NRL 2021: Brian To’o bags three tries as Penrith Panthers belt Parramatta Eels

Crowd favourite Brian To’o chalked up three tries as the Penrith Panthers thrashed an under-strength Parramatta on Friday evening.

The Panthers have won each of their last three games against the Eels. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Penrith will be sweating on Saturday’s charge sheet after star centre Matt Burton was penalised for a crusher tackle, while Scott Sorensen’s finals campaign is in serious doubt after he suffered an arm injury in the 40-6 win over Parramatta.

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary would have been hoping for a drama free night on the Gold Coast after the Storm had wrapped up the minor premiership earlier in the evening, but things rarely go to plan when the finals roll around.

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Burton was penalised for a crusher tackle on Eels skipper Will Smith in the 24th minute, but the incident wasn’t placed on report.

Teammate Viliame Kikau also earned the ire of the referee for a late shot on Jakob Arthur, but a lack of force meant he too avoided being put on report.

Both men will face a nervous wait when the match review committee releases the charges, but the lack of on field action suggests they should be fine to play next week.

Sorensen, who has been brilliant coming off the bench this year, copped some friendly fire in a second-half tackle and looks to have dislocated the ulnar in his right arm which would most likely end his season.

“I think he’s dislocated his wrist,” Cleary said.

“I can imagine how painful it must be because they couldn’t put it back in. Hope for the best there, but I think he’d be doing it pretty hard at the moment.”

It was an otherwise cruisy night at the office for Penrith, who headed into the western derby knowing that they’d play the Rabbitohs in the first week of the finals unless they somehow won by a record 144 points.

Their attack still isn’t humming as it was earlier in the season, but the Panthers were able to put on a couple of nice set plays from scrums to send Brian To’o over for the first hat-trick of his career as their left edge ran riot in the second half.

“I’m definitely happy with where we’re sitting and how we’re positioned heading into next week,” Cleary said.

Brian To’o (R) scored his first career hat-trick on Friday night. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Arthur’s gamble

We won’t know whether Brad Arthur’s decision to rest his players was the right one until next week, but the Eels coach will be proud of what his ring-ins produced for the first 40 minutes against the premiership heavyweights.

The bulk of the squad has spent the past few seasons running around Ringrose Park in reserve grade, but they held their own until Penrith kicked clear after the break.

“It was always going to be the case that the class was going to get us,” Arthur said.

“But I’ve never walked into a dressing shed when we’ve had 40 points put on us before and say that I was proud, and I meant every word.

“I reckon our performance tonight beats half the competition.

“It hasn’t done anything to our confidence.”

With little to gain and nothing to lose, Arthur chose to rest all his stars for the local derby. What it means is he’ll have fresh forwards and well-rested playmakers who will still be riding high from last week’s stunning upset over the Storm.

The result also confirms the Knights as their opponents in next week’s elimination final, with Parramatta hoping to turn the tables on their grand final defeat to Newcastle 20 years ago.

Keegan Hipgrave was taken from the field for a HIA and did not return. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Fergalicious

Blake Ferguson has delivered some of the most memorable moments of the past few years, and he didn’t disappoint on Friday night with one of the worst captain’s challenges of 2021.

The veteran winger sent a kick-off sailing wide which Stephen Crichton smartly caught out of play. But Ferguson thought he spotted a foot in the air from 50 metres away and decided to challenge.

Unsurprisingly, the touch judge got it right from close range and the Panthers were able to march downfield for an Api Koroisau try.

It was a comical play on a night that saw Father’s Day come early for both coaches who had their respective sons start in the halves.