FULL-TIME: Penrith 34 def Brisbane 12
PENALTY BRISBANE: Matt Eisenhuth takes Mam high
Cobbo taken into touch!!
Laurie knocks on
Brendan Piakura will go for a HIA.
PENALTY BRONCOS: High tackle on Brendan Piakura.
Lindsay Smith will depart the ground for a HIA. He's been great tonight.
Cleary gets an early mark with Daine Laurie coming on
Willison broke through - he tried to take on Edwards got it away to Riki but it's ruled to have lost the ball.
Great tackle by Staggs on Martin and forces an error.
They rule lost ball, but then they give a penalty on the advice of the touch judge.
PENALTY PANTHERS: High shot by Jock Madden.
Penrith recover it - much better from the Broncos though.
No advantage here... it is subjected
Martin puts that one down. Penrith just putting it off the breaks here in this second half after their rampage.
Staggs converts - 34-12.
Ezra Mam sneaks down the sideline, passing it almost certainly forward to Brendan Piakura who broke down field before finding Jesse Arthars who bumped away from Dylan Edwards to cross for their second unanswered try.
Mam and Madden chanced their arms but it just missed execution.
Taylan May off for a HIA.
No goal.
Brisbane got a reward when Selwyn Cobbo broke through on a monster kick return. They earned a set restart and worked the ball right with Cobbo injecting himself in the back-line and finding Deine Mariner who crosses to get Brisbane's first.
SIX MORE BRISBANE: Inside 10m
Cobbo! Breaks over 60-65m. But Brisbane finally over the Penrith side of half-way in this second half.
Great desperation tackle by Selwyn Cobbo.
Tago looking for a THIRD... he's bombed it!!!
Cleary converts.
Brisbane were looking to wave the white flag. Luai again found To'o who burrowed straight over the top of Fletcher Baker who gets his second try.
Cleary off the up-right and in!
To start the second stanza, they go down the left edge this time and they expose Jordan Riki out of position this time and the quick hands of the "Head-Gear Trio" of Jarome Luai, May and Brian To'o combine to score first in the secccond half.
CHALLENGE SUCCESSFUL
But... we will have a challenge.
Brisbane gonna get it back
Walters grounds the ball and it'll be a goal-line dropout. Martin Taupau on report for a KNEE LIFT
Looks like Riki is out to centre.
SIX MORE BRISBANE: Ruck infringement
Walsh won't return.
Both sides complete their set after points.
Back underway for the second half. Brisbane will hope to keep the result close here tonight.
News out of Brisbane: Walsh did pass his HIA, but he can't see out of his right eye. It's closed up and Broncos made call not to put him back on field after he tried to catch a few balls on sideline. He'll be scanned, but the bone feels alright.
HALF-TIME - Penrith 22 lead Brisbane 2
Cleary converts.
Cleary again showcased his masterful playmaking and delivered a magical shortball to Tago to crash across in the shadows of half-time.
Baker has put it down. This updater has enjoyed this one.
With how this game is turning out, I wouldn't risk Walsh here.
Mariner for the corner... he's into touch.
SIX AGAIN BRISBANE: Slow ruck
Now we have a scuffle.
PENALTY BRONCOS: Facial by Tago,
Great run from Carrigan.
Madden's grubber timed well and it'll be a goal-line dropout.
PENALTY BRISBANE: Slow peel
SIX MORE BRISBANE: Inside 10m
We will re-pack from the scrum.
PENALTY BRONCOS: Inside 10m off the scrum.
Edwards has put it down! Now Walsh has gone straight up the tunnel
Cleary converts. Walsh is going to come back!
Mitch Kenny took a dart from a dummy half and fooled Billy Walters to crash over for a try. There was a suggestion of a double movement but the bunker confirmed it.
SIX AGAIN PEN: Ruck infringement.
Reece Walsh has PASSED his HIA! They are stitching him up with that cut. Brisbane had to use 2 changes.
Cleary converts - 10-2.
For the second week in a row, Izack Tago found himself opposite a second-rower after the reshuffle and after going down the Brisbane left for the first try. The Panthers went back there again and Tago showcased his strength, power and speed to cross for the home side's second try.
Cobbo holds his own and survives contact to get out of the field of play. Amazing effort but Brisbane are firmly in the guillotine here.
Brisbane need to hold firm here.
Tago kicks early, well covered by Cobbo but he's well taken in the in-goal. Contact looked high but has been cleared.
Update re: Walsh. HIA time has elapsed but test is yet to be conducted as Brisbane were cleaning up the blood around the laceration.
Jock Madden puts it down. Penrith desperately trying to kick the ball down the left hand edge.
PENALTY PENRITH: Looks like it's against the Broncos here.
Cleary brushes through a horrific tackle from Baker to break through before finding Edwards who lost it in a desperate tackle from Jock Madden.
No Goal - Penrith 4 leading Brisbane 2
Off the back of a six again, the Panthers camped down the Broncos end and it was the familiar combination of Isaah Yeo and Nathan Cleary who combined nicely. Cleary then provided a lovely pass to Sunia Turuva who dived across for the opening try of the contest.
SIX TO GO: Kick was played at according to the ref and Penrith grab an extra set.
PENALTY PANTHERS: Inside 10m, looked like Ezra Mam was guilty on the left edge as he was pointed at by the referee.
Jensen loses it backwards and it's dived on by Scott Sorensen.
Definite that there's more kick pressure on Cleary under the new interpretations.
So the reshuffle is this. Cobbo > FB, Piakura > CENTRE and Willison > backrow
Challenge successful by Penrith - but it was a 1 x 1 strip by Tago and lost forward. Scrum Broncos.
PENALTY BRONCOS: Playing the man in the air. But it will be challenged by the Panthers here.
So for the second week in a row. Izack Tago will be opposite a backrower. Let's see if he repeats a 6 line-break performance!
Staggs adds the penalty goal and it is an early 2-0 lead.
So Taylan May is placed ON REPORT... I am very confused by that. It just looked a head-clash and they are going for goal.
Looks like a head clash and he's leaving the field.
Madden caught on the last and it'll be a change-over.
Walsh DOWN!!
Great charge from Patrick Carrigan.
PENALTY BRONCOS: Inside 10m on kick chase - Mitch Kenny looks to be the guilty party.
Both sides going set for set here early. Both sides engaging physically early.
GAME ON! GF rematch is underway. Penrith get first use of the football in this one tonight running from right to left.
Gerard Sutton is the referee for this one in his 372nd match. Kasey Badger and Drew Oultram are the touch judges for this one. Ashley Klein commands the control of the Bunker.
The NRL's third MultiCultural Round kicks off from the foot of the mountains with a re-match of last season's grand final as Penrith play host to Brisbane to kickstart Round 3. Both sides will look to improve on their 50% records to start the season. For the hosts, they are 1-17 for this one while for the visitors, Fletcher Baker starts for the injured Payne Haas while Xavier Willison joins the bench for the first time this season.
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Gerard Sutton
Touch Judges: Kasey Badger, Drew Oultram
Video Referee: Ashley Klein
PENRITH PANTHERS (34)
Tries: Sunia Turuva, Izack Tago (2), Mitch Kenny, Brian To'o (2)
Conversions: Nathan Cleary (5/6)
BRISBANE BRONCOS (12)
Tries: Deine Mariner, Jesse Arthars
Conversions: Kotoni Staggs (1/2)
Penalty Goals: Kotoni Staggs (1/1)