That is just game one of three today - game two starts shortly between the Dolphins and the Titans! The wrap up will come later. For now, don't forget to follow League Unlimited on the socials and we will see you next time! This is Luke Jobson signing off, the Panthers winning 46-10
Lomax kicked it
That does it from WIN Stadium, with Nathan Cleary himself outscoring the Dragons 26-10. The Panthers remind the competition of just who they really are and the Dragons... well there will be some soul searching this week. They won't want to watch that game back
Lomax kicks it from the right of the posts. That will do it, 46-10 at fulltime for a resounding Panthers victory
Su'a scores for the Dragons wayyyy too late, getting put through the line on the right and despite the best efforts of Lindsay Smith, gets the ball down for what is the last play of the game
CLEARY MADE A MISTAKE! STOP THE PRESS! Penrith raid the left, but Max Feagai picks off the ball and sprints upfield! That said, what looks like 300 Panthers run across to keep Feagai out. Dragons get a penalty the next play as they bomb a try, but have the saving grace of an offside calll
From 5m left of the posts, Cleary kicks yet another goal. 26 points for the halfback. 46-4 with 2:13 left
Despite what the commentators are saying, Trent Toelau thrown a dummy bigger than a baby, goes over aaaandddd... scores! Somehow, with two pairs of hands under the ball, the kid scores his first NRL try! It's a bloodbath here
Ben Hunt with his third kick out on the full today - oh boy. Poor Ben
Penrith can't get a hat-trick of tries, but boy is it worrying to see the boys in black looking like this. 5 to go and they are dominating again
From right in front, it was successful. 40-4 Penrith
The magician that is Nathan Cleary gets his first hat-trick since Magic Round 2021! Last tackle after the kick off, in the red zone, Luai at second receiver steps off his left, breaks the line and Nathan Cleary scores his easiest try of the day supporting inside! Someone get this man a Kangaroos jersey!
From right next to the posts, Cleary converts. 18 points from Cleary, Penrith lead 34-4 with 9:20 to go
Maestro Cleary at it again! On 4th, Cleary goes right, putting Turuva into a hole but Sunny bombs the try by not passing to Brian To'o. No matter, last tackle and Cleary grubbers for a charging Lindsay Smith next to the posts!
Penrith and St George Illawarra going through the swirly motions as the wind plays havoc on the kicks
Dragons on the attack - Hunt kicks on last 35m out and McLean takes it uncontested about 5m inside the in-goal. Panthers attacking
CAPTAINS CHALLENGE PENRITH - Referee Sutton says Trent Toelau strips the ball and calls a 2-on-1 strip. The Panthers challenge... aaaaand they keep it! Bunker official Badger says Toelau is just making a tackle and the ball comes out! As this is typed, Penrith are stripped on play one! The Dragons are down... but not yet out
The Panthers again attacking hard on the edges but the kicking game leaves plenty to be desired. A grubber out of dummy half goes straight to Liddle
Luai bombs a good attacking chance on the left for the Panthers, running instead of passing to Mav Geyer and Casey McLean - throw the pass too late and it goes well over the sideline
A 66m set for the Panthers, but Cleary's grubber is caught by second slipper.... I mean hooker Jacob Liddle. The Dragons end up running the ball on last in the next set, Su'a again kicking but coming up with nothing
Penrith go the length of the field but Cleary's kick gets deflected. Plenty of energy but no real conviction in the final 20m here
Who needs cohesion when you can throw the ball around like hot coal?! Toby Couchman JUST loses the ball over the try line, reaching out with three Panthers holding on like leeches! 22 mins to go, Penrith with a second tackle set
Penalty for St George - Moses Suli gets to the ground, earns a quick play the ball and Isaah Yeo goes in for a second effort. Some hot potato hands get the Dragons a new set 5m out from the line
There's better attacking cohesion in the U15's Illawarra comp at the moment, as the Dragons go right and end up watching the ball dribble over the sideline. Bit of a lull in the game
The Dragons swing to both edges here... but nothing comes of it just yet. Hunt throws a rainbow pass and McLean nearly intercepts it. Dragons start again 10m out
We go upstairs for a possible try to Isaah Yeo but a strong tackle from Leilua stops that idea before it gets much traction. The next set sees Ben Hunt using the wind from his own 30 and kicks a huge 40/20. Dragons starting 10m out
Bring back the biff!!! Ben Murdoch Masila knocks the ball on after a Luai kick, Sorenson flops on his and Benny boy swings the arms around! No sin bin, but a Penrith penalty 10m out and just in front. They will tap and go
Yeaaaa... not Ben Hunt's day. That's another kick out on the full from his own half. Penrith start 30m out from the Dragons line
The next set after the kick off, the last tackle kick goes higher than longer and the Panthers nearly make something of it! It rolled 30 metres to the left wing, where McLean kicks, regathers, kicks again and Lindsay Smith just can't quite finish it
Left side of the field, and it is a nice, easy conversion
One attacking set, one try! This time Jarome Luai gets in on the action, supplying Sorensen with a delightful little ball on the left edge and Scott muscles over from close range! Cleary converts, 28-4 Penrith after 44 minutes
Just as both teams get into the grind, Kyle Flanagan tries to milk a penalty by passing into a Penrith player... that's now illegal and Penrith get the ball
The Dragons run down the left side 10m out, they have the numbers but the scramble from Penrith forces the error. Panthers ball 10 out
The Dragons get a penalty late in their first set, starting just over halfway
5 minutes? I forgot it's 10 minute half times now! The teams are back and we underway!
Bar a five minute period where the Dragons were rolling, it's all been Penrith this first half. Nathan Cleary is dominating, with two tries and a try assist. Penrith have lost JFM (groin) and Daine Laurie (failed HIA) to injuries, while the Dragons lost Max Feagai to a failed HIA. With the Dragons out of the 8 on point differential, this could be a make or break second half. We will be back in 5 minutes with the second half action
Oh my word, the Dragons try something new, they bust some tackles going left and Luciano Leilua ended up throwing a pass that Tom Brady would be proud of. Final play of the half, the Panthers out of the scrum go left, Geyer passes to a wide open Max Feagai who nearly picks it off for a try... he just couldn't hold on. HALF TIME! 22-4 Panthers
The Panthers are peppering Dragons line, but there's an obstruction. 1:26 left as the Dragons start their set 25 out from their own line
It's a school report card here now with four players on report! Toby Couchman the latest to on report after a crusher tackle on Mav Geyer
The Dragons are now flying but the results aren't showing. Ben Hunt goes right, sends an absolute bullet to where Max Feagai should be but he is hurting and it goes into touch
Run Max Run! Max Feagai sprints down the right side, getting the Dragons some brilliant field position but the Panthers scramble well. Last - Su'a kicks and that's the end of that
In injury news, Mat Feagai is done for the day as well. HIA failed
The kick is high, it is long but not straight enough, missing left, 22-4 with six mins left
The Dragons rejoice! Hunt goes left to Lomax, who drags in two defenders and gets a trademark one handed flick to Tuipulotu. He then walks the tight rope on the sideline, spinning out of Turuva's tackling and slamming the ball down!
Hello... hello! Have we got a Dragons try?! Christian Tuipulotu seems to think he has, but it goes up no try. Kasey Badger disagrees with referee Sutton though, and the Dragons are on the board!
Izack Tago ended up going on report for the Panthers, working the arm in the ruck the call
The Dragons get a penalty, the crowd perks up with a great attacking set and now it is Ben Hunt forcing a goal line drop out. Can the Dragons get something here?
Daine Laurie failed his HIA for those playing at home. The Panthers now down to 15 BUT they can activate the 18th man, Matt Eisenhuth should they desire
The ensuing set sees the Panthers force another drop out off a Cleary kick... it's all Penrith here (JINX)! A Panthers attacking raid sees the halves combine but a poor Mav Geyer pass sees Casey McLean knock on 5m out
CAPTAINS CHALLENGE DRAGONS - Referee Gerald Sutton calls a penalty for a tackle in the air off the kick off. Kyle Flanagan wants to challenge, so the Dragons do it.... aaaaaaand it's gone. Dragons lose the challenge
From 20m out, 15m from touch, it's like taking candy from a baby for Cleary. 22-0 Penrith with 13:36 left in the first half
Can we post memes in here?! Nathan Cleary is turning the Dragons into one, as he slides over for his second try of the day! The ball goes left from 2m out to Cleary, who steps inside, muscles past a tackle and scores again!
Jaydn Su'a now on report for a high shot...
Penrith by far the better side in all aspects so far, the Dragons struggling to make ground. Ben Hunt then let the wind take full flight of his kick as the ball goes out on the full. Penrith starts their set just over half way
For those like me who play Supercoach, Mav Geyer has gone to left centre and Casey McLean has gone to right wing. Turuva is currently at the back for the Panthers as both teams get into a bit of a grind here
In other news, Mat Feagai goes on report for the contact on Daine Laurie. After tackle one from the kick off, Feagai ALSO goes for a HIA. Lomax goes to fullback, Leilua comes on
His toughest assignment yet on the right sideline, and it swing away. 16-0 Penrith
Laurie off for the Panthers with his HIA, Mav Geyer comes on
Stop it! Stop it now Penrith, its a massacre in Wollongong! Running the ball on last tackle, Cleary passes the ball to the shortside and Daine Laurie scampers down the sideline, passing inside and Cleary scores in the right corner! Concern for Laurie as Daine Laurie gets collared after the pass... a little late too. He goes for a HIA
Just when the Dragons think they've got a little territory, the Panthers play hot potato... but Ben Hunt puts pressure on Luai to force an error
2/2 for Cleary, this one much easier than the first. 12-0 Panthers in nearly as many minutes
It's too easy for Penrith and once against, Nathan Cleary is the conductor of this perfect performance! The Panthers set right, go right, Cleary double pumps the pass and there is a hole wider than the parted seas for Liam Martin to scream through and scores under the posts
Penrith forcing another line drop out, this time Cleary grubbers it and the Dragons force it dead. The ensuing drop out? It lands on the hill and dribbles into the sea. Panthers ball 10m out
A Dragons error on the left and the Panthers onslaught continues! McLean scampers downfield, the Panthers get a penalty and Jarome Luai ends up forcing a line drop out with a cheeky little grubber
Run Panthers Run! Daine Laurie scampers through some sloppy Dragons defence, giving inside to Nathan Cleary who nearly goes the length! That said, they can't capitalise and get tackled 5m out on last.
Easy first kick from Cleary
Casey McLean is over! Quick hands on Penrith's first attacking raid sees Cleary give McLean a 2-on-2 opportunity, who steps inside and scores! Nathan Cleary converts, Penrith taking a 6-0 lead
Time off as James Fisher-Harris seems to have hurt here... and we have our first penalty of the game for dangerous contact by Raymond Faitala-Mariner. RFM on report, and Lindsay Smith replaced Fisher-Harris. Huge loss early for the Premiers
Well well well... Gerard Sutton has given the Dragons a breather with a seemingly obvious knock-on being missed 20m out from their own line. One set each for both sides as the grind start
AND HERE. WE. GO. Zac Lomax kicks off and Brian To'o takes the first hit up
Out come the Panthers, who will be receiving the kick off, running from right to left of your screens... And here come the Dragons to a raising reception! Ben Creagh and Mary McGregor presenting captain Ben Hunt with the match ball for the 25th anniversary of the joint venture
The weather is perfect, it's a sold out WIN Stadium, the coaches are on the way to the boxes, that can only mean one thing... the teams are on their way!
Penrith are 1-17 as per the Front Row earlier this week, with Nathan Cleary teaming up with Jarome Luai for the first time in the halves since his hamstring injury in Round 10. Matt Eisenhuth is the 18th man
In team news, the Dragons have dropped fullback Tyrell Sloan, with Mat Feagai named at fullback and Blake Lawrie coming in as 18th man. Sloan ended up with 224 running metres, seven tackle busts, two line breaks and a try yesterday in NSW Cup, but it wasn't enough as the Dragons went down 30-24 against the Panthers
Welcome to League Unlimited's coverage of the St George Illawarra Dragons v Penrith Panthers game in the NRL, coming to you live from WIN Stadium in Wollongong! I'm Luke Jobson, running you through the next couple of hours in what will be a cracking game of footy
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Gerard Sutton
Touch Judges: Belinda Sharpe, Jon Stone
Video Referee: Kasey Badger
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS (10)
Tries: Christian Tuipulotu, Jaydn Su'A
Conversions: Zac Lomax (1/2)
PENRITH PANTHERS (46)
Tries: Casey McLean, Nathan Cleary (3), Liam Martin, Scott Sorensen, Lindsay Smith, Trent Toelau
Conversions: Nathan Cleary (7/8)