Penrith smashed Parramatta Eels with a “ruthless, relentless” performance, extending the Eels’ wait for a premiership into a 37th year, and becoming the third team in 30 years to go back-to-back.
The Panthers’ brilliance took the bunker and referee out of the occasion, and although they benefitted from one controversial call, Parramatta were never in the contest.
“I think our first half was the best we have ever played,” said Panthers’ star halfback Nathan Cleary. “I was thinking today when I woke up we have put some really good seasons together but we have never really come off thinking that’s the best game we could play. I think the first half was just about that.”
Cleary said the players had decided to go hunting rivals this season, rather than accept being anyone’s prey.
“We spoke about it early on that we always wanted to be the hunters. Everyone talks about you are hunted when you are the best. That was our mentality. We wanted to hunt teams and that’s when we are at our best.”
In the end the Panthers were unlucky to not score more, while their defence, especially from fullback Dylan Edwards, who made a memorable covering tackle in the second half, was immaculate until the Eels crossed for two tries in the final minutes to add some respectability to the 28-12 scoreline.
Edwards won the Clive Churchill Medal for the game’s best player.
“I’m rapt, honestly. Far out. What a bunch of boys to do it with,” said Edwards. “We dug in early and we held on. We were striving to go from great to great again. We were lucky enough to achieve that.”
Asked what the highlight was he replied: “Full-time siren I think. To have it all over. Victory. Can’t explain it. Can’t put it into words. It is awesome.”
“It has been a ruthless relentless performance from Penrith,” said Cameron Smith on the Nine commentary. “What they do so well is every player knows their role in this team. Every player knows their role in the system and they get their role done. It is great to watch.”
Andrew Johns added: “What a team! We talk about champion teams and champion clubs. If you go back to Canberra and Brisbane in the 1990s, the Roosters in the early 200s, obviously the Melbourne Storm. This team, it will go down as up there with those teams.”
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
The Panthers came out on fire and raced to an 18-0 lead inside 28 minutes with three tries. There should have been a fourth just before the break, only for Waqa Blake to make a huge try saver. The halftime siren couldn’t come quickly enough for Brad Arthur and his Eels in a bid to stem the flow of Panthers’ attack.
“It was probably the most professional 40 minutes of football you can imagine,” said Phil Gould on the Nine coverage.
“They got on the front foot early, their kicking game was good and ball control was outstanding. They kept Parramatta at their end of the field and gave them little opportunity to get out of it. They kept the pressure on them, the kicking games from [Nathan] Cleary and [Jarome] Luai have been outstanding.
“When they’ve had the chances they’ve taken them and there has been a relentless physical assault on the Parramatta side, who I must say were brave but totally outclassed by the Panthers team. A perfect 40 minutes of football.”
Former Melbourne Storm star Billy Slater said the Eels had given Cleary too much time on the ball to pick his options.
“Nathan pulls the strings, it is easy to do that with no pressure when he kicks the footy. He’s right on top of his game and seeing it really clear at the minute.
“He’s playing in a really dominant team. I thought it was set up by Moses Leota. His first stint was outstanding. He really set the standard of what the Panthers were going to do. Nathan Cleary, you can expect nothing less in the second half.”
Parramatta needed a response straight after the break but instead Penrith pushed further ahead after a controversial call from Ashley Klein.
Brian To’o raced over on the left hand side but the Eels felt Viliame Kikau had obstructed Mitchell Moses in the defensive line. Klein awarded the try and justified it by saying Moses moved towards Kikau to bring him into play.
The decision brought derision in the Nine commentary box.
“Inside shoulder, outside shoulder that – that replay showed it perfectly,” said Andrew Johns. “That clip from behind, he had to run between Mitchell Moses and Isaiah Papalii. He doesn’t. And Kikau runs to the outside of Moses and all year that has been a no try. Yep. The biggest game of the year, we make it up and change it.”
Brad Fittler agred: “The players know they have to go to the inside shoulder efforts. Mitchell Moses was following the ball when he looked up to make the play when the ball was passed, Kikau was in front of him.
“He might not have got to the ball but what Kikau did was he got in the way and obstructed his view of what was happening outside. So he obstructed him.”
But ultimately the decision had no bearing on the result after a superb performance from the Panthers.
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