PENRITH PANTHERS 28 ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 6
TOM SMITH, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Sunday

THOMAS JENKINS bagged a first-half brace as the Panthers eased past the Dragons in the rain to close out Magic Round. 

After a week in which coach Ivan Cleary announced he would depart the club at the end of 2027, Penrith churned out the type of ultra-professional performance that has become their signature under the all-conquering coach. 

This clash brought together two teams at either end of the ladder – the Panthers having lost just once, and Saints yet to register their first victory – and the men in black never needed to get out of second gear. 

Dylan Edwards tallied a dizzying 294 running metres, while Moses Leota and Isaiah Papali’i laid a solid foundation in the middle. 

Jenkins opened the scoring off a perfect Nathan Cleary bomb in the left corner. 

And after Edwards pulled off a brilliant try-saver on Setu Tu, Jenkins finished Freddy Lussick’s sharp work down the short side. 

The Bunker denied Damien Cook on the stroke of half-time. Instead, Papali’i extended Penrith’s lead after the restart, backing up Casey McLean’s line break. 

Christian Tuipulotu eventually got the Dragons on the board down the left flank. 

But Paul Alamoti put Brian To’o into the right corner before Cleary invited Luke Garner to add a cherry on top in the 80th minute.

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, 17 Izack Tago, 13 Isaah Yeo. Subs: 12 Luke Garner, 14 Jack Cogger, 15 Scott Sorensen, 16 Liam Henry, 18 Billy Phillips (not used), 19 Billy Scott (not used)

Tries: Jenkins (12, 37), Papali’i (47), To’o (69), Garner (80); Goals: Cleary 4/5 

DRAGONS: 1 Clint Gutherson, 2 Setu Tu, 3 Moses Suli, 4 Valentine Holmes, 5 Christian Tuipulotu, 6 Daniel Atkinson, 7 Kyle Flanagan, 8 Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga, 9 Damien Cook, 10 Toby Couchman, 11 Dylan Egan, 12 Hamish Stewart, 13 Ryan Couchman. Subs: 14 Luciano Leilua, 15 Emre Guler, 16 Josh Kerr, 17 Blake Lawrie (not used), 19 Lyhkan King-Togia (not used), 20 Hayden Buchanan 

Tries: Tuipulotu (60); Goals: Holmes 1/1 

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0; 18-0, 18-6, 22-6, 28-6

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Panthers: Dylan Edwards; Dragons: Toby Couchman 

Penalty count: 2-2; Half-time: 12-0; Referee: Liam Kennedy; Attendance: 50,386