Clunky Penrith ends Manly’s NRL finals hopes with 24-12 win
Centre Stephen Crichton was one of Penrith's try scorers in the 24-12 win over Manly. Photo: AAP
Penrith’s clunkiest performance in weeks has been enough to secure a 24-12 defeat of gallant Manly, whose NRL finals hopes appear to have ended at Brookvale Oval.
The first-placed Panthers were a long way from their dual premiership-winning best on Thursday night, squandering chances in good field position and struggling to click without regular five-eighth Jarome Luai (illness) and hooker Mitch Kenny (injured).
But Penrith managed to turn the bounce of the ball into points when a desperate Sea Eagles side could not.
Despite outperforming the visitors for the first half, Manly’s season now looks certain to finish outside of the top eight.
The Sea Eagles’ points differential is inferior and even if they win their final three games, they are unable to finish with better than a 50 per cent winning record.
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Manly set the tone early, worrying the Panthers with their expansive attack, and twice broke the premiers’ goal line defence from close range – a notoriously difficult task in 2023.
The score sat 12-12 at the break but Penrith was lucky to be on the board at all.
Their first try came from a Stephen Crichton intercept against the run of play and their second after Liam Martin knocked on into Manly’s Raymond Vaega as the pair contested a kick.
Had there not been a tackle in between Martin’s knock-on on the right and Crichton’s grounding of the ball on the left, the bunker would almost certainly have rescinded the try.
The second half could hardly have started worse for the Sea Eagles, losing both Ben Trbojevic and Brad Parker to game-ending head knocks inside two minutes of the restart.
They never regained the ascendancy enjoyed before the break.
Penrith’s third try came after an unusual play from Manly fullback Reuben Garrick, who booted the ball straight back to the Panthers after receiving it from a kick.
Manly’s defensive line still scattered, Sunia Turuva danced through Lachlan Croker and Aaron Woods for a try from long range.
It wasn’t until Brian To’o crossed for a seventh-straight game that the Panthers began to breathe easily.
-AAP
