CommBank Stadium: They could not lift with the return of Nathan Cleary. They could not lift for Isaah Yeo’s 250th game. They were never going to lift with the small Friday evening crowd on hand at their makeshift new home at CommBank Stadium.
The Panthers have suddenly dropped four straight games following their 22-18 loss to the North Queensland Cowboys.
They have not dropped four of their opening five games since the 2013 season when they missed the NRL finals.
Yeo was all class in his milestone game, and Cleary did his best to produce something special in the second half, but never has it been more obvious the support acts were no longer there.
The sight of Yeo digging into the line and passing to Cleary who then unleashed his outside men never got boring. There was none of that against the Cowboys.
It is well documented the Panthers have lost a truckload of talent each year – but this really does look the year the dream run ends.
The Cowboys celebrate a try on Friday.Credit: Getty Images
They had their chances to win it. Winger Paul Alamoti thought he had scored the equaliser with five minutes remaining, only for replays to show he put his left boot on the touchline before somehow planting the ball down.
Casey McLean only had to pass the previous play to an unmarked Tom Jenkins, only to go himself and get dragged down metres from the line.
Panthers fans will bemoan the fact Coen Hess smashed Cleary as he tried to kick the ball, but it was across the chest rather than high. The call they are entitled to question was a knock-on call against Jenkins when Robert Darby appeared to spill the ball.
To make matters worse for Penrith, they could be without Izack Tago who was placed on report and binned for a high shot on Murray Taulagi. Jack Cole also came from the field – eventually – for a head injury assessment after going low on Jordan McLean.
At least Dylan Edwards is a chance to return from a groin injury, while back-rower Scott Sorensen should be back from concussion.
Yeo proved the difference right on half-time when he held up the ball for Luke Garner to storm over the line and score.
The Panthers enjoyed the bulk of field position and needed to hit the sheds in front for team morale.
The best moment of the first half was McLean gunning down Cowboys winger Robert Derby after he had intercepted a Jack Cole pass. Derby caught the ball on his own 10m but was brought down by McLean on the premiers’ 10m line.
It was truly inspirational stuff with McLean supported by Tom Jenkins.
The Cowboys scored first through Taulagi, but Penrith did not take long to hit back via McLean.
A Cleary bomb was spilled by Taulagi to gift Penrith an attacking set on the Cowboys line, then Cleary’s right boot worked its magic again, this time grubbering and angling the ball back towards the posts for Tago to score.
If you looked long enough and hard enough, you may have seen the ball travelling on the end of a string.
Reece Robson was binned for a high shot on Daine Laurie that referee Peter Gough described as “direct high contact with moderate force”. The NRL warned clubs they would not much around with players hitting rivals in the head, and there would have been little complaining from the Cowboys about the 10-minute spell.
