In front of a big Monday night crowd at Sportingbet Stadium, the Panthers have pulled off an incredible feat beating the Broncos 35-34 thanks to a 30m field goal from Matt Moylan, despite losing three players to injury.
Josh Mansour and Tyrone Peachey will all have to have scans this week to determine how much time they’ll have off, but hopefully the depth in the Panthers ranks will give Ivan Cleary enough players to choose replacements. Adam Docker came off after a nasty head knock, but returned towards the end of the second half.
We got off to a perfect start with our first try in the first two minutes of the game! It came off back to back sets from the kick off, when Jamie Soward put a chip kick over everyone’s head on the 20m line, Jamal Idris jumped for the ball and batted it back to Elijah Taylor who ran between two Broncos defenders to get it over the line. Sowie converted to give us an early 6-0 lead.
A few minutes later we were in again after some great footwork by Matt Moylan and some very poor defence by Brisbane. Sowie set this one up as well, sending a beautiful ball to Moylan about 15m out, and he jumped over a Broncos defender and brushed a few more off to dive over the line. Sowie’s boot took the score to 12-0, with just 7 minutes gone.
In the 13th minute Brisbane put their first points on the board after drawing our defenders off the wing and then sending the ball out wide to Dale Copley, who sprinted to the line and dived over near the corner post. Corey Parker converted to put 6 points up for the visitors.
Josh Mansour had to head up the tunnel a few minutes later to see the medical team about an ankle issue. The Broncos then lost Corey Parker to the same fate, and at this stage it was unclear if either would return to the field.
With 8 minutes until the half time break Brisbane scored another try which would ultimately even the score. Penrith took the bait with a classic show-and-go, which gave the Broncos a few holes to work with and Justin Hodges found some space and jogged the ball over the line. Parker’s kick levelled the score at 12-12.
Tyrone Peachey then came off with a suspected pec injury, and we were very quickly going through our interchange players.
A couple of minutes later they were over again after bench player Jake Granville took the ball from dummy half and burrowed his way under a couple of Panthers players to get over the line. The conversion put the Broncos in front for the first time, 18-12 with 4 minutes until the half time siren.
With just over a minute on the clock, Moylan and Soward combined for a spectacular try to even the scores right on the half time break. Soward passed to Moylan on the 40m line before he offloaded back to Soward who found a hole in Brisbane’s back line and took off down the field. He made it to within a metre of the line before tossing the ball behind his back to Kevin Naiqama who was in the right place at the right time, and fell over the line to score! Sowie sent the ball straight through the uprights to take the score to 18-18.
HALF TIME: 18-18
The Panthers were quick off the mark again this half and in the 47th minute we had our next try! Sowie put a kick over everyone’s heads and James Segeyaro leaped into the air and grabbed it before lobbing it back to Bryce Cartwright, who then chucked it over a couple of Broncos players heads to Dean Whare who was unmarked on the wing, and he ran over to score! Sowie’s kick put us 6 in front, 24-18.
We almost backed that up two minutes later when Moylan’s quick feet put him over again, but the video ref ruled obstruction so it was play on.
We did manage to get over in the 53rd minute thanks to some very quick ball work which left Brisbane a little stunned. From the centre of the field, Segeyaro sent the ball left where it passed through the hands of Sowie, Taylor, Moylan and Idris, who flicked it out to Naiqama who ran over the line to score. Sowie’s boot never looked like missing, and the home side extended their lead to 30-18.
We made it three in a row in the 59th minute after another Sowie bomb found the hands of Cartwright who did well to hold onto the ball and flick it to Lewis Brown, who spun around the back of a Broncos player and fell over the line to get the ball down. The kick floated left and was waved away, so the score went to 34-18.
Soon after this, Adam Docker had to be helped from the field after copping a knock to the head, and Ivan Cleary was now down to one interchange player for the remainder of the match.
With 15 minutes on the clock the Broncos got over the line again when Jack Reed sprinted down the sideline and dived over to score, taking the corner post with him. The kick missed, so the score went to 34-22.
Segeyaro was the next one over the line with 11 minutes on the clock, but the video ref ruled his try came after a double movement, so it was the Broncos ball.
Two minutes later the visitors scored another one when Daniel Vidot picked up a grubber kick in the in-goal and planted it down before Moylan could get to him. With the successful kick, Brisbane was closing in 34-28.
Just when it looked like the Panthers had the game wrapped up, the Broncos struck again with 2 minutes on the clock, with Corey Oates barging his way through our defenders to get over the line. The kick was good so the score went to 34-34.
But with less than 60 seconds remaining, Moylan kicked a field goal to put Penrith 1 point ahead. And as the time ticked down, the Broncos copped a penalty which turned the ball over to us to win the game.
FULL TIME: 35-34 Panthers
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