NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 12 PENRITH PANTHERS 48
CALLUM WALKER, McDonald Jones Stadium, Friday
NEWCASTLE proved no match for a rampant Penrith as a nine-try blitz saw the Panthers soar into the top four – if only overnight.
The writing was on the wall for the Knights early on when Luke Garner and Lindsay Smith both crossed in the opening six minutes, with Liam Henry rubbing salt into the wounds as the half-hour approached.
Brian To’o finished magnificently shortly before half-time, then Thomas Jenkins took advantage of a ricocheted kick to make it 26-0 at the break.
Casey McLean effectively ended any hopes of a second-half fightback with a powerful effort immediately following the resumption, but Newcastle did restore some respectability with two tries in five minutes courtesy of Mat Croker and Jermaine McEwen.
But normal service soon took hold when Isaiah Papali’i dotted down on the hour before McLean registered his second four minutes later.
And just to put the final nail in the Newcastle coffin, some terrible line defence enabled Izack Tago to stride past four defenders on his way to the line.
Nathan Cleary added the extras to make it six from nine conversions as the Knights were simply outclassed by the reigning premiers.
KNIGHTS: 1 Dane Gagai, 2 Dom Young, 3 Fletcher Hunt, 4 Bradman Best, 5 Greg Marzhew, 6 Jake Arthur, 7 Jack Cogger, 8 Jacob Saifiti, 9 Jayden Brailey, 10 Leo Thompson, 11 Jermaine McEwen, 12 Kai Pearce-Paul, 13 Phoenix Crossland. Subs (all used): 14 Thomas Cant, 15 Mat Croker, 16 Tyson Frizell, 17 Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana
Tries: Croker (52), McEwen (57); Goals: Cogger 2/2
PANTHERS: 1 Dylan Edwards, 2 Thomas Jenkins, 3 Izack Tago, 4 Casey McLean, 5 Brian To’o, 6 Blaize Talagi, 7 Nathan Cleary, 8 Moses Leota, 9 Mitch Kenny, 10 Lindsay Smith, 11 Luke Garner, 12 Liam Martin, 13 Isaiah Papali’i. Subs (all used): 14 Brad Schneider, 15 Liam Henry, 16 Matt Eisenhuth, 17 Scott Sorensen
Tries: Garner (3), Smith (6), Henry (26), To’o (38), Jenkins (40), McLean (44, 67), Papali’i (63), Tago (73); Goals: Cleary 6/9
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 0-10, 0-16, 0-20, 0-26; 0-32, 6-32, 12-32, 12-38, 12-42, 12-48
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Knights: Jayden Brailey; Panthers: Liam Henry
Penalty count: 1-6; Half-time: 0-26; Referee: Wyatt Raymond; Attendance: 20,197