower grades and rep footy in his younger years,” said Potter. “I’ve been keeping an eye on him over a longer period and since I’ve been at Canterbury.
“He was ready for a challenge and it was worth a risk to take. I thought, overall, he had a solid game – I know he made a couple of blues but he’s a footy player and I think he’ll get better in that position. We’ll see him there next week I think.”
The main cogs might have been missing, but early on, the machine picked up without a splutter. Falls, playing the role of Nathan Cleary, found Chris Smith, deputising for Liam Martin, for a trademark kick try.
Despite the outs, the left edge is still together and they provided the next. They combined from deep in their own half to get Izack Tago down the wing, and he dumped inside to Dylan Edwards.
The Dogs needed a system reset, and as it has so often been this season, Matt Burton provided it. His kicking has been awry in the last few weeks, but the five eighth produced a steepling spiral bomb that bamboozled Edwards, forcing a knock on.
Burton’s left boot struck immediately, finding Josh Addo-Carr for at the corner. The winder, ditched from New South Wales’ team earlier this week, would have felt more than a little catharsis as he celebrated with his teammates.
The next passage showed everything Penrith are about. It began with a Bulldogs break, as Addo-Carr skinned Charlie Staines to get down the left. His pass inside to Averillo was batted down and the Panthers struck.
Taylan May picked up and challenged the line, before Viliame Kikau went through another hole to scatter the Dogs’ defence. With the line speed non-existent, Sean O’Sullivan had time to float a pass back to May for his sixth in six games on home turf.
O’Sullivan was warming into the game. He slipped Kikau through a hole for the next, blowing the Panthers out to 22-6 before the break.
Again, the Bulldogs needed a spark plug, and again, it was the Burton/Addo-Carr connection that provided it. With his side getting smashed in their own end, Burton kicked early for his winger, who got the bounce and ran in it in from long range.
Burton was doing everything. After a series of somewhat directionless sets deep in Panthers territory, Jeremy Marshall-King stepped out from dummy half and found his five eighth on a crash line to get within four points.
The Panthers had lost a little of their edge, but always had another level to go to. They brought James Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota back into the fray to take control through the middle.
Results came immediately: they forced an error from Paul Vaughan, got their first good ball of the second half and Api Koroisau was able to dribble a kick through for Jaeman Salmon.
Salmon might have had another, only to be called back for a double movement, while Tago could have also had one, only for the bunker to intervene and ping him for a knock on.
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
Baz, I have just come across this string looking for something to read on a cold morning. Fantastic stuff, it has put a smile on my face. Very well written, you made your points well using facts. You are an asset to this website. Keep up the good work.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Thompson, TPJ, Hetherington and Burns had all played every single game for the Bulldogs at the time of their injuries I’m not suggesting for one second they’re as good as Cleary, Yeo, Luai, etc… but they’re every bit as part of the Bulldogs first grade team as the Panthers players are part of theirs. The Bulldogs replacements are far more ‘second string’ than the Panthers replacements My point is that the media has continually referred to Panthers as plating second string and the Bulldogs at full strength, including this article Regular first graders missing Panthers 6 Bulldogs 4 Mentions of missing players in this article Panthers 8 Bulldogs 0 Mentions of being at full strength Penrith 0 Bulldogs 1
The Barry
Roar Guru
Before you start crying about insults, trace these comments back and see who started talking about who was “dreaming” and “not telling the truth”. It was only after two posts from you containing personal remarks that I responded in kind. If you don’t like it fine, but don’t dish it out… Anyway, it’s not garbage… you’re actually proving my point. Still banging on about the players the Panthers were missing and saying the players the Bulldogs were missing aren’t important Most of the players the Panthers brought in to replace their Origin players would make the Bulldogs team right now. Of course the Panthers were able to cover better for the players they lost, even though they were better players than the ones the Bulldogs were missing The Bulldogs lost arguably their best two forwards, certainly their two highest paid forwards and both internationals. But the worst team in the comp is supposed to be able to cover for their loss… because why exactly? You haven’t actually said anything other than “cuz I think it’s garbage” My argument was that this game wasn’t “second string Panthers versus full strength Bulldogs”. That point is 100% correct and nothing you’ve written has refuted it This article alone mentions: “second-string Panthers cruise by Bulldogs” “The Panthers have defied losing six players” “For anyone who had wondered if the Panthers’ second string were better than the Bulldogs’ first team” “but the Panthers defence, even missing a few…” “The main cogs might have been missing” “Falls, playing the role of Nathan Cleary” “Chris Smith, deputising for Liam Martin” “Despite the outs…” That’s eight specific mentions of the six missing Panthers players and not one mention of the four that the Bulldogs were missing and one reference to the Bulldogs first team Regardless of the quality of the players missing, if you can’t see the imbalance of that reporting, I don’t know what to tell you
Westie
Guest
I agree with you EOD. None of the Bulldogs missing from that game , meant as much to the side as those missing from the Penrith side. You’ll find lots of insults from the ‘experts’ on here . When they think that what they’ve said , has been made to look silly. Each to their own opinion I say. No need for the name calling & insults. That really only shows the IQ, of the person doing it.
EastOfDivide
Guest
Lots of insults thrown out by you. As you know that your original statement. ‘Panthers were without six of their starters, but the Dogs were missing four of theirs so it’s not as much “second stringers beat firsts” as a lot of the hive mind hacks out there would have us believe.’ Is nothing but a lot of garbage. You’ve been shown that is garbage. That the supposed Bulldogs match winners that were missing. In no way compared, to those players missing from the Panthers. Not only in number, but in real skill , match winning ability & talent. So all you have left is insults. Well done you! :thumbup:
The Barry
Roar Guru
It’s you who’s coming up with the smoke and mirrors… all I’ve said is the Panthers had six out and the Bulldogs had four. That’s a fact You’ve wasted about six paragraphs to try and explain why the players the Panthers had out were more important than the players the Bulldogs were missing… which has NOTHING to do with what I wrote No sheet Sherlock? They’re Origin players. You’re battling to make a point that anyone with half a brain already knows. The Panthers had more players out than the Dogs and they were better players. Derrrrrr… well done Einstein
EastOfDivide
Guest
Try all the smoke & mirrors you like. The most important players to a teams attack & scoring ability is the spine. More & more now days , you can add the link player to that. Penrith were missing Cleary, Luai, Yeo . 3 of the most important 4 players in their attack, just add the hooker. The Bulldogs were missing none of those players . Another 2 of Penrith’s most important players in attack Crichton & To’o were missing. Plus one of their best forwards in Martin. Who in those missing Bulldogs players have played such a vital role in the teams attack? Thompson? Hetherington? Burns? Pangai? Interesting that out of those vital attacking players that the dogs were missing. The talk is that they wish to dump Hetherington, Thompson. Burns would be playing NSW Cup anyway. As Hetherington often does. None of the Bulldogs players missing would ever be chosen in a rep team now. Even Pangai. Other than perhaps Thompson in an English squad. He’d never be chosen in any rep team here. So to give some 6 players to 4 , is hardly telling the whole real truth. Dream on!
The Barry
Roar Guru
Dreaming? I’m not dreaming anything. The Panthers were missing six players, the Dogs were missing four. That’s just objective facts Why does missing three of their five running forwards from their starting pack not matter? You don’t think that makes a difference to a team? Especially for a struggling team? Panthers have got a better team, they’ve got better depth and they’ve got better replacements. It’s ridiculous to suggest the Bulldogs outs don’t matter I never said the Dogs were missing more or missing better or more important players. Just that all week - and especially post game - was about how the under strength Panthers have beaten the full strength Bulldogs …and it’s just not true. Got nothing to do with dreaming. Facts are the Panthers were missing six players from their strongest team and the Dogs were missing four
EastOfDivide
Guest
We’re the Bulldogs missing any of the players that set up the plays for them? Like Cleary, Luai, Yeo. We’re they missing a couple of their best backs? Such as Crichton, To’o. The only back the Bulldogs were missing was Burns. So , missing couple of forwards hardly compares. No matter how much you’d like to dream differently.
JennyFromPenny
Guest
Albo, would we still have won with Tyrone May at 7? Surely Falls and Sullivan added something to the Origin-short team from last year. Burton was great for them as he was for Panthers at half, but without winning any games. You would have to question why that is. He isn't leading teams to victory at half for the Dogs, just like he couldn't do at half for Penrith (where you couldn't blame the players around him).
Magic Lyrebird
Roar Rookie
Has anyone ever had a better season for a last-placed team than Burton with the Dogs?
The Barry
Roar Guru
After showing some decent defence early in the season, the Dogs are in the zone of a lot of struggling teams where errors quickly lead to tries and tries come in bunches. Not a heap of resilience from the Dogs Panthers were without six of their starters, but the Dogs were missing four of theirs so it’s not as much “second stringers beat firsts” as a lot of the hive mind hacks out there would have us believe Likewise, the “Addo-Carr is out of form” BS that did the rounds this week since the Origin sides were picked was a great example of media hacks just copying one another’s ideas and social media mo.rons swallowing it hook, line and sinker Fox has scored eight tries with two assists in 12 games for a team that’s struggling to create opportunities. That’s 0.67 tries per game. In his entire Storm career he scored 96 from 118 at 0.81 tries per game. He’s averaging 114 metres and 4 tackle breaks per game. He’s putting in every week Anyway, good win by the Panthers. Agree with Mike that even when the Dogs got close the Panthers looked like they had another gear or two…
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
Opposition teams have learnt pretty easily , shut Burton and Ado Carr down and the dogs are toothless . Sure they scored all the points last night so it doesn't say a lot for the rest . It's like they've given up .
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Charlie Stains wouldn’t get into the Dogs firsts.Gets brushed off too easily, rarely bends the line like Kiraz or Aaron S. As a spectacle would have liked to see the Panthers throw it wider a bit more seemed to play 80% of the game thru the middle third, great for the win but dull as dishwater for the viewers. Dogs we’re well beaten but Burton was the best footballer on display for the NRL last night.
Albo
Roar Rookie
I thought the Panthers performed very well without their 6 stars. Key for them was their "system" where their middle third forwards & back 5 again set the platform for the team's consistent performance. The back 5 of Edwards, May, Tago Jennings & Staines all returned over 100 metres as usual maintaining field position. . Fish, Leota, Api & Eisenhuth rolled forward all night and kept the Dogs pack at bay. Special mention to Eisenhuth who played the Yeo role well whilst adding 8 hit ups & 48 tackles in his one stint on the park for the first 48 minutes of the match. Kikau showed again that he is at the peak of his powers this season. Edwards continues his great form as an underrated fullback . For the Dogs , they had 55% possession and completed at 90% but they really offered very little, but for the great Burton kicking game in combination with flying winger Addo-Carr, which gave them a sniff early in the 2nd half.