NRL world raves over ‘scary’ Panthers’ insane flex over Raiders

It might only be round five but the NRL front runners have emerged with the Penrith Panthers sending an almighty warning to the competition.

Panthers fans are loving life.

In case anyone was still not convinced, the Penrith Panthers are indeed the real deal.

The minor premiers in 2020 are still undefeated in 2021, having won the first five of the season, including the major scalps of the Melbourne Storm and now the Canberra Raiders.

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But it’s the 30-10 win over the Green Machine that has finally quashed any of the doubters still out there.

Not only have the Panthers smashed records along the way this season, but the young side made up primarily of players developed by the club have continued to hit their straps.

With options all over the field, the Panthers are able to score from anywhere in any situation, while the side’s depth is something to behold.

With Api Koroisau out until at least round eight, Mitch Kenny has been strong at dummy half.

Even Dylan Edwards out saw Stephen Crichton switch to the back and while he had a less than glittering first half, try scoring machine Charlie Staines is also a natural in the No. 1.

2016 Sharks premiership coach Shane Flanagan told Fox League the Panthers had all the signs of a champion team.

“Their ability to win in all different ways, that’s the sign of a good football team,” he said on Fox League. “If Nathan Cleary’s out for a week or two, they’ve got the hooker changed, they’ve just got so many players who can stand up when needed.”

Nathan Cleary steered the team around the park.

Not only that, the Panthers only completed 36 of 49 sets in the game, down on the side’s usual discipline.

And it’s not like the Raiders were terrible, despite matching the Panthers’ error rate.

The Raiders looked for the ambush early with reigning Dally M Medallist Jack Wighton scored before arguably a slice of luck for the Panthers’ first try.

A sloppy play saw Raiders winger Jordan Rapana go back for the ball before being collected by Panthers big man Viliame Kikau.

It sparked a melee that peppered the game with the Panthers handed a penalty for Hudson Young pushing Kikau back into the ruck.

Social media wasn’t happy with it.

@PenrithPanthers deserve the lead... but geez that “kicking out” penalty against Rapana was a momentum changer. Panthers have quite a team, though. #NRLPanthersRaiders

— Craig Norenbergs (@CraigNorenbergs) April 9, 2021

Unreal first half .. Croker missed try, CNK high shot and the ridiculous penalty against Rapana the defining moments - and only one of those in the Raiders control. Hard to win from here, but harder to win when the big moments go against you. #NRL#NRLPanthersRaiders

— Matt de Groot (@mattdegroot_) April 9, 2021

That Penrith try was off a penalty they should not have got. #NRLPanthersRaiders

— Julian Abbott (@JulianBAbbott) April 9, 2021

Try assist to the ref there #NRLPanthersRaidershttps://t.co/d9mw6ZGVRE

— David Polkinghorne (@Super_Couch) April 9, 2021

Post-match, Raiders coach Ricky Stuart refused to blame it as a turning point.

“There’s lots of little things you can look at, you’ve got to toughen up and face the facts we were beaten by a better football team,” he said.

The Panthers made the most of the piggyback with Charlie Staines scoring from the next set.

He was followed by Matt Burton and Jerome Luai doing it all himself.

While the Raiders hit back midway through the second half, the Panthers ran away with it with Staines’ second try and an 70m intercept for Nathan Cleary.

The Panthers are the team to beat.

It has the NRL raving about the Panthers, with Cooper Cronk even apologising for doubting the side.

“I said during the pre-season whether the Penrith Panthers and their young players could bounce back from the outstanding season they had last year, well this is my public apology to the Panthers fans,” Cronk said. “They are definitely humming at this stage of the year and they are definitely going to the finals on the back of some brilliant football.”

It was just the start of the raving as former football star heaped praise on the side.

“I think Penrith really made a statement tonight,” Braith Anasta added. “I thought they were fantastic, no fear footy, like a bunch of mates playing at the local. They are the team to beat.”

Mal Meninga was also gushing.

“They’re such a young footy side, their better years are in front of them,” he said. “If they can keep this roster together, then they’re going to hard to beat for the next decade.”

No one is beating Penrith this year. Their premiership to lose. #NRLPanthersRaiders#NRL

— Michael Atkinson (@kinson88) April 9, 2021

Anasta said the “scary thing is” Edwards and Koroisau still have to return to the Panthers side, while Matt Burton is still in the centres.

“They’ve got so much depth,” Anasta said before Yvonne Sampson said “an embarrassment of riches”.

Originally published as NRL world raves over ‘scary’ Panthers’ insane flex over Raiders