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Penrith are nonetheless nowhere close to their easiest however they’re now only one level out of doors the highest 8.
The premiers bumped into quite a lot of outdated acquainted faces at CommBank Stadium on Sunday of their unconvincing 18-14 conquer the Wests Tigers to just upward thrust another spot to 13th however they’re now only one win at the back of 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 report 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 instantly tries of their 36-12 triumph at GIO Stadium.
1. Panthers again inside placing distance
The premiers aren’t what they was however they’re no less than now inside placing distance of the higher 1/2 of the ladder.
Five wins and a draw from 12 begins is a a long way cry from the dominance they’ve displayed within the common season for the reason that birth of the last decade once they certified for the primary of 5 grand finals at the trot.
Heading right into a bye subsequent spherical, they’ve given themselves an opportunity to probably even problem for 5th spot within the subsequent couple of weeks with Cronulla occupying that spot in this day and age, simply 3 issues forward of Penrith.
They drew first blood in opposition to the Tigers once they labored a scrum play from the best 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They went up 10-6 after Sunia Turuva kept away from his outdated Panthers teammates to slip over within the nook however Jenkins jinked over for his moment simply ahead of the destroy to sq. the ledger on the destroy.
Neither facet may discover a chink within the opposing armour early in the second one 1/2 because of a mix of a few once in a while resolute defence however extra so because of a loss of concord in every workforce’s assault.
Dylan Edwards passes. (Photo by means of Jeremy Ng/Getty Images)
Penrith edged in entrance by the use of a penalty target to Nathan Cleary when Luai was once pinged for a debatable hit on Blaize Talagi after he installed an attacking kick.
Luai levelled his successor within the Penrith No.6 jersey however despite the fact that it was once heavy touch, it was once neither top nor overdue.
“He did absolutely nothing wrong. His leg was still on the ground. At 10-all it’s a massive call,” fumed Michael Ennis on Fox League.
Talagi dusted himself off to arrange Jenkins’ 3rd check out for an eight-point buffer ahead of Jeral Skelton reduce the deficit to 4 with 10 mins left however the Panthers controlled to stay their nostril in entrance down the overall stretch because of a super take on from Scott Sorensen.
The veteran Kiwi ahead swooped on Jahream Bula only a metre from the road after the rapid fullback regarded positive to attain after Jack Bird had flown top to assert a bomb.
2. Luai vs Cleary bout is going the gap
They grew up in combination within the Penrith junior ranks and shaped a powerful partnership over the process 8 instantly NRL seasons, culminating in 4 premierships at the trot.
But 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.
Words have been exchanged, now not spiteful ones although, as their friendship was once set aside for 80 mins.
To be fair, neither participant ruled as their teammates had was hoping, principally as a result of neirther facet was once at its easiest in what was once a clunky contest for probably the most phase.
Luai almost definitely earned a cut up determination over his outdated comrade of their head-to-head have an effect on however Cleary were given the remaining chortle along with his laser-sharp goal-kicking proving the adaptation within the ultimate wash-up.
3. Unfadeable, so please don’t check out that sledge anymore
The Raiders was Faders.
Now they’re the full reverse.
After coming from at the back of to win 3 instantly fits, Canberra gave the look of they have been about to place in a flat efficiency when Souths raced in tries to Keaon Koloamatangi and Alex Johnston within the opening 15 mins.
They regarded set to enter half-time down 12-0 however Ethan Strange muscled his excess of.
Strange did likewise inside 10 mins of the second one 1/2 and the Green Machine was once on a roll.
The Raiders have a historical past of sturdy runners dressed in the No.6 jersey in Laurie Daley, Terry Campese, Blake Austin and Jack Wighton, and Strange appears to be reduce from the similar material.
A standout rookie performer remaining season, he’s obliterating any considered the scary second-year syndrome stalling his development in 2025.
Strange performs at the left edge with Hudson Young as his second-rower. Even when their wingman Savelio Tamale limped off with a leg harm within the first 1/2, Simi Sasagi switched to centre and the Raiders slightly ignored a beat on that facet of the sector with Seb Kris heading to the wing.
Young has now not handiest been Canberra’s easiest avid gamers this season, he’s arguably been probably the most best performers in all of the NRL.
After Zac Hosking pounced on a botched Bunnies bomb defusal, Young propelled Canberra to a 12-point lead when he stormed onto bat-back from Kris to unfurl a super offload for Sasagi to attain.
The remaining workforce to get a bye, the Raiders head into their well-earned destroy with an 11-3 report and if the Dogs slip up in opposition to the Eels on Easter Monday, Ricky Stuart’s facet will likely be ladder leaders after Round 14.
Three byes within the ultimate 13 weeks provides as much as the Raiders being all however positive to complete within the best 4 and a powerful likelihood to usurp Canterbury to be minor premiers.
4. Papa birthday party with issues as well
He is nowhere close to as nimble as he was once when he made his debut as a 19-year-old long ago in 2011 however Papali’i nonetheless is aware of his technique to the check out line.
As if it was once pre-ordained, the veteran prop barged over two times within the ultimate 10 mins to kick-start victory celebrations within the nationwide capital along with his conversion from out extensive sending the 10,000-plus courageous souls into raptures in spite of the rainy and icy prerequisites.
Ricky Stuart puffed his chest with satisfaction beneath his George Costanza gortex puffer jacket for a Raider who has remained unswerving to the membership for 15 instantly seasons in the course of the lean instances and the 2019 run to the grand ultimate.
With the way in which the workforce is taking part in presently, every other commute to the premiership decider isn’t out of the nation-states of chance for a workforce that was once rated by means of maximum pundits and bookmakers within the pre-season to be some of the picket spoon applicants.
Twenty years in the past the Wests Tigers got here from the clouds when completely nobody – together with many on the membership itself – concept they have been an opportunity of turning into premiers.
There’s an extended technique to opt for Canberra to fulfil that more or less future however with every win they aren’t handiest silencing critics however gaining increasingly individuals on their an increasing number of crowded bandwagon.
5. Bunnies out in their weight department
For all of the communicate of the Wayne Bennett go back bringing the magic again to the Bunnies, they aren’t fairly within the best tier of groups this 12 months.
They have punched above their weight to have a 6-7 report on the mid-point of the season however they simply haven’t been in a position to place a solid line-up at the park and once they do, there’s a delicate nature to them.
The lack of skipper Cameron Murray to a pre-season Achilles tear has been enormous – he isn’t the flashiest participant within the NRL however the quantity of grunt paintings he does within the heart and the unusually top choice of tackles that he breaks for a light-weight ahead is an enormous hollow that Bennett can’t fill.
Cody Walker’s season has been preventing and beginning because of a calf harm and he limped off in the second one 1/2 of Sunday’s loss, that means he’s going to most probably want every other stint at the sidelines.
This time round it’s a groin factor and assistant trainer Ben Hornby stated he would go through scans to decide the level of the wear.
Between Jamie Humphreys, Jayden Sullivan and Lewis Dodd, the Rabbitohs have sufficient intensity to hide Walker’s ongoing absences however now not the elite playmaker that finals-bound groups want.
The Kick: Nomadic lifestyles makes it arduous for Benji
It’s a tricky sufficient task if you have stepped into the Wests Tigers training sizzling seat with no need to forfeit home-ground benefit on a number of events.
Sunday’s tournament was once a Wests Tigers domestic recreation – and as a substitute 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.
Yes, it’s probably the most Tigers’ domestic bases however it’s additionally the place Penrith are keeping their fixtures in 2025 whilst their stadium is remodeled.
Benji’s nomads additionally performed one among their domestic video games in opposition to the Eels on the venue smack again within the middle of Parramatta plus in addition they gave up every other at Magic Round for his or her conflict with the Dragons.
In Round 22 they go back to Parramatta to stand the Bulldogs and two weeks later they’re taking up Manly at Allianz Stadium.
All up, they get simply 3 fits at Leichhardt and 4 at Campbelltown because of this 17 in their 24 video games for the 12 months are at a impartial or away venue.
Lunacy.
