Those reports of the Roosters demise? Greatly exaggerated. Just like the famously misquoted Mark Twain line, the legend of this one will only deservedly grow.
Those $11 outsider odds? More like $101. Dominic Young outleaping Dylan Edwards – the safest of all fullbacks? He cleared tall buildings too actually.
No Sam Walker, Brandon Smith, Victor Radley, Spencer Leniu, Lindsay Collins and Nat Butcher on top of more than $4 million in off-season departures? No exaggerating those actually, which is exactly why no-one gave the Roosters a hope in hell against the four-time premiers.
And those that did, even though they’re lying, they certainly didn’t predict a 12-try, 38-32 shoot-out and one of the greatest upsets in their history.
“I reckon that was our greatest win as a club, given the amount of players we have got out,” captain James Tedesco said in the giddy moments after full time.
“To do that against a full-strength Panthers, that was our greatest win”.
Oh mama, they had to earn it though. Not until Daniel Tupou somehow shoved Brian To’o far enough so he planted the ball on the corner post, did the Tricolours finally have it in the bag.
The Roosters celebrate Sandon Smith’s try.Credit: Getty Images
It never felt safe. Even when Tedesco left Jack Cole for dead and sent Connor Watson over for his second try of the night and a 24-18 lead, the feeling was Penrith still had them covered.
Especially when Edwards was able to sneak through in pursuit of a Nathan Cleary grubber and draw the Panthers level again with half an hour to play.
But the Panthers weren’t themselves. And the sight of Edwards battling with a groin injury that eventually forced him off, well that hardly helped.
Ivan Cleary was not too concerned at his star No.1’s early exit, believing Edwards could have played on if it wasn’t round two and he didn’t have a fit Daine Laurie sitting on the bench.
In any case, you could call the Panthers misfire a Vegas hangover. Call it a yearning for Penrith Park, where a much-needed knockdown and upgrade has forced them to Commbank Stadium for the next two years.
all it a yearning for Penrith Park, where a much-needed knockdown and upgrade has forced them to CommBank Stadium for the next two years.
There were errors in the play-the-ball. Balls hit the deck. Runs were mistimed and the fundamentals were fundamentally lacking.
”That game was lost before we got here for whatever reason… we just didn’t play anywhere near what we’d like to,” Cleary lamented.
“I guess it’s why we all love sport so much, it’s the classic upset.”
The Roosters came intent on peppering Penrith with high kicks and found fortune often, while code-hopping centre Mark Nawaqanitawase threatened constantly as they chanced their hand and shifted the ball constantly.
When Nawaqanitawase popped a fine offload around the corner for Daniel Tupou’s second try, they had the ascendancy once more. And a minute later, Sandon Smith had extended it with a gutsy left-side shift inside his own 20 and the reward of his own long-range try.
Penrith still had their chances. And moments of brilliance from To’o with a grubber and regather, and Cleary’s pinpoint kick for Liam Henry, kept them within striking distance.
A high hit and sin-binning for Salesi Foketi gave Penrith a 12-man defence to aim at and the most nervous of final minutes.
Cleary twice took penalty shots at goal as the clock wound down, playing the long game and eyeing a golden-point finish. The Roosters though, they got what they deserved, eventually.
A thrilling, nail-biting win – with no exaggeration needed.
