Full Time
80:00
6:00pm Fri May 7, 2021
Round 9 - BlueBet Stadium, Penrith / Dharug - Crowd: 16110
80min

Conversion: Panthers
Kicked by Nathan Cleary.

Easy kick to finish. Cleary salutes again. FULLTIME!

Panthers lead Panthers 48 - 0 Sharks
80min

Try: Panthers
Scored by Matthew Eisenhuth. Kick to come.

Panthers finish this game in style. Cleary toes through and Eisenhuth was the only chaser and got there.

Panthers lead Panthers 46 - 0 Sharks
78min

Conversion: Panthers
Kicked by Nathan Cleary.

Cleary from the right side again. He fades it inside the upright.

Panthers lead Panthers 42 - 0 Sharks
77min

Try: Panthers
Scored by Charlie Staines. Kick to come.

The beers are on Staines again! He has a second hat-trick against the Sharks! Simple backline move and the winger profits.

Panthers lead Panthers 40 - 0 Sharks
77min

PENALTY PANTHERS! Strip against the Sharks.

75min

Good coverage from the Sharks as they take it dead. Dropout again.

73min

Sharks try to conjure something. Johnson's kick is rebounded and dived on by the Panthers. CHALLENGE from the Panthers on the knock on. SUCCESSFUL.

72min

PENALTY SHARKS! Strip.

70min

Luai misjudges a kick and it goes dead. Seven tackle set.

69min

Conversion: Panthers
Kicked by Nathan Cleary.

Right side kick for Cleary. He sneaks it inside.

Panthers lead Panthers 36 - 0 Sharks
66min

Try: Panthers
Scored by Charlie Staines. Kick to come.

Vroom! Panthers put the pedal to the metal and Staines has a double.

Panthers lead Panthers 34 - 0 Sharks
64min

No-no Nikora loses it. CHALLENGE from the Sharks. Clear loss from the second rower.

62min

PENALTY SHARKS! Obstruction.

61min

Kennedy has had a horror time under the high ball. He spills this one. Cleary put some mustard on that kick.

60min

Nope. They went to Aiden Tolman close to the line and the veteran spills it.

59min

Sharks get a repeat set. Can they muster something? won't they think of the updater.

57min

Staines with a terrible attempt to trap the ball. Sharks ball.

56min

May gets into the kicking act. He dabs one behind and Kennedy again is called upon.

55min

The Sharks haven't come out of the sheds since the half-time whistle. Chad Townsend has been hooked for Matt Moylan and they look ready for the full-time whistle.

50min

Conversion: Panthers
Kicked by Nathan Cleary.

Cleary curls it over.

Panthers lead Panthers 30 - 0 Sharks
50min

Try: Panthers
Scored by Viliame Kikau. Kick to come.

GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! Kikau got there! Wilton knocked it away and bunker judges that Kikau got a fingernail to the ball.

Panthers lead Panthers 28 - 0 Sharks
50min

BUNKER TIME! Has Kikau got to this? Capewell with the kick.

49min

Sharks haven't shown anything to try and get back in the contest. Kicking early, into touch and Townsend now gives away a seven tackle set.

46min

Panthers with an error again in attack. Forward pass from Edwards. Sharks can ruck it away.

45min

Now Crichton shows a deft kick and Hiroti again has to be on the spot to recover.

43min

Kikau with the Merv Hughes run up but he forgot the ball.

41min

Panthers continue the pressure. Hiroti gets to the ball just before Kikau. Dropout.

40min

Panthers try to drive one final nail into the Sharks coffin but Graham cleans up the kick. HALFTIME. Pure dominance from the Panthers who have scored four tries to none.

39min

Jack Williams with a flick pass right to a Panther. Panthers have the final chance.

37min

Luai loses it.

34min

Oh dear. Sharks did well to probe in that set but Nikora after such a hard run loses it.

33min

Sharks get a repeat set. Johnson rolls one through which forces Edwards to trap the ball.

32min

PENALTY SHARKS! Crusher against Koroisau.

32min

Clear catch Capewell but he spills it. Sharks survive.

30min

Conversion: Panthers
Kicked by Nathan Cleary.

Cleary aiming for 4/4. Adds two more.

Panthers lead Panthers 24 - 0 Sharks
29min

Try: Panthers
Scored by Matt Burton. Kick to come.

Burton brilliance to support his man. Luai weaved through the defense, goes right through the line and lays it off for the centre to finish.

Panthers lead Panthers 22 - 0 Sharks
28min

PENALTY PANTHERS! Kikau goes on a rampage. Ruck infringement and the play broke down enough for the whistle.

26min

Cronulla can't finish a set and hold the ball. That all spells disaster against the Panthers. Williams gets chopped in half and loses it.

26min

Jesse Ramien is down after colliding with Kikau's elbow. While he was down, Panthers tried to attack left and Burton puts it down.

24min

Again Cleary goes for the early kick but it just keeps rollin' rollin and Sharks have seven tackles.

22min

Liam Martin tries to inject some energy but spills his lollies.

21min

The high kicks have caused havoc for the Sharks tonight. Kennedy gets lucky there as he just got to the ball before Luai.

20min

Conversion: Panthers
Kicked by Nathan Cleary.

This kick is from almost the same spot as Cleary's last kick. He takes his time to study the kick, looks up and nails it.

Panthers lead Panthers 18 - 0 Sharks
19min

Try: Panthers
Scored by Stephen Crichton. Kick to come.

It wasn't precise but the Panthers have a third! Cleary floated up a kick which is batted back by Capewell who shuffles to Yeo then to Crichton to stride over.

Panthers lead Panthers 16 - 0 Sharks
17min

Sharks with a silly offload and Johnson loses it.

16min

We finally have a set restart in this contest.. to the Sharks. They have no bite in this set though and Crichton catches it easily.

14min

PENALTY SHARKS! Offside against the Panthers. Cleary launched one into the sky but Leota was ahead of his man.

12min

Conversion: Panthers
Kicked by Nathan Cleary.

Tougher kick for Cleary. Right side touchline and he pilots it over.

Panthers lead Panthers 12 - 0 Sharks
11min

Try: Panthers
Scored by Charlie Staines. Kick to come.

Too good, too quick and too slick! Yeo set it up with a charging run. Quick sweep play behind puts the Forbes Ferrari across for his tenth.

Panthers lead Panthers 10 - 0 Sharks
10min

Cleary kicks early in the count for Luai. Kennedy gets to the ball first and slaps it away. Panthers putting all the pressure on.

9min

Sharks tried to get something going on the left but it trickles out. Panthers ball right on halfway.

7min

Conversion: Panthers
Kicked by Nathan Cleary.

Nathan Cleary puts them up in sixes.

Panthers lead Panthers 6 - 0 Sharks
6min

Try: Panthers
Scored by James Fisher-Harris. Kick to come.

It has been a superb start from James Fisher-Harris and he stamps it with the four-pointer. Koroisau goes short and the big man does the rest.

Panthers lead Panthers 4 - 0 Sharks
4min

Panthers just probe in their first attacking set. Luai dribbles one behind which sees Kennedy shovel it away. Dropout incoming.

3min

Oh dear, Will Chamber's with a sloppy play-the-ball.

1min

Both sides got through their first exchanges. Both opted for height with the kick but easily handled and we're away.

The strains of 'Welcome to the Jungle' reverb around Penrith stadium. Cronulla Sharks are the first side out onto the field in their black, white and blue led out by a former Panther in Wade Graham. The bell tolls which can only signal the arrival of the Penrith Panthers. Wearing their traditional black with licourice colouring the leaders are out to continue their stroll at the top!

Happy Friday everybody! We start this double header at the foot of the mountains! The undefeated Penrith Panthers host the crisis-striken Cronulla Sharks. Since John Morris' sacking, the side has lurched from one loss to another and face a huge task against the league leaders. Penrith are humming on all cylinders and undefeated in 13 at home.. so look primed to make it 14 tonight. Grab a drink, some food and settle in for Friday night cause it's a great night for football!

Referees & scorers:

Referee: Chris Butler

Touch Judges: Jon Stone, Drew Oultram

Video Referee: Matt Noyen

PENRITH PANTHERS (48)
Tries: James Fisher-Harris, Charlie Staines (3), Stephen Crichton, Matt Burton, Viliame Kikau, Matthew Eisenhuth
Field Goals:
Two Point Field Goals:
Conversions: Nathan Cleary (8/8)
Penalty Goals:

CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS (0)
Tries:
Field Goals:
Two Point Field Goals:
Conversions:
Penalty Goals: