Panthers squash Broncos' finals hopes

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A strong second-half display has helped the Penrith Panthers end the Brisbane Broncos' finals crusade at the foot of the mountains tonight, with 8,817 watching the hosts take out a 28-12 victory to stay in touch with the race for eighth.

Penrith started the dominant side in the first half and were able to open their account through captain Kevin Kingston in the fifth minute. Brisbane were to hit back near the 20-minute mark, with Corey Oates registering his side's first points. Penrith took the lead back a little over five minutes later through a simple try to James Segeyaro, before Oates' second in the shadows of halftime gave the game a 12-all scoreline going into the break.

Segeyaro picked up where he left off just six minutes into the second half, fooling the defence out of dummy half again to put his side back in the lead. The hosts then continued to hold out the Broncos onslaught until they jagged a penalty goal in the 70th minute, providing an eight point buffer.

Interchange hooker Segeyaro was the man to provide the icing on the cake nearing fulltime, with a breakaway leading to his hat-trick, a 28-12 win capped with a second late penalty goal.

The task to make the finals for Penrith still remains uneasy - they face Canterbury and Manly on the road over the final fortnight of the competition. Brisbane are now all but out of the running, needing to win both remaining matches against Newcastle and Canterbury to sneak into the eight, while hoping teams ahead lose games.

Match Details
Penrith Panthers 28 Brisbane Broncos 12
Venue: Penrith Stadium
Crowd: 8817
Halftime Score: 12 all

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:
3 points - James Segeyaro
2 points - Nathan Smith
1 point - Matt Gillett

PENRITH PANTHERS (28)
Tries: Kevin Kingston, James Segeyaro (3)
Conversions: Luke Walsh (4/4)
Penalty Goals: Luke Walsh (2/2)

BRISBANE BRONCOS (12)
Tries: Corey Oates (2)
Conversions: Scott Prince (2/2)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Welcome to Centrebet Stadium this evening. The teams are on the field, in the middle of a minute's silence for the Panthers' Executive Director, who passed away recently.
2 min: And we're underway. Within 2 minutes the Panthers get a penalty, as the Broncos player takes his opponent in a high tackle. A tough penalty if you ask me. Penrith hard on attack, but are dragged out over the sideline only 2 metres out from the Broncos' line.
4 min: Another penalty to the Panthers here, this time for holding down in the tackle.
4 min: And on the last the Broncos knock on the kick. Repeat set of six for Penrith.
5 min: Possible try to the Panthers here! Kingston dives over just beside the post, but the referee wants to check the grounding.
5 min: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by Kevin Kingston. Conversion attempt by Luke Walsh successful.
And it's a TRY! The ball looks to land right on the white line, and the try is given. Walsh adds the extras.
Penrith Panthers 6-0
7 min: I don't think the Broncos have even touched the ball yet, kick offs excluded.
7 min: And just as I say that, the Broncos get the ball. A completed set, followed by a bomb to Simmons' wing. He cleans it up nicely.
8 min: A lot of dummy half runs for the Panthers here - easy metres.
8 min: Another set for the Broncos, and they put in a better kick this time - finding open space and forcing the Panthers to return the ball from deep in the corner.
11 min: Some heavy defence from Latimore - you could hear bones rattling from the stands.
12 min: Another nothing kick from the Broncos. They attempt to toe it in behind the line but no one is there to chase!
12 min: Walsh kicks low and short on the last, trying to pressure the winger, but Kahu is up to the task. A great pick up, followed by a quick dart of 10 metres, and then Kahu milks the penalty for his team.
13 min: Broncos heavily on attack here, again down the left hand side. They kick in behind the line, but the Panthers dive on it in-goal and tidy up. Line drop out.
14 min: And on the third, Gillette knocks the ball on. He wasn't watching the ball when it was passed to him.
15 min: Penrith kick high on the last, and Lachlan Coote jumps high and comes down with the ball, but Hoffman is able to rake it off him before he can score.

2 plays later and the Panthers are penalised for being offside.
17 min: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Corey Oates. Conversion attempt by Scott Prince successful.
Some entertaining play from the Broncos sees a try in the left corner. Hunt takes it to the line, gives it to Prince, who creates an overlap, followed by a basketball style pass from Gillette. Corey Oates crosses in the corner. Prince with the conversion from 30cm in, and he puts it right over the black dot.
6 all
22 min: An interesting penalty against the Broncos here. Coote picks up a kick on his own goal line, and falls to ground just as the defenders get to him. His arm hadn't hit the ground, yet the Broncos are penalised for going on with the tackle.
22 min: Hoffman only just tidies up a kick in his in goal area. The ball bounces awkwardly, away from the sideline, and Hoffman has to knock it dead at the last minute - with a Panthers player right behind him.
23 min: Lachlan Coote puts the ball in behind the defensive line, but Hoffman read the play beautifully, and was there to mop it up.
25 min: Hoffman's been busy here tonight. The ball bounces badly for him in his in-goal again, and he's forced to play at it. Warney would have been proud of the bounce on that one. Line drop out from the Broncos.
25 min: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by James Segeyaro. Conversion attempt by Luke Walsh successful.
And some neat footwork from James Segeyaro seems his cross just left of the posts. A dummy, followed by a left foot step, and the Panthers take the lead. Walsh adds the extras.
Penrith Panthers 12-6
29 min: A high kick from the Broncos to Simmons' corner, and he makes an absolute meal of it. Jack Reed races through in chase, and Simmons trips, juggles and then knocks it on.
29 min: Another set of six for the Broncos, as Penrith are ruled offside.
31 min: And the Broncos will have another set, after they force the line dropout.
33 min: Scott Prince throws a wild double cutout pass, and Simmons goes for the intercept, but knocks it on. Jack Reed nearly breaks the line on return. On the next play, Kingston snaps the legs out from underneath Tasi, and the Broncos lose the ball. Pressure released for the Panthers.
35 min: And the Panthers waste a 4 man overlap on the left of the field - instead running it on the last and getting tackled with the ball. They would have scored had they passed it left.
35 min: Penalty against Kevin Kingston for having another grab in the tackle.
38 min: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Corey Oates. Conversion attempt by Scott Prince successful.
And Oates gets his second, two long passes from Hunt and Prince, before Gillette passes long for Oates. Not an easy pick up for the young man, grabbing it from his bootlaces, before diving over the line in the corner. Prince, with a difficult kick from the same spot as last time, adds the 2.
12 all
40 min: We go to half time 12 all. The Panthers won't be happy to have given up a 6 point lead in the last couple of minutes of the half.
40 min: We're back underway in the second half, and the very first tackle is pretty exciting. Masoe meets the Broncos with some massive defense. The Broncos player loses the ball in the tackle, but the Panthers are penalised for laying all over the play the ball.
42 min: Penalty against the Panthers, and the Broncos are on the attack mere metres from the tryline.
44 min: Segeyaro is down on his haunches after Lama Tasi hits him high. Tasi is on report, and is mystified as to why he has been penalised.
45 min: Peter Wallace is penalised for being offside, as he rushed up too early. The Panthers are in prime attacking position, 5 metres out from right in front of the posts.
46 min: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by James Segeyaro. Conversion attempt by Luke Walsh successful.
And Segeyaro does the exact same thing as he did in the first half. He picks the ball up from dummy half, and darts over the line to score. He stands behind the line and taunts the Broncos before putting the ball down. Walsh adds the extras from straight in front.
Penrith Panthers 18-12
48 min: Some of the ugliest play I've ever seen. Coote knocks the ball on just outside his in goal area, and the Broncos recover, but aren't able to capitalize as they drop the ball themselves.
53 min: Broncos are penalised for laying all over the play the ball again.
54 min: And from the resulting set Segeyaro makes a massive break, and is dragged down 15 metres out from the tryline. Nothing comes of the play though, and the Broncos get the ball.
57 min: A lot of end to end play here - both teams making the most of their sets, sitting around 90% completion rate.
57 min: Coote looks to have scored here. Hoffman slips over and Coote manages to get through and dive on the loose ball. We're going upstairs to check the offside, the grounding, the obstruction, and everything else. At first glance Coote looks to be offside.
58 min: And the video referee decision comes down, and the Broncos are forced into a line dropout.
58 min: Whare kicks in behind the line, a bit of a nothing kick really, and the Broncos clean up and come away with the ball. In backplay Jack Reed is on the ground, and looks a bit worse for wear. It looks to be a head clash - Reed getting an accidental headbutt from Simmons in the back of the head.
63 min: Jack Reed tackles Simmons while he's in the air. Coote takes offense, and then a bit of a melee breaks out. Reed is penalised, and the Panthers kick themselves down to the halfway line.
63 min: And in a turn of play, Kahu sprints down field, and beats both the opposition centre and winger, before being dragged down from behind in a great tackle. The Broncos still on attack, and are 1m out.
63 min: Prince puts a little kick in behind, but it's too deep. 20 metre tap to the Panthers.
67 min: Another penalty to the Panthers. They look to get a quick play the ball, but the Broncos defender is still tangled up in legs. The Panthers have the ball only 5 metres out.
69 min: Kevin Kingston is hit in a high tackle. Corey Parker blows up at the referee, and gets a bit of a talking to. Walsh lines up the penalty kick, and puts it between the posts. The Panthers put themselves more than a converted try in front.
70 min: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL PENRITH PANTHERS
Penalty goal attempt by Luke Walsh successful.
Kevin Kingston is hit in a high tackle. Corey Parker blows up at the referee, and gets a bit of a talking to. Walsh lines up the penalty kick, and puts it between the posts. The Panthers put themselves more than a converted try in front.
Penrith Panthers 20-12
72 min: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by James Segeyaro. Conversion attempt by Luke Walsh successful.
Another try to Segeyaro. Walsh puts the ball back inside to Segeyaro, who throws a dummy and makes McCullough look silly, before diving over for his third. Walsh kicks from just right of the posts, and converts the try.
Penrith Panthers 26-12
74 min: Kahu is dragged down from midair by Josh Mansour while contesting a kick. Mansour is penalised. He was going for the ball, but came down with Kahu's jumper instead.
77 min: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL PENRITH PANTHERS
Penalty goal attempt by Luke Walsh successful.
The Broncos are penalised yet again, and Walsh kicks the penalty goal to further increase the lead.
Penrith Panthers 28-12
80 min: In a completely unexpected turn of events, the Panthers run out winners tonight, 28 points to 12. Segeyaro got three tries with some brilliant footwork and pace, while Walsh was on with the boot, converting all four tries, and kicking two penalty goals.
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