PENRITH PANTHERS 18 MANLY SEA EAGLES 16
TOM SMITH, CommBank Stadium, Parramatta, Sunday

KIERAN FORAN suffered his first defeat at the helm of Manly, as the Sea Eagles fell just short of upsetting the Panthers. 

With teenager Joey Walsh replacing halfback Jamal Fogarty, Foran’s men led deep in the second half before Izack Tago’s try and Nathan Cleary’s clutch conversion gave Penrith the lead, which they held on to despite Jack Cogger’s late sin-binning. 

Manly have been in red-hot form since replacing Anthony Seibold with Foran, notching four huge wins in a row heading into this date with the NRL’s pace-setters. 

The Eagles upset the Panthers in their last meeting at this same venue in 2025, but the table-toppers avoided the same slip-up here. 

Nathan Cleary and Isaah Yeo were composed and clinical as always, while Haumole Olakau’atu did his chances of a New South Wales Origin jumper no harm. 

Penrith boss Ivan Cleary named an unchanged 17 to the one that powered past the Knights in Newcastle last Sunday, when fullback Dylan Edwards raced to a hat-trick halfway through the first half. 

Foran wasn’t quite so fortunate, losing forward Corey Waddell (pectoral) and Fogarty (groin) after last week’s victory over Parramatta. 

That opened the door for vaunted 19-year-old Walsh – who captained Australia’s under-18s rugby union side before the Eagles beat the Bulldogs, Dolphins and the 15-man code to his signature – to make his second NRL appearance. 

Star fullback Tom Trbojevic remained sidelined by a hamstring complaint. 

The visitors made a dream start, as Clayton Faulalo crossed inside five minutes. Dynamic deputy fullback Tolutau Koula timed his pass perfectly to put the left centre through. 

Penrith quickly returned serve through rookie stand-off Blaize Talagi, who dummied his way past Walsh from close range. 

And things got tougher for the Sea Eagles when prop Kobe Hetherington failed his head-injury assessment following an ugly tackle on Isaah Yeo. 

Paul Alamoti’s forward pass chalked off the Panthers’ next try claim. 

However, Brian To’o eventually found the right corner on the end of a sharp Cleary cut-out pass to clinch the lead. 

Cleary missed a field-goal attempt on the stroke of half-time to leave it 12-6. 

And we were all square again five minutes after the restart, when a no-look Walsh pass sent Haumole Olakau’atu steaming through the line, and Ethan Bullemor backed up in support. 

Manly snatched the lead in spectacular style, courtesy of Lehi Hopoate’s spectacular put-down in the left corner, although Reuben Garrick missed that tough sideline conversion, the game’s only strike off target from the tee.

That meant when Cleary drilled the goal after Tago’s score – the result of an Edwards short ball – the Panthers led by two points. 

Their task became tricky when Cogger soured his 100th game by being sin-binned for a high tackle on Koula. 

But the Sea Eagles failed to breach the defence of the remaining twelve Panthers – in fact, Cleary went within inches of extending his side’s lead. 

And when Walsh missed a late two-point drop-goal shot, the men in black had the two points sewn up. 

GAMESTAR: Nathan Cleary continues to manage games to perfection, setting up a try and proving the difference on the scoreboard with three successful conversions. 

GAMEBREAKER: Cleary’s third goal gave the Panthers enough points to defend, even with Jack Cogger sitting in the sin bin for a high tackle. 

MATCHFACTS

PANTHERS
1 Dylan Edwards
2 Thomas Jenkins
3 Paul Alamoti
4 Casey McLean
5 Brian To’o
6 Blaize Talagi
7 Nathan Cleary
8 Moses Leota
9 Freddy Lussick
10 Lindsay Smith
11 Isaiah Papali’i
12 Luke Garner
13 Isaah Yeo
Subs
14 Jack Cogger
15 Scott Sorensen
16 Kalani Going (not used)
17 Billy Phillips
18 Izack Tago
21 Billy Scott (not used)

Tries: Talagi (11), To’o (38), Tago (61)
Goals: Cleary 3/3
Sin bin: Cogger (64) – high tackle

SEA EAGLES
1 Tolutau Koula
2 Jason Saab
3 Clayton Faulalo
4 Reuben Garrick
5 Lehi Hopoate
6 Luke Brooks
20 Joey Walsh
8 Taniela Paseka
9 Brandon Wakeham
10 Kobe Hetherington
11 Haumole Olakau’atu
12 Ben Trbojevic
13 Jake Trbojevic
Subs
14 Jake Simpkin
15 Nathan Brown
16 Ethan Bullemor
17 Siosiua Taukeiaho
18 Blake Wilson (not used)
19 Jackson Shereb (not used)

Tries: Faulalo (5), Bullemor (45), Hopoate (53)
Goals: Garrick 2/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 12-6; 12-12, 12-16, 18-16

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Panthers: Nathan Cleary; Sea Eagles: Haumole Olakau’atu

Penalty count: 3-3
Half-time: 12-6
Referee: Wyatt Raymond
Attendance: 14,960