Replay: Harold Matts Cup, Penrith Panthers v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

The minor premiership is on the line in next weekend’s final round after the impressive Panthers kept the Bulldogs scoreless in the Harold Matts Cup. RELIVE the action from our live stream.

Penrith will go into the final round of the Harold Matthews Cup with a chance of claiming the minor premiership after thumping the Bulldogs at BlueBet Stadium.

The Panthers raced out to an 18-point lead at halftime with Wilson De Courcey going over before tries for front rower Judah Galuvao, winger David Afu and captain Jenson Tuaoi.

The second half opened with De Courcey grabbing another try before half Jaxen Edgar chimed into the game, in the No.20 jersey, with some tidy movement seeing him score back-to-back four pointers.

The glum afternoon kept getting worse for the Dogs with Mitchell Woods’ short line drop out bouncing back over the dead ball line.

The Panthers capitalised soon after through prop forward Tanu Papu, who barged over with a couple of minutes remaining with Riley Pollard converting to see the hosts run out 40-0 victors.

The Panthers could take the minor premiership.

Penrith coach Kyle Churchill said it was an important day for the side considering it was the last time they play at the ground before it’s knocked down and redeveloped.

“It was pretty special for us,” he said.

“This was the last Harold Matthews game that will ever be at Penrith Stadium, so we had a bit of a personal thing this week.

“We wanted to have pride in the jersey and pride in our home stadium that these boys grew up knowing, and the coaches have grown up knowing, too. Personally it was pretty satisfying, to keep a team to nil in this competition and to complete as highly as we did.”

Churchill’s charges are level with the Sydney Roosters and two points behind Western Suburbs heading into the final round where the Magpies have a bye.

However, the Panthers coach said his side are only focused on being primed to reach the grand final.

“Wests can have it, we want the big one,” Churchill said.

“We started the year quite poorly from an effort point of view, so we have been really honing in on that and things that you’re putting in effort like your kick chase, your push with your players, your ability to have shape off an offload and second-phase play.

“We have been building hard on that and just the way this competition is so topsy-turvy, everyone is beating everyone. Whatever team is at their best is going to win and if we play like we did today we can beat anyone.

The defeat extinguishes the Dogs’ finals flame ahead of their last game of the season against the Sharks at Belmore.

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The Panthers penchant for bringing boys out of the bush has been the backbone of their premiership success.

Penrith’s ability to recruit from the bush has underpinned the club’s climb to the top with the likes of Dylan Edwards, Liam Martin and Matt Burton some of their best graduates.

The Penrith production line continues to churn with Orange Bloomfield product Connor Vardanega playing a starring role in the Pennies’ Harold Matthews Cup side this season.

Penrith Panthers 2022 Harold Matthews player Connor Vardanega (front). Picture: Panthers Media

Vardanega’s Panthers will be out to push their premiership claims on Saturday at BlueBet Stadium with the Mountain Men taking on against the Bulldogs from 12pm in a match exclusively live streamed on The Daily Telegraph website.

Vardanega started out playing rugby union before getting his first taste of league with Group 10 heavyweights Orange CYMS.

The 16-year-old second rower, who lives on his family’s apple and cherry farm near Orange, explained how the Panthers have embraced the bush with a few others in the side coming from across the Great Dividing Range, including his Bloomfield teammate Kayyden Hoad.

“It’s pretty good playing footy out in the country, it’s a lot different to the city,” Vardanega said. “There’s three of us from Orange (Vardanega, Hoad and Angus Thompson) and I play alongside Kayyden at Bloomfield.

Orange Bloomfield products Kaydden Hoad (second from right) and Connor Vardanega (right). Picture: Instagram

“I played in a grand final in Bathurst and a few days later I got name in the (2021 Harold Matthews) squad. I was a year young for Matts so I played with the Western Rams (last year) before joining up this year.

Orange Bloomfield products Kaydden Hoad (second from right) and Connor Vardanega (right). Picture: Instagram

“It’s pretty good down here, there’s plenty of good blokes and the coaches are good. It’s very well structured with the juniors and they make it easy for us guys from the country.

A win on Saturday will leave Panthers with a strong chance of claiming the minor premiership in the final round of the season.

However, Vardanega said the group are just looking to maintain form heading into the finals.

“The side has been pretty good this year,” he said.

“In the last couple of rounds we have had a few injuries, but they’re coming back into the side so in the last couple of rounds we want to try and stay at the top of the table and really be contenders for the title.”

Originally published as Replay: Harold Matts Cup, Penrith Panthers v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs