Injuries strike stars as Raiders belt hapless Panthers 30-12 in Wagga Wagga
Penrith are a club gripped by turmoil with their sixth loss of the season to Canberra, inflicting pain that will last all the way until September.
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Penrith are a club gripped by turmoil with their sixth loss of the season to Canberra, inflicting pain that will last all the way until September.
No team in history has won the premiership after starting the year 2-6 - and that’s exactly where the Panthers sit after a 30-12 lesson from the Raiders in Wagga.
Penrith’s problems could also become NSW coach Brad Fittler’s dilemma as Blues halves Nathan Cleary and James Maloney once again failed to fire.
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And as if Penrith coach Ivan Cleary didn’t have enough questions to answer, he is faced with being without his biggest names for a grudge match against former club the Wests Tigers for the upcoming Magic Round.
Attacking enforcer Viliame Kikau left Wagga on crutches with a leg injury, Isaah Yeo suffered a first-half dislocated shoulder and winger Malakai Watene Zelezniak couldn’t finish the game with a rib cartilage injury.
“It’s bit of a war zone, some battered bodies and disappointed boys,’’ Cleary said.
“We’re in this position and it’s going to make us stronger.
“As a team we’re being tested right now and we’ll see what we’re made of.’’
But of potentially a greater impact and concern to the Panthers - and NSW - is a dangerous throw from Maloney along with teammate Liam Martin on Josh Hodgson which left the Penrith playmaker on report.
The Raiders dominant win did come at a major cost with outstanding English forward John Bateman taken to Wagga hospital with a suspected fractured cheekbone.
LOOK IN THE MIRROR
With their season effectively over as far as premierships are concerned, the Panthers need to make some seriously tough decisions about their roster - not only for their next clash with the Tigers, but for 2020 and beyond.
Right now, they’re a team seemingly without a purpose, happy to rest on their laurels and talent which delivered them success as juniors - but not the NRL.
It’s also born out of a quiet 2019 off-season where only fringe players were purchased by the Panthers recruitment team.
It meant the season began with little, if any pressure from major external signings.
They have a collection of talented individuals - but fail to gel as a team as never more highlighted on Saturday in Wagga.
And they have players on big money contracts failing to live up to their weekly wage.
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MALONEY AND CLEARY
They remain the frontrunners to retain their NSW jersey’s - but Fittler must be concerned about their confidence.
The Penrith duo are playing well below their lofty standards, as evident by the Panthers spluttering attack on Saturday.
But they’re also playing behind a pack which, with 20-minutes remaining in the match, only had one forward - captain James Tamou - who had run for over 100-metres.
The duo were unable to capitalise on the Raiders being down to 12-men when fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad was sin-binned in the 19th minute.
Instead, it was the Raiders who won that period 6-0 nil.
“That hurts at the best of times, but probably where we’re at now, it hurt a bit more,’’ Cleary said.
DISCIPLINE
The Panthers produced every schoolboy error in the book on Saturday.
Drop-outs over the sideline, kicks rolling dead in-goal, simple knock-ons, charge-downs and strip-penalties.
But what was even more concerning was their feeble defence.
When they did have a sniff in the second-half at 14-6, the Raiders put paid to them with “desire” tries to Nicoll-Klokstad and rookie Hudson Young, both of which they beat three Penrith defenders to the line.
THE RAIDERS
The loss of Bateman is huge for the Raiders, but one thing coach Ricky Stuart has done well in 2019 is have every player - no matter their ability - rise to the challenge.
That was evident on Saturday when winger Michael Oldfield was called into the side at late notice for Joey Leilua, who was ruled out on Saturday morning with a neck injury.
Overall, the Raiders three tries were nothing special.
And that’s in no way an attempt to downplay Canberra’s desire, clever execution and intent to treat the Penrith defence with contempt.
But all Canberra needed was field position to kill off the Panthers.
That was highghted by halfback Sam Williams - who should never be labelled underrated again - jabbed a neat kick in behind the Penrith defence for Oldfield to score.
CANBERRA 30 (C Nicoll-Klokstad M Oldfield J Wighton H Young tries J Croker 7 goals) bt PENRITH12 (N Cleary J Tamou tries N Cleary J Maloney goals) at McDonalds Park. Referee: David Munro, Grant Atkins
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