Penrith are nonetheless nowhere close to their finest however they’re now only one level exterior the highest eight.
The premiers bumped into quite a lot of outdated acquainted faces at CommBank Stadium on Sunday of their unconvincing 18-14 overcome the Wests Tigers to solely rise yet one more spot to thirteenth however they’re now only one win behind the sixth-placed Cowboys within the 10-team logjam in the course of the ladder.
Earlier on Sunday, Josh Papali’i celebrated breaking Canberra’s all-time video games file with two tries and the primary conversion of his 319-match profession in inexperienced.
The Raiders began slowly however powered previous South Sydney with six straight tries of their 36-12 triumph at GIO Stadium.
1. Panthers again inside putting distance
The premiers are usually not what they was once however they’re no less than now inside putting distance of the higher half of the ladder.
5 wins and a draw from 12 begins is a far cry from the dominance they’ve displayed within the common season for the reason that begin of the last decade once they certified for the primary of 5 grand finals on the trot.
Heading right into a bye subsequent spherical, they’ve given themselves an opportunity to doubtlessly even problem for fifth spot within the subsequent couple of weeks with Cronulla occupying that spot for the time being, simply three factors forward of Penrith.
They drew first blood in opposition to the Tigers once they labored a scrum play from the proper to left for winger Tom Jenkins to the touch down however the Tigers hit again when Starford To’a pounced on a Jarome Luai grubber.
They went up 10-6 after Sunia Turuva evaded his outdated Panthers teammates to slip over within the nook however Jenkins jinked over for his second simply earlier than the break to sq. the ledger on the break.
Neither aspect might discover a chink within the opposing armour early within the second half resulting from a mixture of some sometimes resolute defence however extra so resulting from a scarcity of cohesion in every workforce’s assault.
Dylan Edwards passes. (Picture by Jeremy Ng/Getty Photographs)
Penrith edged in entrance by way of a penalty aim to Nathan Cleary when Luai was pinged for a controversial hit on Blaize Talagi after he put in an attacking kick.
Luai levelled his successor within the Penrith No.6 jersey however though it was heavy contact, it was neither excessive nor late.
“He did completely nothing unsuitable. His leg was nonetheless on the bottom. At 10-all it’s a large name,” fumed Michael Ennis on Fox League.
Talagi dusted himself off to arrange Jenkins’ third attempt for an eight-point buffer earlier than Jeral Skelton minimize the deficit to 4 with 10 minutes left however the Panthers managed to maintain their nostril in entrance down the ultimate stretch because of a superb sort out from Scott Sorensen.
The veteran Kiwi ahead swooped on Jahream Bula only a metre from the road after the speedy fullback appeared sure to attain after Jack Hen had flown excessive to say a bomb.
2. Luai vs Cleary bout goes the space
They grew up collectively within the Penrith junior ranks and shaped a formidable partnership over the course of eight straight NRL seasons, culminating in 4 premierships on the trot.
However at CommBank Stadium on Sunday, Cleary and Luai every wore the No.7 jersey of various colors of their much-hyped head-to-head match-up.
Phrases have been exchanged, not spiteful ones although, as their friendship was put apart for 80 minutes.
To be sincere, neither participant dominated as their teammates had hoped, primarily as a result of neirther aspect was at its finest in what was a clunky contest for probably the most half.
Luai in all probability earned a break up choice over his outdated comrade of their head-to-head impression however Cleary received the final chuckle along with his laser-sharp goal-kicking proving the distinction within the ultimate wash-up.
3. Unfadeable, so please don’t attempt that sledge anymore
The Raiders was once Faders.
Now they’re the whole reverse.
After coming from behind to win three straight matches, Canberra appeared like they have been about to place in a flat efficiency when Souths raced in tries to Keaon Koloamatangi and Alex Johnston contained in the opening quarter-hour.
They appeared set to enter half-time down 12-0 however Ethan Unusual muscled his approach over.
Unusual did likewise inside 10 minutes of the second half and the Inexperienced Machine was on a roll.
The Raiders have a historical past of robust runners sporting the No.6 jersey in Laurie Daley, Terry Campese, Blake Austin and Jack Wighton, and Unusual appears to be minimize from the identical fabric.
A standout rookie performer final season, he’s obliterating any considered the dreaded second-year syndrome stalling his progress in 2025.
Unusual performs on the left edge with Hudson Younger as his second-rower. Even when their wingman Savelio Tamale limped off with a leg harm within the first half, Simi Sasagi switched to centre and the Raiders barely missed a beat on that aspect of the sphere with Seb Kris heading to the wing.
Younger has not solely been Canberra’s finest gamers this season, he’s arguably been one of many prime performers in all the NRL.
After Zac Hosking pounced on a botched Bunnies bomb defusal, Younger propelled Canberra to a 12-point lead when he stormed onto bat-back from Kris to unfurl a superb offload for Sasagi to attain.
The final workforce to get a bye, the Raiders head into their well-earned break with an 11-3 file and if the Canines slip up in opposition to the Eels on Easter Monday, Ricky Stuart’s aspect can be ladder leaders after Spherical 14.
Three byes within the ultimate 13 weeks provides as much as the Raiders being all however sure to complete within the prime 4 and a powerful likelihood to usurp Canterbury to be minor premiers.
4. Papa social gathering with factors in addition
He’s nowhere close to as nimble as he was when he made his debut as a 19-year-old approach again in 2011 however Papali’i nonetheless is aware of his technique to the attempt line.
As if it was pre-ordained, the veteran prop barged over twice within the ultimate 10 minutes to kick-start victory celebrations within the nationwide capital along with his conversion from out large sending the ten,000-plus courageous souls into raptures regardless of the moist and icy circumstances.
Ricky Stuart puffed his chest with delight beneath his George Costanza gortex puffer jacket for a Raider who has remained loyal to the membership for 15 straight seasons via the lean occasions and the 2019 run to the grand ultimate.
With the best way the workforce is enjoying proper now, one other journey to the premiership decider is just not out of the realms of chance for a workforce that was rated by most pundits and bookmakers within the pre-season to be among the many wood spoon candidates.
Twenty years in the past the Wests Tigers got here from the clouds when completely nobody – together with many on the membership itself – thought they have been an opportunity of turning into premiers.
There’s a protracted technique to go for Canberra to fulfil that form of future however with every win they don’t seem to be solely silencing critics however gaining increasingly members on their more and more crowded bandwagon.
5. Bunnies out of their weight division
For all of the discuss of the Wayne Bennett return bringing the magic again to the Bunnies, they don’t seem to be fairly within the prime tier of groups this 12 months.
They’ve punched above their weight to have a 6-7 file on the mid-point of the season however they only haven’t been in a position to put a secure line-up on the park and once they do, there’s a fragile nature to them.
The lack of skipper Cameron Murray to a pre-season Achilles tear has been monumental – he’s not the flashiest participant within the NRL however the quantity of grunt work he does within the center and the surprisingly excessive variety of tackles that he breaks for a light-weight ahead is a large gap that Bennett can not fill.
Cody Walker’s season has been stopping and beginning resulting from a calf harm and he limped off within the second half of Sunday’s loss, that means he’ll possible want one other stint on the sidelines.
This time round it’s a groin subject and assistant coach Ben Hornby stated he would bear scans to find out the extent of the harm.
Between Jamie Humphreys, Jayden Sullivan and Lewis Dodd, the Rabbitohs have sufficient depth to cowl Walker’s ongoing absences however not the elite playmaker that finals-bound groups want.
The Kick: Nomadic existence makes it exhausting for Benji
It’s a tricky sufficient job when you’ve stepped into the Wests Tigers teaching scorching seat with out having to forfeit home-ground benefit on a number of events.
Sunday’s match was a Wests Tigers dwelling sport – and as an alternative of taking up Penrith at Campbelltown or Leichhardt the place they get the advantage of being on their very own turf, this one is performed at CommBank Stadium.
Sure, it’s one of many Tigers’ dwelling bases but it surely’s additionally the place Penrith are holding their fixtures in 2025 whereas their stadium is revamped.
Benji’s nomads additionally performed one among their dwelling video games in opposition to the Eels on the venue smack again within the coronary heart of Parramatta plus additionally they gave up one other at Magic Spherical for his or her conflict with the Dragons.
In Spherical 22 they return to Parramatta to face the Bulldogs and two weeks later they’re taking up Manly at Allianz Stadium.
All up, they get simply three matches at Leichhardt and 4 at Campbelltown which implies 17 of their 24 video games for the 12 months are at a impartial or away venue.
Lunacy.
