PENRITH PANTHERS 18 PARRAMATTA EELS 10
STEPHEN IBBETSON, CommBank Stadium, Sunday
PENRITH climbed off the foot of the table with a hard-fought victory over Parramatta – just their fourth of the season.
Nathan Cleary inspired a comeback from 6-10 down in the final 25 minutes, taking the game under his control.
They regained the lead when Izack Tago kicked behind for his winger Thomas Jenkins, with Cleary adding the conversion out wide on a perfect day from the tee.
Then Cleary combined with fellow Origin stars Isaah Yeo, Dylan Edwards and Brian To’o for the latter to score the clinching try six minutes from time.
Parramatta, one of the stragglers now overtaken by the Panthers, had taken the lead inside four minutes via a well-worked Sean Russell try.
But a move out the back allowed Casey McLean to surge in and the champions led 6-4 at half-time.
Josh Addo-Carr’s spectacular dive into the corner – converted from the touchline by Zac Lomax – put the Eels back ahead early in the second half but Cleary turned things in favour of a Penrith side still alive and kicking.
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 Scott Sorensen, 12 Liam Martin, 13 Isaah Yeo. Subs (all used): 14 Luke Somerton, 15 Matt Eisenhuth, 16 Luton Patea, 21 Diane Laurie
Tries: McLean (18), Jenkins (58), To’o (74); Goals: Cleary 3/3
EELS: 1 Isaiah Iongi, 2 Zac Lomax, 3 Sean Russell, 4 Jordan Samrani, 5 Josh Addo-Carr, 6 Dylan Brown, 7 Mitchell Moses, 8 Jack Williams, 9 Ryley Smith, 10 Junior Paulo, 11 Kitione Kautoga, 15 Luca Moretti, 13 J’maine Hopgood. Subs (all used): 11 Kelma Tuilagi, 14 Dylan Walker, 16 Ryan Matterson, 17 Joash Papalii
Tries: Russell (4), Addo-Carr (46); Goals: Lomax 1/2
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 6-4; 6-10, 12-10, 18-10
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Panthers: Nathan Cleary; Eels: Zac Lomax
Penalty count: 4-7; Half-time: 6-4; Referee: Peter Gough; Attendance: 21,282
