Warriors get it back with one final chance.. Wayde Egan tries to kick for RTS but Dylan Edwards slides to the nineth win in a row. FULL-TIME.
Warriors try some hot potato football but it comes to naught. Panthers will hold on.
CHARGEDOWN! Warriors have a fresh set but they're only 10 out. Big effort needed to go.
Panthers go the crash play and Kikau loses it.
Warriors lose it coming out of their own end.
Warriors had them stripped for numbers but Hiku's pass is too high for Jennings.
Panthers try to shift it left to right.. and the kick goes dead. Seven tackle set.
Cleary tries to trap the Warriors in-goal and Hiku catches it.. just in the field of play. It will be a dropout.
Panthers try to get on a roll here. Edwards tries to dart out of dummy-half and loses it. CHALLENGE.. it will be SUCCESSFUL. PENALTY PANTHERS!
Warriors push the pass and Tevaga knocks on.
RED LIGHTS.. NO TRY! It was obstruction.
BUNKER TIME! Checking obstruction.
Stop me if you've heard this before. Penrith have got a goal-line dropout. Cleary tried to step through them on last, found the corner and the kick inside is taken dead. Dropout.
Good play from Crichton! Warriors go down the right side again, Crichton snatched it from the air and the Panthers counter. PENALTY PANTHERS!
Some luck goes the Warriors way there. Cleary aims for a 40/20 and it cannons off the back of Taunoa-Brown then lost by May.
Some respect for the defense. Cleary will shoot for two. The half will take his time over the kick and puts them a coverted try ahead.
PENALTY PANTHERS! Offside.
Herbert looks to convert his own try. He takes his time, strides in.. he keeps it inside the posts!
Warriors put on a set move from the scrum! Quick hands and Herbert just holds on.
Nikorima tries to fashion a kick here. Cleary misses the catch and the Warriors will get another set at them.
PENALTY WARRIORS! Liam Martin just cleans out George Jennings there. Easy call.
Warriors survive! Panthers tried to put it on the boot again and Hiku was there to cover up.
Cleary adds another dropout to the tally. Chipped it into space for Luai to chase but the Warriors defense just got there in time.
Panthers manufacture a restart there. Cleary tried to position Kikau, the big forward shoots it loose and it is towed dead.
Warriors try to get fancy in the wet and lose it.
It must be something at the southern end of the ground. Lawton nutmegs a Panther and trapped Cleary in-goal.
PENALTY WARRIORS! Set restart and the ball is reefed out. Can they strike first here?
We're back on for the second half. Warriors scored late in the half and look to try and comeback against the competition leaders. Cleary has it on the tee. KICK-OFF!
Herbert takes the conversion. Nails it. HALFTIME.
GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! Onside, RTS leaps highest, gets it down!
BUNKER TIME! RTS might have got one back right at the death. Checking grounding.
PENALTY WARRIORS! They try to tap and go.
James Fisher-Harris coughs it up. Warriors have the final chance of the half.
Close range kick again for Cleary. Nails it.
GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! Well onside, kick from Mansour is perfect and Edwards gets there first.
BUNKER TIME! Dylan Edwards might have touched down here. Checking onside, contact.
Warriors finally get the roll on, get a set restart but Papali'i drops it.
PENALTY WARRIORS! Reach around in the ruck. Martin slapped at the ball.
The Warriors used all the time from Nikorima getting patched up and get the ball back. A low driven dropout is spilled by May.
Make that six. Cleary stabs through again, this is the sixth dropout for the home side. Warriors defending valiantly but how long before they crack?
More dropouts than the first few weeks of a uni course from the Warriors in this half. This is their FIFTH and they have defended well against this rampant Panthers attack.
Cleary doing the same thing again. Kicks into the path of Mansour who combines with the left side and this time, Mansour forces the dropout.
PENALTY PANTHERS! Stuck in the ruck. Tohu Harris the culprit. Panthers shoot over halfway again.
Easier kick this time for Cleary. He nails the kick.
That was end to end. A kick that ricochet fell into the path of Burr. The front rower threw it away straight to a Panther in Crichton. Panthers continue to probe then Koroisau burrowed underneath the defense.
CHALLENGE! Kodi Nikorima almost produced something but it looks like a knock on. It came off the post.. has Chanel Harris-Tevita knocked it on? Stays a knock on. UNSUCCESSFUL.
RED LIGHTS.. NO TRY! Held up. Wonderful effort from the Warriors defenders. He will go back to the ten to play it.
BUNKER TIME! James Fisher-Harris almost spun across. Checking if he got it down. The hulking prop also has some blood streaming from the back of his head.
PENALTY PANTHERS! Offside. More defense coming.
Lovely take from Edwards this time. He gets a run on and the Panthers have rung the bell. Right back on the attack.
PENALTY WARRIORS! Luai puts one high and Edwards had no eyes for the ball, just man, gets pinged.
Warriors finally get some possession after a late tackle count six-again. They tried to strip the numbers left but Nikorima loses the handle.
First kick of the night for Cleary. He comes in from the right, hooks it.
They finally crack! Cleary went to the line then floated the perfect pass to Naden to stroll across.
PENALTY PANTHERS! Interference. Even when the Warriors do well they are pinged. Edwards tried to kick through again but the chasers were held back.
Rinse and repeat. The Warriors defense has held firm thus far. Cleary again though has just trapped them behind the goal line.
Panthers going left like a Beyonce film clip. Luai tries to dribble one through, it hits Nikorima, who knocks on right after. Panthers scrum.
Panthers tightening their grip here. There was a chance on the left but Kikau was flattened. Cleary just rolled another one in for six more tackles.
Panthers roll through their set well and Cleary chipped one perfectly to trap Jennings in-goal.
PENALTY PANTHERS! Roger was loudly called offside. The captain charges through and makes the tackle on Edwards after the catch.
First out is the Pink Panthers. Full of form and looking to get back on top of the NRL ladder, they take residence in the northern end of Central Coast Stadium. Next is the home side, the Warriors look to build off their back-to-back victories and cause what might be the biggest upset of the season. Let's go!
Happy Friday everybody! I hope you're safe, dry and ready to enjoy some football! The first of the double-header comes from the Central Coast. The purring Penrith Panthers take on the traveling Wilburies.. we mean Warriors who come off a strong win against the Sea Eagles. The Warriors are 1-17 whilst the Panthers make a single change at fullback - Dylan Edwards in for Caleb Aekins. Sit back, relax and get ready for kick-off.
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Adam Gee
Touch Judges: Liam Kennedy, Gavin Badger
Video Referee: Steve Clark, Bryan Norrie
WARRIORS (12)
Tries: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Patrick Herbert
Field Goals:
Conversions: Patrick Herbert (2/2)
Penalty Goals:
PENRITH PANTHERS (18)
Tries: Brent Naden, Apisai Koroisau, Dylan Edwards
Field Goals:
Conversions: Nathan Cleary (2/3)
Penalty Goals: Nathan Cleary (1/1)