ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 20 PENRITH PANTHERS 40
CALLUM WALKER, WIN Stadium, Saturday
A MUCH-CHANGED Penrith made light work of St George to confirm their place in the NRL finals.
Panthers boss Ivan Cleary made 14 changes to the side that lost to the Canterbury Bulldogs after resting his stars for the final push, and his son Nathan registered 16 points to help Penrith on his return.
It was the Panthers that hit first when Tom Jenkins crossed on six minutes, with Paul Alamoti extending the visitors’ lead to 10-0 shortly after.
Kyle Flanagan did hit back for the Dragons around the midway point in the first-half, but two efforts from Casey McLean and Cleary sent Penrith into a 22-6 half-time lead.
Shane Flanagan’s men did threaten a comeback with Corey Allan and Tyrell Sloan bringing St George back to within eight points at 22-14.
But, the Panthers were in no mood to let the Dragons spoil their afternoon as Isaiah Papali’i and Lindsay Smith made it 34-14.
Jaydn Su’a did restore some respectability with time running down, but the Panthers fittingly had the last word, Alamoti notching his second on the hooter.
DRAGONS: 1 Clint Gutherson (C), 5 Tyrell Sloan, 3 Hayden Buchanan, 4 Mathew Feagai, 19 Corey Allan, 6 Lyhkan King-Togia, 7 Kyle Flanagan, 8 Emre Guler, 9 Damien Cook, 10 David Klemmer, 11 Jacob Halangahu, 12 Jaydn Su’a, 13 Jack De Belin. Subs (all used): 14 Jacob Liddle, 15 Luciano Leilua, 16 Hame Sele, 17 Loko Pasifiki Tonga
Tries: Flanagan (20), Allan (48), Sloan (54), Su’a (76); Goals: Flanagan 2/4
PANTHERS: 1 Dylan Edwards, 2 Tom Jenkins, 3 Izack Tago, 4 Casey McLean, 5 Paul Alamoti, 6 Blaize Talagi, 7 Nathan Cleary (C), 8 Moses Leota, 9 Mitch Kenny, 10 Lindsay Smith, 11 Scott Sorensen, 12 Luke Garner, 13 Isaah Yeo. Subs (all used): 14 Brad Schneider, 15 Liam Henry, 16 Isaiah Papali’i, 18 Daine Laurie
Tries: Jenkins (6), Alamoti (16, 79), McLean (33), Cleary (37), Papali’i (61), Smith (66); Goals: Cleary 6/7
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 0-10, 6-10, 6-16, 6-22; 10-22, 14-22, 14-28, 14-34, 20-34, 20-40
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Dragons: Jaydn Su’a; Panthers: Nathan Cleary
Penalty count: 3-4; Half-time: 6-22; Referee: Peter Gough; Attendance: 17,442