The Tackle: Penrith’s Mitch Kenny hits out at online abuse following field goal brain explosion

Panthers hooker Mitch Kenny has revealed he was subject to a vicious betting-related online attack from a disgruntled punter after his side’s draw to the Cowboys, prompting the Penrith star to hit back.

Penrith’s Mitch Kenny has hit back at betting-related online abuse after the Panthers hooker found himself at the receiving end of a vicious social media troll on Saturday night.

Online abuse might be commonplace for NRL players but that should never make social media attacks acceptable.

Kenny left plenty of fans scratching their heads when on the last play – with 20 seconds to go and score deadlocked against the Cowboys – he opted to run the ball from dummy half rather than pass to Nathan Cleary, who was in position to take a field goal.

One fan, however, took it further and unleashed a tirade of online abuse, suggesting Kenny had cost him a payout on a bet.

“F*****g useless c***, you’ve f*****g cost me a trillion dollars cause your a f*****g hog,” the fan said to Kenny via Instagram. “Imagine having the greatest ever player and not using him so the most f*****g mid c*** on the planet can scoot on the last play of the game instead of kicking a field goal.

“What could of possibly been going through your f*****g thick head.

Mitch Kenny shares a vile message he received on Instagram after Penrith's game.

“Moron. F*** you.”

Taking the abusive messages in his stride, Kenny replied: “Send us your bank details, I’ll send you the trillion sorry legend.”

Back in 2021, Josh Morris faced threatening online abuse from a disgruntled fan over a bit, leaving the former Roosters star to declare that NRL players “don’t care about your multis.”

It seems, unfortunately, that not much has changed and some fans still think it is acceptable to send players online abuse over failed bets.

With the Panthers on a bye next weekend, Kenny’s attention now turns to the Knights in round 12, when Penrith’s spine is likely to be without halfback Cleary and fullback Dylan Edwards, who will be on NSW Origin duty.

The Knights clash will also be a huge test for young playmaker Blaize Talagi with Cleary not around to pull the strings in the no. 7 jumper.

Talagi not only played his best game in Panthers colours, setting up four tries against the Cowboys, he took a slight dig at the Eels after the match on Saturday night revealing he is the happiest he has been since joining the premiers.

The 20-year old Parramatta junior gets the chance to twist the knife in Round 13, when he takes on the Eels for the first time since defecting to arch rivals Penrith.