Just 79 seconds into proceedings, Blaize Talagi collected a ball after it ricocheted off his head to score.
When he set up Parramatta’s second try shortly afterwards, Eels fans didn’t know whether to cheer or cry. This was the man mooted to take over from Clint Gutherson as fullback, a teenaged rookie-of-the-year contender, reminding them what they will be missing next year.
It was a bittersweet moment, made more so given it was produced against Talagi’s future employers. Somehow, Parramatta must bridge the gap between themselves and Penrith next season after handing over one of their most prized assets. The salary cap works in mysterious ways.
Penrith celebrate a try by Brian To’o against Parramatta on Friday night.Credit: Getty Images
If there weren’t tears streaming down the faces of the blue-and-gold faithful then, they were just before the final siren. With 90 seconds left, the current Parramatta No.1 attempted a difficult shot at penalty goal to send the game into golden point.
As ever, Gutherson had already given his all. Scored two tries, saved countless others. Now he was required to save a game that Parramatta seemingly had in the bag when they opened a 14-point game with just seven minutes to go.
However, this time, “The King” couldn’t convert. Penrith heaped more misery on their local rivals, stealing the game 36-34 at Commbank Stadium.
“I was just stepping up to see if I could kick it and shanked it,” Gutherson said.
“It’s a pretty haunted spot for me. In my career, I’ve had three shots from there and missed them all. It shouldn’t have got to that.”
Indeed, it should have never come to this. Having held a slender lead at half-time after completing all but one of their sets, the Eels quickly opened a commanding one upon the resumption.
But then the game’s best clutch player again got the job done. Nathan Cleary orchestrated the most unlikely of comebacks as the Panthers scored three tries in three minutes. Eels coach Trent Barrett took umbrage with the awarding of the last one, feeling Liam Martin obstructed a defender in the lead up.
“I just feel for the players, they didn’t deserve to lose that. I thought we were the better side,” Barrett said.
“Just that last four minutes got away from us.”
Cleary’s last conversion was from the western touchline, ensuring the race for the minor premiership remains alive when the Panthers take on Melbourne in a blockbuster Thursday night clash.
Despite being at opposite ends of the ladder, there was all the drama you would expect from a local derby. The battle of the brothers, Jake and Izak Tago, when the latter outscored his sibling two-tries-to-one. Blues enforcer Liam Martin spent time in the sin bin for hitting the kicking leg of Daejarn Asi. Jarome Luai was placed on report for kneeing Will Penisini while playing the football.
And then a contest that wasn’t settled until the hooter.
“How good is footy, eh,” mused Panthers coach Ivan Cleary. “What a game. Crazy game.”
While there has been ongoing speculation about whether Gutherson – despite the looming departure of Talagi – is playing his last games as fullback. So what who wears the Parramatta No.1 next season?
Calling the game for Nine, former fullback great Billy Slater reckons the answer is staring Parramatta in the face.
“He’s the hardest-working player in the competition, Clint Gutherson,” Slater said.
Sharks savage Titans’ finals hopes
Earlier on Friday night, Cronulla have taken a massive step towards securing a top-four position and all but ended Gold Coast’s finals hopes with a blistering 44-0 win at Robina.
The Sharks, without injured halves Braydon Trindall and Nicho Hynes, started on fire and kept the foot on the throat in their most professional display of the year to open up a four-point gap over fifth-placed Canterbury.
Winger Sam Stonestreet scores a try for Cronulla on Friday night.Credit: Getty Images
It was a clinical and classy win in front of 13,287 fans, and the club’s largest winning margin in Queensland.
Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon moved Cameron McInnes to half to partner Daniel Atkinson and it worked a treat. The Sharks’ running game was rampaging across the park as they took a 30-0 lead into the break.
with AAP
