Search

show me:

Penrith end Wests Tigers' NRL finals hopes

3 minute read

Penrith have continued their winning ways with a 30-6 smashing of the Wests Tigers, ending any hope their rivals had of making the NRL's finals.

APISAI KOROISAU of the Sea Eagles in action during the NRL match between the New Zealand Warriors and the Manly Sea Eagles at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand.
APISAI KOROISAU of the Sea Eagles in action during the NRL match between the New Zealand Warriors and the Manly Sea Eagles at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. Picture: Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images

Penrith made it 11 straight wins and extinguished the Wests Tigers' faint finals hopes in the process with a 30-6 clinic over their western Sydney rivals.

In what is shaping as one of their best seasons, Penrith ensured they will spend another fortnight at the top of the NRL ladder.

And it's hard to see them being removed from there for the rest of the year.

It was far from their most convincing performance, but what's clear is that even when Penrith aren't entirely on, they're still far better than most in 2020.

Without Api Koroisau and Viliame Kikau, Jarome Luai scored one try and set up another while Tyrone May also laid on two with long cut-out balls.

The loss on leaves the Tigers six points out of the eight with four rounds to play, and centre Joey Leilua facing another suspension for a shoulder charge on Dylan Edwards.

Edwards has fast become Leilua's apparent nemesis, with Saturday night's game having all the feeling from June's encounter where he was banned for four games for an off-the-ball coathanger on Edwards.

Leilua then capped off his horror night by giving away a late penalty try, taking out a chasing Stephen Crichton on a Luai grubber-kick.

It put the final nail in the Tigers' game and year, facing a ninth straight season outside the finals.

"There was a lot on the line for us tonight," coach Michael Maguire said.

"We work all year for the opportunity to get into the top eight and it's disappointing. It's really disappointing.

"We started off at the start of the season with expectation on where we want to be."

Early on though, the Tigers looked every chance of pulling off an upset.

David Nofoaluma became the first player to breach the Panthers in the opening 20 minutes of a match since round one when he ran onto an early Benji Marshall kick.

The Tigers could have gone further ahead moments later but Tommy Talau put the ball down short of the line.

But the match turned on an Adam Doueihi error on the 30th minute when he dropped a Nathan Cleary bomb and handed the Panthers momentum.

It took Penrith just three plays to capitalise, with Luai going back against the grain to jink his way over.

"It was good to get scored on at the start just so we can do it a little bit differently," coach Ivan Cleary said.

"We have scored first for so long. It was good to be put under a bit of pressure and respond.

"I thought Jarome was really good tonight.

"He started to run the ball more. Like most halves you talk about it a bit. He's such a dangerous player when he gets confidence."

The hosts had the lead just before the break when Nathan Cleary put Liam Martin over.

The Tigers did have cause for complaint, with the bunker ordering Marshall be penalised in the lead-up for a soft high shot on Luai.

Under NRL rules, the bunker can only act on foul play if it is a reportable offence. Marshall was not placed on report.

Regardless, Penrith were by far the better team even before May laid on his two cut-outs on both edges for second-half tries to Brian To'o and Josh Mansour.

The only concern was a bad concussion for Isaah Yeo, who stumbled backwards after copping a shoulder to the head as he attempted to tackle Matt Eisenhuth.

Think. Is this a bet you really want to place?

For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit www.gamblinghelponline.org.au