31 mins: Oregon Kaufusi is dumped to the ground like a sack of flour on halfway but it’s something of a win for the Eels as from the kick on the next play they chase the Panthers to their defensive 20m line. It’s not got any better all night than that. CONVERTED TRY! Panthers 18-0 Eels (Sorensen, 28)It’s almost a relief on the part of Parramatta’s defence to see Sorensen land on Cleary’s grubber in behind to end the most punishing, relentless phase of attacking football.
Isaah Yeo, Moses Leota, and James Fisher-Harris were brutal in the pack, dominating their Parramatta counterparts. The Eels had an off night at the worst possible time. Penrith never game them an inch but they didn’t help with costly individual errors. Only at the death with the Panthers tiring did they make the scoreboard respectable. More sides than them would have been outclassed by this juggernaut. It is now time to take my leave.
For most of a set almost every gold defender seemed to execute a try-saving tackle until Cleary spotted Gutherson in the line and exploited the space he’d vacated. This has been an awesome show of force from the minor premiers. 18-0 does not flatter them. 26 mins: Penrith are all over Parramatta. From halfway the drive cruises inside 20m where there’s a set restart courtesy of Luai’s jinking run. The ball spins to the right and Staines almost inches over. Another set restart! Drive after drive hammering at the gold defensive line. The Eels look exhausted, desperately holding Penrith at bay, but the Panthers are patient and refuse to err.
It’s unlikely to matter half-an-hour from now. 45 mins: Cleary again goes to the left corner and again Parramatta defuse it – Gutherson, not for the first time tonight, but almost as soon as the Eels look to build Blake spills at the play-the-ball and Penrith take possession 10m out. 43 mins: Leniu does the bullocking work through the middle, Cleary chips to the left corner, but somehow the ball comes down in the arms of a man in a gold jersey. That looked like a knock-on to me, but Ashley Klein waves play on. Parramatta make very little ground on their set and To’o runs the ball back to halfway.
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49 mins: “He obstructed him, ” says NSW coach and former Panther Brad Fittler, about that try. TRY! Panthers 22-0 Eels (To'o, 48)Sivo does well to repel Luai on the first drive. Then the line holds firm as all the NSW Origin stars get to work to the left. They’re stopped first time, but not the second! That’s liquid rugby league. Yeo is superb taking the ball into the line. From behind the ruck Cleary finds Luai, to Tago, to To’o, and it’s a try.
33 mins: Gutherson has been superb under Cleary’s high kicks tonight but it can’t be doing his nerves any good, first timing the catch, then, accepting the inevitable contact. From his latest effort he sets his side in motion and it’s a drive that earns a penalty against Luai on halfway and the Eels can attack! That’s right, an attack! Oh. It lasts only one tackle before an obstruction penalty against Simonsson and Lane. Sheesh. Back to Penrith pound-town it is.
NRL grand final 2022: Penrith Panthers dominate Parramatta Eels – as it happenedKey eventsShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this featureSummaryJonathan HowcroftThank you for joining me tonight for an occasion that quickly turned into a procession. The opening ten minutes were a contest, but thereafter Penrith demonstrated why they have been near-unbeatable for three seasons.
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