Source : the age
And there is the final nail in the coffin for the Roosters.
A pass from Hugo Savala hits the deck and is scooped up by Brian To’o.
The veteran Panthers winger runs 30 metres and scores what we can only assume will be the match winner.
With that foot issue still troubling Nathan Cleary, Dylan Edwards takes the conversion and pushes the lead out by seven.
Panthers 19, Roosters 12 with one minute to go
Talk about a shootout – Daly Cherry-Evans goes for his own field goal attempt and shanks it out to the right.
Will the Roosters get an opportunity like that again? Dylan Edwards, Isaah Yeo and Moses Leota were all there putting pressure on Cherry-Evans – that’s what you want to see from your team.
That’s a 20-metre restart for Penrith.
Panthers 13, Roosters 12 with six minutes to go
There we have, a Nathan Cleary field goal.
There was absolutely no kick pressure there, but he did have to avoid teammate Isaah Yeo.
Something isn’t quite right with Cleary, though. He looks to have a foot/leg niggle.
Panthers 13, Roosters 12 with nine minutes to go
Will we see another try in this game?
It feel increasing likely that a field goal will separate these two teams this afternoon, as Robert Toia drops the ball cold 12 metres out from the Penrith line.
That is a huge opportunity missed for the Roosters, after Lindsay Collins managed to get the ball back from a Dylan Edwards knock on.
If it does come to the field goal, it will be a shootout between two of the best: Nathan Cleary and Daly Cherry-Evans.
Panthers 12, Roosters 12 with 15 minutes to go
It’s errors galore out here at CommBank Stadium, with neither the Panthers or Roosters able to hold onto the ball long enough to do anything with it.
First it’s Siua Wong, then it’s Isaah Yeo and Thomas Jenkins.
Now, with Penrith on the ropes and teh Tricolours just 10 metres out from Penrith’s line, Lindsay Collins loses the ball and lets Penrith off the hook.
That’s a poor period of play from both teams.
Panthers 12, Roosters 12 with 21 minutes to go
We have 31 minutes left in this contest, and Nathan Cleary is back on the field.
Penrith are lucky not to have conceded any points with him in the bin.
You get the feeling he’s going to come back on and explode.
Beware Roosters, I think we’re about to get a lethal Nathan Cleary.
Panthers 12, Roosters 12 with 31 minutes to go
Hugo Savala crosses the line, but referee Gerard Sutton sends it up no try.
It was a fantastic effort from Savala to split through the Penrith defence, but Isaiah Papali’i gets a hold of his leg, and that constitutes a tackle.
Dylan Edwards also jumps on in defence, and even though Savala grounds the ball, his ball carrying arm had touched the ground already.
That’s no try, penalty Panthers.
Panthers 12, Roosters 12 with 37 minutes to go
Here we go.
The Roosters have to be good enough to capitalise here while Penrith are a man down.
And, not just any man down, they’re down a Nathan Cleary.
Not only is that a blow for them in defence, it’s a massive blow it attack.
It’s time for Jack Cole to step up.
Panthers 12, Roosters 12 with 40 minutes to go
Huge thing that Nathan Cleary challenge on Hugo Savala, obviously.
Based on previous dangerous contact charges for contact with kickers, the general consensus in the press box (famous last words) is that it would take a grade 2 charge to have Cleary in danger of missing any game time for it.
Previous punishments for grade 1s – e.g. Harry Grant on Daniel Atkinson in 2024 – have not resulted in suspension.
Personally, I don’t think there was enough force in it for a ban to come into play. Sin bin, sure. But that’ll do. Grant on Luke Brooks also wasn’t suspended a year later.
