Full Time
80:00
8:00pm Thu March 21, 2024
Round 3 - BlueBet Stadium, Penrith / Dharug - Crowd: 20089
80min

FULL-TIME: Penrith 34 def Brisbane 12

80min

PENALTY BRISBANE: Matt Eisenhuth takes Mam high

78min

Cobbo taken into touch!!

77min

Laurie knocks on

76min

Brendan Piakura will go for a HIA.

76min

PENALTY BRONCOS: High tackle on Brendan Piakura.

75min

Lindsay Smith will depart the ground for a HIA. He's been great tonight.

71min

Cleary gets an early mark with Daine Laurie coming on

71min

Willison broke through - he tried to take on Edwards got it away to Riki but it's ruled to have lost the ball.

69min

Great tackle by Staggs on Martin and forces an error.

69min

They rule lost ball, but then they give a penalty on the advice of the touch judge.

68min

PENALTY PANTHERS: High shot by Jock Madden.

66min

Penrith recover it - much better from the Broncos though.

64min

No advantage here... it is subjected

63min

Martin puts that one down. Penrith just putting it off the breaks here in this second half after their rampage.

61min

Conversion: Broncos
Kicked by Kotoni Staggs.

Staggs converts - 34-12.

Panthers lead Panthers 34 - 12 Broncos
60min

Try: Broncos
Scored by Jesse Arthars. Kick to come.

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.

Panthers lead Panthers 34 - 10 Broncos
58min

Mam and Madden chanced their arms but it just missed execution.

58min

Taylan May off for a HIA.

57min

Conversion: Broncos
Attempted by Kotoni Staggs.

No goal.

Panthers lead Panthers 34 - 6 Broncos
55min

Try: Broncos
Scored by Deine Mariner. Kick to come.

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.

Panthers lead Panthers 34 - 6 Broncos
54min

SIX MORE BRISBANE: Inside 10m

54min

Cobbo! Breaks over 60-65m. But Brisbane finally over the Penrith side of half-way in this second half.

52min

Great desperation tackle by Selwyn Cobbo.

52min

Tago looking for a THIRD... he's bombed it!!!

51min

Conversion: Panthers
Kicked by Nathan Cleary.

Cleary converts.

Panthers lead Panthers 34 - 2 Broncos
50min

Try: Panthers
Scored by Brian To'o. Kick to come.

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.

Panthers lead Panthers 32 - 2 Broncos
47min

Conversion: Panthers
Kicked by Nathan Cleary.

Cleary off the up-right and in!

Panthers lead Panthers 28 - 2 Broncos
45min

Try: Panthers
Scored by Brian To'o. Kick to come.

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.

Panthers lead Panthers 26 - 2 Broncos
44min

CHALLENGE SUCCESSFUL

44min

But... we will have a challenge.

44min

Brisbane gonna get it back

44min

Walters grounds the ball and it'll be a goal-line dropout. Martin Taupau on report for a KNEE LIFT

43min

Looks like Riki is out to centre.

43min

SIX MORE BRISBANE: Ruck infringement

42min

Walsh won't return.

41min

Both sides complete their set after points.

40min

Back underway for the second half. Brisbane will hope to keep the result close here tonight.

40min

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.

40min

HALF-TIME - Penrith 22 lead Brisbane 2

37min

Conversion: Panthers
Kicked by Nathan Cleary.

Cleary converts.

Panthers lead Panthers 22 - 2 Broncos
36min

Try: Panthers
Scored by Izack Tago. Kick to come.

Cleary again showcased his masterful playmaking and delivered a magical shortball to Tago to crash across in the shadows of half-time.

Panthers lead Panthers 20 - 2 Broncos
35min

Baker has put it down. This updater has enjoyed this one.

35min

With how this game is turning out, I wouldn't risk Walsh here.

33min

Mariner for the corner... he's into touch.

33min

SIX AGAIN BRISBANE: Slow ruck

33min

Now we have a scuffle.

32min

PENALTY BRONCOS: Facial by Tago,

31min

Great run from Carrigan.

31min

Madden's grubber timed well and it'll be a goal-line dropout.

29min

PENALTY BRISBANE: Slow peel

29min

SIX MORE BRISBANE: Inside 10m

29min

We will re-pack from the scrum.

29min

PENALTY BRONCOS: Inside 10m off the scrum.

28min

Edwards has put it down! Now Walsh has gone straight up the tunnel

26min

Conversion: Panthers
Kicked by Nathan Cleary.

Cleary converts. Walsh is going to come back!

Panthers lead Panthers 16 - 2 Broncos
24min

Try: Panthers
Scored by Mitch Kenny. Kick to come.

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.

Panthers lead Panthers 14 - 2 Broncos
23min

SIX AGAIN PEN: Ruck infringement.

23min

Reece Walsh has PASSED his HIA! They are stitching him up with that cut. Brisbane had to use 2 changes.

23min

Conversion: Panthers
Kicked by Nathan Cleary.

Cleary converts - 10-2.

Panthers lead Panthers 10 - 2 Broncos
21min

Try: Panthers
Scored by Izack Tago. Kick to come.

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.

Panthers lead Panthers 8 - 2 Broncos
20min

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.

19min

Brisbane need to hold firm here.

18min

Tago kicks early, well covered by Cobbo but he's well taken in the in-goal. Contact looked high but has been cleared.

18min

Update re: Walsh. HIA time has elapsed but test is yet to be conducted as Brisbane were cleaning up the blood around the laceration.

17min

Jock Madden puts it down. Penrith desperately trying to kick the ball down the left hand edge.

16min

PENALTY PENRITH: Looks like it's against the Broncos here.

15min

Cleary brushes through a horrific tackle from Baker to break through before finding Edwards who lost it in a desperate tackle from Jock Madden.

14min

Conversion: Panthers
Attempted by Nathan Cleary.

No Goal - Penrith 4 leading Brisbane 2

Panthers lead Panthers 4 - 2 Broncos
13min

Try: Panthers
Scored by Sunia Turuva. Kick to come.

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.

Panthers lead Panthers 4 - 2 Broncos
12min

SIX TO GO: Kick was played at according to the ref and Penrith grab an extra set.

12min

PENALTY PANTHERS: Inside 10m, looked like Ezra Mam was guilty on the left edge as he was pointed at by the referee.

11min

Jensen loses it backwards and it's dived on by Scott Sorensen.

10min

Definite that there's more kick pressure on Cleary under the new interpretations.

8min

So the reshuffle is this. Cobbo > FB, Piakura > CENTRE and Willison > backrow

7min

Challenge successful by Penrith - but it was a 1 x 1 strip by Tago and lost forward. Scrum Broncos.

7min

PENALTY BRONCOS: Playing the man in the air. But it will be challenged by the Panthers here.

6min

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!

5min

Penalty Goal: Broncos
Kicked by Kotoni Staggs.

Staggs adds the penalty goal and it is an early 2-0 lead.

Broncos lead Panthers 0 - 2 Broncos
4min

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.

4min

Looks like a head clash and he's leaving the field.

4min

Madden caught on the last and it'll be a change-over.

3min

Walsh DOWN!!

3min

Great charge from Patrick Carrigan.

2min

PENALTY BRONCOS: Inside 10m on kick chase - Mitch Kenny looks to be the guilty party.

1min

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)