Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Normally, Cody Walker showcases his kicking skills on the last tackle. Or at least when he has possession of the football.
But in the most bizarre on-field incident of the season, the South Sydney playmaker unleashed his lethal left boot not on the Steeden, but Penrith half Jack Cogger.
Walker, mercifully, missed his target. But it was a costly airswing nonetheless after being roughed up in the play-the-ball.
Just a few seconds later, the ball was expertly spread across the Rabbitohs backline, resulting in a put-down by winger Dayne Jennings. The celebrations were short-lived.
The bunker picked up Walker’s infringement, the try was disallowed and Walker was sent to the sin bin. Had he connected, it would have been the end of his night.
“Just wasn’t good enough,” Walker said afterwards.
“As a senior player I’ve got to be better in those moments and not let aggression get the better of me.
“I let my teammates down and I’m really sorry about that. I spoke to Jack after the game and apologised to him.
“My emotions got the better of me and it’s not good enough. It’s just not on.
“To the boys’ credit, they worked extremely hard during that period. I let the team down massively.”
It’s the first time a player has been pinged for the offence since Melbourne’s Cameron Munster was binned for kicking Rooster Joey Manu in the 2018 grand final.
The stage wasn’t as grand and the stakes weren’t as high at CommBank Stadium. This was an encounter between two understrength contenders, both affected by injury and State of Origin commitments. The outcome – a 36-14 win to the Panthers – is unlikely to have any residual effect should they clash again in a more meaningful fixture.
Walker has been a combustible character throughout his brilliant career. He is quick to get under the skin of his opponents, but easily baited as well. The veteran was targeted not only by the Panthers but also their fans, who booed him when he returned to the field.
This brain explosion cost his team a try and they conceded another while he was missing. Opposition teams will take note.
It was a telling moment in a wildly entertaining encounter. Dylan Edwards – who displayed a right-foot step, a left-foot step and a fend, all in the one spectacular solo sequence – was the best on ground.
Panthers teammate Tom Jenkins scored the best try of the year. Not only did “Milky” defuse an attacking bomb, he managed to plant the ball down with his left hand while palming off Jack Wighton with his left. There was more luck than skill in his second, with officials unable to spot either an obstruction, knock-on or double movement. A third has him on the cusp of an all-time season record that has stood for 91 years.
It wasn’t all bad news for Souths. They produced periods of sparkling football, and unearthed a wonderful prospect in Jennings. The teenaged winger scored a try, had one disallowed – courtesy of Walker – and saved one in an eye-catching performance.
The result snapped a two-game losing streak for the Panthers, who consolidated top spot on the ladder.
That’s it from us tonight. Read Adrian Proszenko’s match report above and check out tonight’s highlights, and stay tuned for the Herald’s coverage of the NRL throughout the weekend.
And our next live blog starts very early Saturday morning, with the Socceroos taking on Egypt in the knockout stages of the World Cup at 4am Sydney time. We’ll see you then.
A nice touch now from axed NSW winger Brian To’o, interviewed by Nine’s Brad Fittler after the win. The Panthers ace sends out a message of support to the man who has replaced him in the Blues side for next Wednesday’s State of Origin decider.
“Shout out to my brother Jack Bostock he’s got the chance to go do something special,” To’o says.
Normally, Cody Walker showcases his kicking skills on the last tackle. Or at least when he has possession of the football.
But in the most bizarre on-field incident of the season, the South Sydney playmaker unleashed his lethal left boot not on the Steeden, but Penrith half Jack Cogger.
Walker, mercifully, missed his target. But it was a costly airswing nonetheless after being roughed up in the play-the-ball.
Just a few seconds later, the ball was expertly spread across the Rabbitohs backline, resulting in a put-down by winger Dayne Jennings. The celebrations were short-lived.
It looks like another consolation try for Souths, and this is a fun 70-metre effort, with the ball going to ground then Jye Gray grubbering ahead for himself not once, not twice, but five times as he outruns the Panthers defenders to touch down. But the bunker spots a knock-on from Cody Walker in the lead-up and it’s disallowed.
That’s a good win for Penrith without their Origin players. All eyes may have been on Brian To’o but he was well and truly outshine – not for the first time this season – by fellow winger Tom Jenkins who brought his try tally to 25 for the season with a second-half hat-trick.
Souths did very well to still be in the contest after Cody Walker’s bizarre first-half sin-binning, which immediately cost his team two tries, but Penrith took control of the contest and ran away with it after the half-time break.
Full-time: Panthers win 36-14
Jack Cogger has been good tonight as Nathan Cleary’s replacement at halfback but he gets a tackle badly wrong now, rushing out of the line and attempting to put a shot on Ashton Ward – but he hits him hard and high. That’s on report, and Cogger is sent to the sin bin.
Souths have a good chance of a consolation try in these final minutes with a one-man advantage, and they capitalise fairly quickly, a left-side shift resulting in Cody Walker holding up a pass beautifully for Latrell Siegwalt to slide over.
Panthers 36, Rabbitohs 14 with three minutes left
Tom Jenkins is a genuine star now, isn’t he? The Panthers go left with some sharp passing to put Jenkins into space on the left, and he slips out of one tackle, powers to the line, then bumps off Jye Gray to complete hit hat-trick.
He gives the crowd an arrow try celebration (there have been several of those tonight, in tribute to Jai Arrow), and now has a stunning 25 tries for the season, in round 18.
Paul Alamoti kicks another sideline conversion – he’s giving the absent Nathan Cleary a run for his money as a goal-kicker tonight – and the league leaders are officially in cruise control.
Panthers 36, Rabbitohs 10 with 8 minutes left
Another Panthers raid comes to a halt when Jack Wighton is pinged for a high tackle on Scott Sorensen, and Penrith get another fresh set on Souths’ line. This time they crash through, Paul Alamoti running into traffic and offloading to Billy Phillips who slips between a couple of defenders to score.
The Panthers won’t be losing it from here.
Panthers 30, Rabbitohs 10 with 11 minutes left
The chaos continues, this time at the other end. Ashton Ward puts up a bomb from inside his own half, Dylan Edwards and the Panthers allow the ball to bounce, it shoots off in the direction of Latrell Siegwalt, who grabs it and throws a pass to an unmarked Cody Walker who runs away to score.
But wait! The Bunker has taken another look and spotted Siegwalt was offside from the kick, and this one is disallowed.
Panthers 24, Rabbitohs 10 with 15 minutes left
The Dayne Jennings highlight reel continues, this time the rookie winger making a desperate last-ditch tackle to deny Liam Henry a try a metre short of South Sydney’s line.
The game calms down for a few minutes as Souths get back into the grind, before Tevita Tatola catches Jack Cole with a nasty-looking high tackle and is put on report. (Cole bounces straight back up and appears to be fine.)
Penrith go through the hands to the left, with the ball going all the way to Tom Jenkins – who cuts back inside with an angled run. He charges straight at Keaon Koloamatangi and Jennings, somehow gets an arm free to plant the ball down, and … drops it over the line? The on-field referee rules it a try, but surely the bunker will take a few looks at this.
It’s very, very close. There’s also a hint of a possible double movement. The bunker rules he didn’t lose control of the ball, and gives it as a try. A bit controversial, that one, but another excellent effort from Jenkins, and another double, and he’s up to 24 tries for the season.
Panthers 24, Rabbitohs 10 with 20 minutes left
Incredible stuff from Tom Jenkins, who has transformed himself from a journeyman winger to a genuine star in the past few seasons. He runs infield and chases down a Jack Cogger kick, jumps for it, catches it, then does superbly to hold off Jack Wighton with his right arm and dive over and plant the ball down with his left in the corner.
Paul Alimoti kicks a sideline conversion and Penrith lead by eight.
Panthers 18, Rabbitohs 10 with 30 minutes left
