PENRITH PANTHERS 8 CANTERBURY BULLDOGS 6
TOM SMITH, CommBank Stadium, Thursday
NATHAN CLEARY’S moment of magic clinched Penrith’s narrow win over Canterbury in a finals-like epic.
Trailing 6-2 after Jacob Preston drew first blood for the Bulldogs late in the first half, the Panthers’ skipper charged down and regathered a Matt Burton kick to turn the tide.
Neither side lost any admirers for their role in a gripping tussle played with all the intensity of a play-off.
Both fullbacks stood tall, with Dylan Edwards notching 292 running metres and the two goals that proved the difference on the scoreboard, and Canterbury counterpart Connor Tracey saving two tries and assisting another.
But Cleary – as he so often has before – managed the game to perfection, and conjured the game-changing highlight despite a groin complaint.
The first game of round 17 promised to answer two key questions: are the Bulldogs a genuine premiership contender, and have the Panthers rediscovered their form of old?
Eighty minutes later, the answer to both questions was an emphatic ‘yes’.
Canterbury now haven’t beaten Penrith at the last eight times of asking, a record stretching back to 2020 – the beginning of the Panthers’ extraordinary period of domination.
But the Bulldogs of 2025 presented a much sterner challenge to the four-time reigning premiers, who’ve rebounded from a rocky start to surge back into the top eight.
Adding a bit of extra spice was the huge amount of Panthers DNA the Belmore boys now possess, led by coach Cameron Ciraldo, captain Stephen Crichton, and star recruits Burton and Viliame Kikau.
Penrith returned ‘home’ to Parramatta’s CommBank Stadium brimming with confidence after an upset win over the Warriors minus their State of Origin aces.
Cleary, Edwards, Brian To’o, Liam Martin and Isaah Yeo all returned to strengthen Ivan Cleary’s team sheet against the Dogs, who put their feet up with a post-Origin bye in round 16.
But Ciraldo lost prop Daniel Suluka-Fifita to concussion in the very first tackle of the game on Moses Leota.
Rookie Panthers stand-off Blaize Talagi looked certain to score the opening try, only for Tracey to hit him like a cement truck inches from the whitewash.
Kikau’s high tackle on his old team-mate Cleary eventually handed the men in black the first points, with Edwards taking over the goal-kicking duties from his halfback due to Cleary’s troublesome groin.
But with seven minutes of the half remaining, Canterbury claimed the opening try in style, when Tracey linked up with dummy-half Reed Mahoney to send back-rower Preston streaking away under the sticks.
Tracey then produced a second try-saver on Talagi to preserve his side’s 6-2 advantage on the stroke of half-time.
With the second half settling into another end-to-end arm wrestle, Cleary whipped out his moment of inspiration, charging down Burton’s kick and cashing in on the perfect bounce.
Canterbury probed for a reply, and after Edwards missed a shot at penalty-goal, they turned down a late chance to equalise from the sideline to hunt a try instead.
But Penrith’s premiership-winning defence stood tall to close out their fourth straight win.
GAMESTAR: Despite a groin issue handing the goal-kicking duties to Dylan Edwards, Nathan Cleary guided the Panthers in signature style and claimed the decisive try.
GAMEBREAKER: Midway through the second-half arm wrestle, Cleary charged down a Matt Burton kick then regathered the loose ball to erase Canterbury’s half-time lead.
MATCHFACTS
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
12 Liam Martin
17 Luke Garner
13 Isaah Yeo
Subs (all used)
11 Isaiah Papalii
14 Brad Schneider
15 Liam Henry
16 Luron Patea
Tries: Cleary (54)
Goals: Edwards 2/3
BULLDOGS
1 Connor Tracey
2 Jacob Kiraz
3 Bronson Xerri
4 Stephen Crichton
5 Marcelo Montoya
6 Matt Burton
7 Toby Sexton
8 Max King
9 Reed Mahoney
10 Daniel Suluka-Fifita
11 Viliame Kikau
12 Jacob Preston
13 Bailey Hayward
Subs (all used)
14 Kurt Mann
15 Harry Hayes
16 Josh Curran
17 Lachlan Galvin
Tries: Preston (33)
Goals: Crichton 1/1
SCORING SEQUENCE: 2-0, 2-6; 8-6
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Panthers: Nathan Cleary; Bulldogs: Connor Tracey
Penalty count: 7-4
Half-time: 2-6
Referee: Grant Atkins
Attendance: 16,738