NRL finals LIVE: Panthers dominate with 32-6 victory over the ...

9 Sep 2023

The Sydney Morning Herald

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‘It’s just the beginning’: Cleary

6.07pm

Statistics at full time

5.58pm

NRL Finals - Figure 1 — Photo The Sydney Morning Herald

Panthers book spot in preliminary final with victory over Warriors

The Panthers have booked themselves a spot in the preliminary final with a confident 32-6 victory over the Warriors in Penrith.

Since Brian To’o scored in the fourth minute of the game, the Panthers kept the scoreboard ticking up.

After taking a 20-point lead into half-time, the Panthers briefly let the Warriors back in the contest with a try in the second half, but unfortunately for the visitors, they could never mount a threatening attack.

Sunia Turuva scored a double, Liam Martin bagged a try, and Nathan Cleary went over in the 72nd minute to put the last nail in the coffin.

The Panthers will now get to put their feet up for a week while the Warriors will have to play the winner of tomorrow’s Knights v Raiders game.

5.51pm

Cleary scores as clock ticks down to full time

Nathan Cleary had people on his outside, but the Panthers’ halfback decides to take it for himself.

With a double-pump out to the right, the Penrith number 7. beats Marcelo Montoya and Adam Pompey to extend his team’s lead with just eight minutes left in the contest.

He gets to kick for his own try and of course he doesn’t miss.

Panthers 32, Warriors 6 after 72 minutes

5.44pm

Sidelined Panthers looking very relaxed

The Warriors will need something special to turn this one around.

It’s a different story for the Panthers, though. The players are taking care of business on the field, but injured Panthers Jarome Luai and Izack Tago are so relaxed on the sideline that they’ve started to join in on the crowd’s mexican wave.

Just over 10 minutes left in the game, and Penrith still hold a solid 20-point lead.

Panthers 26, Warriors 6 after 59 minutes

5.37pm

Sunia Turuva scores double for Panthers

And just like that, the Panthers hit back with a second try for Sunia Turuva.

The Panthers are just too fast on that right edge, and the ball passes through the hands of Isaah Yeo, Nathan Cleary and Stephen Crichton before making its way to Turuva on the wing.

Cleary takes the kick from the left edge, but keeps his perfect record.

Panthers 26, Warriors 6 after 64 minutes

5.29pm

Wade Egan scores first try for Warriors

It has taken 56 minutes, but the Warriors are finally on the scoreboard.

It was the offload from Mitch Barnett that got the play started for the Warriors, with a run down the right touch line from Dallin Watene-Zelezniak who threw a cut-out pass to Wade Egan.

Egan beat a Panthers defence on the run and went over just right of the posts to get the Warriors their first points of the day.

Adam Pompey puts the kick over easily, and are the Warriors back in the game?

Panthers 20, Warriors 6 after 57 minutes

5.24pm

Montoya taken into touch

We’re stuck in a bit of an arm wrestle at the moment, but the Warriors have to win it if they want to revive this game.

The Panthers are happy playing this kind of football - finishing their sets, getting a good kick from Nathan Cleary on their last play, and waiting for a mistake from the Warriors so they can strike.

Penrith are yet to have any pressure on their try line in this second half, and when Marcelo Montoya was a threat on their right edge, they dragged him into touch.

Panthers 20, Warriors 0 after 54 minutes

5.16pm

Butcher caught in awkward tackle

Warriors hooker Egan Butcher is not in a good way after his head was caught awkwardly in a tackle.

It was almost an accidental crusher from Panther Moses Leota who was on the attack.

Butcher is getting to his feet now, but he looked in a world of pain just moments ago.

Panthers 20, Warriors 0 after 45 minutes

Egan Butcher receives medical attention after getting caught awkwardly in a tackle.Credit: Getty

5.09pm

Second half under way

The players are back out in the middle, and hopefully Warriors coach Andrew Webster had some magic words to help his players.

Penrith kick to the Warriors, but in their first set the visitors drop the ball...not the start you want in the second half.