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Rugby league. You can’t script it.
The Panthers were camped on the Raiders line late with seconds to go, searching for the 50 point mark that would end Canberra’s Premiership hopes for another year.
Nathan Cleary found Jaeman Salmon on the crash line, he barged through some horrendous tackling for teh try that brought up the milestone. As he stood to celebrate, the Panthers man could be seen to scream “weak-gutted dog” into the night sky.
“Good karma, that’s how I’d describe that,” said coach Ivan Cleary.
Nothing could have hurt the Raiders more. 53-12 it ended to the Panthers, who were excellent value for their win, albeit assisted by some generous tackling. Ricky Stuart has plenty of work to do.
“The second half was unacceptable,” said Stuart. “Doesn’t matter who we play, if we play like that. I’m sure a lot of fans would like to know exactly what I’m thinking but it’s better if we keep it in house and deal with it.
“I’m disappointed for all our fans and it’s going to be a tough week for us to get through that. There will be a lot of deserved criticism. I apologise for that performance.”
It’s a 1-4 start for Ricky’s Raiders and they are lucky to get one. Cronulla might well have snagged that game, and in truth, 0-5 might be fair.
They’re not as bad as the Tigers, but it’s hard to say that Canberra have been the better side in any game that they have played.
Granted, it’s a team that is somewhat scrambling to get their best parts in order. Some of that isn’t Ricky’s fault: he lost Danny Levi to injury and had to roll in Zac Woolford then has had Jamal Fogarty out last week and Jack Wighton suspended this time around.
Xavier Savage was gone before the season, but the decision on his replacement gets more confusing by the week. Seb Kris is game, but is a centre and not a fullback, Harley Smith-Shields, is a fullback and not a centre. That’s on Sticky.
The defence was horrendous on the left edge last week and bad on the right tonight, with Penrith’s attacking left able to get it together for the first time of the year.
Jordan Rapana, back in this team, will be very lucky if he is next week. This was a nightmare, with two misfielded kick offs, bad defensive reads and penalties.
Ricky has serious questions to answer on how this team is currently set up, They’re not a bad team, but they look like one in this configuration.
Seriously – people thought they might have lost it. The Panthers were 1-3 before tonight, with an added World Club Challenge defeat too, but they’d lost by a combined total of three points across that.
The defence had gone nowhere, with two tries per game allowed, but there had been whispers about Penrith’s ability to attack without Api Koroisau calling the shots and Viliame Kikau hitting the holes.
On tonight’s evidence, rumours of their demise have been greatly exaggerated. Nobody had ever doubted Nathan Cleary, but he was back at his string-pulling best, and had a supporting cast to go with him.
Jarome Luai, who had been disappointing, was excellent and Izack Tago returned to his best form as well.
Zac Hosking seems to be the better replacement for Kikau. Luke Garner, injured tonight, is far from a certainty to take his place back when fit again. His second half try was the most deserved of the lot.
It really doesn’t take much to make Penrith truly elite, because all the constituent parts are so sustainably good. The back five keep going and the middle haven’t dropped off at all.
It was the other stuff, the one percenters that turn those tight defeats into wins. Ivan Cleary has never once looked like panicking and backed his side to find that extra inch when it mattered.
“Once we could get a bit of flow and keep the ball, the second half just everything went our way,” Penrith coach Ivan said the coach.
“It was nice to get a bit of rhythm and score some points. These guys have been working very hard for a long time and it’s just good to see them have some fun out there.”