An understrength Penrith have secured their second NRL minor premiership in three years with an exhilarating 26-22 defeat of red-hot South Sydney at Stadium Australia.
An ankle harm put his season unsure per week in the past and his evening was stymied by two bombed tries, however Panthers back-rower Liam Martin stood up when it counted, capping his miraculous restoration by sealing victory with a attempt within the final two minutes.
Nonetheless with out three of their greatest in Nathan Cleary, James Fisher-Harris (suspensions) and Jarome Luai (knee harm), the duty was lofty for Penrith on Thursday evening.
The Rabbitohs, nearly at full energy, had misplaced simply as soon as since Latrell Mitchell’s restoration from his hamstring harm (in golden level) and had averaged extra factors than another aspect within the video games since consultant spherical.
However, impressed by their very own fullback Dylan Edwards’ return from harm, the Panthers rediscovered the physicality that eluded them in opposition to Melbourne final week and took it as much as the Rabbitohs in a match of finals-like depth.
Penrith had the psychological edge early when Stephen Crichton pounced on a wayward South Sydney go and streaked away for an intercept attempt — simply as he did in opposition to the Rabbitohs within the 2021 Grand Closing.
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The Rabbitohs introduced their intentions to assault huge and struck again by way of winger Alex Johnston, who has now scored at the very least one attempt in every of his final seven video games.
South Sydney broke the road extra simply than their opponents however needed to be content material with a 12-12 half-time scoreline after the errors that haunted them earlier within the season started to resurface.
Each side blew their fair proportion of probabilities.
Martin bombed two tries in aim, whereas Souths winger Jaxson Paulo coughed the ball up twice on the burst and knocked on in aim himself.
The Panthers appeared able to go on with the competition after Spencer Leniu pounced on the ball in aim, which had been knocked again by his outdated rival Jai Arrow.
However the Rabbitohs’ well-known edge assault produced two tries to maintain Souths within the battle, the second coming after some elegant fast fingers from Cody Walker which allowed Johnston to dot down for his second attempt.
When Paulo knocked on but once more within the hazard zone, the Panthers had been in place to safe a heart-stopping win.
It was a blended evening for famous person Mitchell, who was made to work more durable on the again than he would have favored by Sean O’Sullivan and his lengthy kicking sport.
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Mitchell threw a lovely ball that helped Souths equalise simply earlier than halftime and slotted the sideline conversion that gave the Rabbitohs the lead with 10 minutes to play.
However he got here up with some hospital passes that put critical stress on his teammates, notably when the sport was within the steadiness late.
The loss all however confirmed South Sydney will not end the season within the high 4.
The Rabbitohs’ type will give them motive to imagine they will win all of it from the underside half of the highest eight, however ending within the 4 would have spared them an elimination remaining in opposition to the opposite premiership smoky, the Sydney Roosters.
For the Panthers, the victory proved that even when Cleary and Luai take per week to search out their chemistry after they return within the finals, the Panthers nonetheless have the shares to compete.
AAP
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