Panthers stuck in last place on the NRL ladder as Manly snap three-game losing streak in 26-10 win

At their best Manly resemble premiership contenders and at their worst they fumble their way through matches. All of it was on show on Saturday night as the Sea Eagles snapped a three game losing streak against Penrith.

While the Panthers resembled a champion boxer who went on one fight too long the Sea Eagles have remained consistent.

Consistent in their inconsistency. The Sea Eagles might just be the most frustrating team in the NRL. At their best they resemble a team who could finish top four and make a premiership tilt. At their worst they are ill-disciplined and fumble their way through matches.

All that was on show for Manly on Saturday night against the Panthers during their win to halt a three game losing streak.

Their first half was almost faultless. They can move the ball from side to side quicker than most teams. Sometimes they can be too guilty of going sideways but in the first half they showed how good it can look when it works.

Luke Brooks was camped on the left hand side of the field and while they didn’t create any try-scoring opportunities they still threatened enough to ensure Penrith’s defence was at full attention.

NRL 2025 RD08 Penrith Panthers v Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles - Tom Trbojevic NRL PHOTOS

It allowed the right side of the field to flourish. Daly Cherry-Evans, Haumole Olakau’atu and Reuben Garrick were damaging with Tom Trbojevic’s presence out the back keeping them dangerous.

They led 14-0 at half-time and were clearly the better side.

Enter the second half when bad old Manly started to appear once again. They did not touch the ball for about 10 minutes after they gave away penalty after penalty and multiple set restarts. And Penrith made them pay. Racing in two tries in five minutes to almost gain control of the game,

Somehow the Sea Eagles managed to wrestle the game back to finish victorious. Olakau’atu was outstanding and has been all year. He has finally come to the realisation how damaging he can be.

Manly v Panthers. Picture: NRL Imagery

The Sea Eagles did this without a near starting forward pack on the sidelines. Jake Trbojevic, Taniela Paseka, Toafofoa Sipley, Lachlan Croker and Josh Aloiai missed the game.

They have the bye followed by a game against the Sharks. Can they win? Don’t bet your house on it.

PANTHERS LANGUISHING IN LAST PLACE AS MANLY SNAP LOSING STREAK

—Dave Lyall

Penrith are officially on the ropes with the four-time reigning premiers anchored to the bottom of the NRL ladder eight rounds into the season.

Just a week after they looked to have turned the corner, snapping a five-game losing streak with a comprehensive victory over the Roosters, the Panthers were outclassed on Saturday night by a Manly side that were coming off their own three-game winless stretch.

With star fullback Tom Trbojevic, NSW forward Haumole Olakau’atu and departing skipper Daly Cherry-Evans all making huge contributions, the Sea Eagles consigned the Panthers to their sixth loss from eight starts this season, running out winners 26-10 at CommBank Stadium.

Post match, Panthers star Nathan Cleary was pained by the knowledge his side sits dead last but still confident Penrith could climb off the canvas.

The Manly Sea Eagles have snapped a three-game losing streak to beat the Panthers. Picture: NRL Imagery

“It’s a terrible feeling,” Cleary said.

“Obviously, it’s not what we want, but you know, it is what it is.

“We got ourselves in this position, so we have to drag ourselves out and you know I still have full faith in this group and what we’re doing at training and putting in the hours.

“It’s just getting that little bit of faith in the game that we know how to play and building off that.

“It’s not even looking at the ladder at the moment, just putting back to back performances together and see where we go.”

When asked if he thought Penrith’s position on the ladder was a reflection of their form, coach Ivan Cleary wasn’t entirely sure.

“I don’t know. I don’t think so, but I guess it is,” he said.

“The ladder doesn’t really matter until July or August or something.

“But I guess that’s the talking point.

“Obviously when you only win two games, you’re going to be down there somewhere.”

Trbojevic, in his first game back since round four, was in everything, bobbing up on both sides of the field in attack, having a hand in a try and running for more than 180 metres in an 80 minute display.

The loss means the Panthers are now two-points clear at the bottom of the NRL ladder. Picture: NRL Imagery

The Sea Eagles opened the scoring just five minutes into the fixture via centre Reuben Garrick, who scored his eighth try in his last seven games at CommBank Stadium. They added a second courtesy of Tommy Talau and went to the sheds at halftime up 14-0.

It didn’t take long for the premiers to begin their fight back, Blaize Talagi scoring from dummy half six minutes into the second period, before Izack Tago took advantage of three consecutive sets on Manly’s goal line and a magic Paul Alamoti pass to get them within four points.

That’s where it ended for Penrith and begun again for Manly with tries to Olakau’atu and Tolu Koula, the former when the hulking backrower snatched a bomb right from the arms of his NSW teammate Dylan Edwards to plunge over.

Referee Belinda Sharpe was kept busy throughout, awarding 16 penalties – a count won 9-7 by Penrith – placing eight players on report and sending three players to the sin bin.

Panthers backrower Scott Sorensen, Manly prop Siosiua Taukeiaho and Alamoti became the latest players sin binned in a round of banishments.

HALVES ORIGIN DRESS REHEARSAL

Respective halfbacks Daly Cherry-Evans and Nathan Cleary put on a State of Origin dress rehearsal, continuing a healthy battle throughout this fixture.

Queenslander Cherry-Evans and his NSW nemesis Cleary crossed paths time after time and were both in their side’s best few players.

KEEN ON CALEB

Manly may have found their long term replacement for Jake Trbojevic in Fijian international Caleb Navale.

Playing off the bench in just his third NRL appearance, the 21-year-old middle forward received just ten minutes of game time but made an impression on both sides of the ball, including saving a potential Luke Summerton try on the line.

Navale has already played five Tests for Fiji, following in the footsteps of his father, Eparama, who represented the Bati at the 2000 Rugby League World Cup.

MCLEAN’S NIGHTMARE

Panthers teenage centre Casey McLean had a night he’d rather forget that included a missed tackle on Reuben Garrick for Manly’s first try, a dropped ball, a trip to the sideline for a head injury assessment and was penalised twice for dangerous tackles. All in the first half.

In the second stanza the talented youngster, who turned 19 on Thursday, was felled by the hip of Tom Trbojevic when looking certain to score. The Manly fullback was immediately penalised by Sharpe, only to have the ruling challenged and the penalty overturned.

Originally published as Panthers stuck in last place on the NRL ladder as Manly snap three-game losing streak in 26-10 win