NRL 2021: Penrith Panthers win over New Zealand Warriors 30-16 | Match report
The Warriors’ NRL season is in tatters after losing four players — two likely for the season — in a matter of minutes.
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The Penrith Panthers share the competition lead with the Storm but have plenty of work to do to stop the defending premiers going back-to-back after battling to overpower the brave and luckless Warriors.
The Warriors played the entire second half with no bench players and it took big games from Panthers stars Liam Martin, Viliame Kikau, Isaah Yeo and Brian To’o to seal the deal 30-16 at Suncorp Stadium.
There was late concern for Penrith prop James Fisher-Harris who left the field in the closing minutes after he grabbed at a knee after Kikau landed on his neck.
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Coach Ivan Cleary said Fisher-Harris suffered three injuries at the same time.
“I think he got neck, knee and ribs [injuries] all at once,” he said.
The Panthers did eventually unveil their class, but Nathan Brown’s men had everything against them after losing veteran forward Tohu Harris to a likely ACL injury and then inspirational skipper Roger Tuivasa-Sheck with concussion following a sickening collision with Matt Burton’s hip.
There was real concern for Tuivasa-Sheck with the game halted for several minutes to check on his welfare. He had barely left the field when hooker Wayde Egan followed him up the tunnel with a shoulder injury in the 17th minute to leave the Warriors with one man on the bench.
Through it all the Warriors refused to yield with a rampaging Matt Lodge and whiz kid Reece Walsh both setting up tries to give them a 10-4 lead.
When centre Rocco Berry went off with a knee injury on the cusp of half-time it was dire times for the Warriors.
Nathan Brown said it was “a huge effort” by his team.
“I want to say it is our best performance this year for sure and something we can take the club forward with if we take our lessons out of it. Playing with grit and commitment is far more beneficial than being technically sound,” Brown said.
“What was saw today was a group of people that appear like they want to play for each other.”
Brown said Tuivasa-Sheck was OK and in the best shape of the quartet.
“I think Tohu Harris has done his ACL which is a terrible injury, Wayde Egan shoulder is not looking like he is going to be likely for any more [football] this year and unfortunately young Rocco has done his hamstring,” Brown said.
Unfortunately initial assessment from the Warriors suggests Tohu Harris suffered an ACL injury. Considering mechanism + accuracy of testing that can be performed by medical staff not looking good for Harris. Likely surgery + 6-9 month recovery ahead, thoughts with him
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) July 18, 2021
Panthers halves pairing Matt Burton and Tyrone May set up tries in the first half but struggled to manage the game with any authority until the Warriors were out on their feet.
The Panthers will be sweating on the return of Origin halves Jarome Luai and Nathan Cleary to get their attack humming again and close the widening gap that the juggernaut Storm are opening up on the rest of the competition.
Coach Cleary said it wasn’t one of his team’s best performances and conceded the Storm were now setting the benchmark in the competition.
“I don’t know whether it was rust but we missed a lot of opportunities in attack and in defence we were a bit off,” he said.
He said Luai should be right next week with son Nathan “coming along nicely”.
“When he is ready, I’ll put him in,” he said.
“I thought Tyrone played really well and it was his best game in that position.”
MARTIN MOTORS
The introduction of NSW powerhouse Liam Martin in the 25th minute changed the game for the Panthers with his energy and competitiveness giving his side momentum that led to two tries and a 16-10 half-time lead.
Martin chimed in with a ‘Falcon’ courtesy of his kick pressure which saw the ball ricochet deep back into Warriors territory. When the man known as the ‘Temora Terror’ charged over for his third try of the season in the second half the Panthers were home and hosed.
Martin was Penrith’s most influential forward but had a close ally in Kikau who scored twice.
“Marto was outstanding for us. He is a young guy who has made his Origin debut and come back with confidence and energy, and he’s done that after each game,” Cleary said.
TERRIFIC TO’O
Wind him up watch him go. The Panthers and Blues winger has an insatiable desire for work and more work and clocked up another 200-plus running metres.
To’o has now reached the 200m mark 11 times this season and he is on track to break Tuivasa-Sheck’s record of 15 occasions in the one season, set in 2015. To’o scored his usual try and made a tough ask look ridiculously easy.
LODGE LANDS
After an unsettled ending to his Broncos career Lodge appears to have found a home where he will thrive at the Warriors. He was on fire on his return to Suncorp Stadium with his charging runs and offloads a real handful for the Panthers.
The Warriors’ injury crisis also forced Lodge to play the entire game.
In tandem with Addin Fonua-Blake, who was the best forward on the park, the duo can become one of the leading starting front-rows in the competition.
Their bravery under duress was a reflection of the spirit the Warriors played with.
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