Perfect Panthers pummel Sea Eagles

The Penrith Panthers have delivered a commanding 40-22 win over the Manly Sea Eagles at CUA Stadium tonight. After a flawless first half display, the Panthers led 24-6 at halftime in front of a delirious crowd of nearly 15,000.

They were the first to score with Brad Tighe scoring off a sharp pass from Michael Jennings. Manly struck back with an inside ball to Ben Farrar resulting eventually in a Kieran Foran try.

Penrith responded with a great try to Trent Waterhouse after a bustling Pritchard run. Jennings then added to the lead by running 40 metres after being put into a gap.

Immediately after kicking a penalty goal to go up 18-6, the Panthers scored the try of the year through Michael Gordon who backed up after several offloads put Luke Lewis away down the sideline and kicked back across the middle for the try.

The first half saw 100% completions from both teams, and neither were playing safety first football. Manly weren't even playing that poorly, but Penrith were brilliant.

If Manly had any hopes of coming back in the second half, they were quickly dashed as Gavin Cooper scored off a Luke Walsh bomb.

After holding out several attacking raids from the Panthers, Manly hit back with Glenn Stewart scoring. The good work was immediately undone with Michael Jennings latching onto a poor pass from Manly to score under the posts.

Manly got another, highly contentious, try back with Tony Williams being ruled to have scored out wide, but Jennings sealed the game with his third try. Manly scored one final try late with Tony Williams scoring his second, but it did nothing to diminish just how much of a warning this performance is to the rest of the competition.

Match Details
Penrith Panthers 40 defeated Manly Sea Eagles 22
National Rugby League - NRL - Round 16 - Friday June 25, 2010 7:35pm
Venue: CUA Stadium
Referee: Tony Archer and Tony De Las Heras
Video Referee: Sean Hampstead
Touch Judges: David Abood and David Munro
Crowd: 14,978
Halftime: Penrith Panthers 24 Manly Sea Eagles 6

Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 Points - Michael Jennings (3 Tries)
2 Points - Frank Pritchard
1 Point - Luke Walsh

PENRITH PANTHERS (40)
Tries: Brad Tighe, Trent Waterhouse, Michael Gordon, Michael Jennings (3), Gavin Cooper
Conversions: Michael Gordon (5/7)
Penalty Goals: Michael Gordon (1/1)

MANLY SEA EAGLES (22)
Tries: Glenn Stewart, Tony Williams (2), Kieran Foran
Conversions: Steve Matai (1/1), Tony Williams (0/1), Shane Rodney (2/2)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary Good evening. Tonight from CUA Stadium, Penrith, we bring you coverage of the Panthers vs Eels clash. On the ladder this clash is 2 vs 5.
The Sea Eagles are 1-17. Big change for the Panthers - #19 Petero Civoniceva will be starting with Bell moving to the bench.
Penrith won the Toyota Cup 30-26.
1 min: The Panthers - in pink jerseys louder than a horde of vuvuzelas - kick off following a moment's silence.
2 min: Panthers get an early line drop out.
4 min: Panthers get a penalty and a fresh set of tackles.
5 min: TRY
TRY Penrith Panthers
The Panthers run the ball on the last, Jennings passes high to Tighe who somehow reels it in to score out wide. Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon unsuccessful.
Penrith Panthers 4-0
8 min: Penrith give away a penalty late in the count and will put Manly on attack.
10 min: Panthers hold out. Not a bad early attacking set from Manly.
13 min: TRY
TRY Manly Sea Eagles
Manly fire an inside ball to Farrar who finds Robertson out wide and passes back to Foran backing up to score. Conversion attempt by Shane Rodney successful.
Manly Sea Eagles 6-4
15 min: Manly go on attack after another penalty.
19 min: TRY
TRY Penrith Panthers
Great Panthers try! Pritchard makes a great run, and after he's tackled the Manly defence can't recover on the next play and Waterhouse shows some good moves to score. Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon successful.
Penrith Panthers 10-6
21 min: Penrith get a penalty very early in the count to get an assist out of their own end.
22 min: The Panthers - and Pritchard in particular - are looking lethal on attack at the moment.
23 min: No errors so far - both teams combined are 18/18 on completions.
25 min: Manly play a very good attacking set. The perfect completion rate certainly isn't because both teams are playing safety first football.
26 min: TRY
TRY Penrith Panthers
Superb try to Jennings! He gets put into a gap, runs 40 metres and with men in support throws a dummy to get past Farrar to score. Fantastic football. Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon successful.
Penrith Panthers 16-6
30 min: Manly starting to be rushed by the Penrith defence, resulting in poor kicks on the last. Penrith get a penalty while already on attack.
31 min: PENALTY GOAL
PENALTY GOAL Penrith Panthers
Manly penalised for interference in the play the ball, and the penalty goal attempt by Michael Gordon is successful.
Penrith Panthers 18-6
33 min: TRY
TRY Penrith Panthers
Try of the year! Some amazing offloads and batted on passes from their own end, the Panthers unleash Lewis down the sideline who kicks infield, where it's passed from Kingston to Gordon who scores next to the posts. Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon successful.
Penrith Panthers 24-6
35 min: Manly have not played poorly, and haven't really defended poorly and they find themselves down by 18 points already. If they start to play badly they'll be annihilated.
37 min: Still no incomplete sets, as well!
38 min: Manly still not looking bad on attack.
40 min: Half time! Manly have completed 14/14 sets and aren't playing badly, while Penrith have completed 19/19 and are on fire. Just about the perfect half of football from the Panthers.
40 min: Back underway! Can Manly come back from this big halftime deficit?
42 min: First error of the night, and it's Manly turning the ball over on halfway.
43 min: VIDEO REF - For a Panthers try...
43 min: TRY
TRY Penrith Panthers
Walsh puts up a bomb to the corner, Cooper wins the contest for the ball and scores. Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon successful.
Penrith Panthers 30-6
45 min: Manly go for the short restart, Luke Lewis catches the ball before it's covered 10 metres and Manly get a penalty to go on attack.
46 min: Penrith hold out the Manly attacking set.
47 min: Manly halves have gone into their shells and don't seem to have any ideas on how to chase down this scoreline, Penrith are making yards at will.
48 min: VIDEO REF - For a Panthers try...
48 min: NO TRY - Walsh puts a chip kick into the in goal, and everyone misses it except for Gordon who gets a hand to it and knocks it on before diving on the ball to claim a try.
48 min: Manly are penalised for Matai taking out Luke Lewis in chasing the bomb. Evidence suggests Lewis was taking the mickey by taking an Italian-style football dive!
49 min: Manly hold out.
53 min: Panthers force Farrar to step on the touch in goal line and get a line drop out.
54 min: VIDEO REF - For a Panthers try...
54 min: NO TRY - A great ball to Lewis goes unrewarded as he's held up in goal.
56 min: Penrith penalised for taking out a chaser, and Manly go on attack.
57 min: TRY
TRY Manly Sea Eagles
Soft try conceded, Glenn Stewart brushes off a tackler and scores by the posts. Conversion attempt by Tony Williams unsuccessful.
Penrith Panthers 30-10
59 min: TRY
TRY Penrith Panthers
Manly throw a terrible intercept to Jennings who runs away to score. Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon successful.
Penrith Panthers 36-10
65 min: Great kick chase from Manly gets them a line drop out.
67 min: VIDEO REF - For a Manly try...
67 min: TRY
TRY Manly Sea Eagles
Very questionable call, Tony Williams ruled to have scored out wide despite it looking a lot like Coote had managed to hold him up and push him out. Conversion attempt by Steve Matai successful.
Penrith Panthers 36-16
69 min: Manly go back on attack after a penalty.
70 min: Another Manly attack breaks down.
71 min: TRY
TRY Penrith Panthers
Jennings beats his man, passes to Tighe who passes back inside to Jennings who claims a hat trick. Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon unsuccessful.
Penrith Panthers 40-16
77 min: INJURY - Glenn Stewart injured and will need assisted from the field.
80 min: TRY
Some good leadup work from Manly sees Tony Williams claim a second try.
Penrith Panthers 40-22
80 min: Fulltime, and Penrith have defeated Manly very convincingly and have sent a message to the rest of the competition with this win.