StephenP
ArnoldPanthers put Warriors to the sword
May 18th 2008 05:53
The Penrith Panthers have stormed into the NRL top eight courtesy of a 46-22 thrashing of the New Zealand Warriors at a blustery CUA Stadium this afternoon.
Penrith dominated form start to finish, turning a confident 22-6 half-time advantage into a dazzling eight tries to our victory in front of 9,205 adoring home fans.
It was a great day out for rookie Panthers winger Michael Gordon, scoring two tries and booting seven goals for a personal tally of 22 points.
The Warriors were never in the contest, with silly penalties and poor ball control keeping the visitor’s behind the eight ball for much of the match.
Penrith were able to capitalise on an early mistake from the visiting Warriors, with Panthers winger Michael Gordon slotting an easy penalty goal to make it 2-0 after just three minutes.
The home side extended their lead in the 16th minute courtesy of a freakish piece of luck, with Warriors fullback Lance Hohaia left bamboozled by an innocuous Luke Lewis grubber, allowing Gordon to flash over for a simple four-pointer.
Penrith made it back-to-back tries from the restart, this time Lewis putting prop Frank Pritchard into a yawning gap, allowing the giant Kiwi international to charge over and score, with Gordon’s third goal making it 14-0 after the opening 20 minutes.
With the Panthers holding a dominant 62% possession advantage, the home side chanced their arm with a last tackle blindside option, with the ball travelling through four sets of hands before providing flanker Luke Rooney with a simple run to the corner.
Kicking into a howling wind, Gordon failed with his sideline conversion attempt, but Penrith had all the running at 18-0 after 28 minutes.
After finally getting some possession inside the Panthers red zone, the visitor’s produced points through a simple try to backrower Simon Mannering, the busy utility pouncing on a nifty Nathan Fien grubber kick to claim vital points for the struggling Warriors.
With regular goal-kicker Michael Witt missing through injury, Hohaia duly converted from wide out to make it 18-6 in the 35th minute.
But just as the Warriors were starting to apply some pressure, the home side produced an exhilarating try against the run of play; Pritchard charging downfield after scooping up a loose Warriors kick, before linking with livewire centre Michael Jennings who raced 70 metres to complete a breathtaking length of the field four-pointer.
Gordon was again unable to covert from wide out, to open up a commanding 22-6 half-time buffer.
The ‘Pritchard’ show continued straight after the break, with the rampaging Panthers forward putting the Panthers out to a 28-6 lead when he crossed for his second try in the 45th minute.
And it was game over when the Gordon/Lewis combination produced a second try for the flashy winger, with Penrith all but home and hosed with Gordon’s fifth conversion at 34-6 in the 50th minute.
A further converted try to Trent Waterhouse finally sparked the visitor’s into action, with tries to Mannering, Ian Henderson and Russell Packer giving the Warriors some hope, before Jennings closed out the match with his second four-pointer.
Penrith Panthers 46
Tries: Frank Pritchard 2, Michael Gordon 2, Michael Jennings 2, Luke Rooney, Trent Waterhouse
Goals: Michael Gordon 7
defeated
New Zealand Warriors 22
Tries: Simon Mannering 2, Ian Henderson, Russell Packer
Goals: Lance Hohaia 2
At CUA Stadium
Referee – Tony De Las Heras
In this afternoon’s other game, the rejuvenated Wests Tigers have recorded an entertaining 38-22 victory over a makeshift Newcastle Knights at Energy Australia Stadium.
Not even a first-half hat trick to Knights five-eight Chris Bailey could get the depleted Knights outfit home, with the return of stars Benji Marshall, Liam Fulton and Robbie Farah helping the visiting Tigers to their fifth win of the season.
Wests Tigers 38
Tries: Brett Hodgson 2, Benji Marshall 2, Liam Fulton, Shannon McDonnell, Ben Te’o
Goals: Brett Hodgson 5
defeated
Newcastle Knights 26
Tries: Chris Bailey 3, Scott Dureau, Cooper Vuna
Goals: Wes Naiqama 3
At Energy Australia Stadium
Referee – Sean Hampstead
Penrith dominated form start to finish, turning a confident 22-6 half-time advantage into a dazzling eight tries to our victory in front of 9,205 adoring home fans.
It was a great day out for rookie Panthers winger Michael Gordon, scoring two tries and booting seven goals for a personal tally of 22 points.
The Warriors were never in the contest, with silly penalties and poor ball control keeping the visitor’s behind the eight ball for much of the match.
Penrith were able to capitalise on an early mistake from the visiting Warriors, with Panthers winger Michael Gordon slotting an easy penalty goal to make it 2-0 after just three minutes.
The home side extended their lead in the 16th minute courtesy of a freakish piece of luck, with Warriors fullback Lance Hohaia left bamboozled by an innocuous Luke Lewis grubber, allowing Gordon to flash over for a simple four-pointer.
Penrith made it back-to-back tries from the restart, this time Lewis putting prop Frank Pritchard into a yawning gap, allowing the giant Kiwi international to charge over and score, with Gordon’s third goal making it 14-0 after the opening 20 minutes.
With the Panthers holding a dominant 62% possession advantage, the home side chanced their arm with a last tackle blindside option, with the ball travelling through four sets of hands before providing flanker Luke Rooney with a simple run to the corner.
Kicking into a howling wind, Gordon failed with his sideline conversion attempt, but Penrith had all the running at 18-0 after 28 minutes.
After finally getting some possession inside the Panthers red zone, the visitor’s produced points through a simple try to backrower Simon Mannering, the busy utility pouncing on a nifty Nathan Fien grubber kick to claim vital points for the struggling Warriors.
With regular goal-kicker Michael Witt missing through injury, Hohaia duly converted from wide out to make it 18-6 in the 35th minute.
But just as the Warriors were starting to apply some pressure, the home side produced an exhilarating try against the run of play; Pritchard charging downfield after scooping up a loose Warriors kick, before linking with livewire centre Michael Jennings who raced 70 metres to complete a breathtaking length of the field four-pointer.
Gordon was again unable to covert from wide out, to open up a commanding 22-6 half-time buffer.
The ‘Pritchard’ show continued straight after the break, with the rampaging Panthers forward putting the Panthers out to a 28-6 lead when he crossed for his second try in the 45th minute.
And it was game over when the Gordon/Lewis combination produced a second try for the flashy winger, with Penrith all but home and hosed with Gordon’s fifth conversion at 34-6 in the 50th minute.
A further converted try to Trent Waterhouse finally sparked the visitor’s into action, with tries to Mannering, Ian Henderson and Russell Packer giving the Warriors some hope, before Jennings closed out the match with his second four-pointer.
Penrith Panthers 46
Tries: Frank Pritchard 2, Michael Gordon 2, Michael Jennings 2, Luke Rooney, Trent Waterhouse
Goals: Michael Gordon 7
defeated
New Zealand Warriors 22
Tries: Simon Mannering 2, Ian Henderson, Russell Packer
Goals: Lance Hohaia 2
At CUA Stadium
Referee – Tony De Las Heras
Tigers pounce on understrength Knights
In this afternoon’s other game, the rejuvenated Wests Tigers have recorded an entertaining 38-22 victory over a makeshift Newcastle Knights at Energy Australia Stadium.
Not even a first-half hat trick to Knights five-eight Chris Bailey could get the depleted Knights outfit home, with the return of stars Benji Marshall, Liam Fulton and Robbie Farah helping the visiting Tigers to their fifth win of the season.
Wests Tigers 38
Tries: Brett Hodgson 2, Benji Marshall 2, Liam Fulton, Shannon McDonnell, Ben Te’o
Goals: Brett Hodgson 5
defeated
Newcastle Knights 26
Tries: Chris Bailey 3, Scott Dureau, Cooper Vuna
Goals: Wes Naiqama 3
At Energy Australia Stadium
Referee – Sean Hampstead
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