Panthers pounce on tryless Tigers

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Penrith Panthers v Wests Tigers

Penrith have taken the Wests Tigers apart, the reigning four-time premiers' stars shining in a 36-2 demolition of their Western Sydney rivals at Commbank Stadium.

It was a night when the Panthers looked exactly like they had for four straight season where they picked up the NRL title - and all coming just nine weeks after they briefly languished at the bottom of a congested NRL ladder. Now, with tonight's 34-point win, they jump the Brisbane Broncos into fifth place and sit just three competition points behind fourth-placed Warriors with six rounds still to play.

They had to wait a while to start their crusade though. The scorers weren't troubled til the 19th minute when Adam Doueihi kicked the visiting Tigers ahead 2-0 through a penalty goal, and Penrith's scoring didn't commence until a Lindsay Smith four-pointer in the 25th minute.

The Smith try seemed to click the home team into gear with Casey McLean scoring at the half-hour mark, before Dylan Edwards was on the end of a slick line break in support just a minute before the break, cartwheeling in celebration as the Panthers took an 18-2 halftime advantage.

The second half echoed the first with no scoring in the first 20 minutes, Penrith finally cracking the Tigers surprisingly resolute line in the 66th minute through returning forward Liam Martin. It seemed to open the flood gates, with Izack Tago following on in the 70th minute.

Tom Jenkins - back at Penrith after a one-year stint at Newcastle - capped the win for the premiers with a 76th-minute four-pointer.

Nathan Cleary converted all six tries - and controlled general play exquisitely all evening. There's a good chance he's hitting that form that's led his club to so much success lately. Keep him on the field and this Penrith side is going to be just as threatening in September.

Penrith's next potential victim? The Titans at Cbus next weekend. The Tigers limp toward the season's end continues when they face top-four side Canterbury, a home game at Commbank.