NRL match review: Wests Tigers 10 Penrith Panthers 26
Scoreboard:
Wests Tigers 10
Tries: Blake Austin, Luke Brooks.
Goals: Pat Richards (1/2)
Penrith Panthers 26
Tries: Matt Moylan, Dean Whare, Kevin Naiqama (2), Jamal Idris.
Goals: Jamie Soward (3/5)
Match Review:
The Penrith Panthers broke a seven game losing streak against the Wests Tigers with a 26-10 victory at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday afternoon.
In front of another great crowd at Leichhardt, the Tigers handed debuts to highly-rated Mitchell Moses and mid-season signing Matt Lodge in an attempt to get the two points without their Origin representatives.
However, the new players did not make a difference for the home side as it was the Panthers who scored first through Matt Moylan.
A run from Moylan split the defence who then stepped Moses and scored the for away side.
Jamie Soward added the extras to lead 6-0.
Ten minutes later, the Panthers were in again through Dean Whare.
After the Panthers had a try disallowed, they would not be denied this time as the centre touched down out wide.
Soward converted from the sideline to extend the lead to 12-0.
The Panthers would take that lead into half-time and after the break they scored again.
Kevin Naiqama scored his first try of the afternoon after some sharp work from Matt Moylan saw the winger score in the corner.
Soward missed the conversion – the score remaining 16-0.
The Tigers finally made a dent on the scoreboard in the 53rd minute when Blake Austin stepped and scored but the thought of a comeback was short-lived as Tyrone Peachey sent Jamal Idris over for a try.
Soward again missed the conversion to leave the score at 20-6.
An injury to captain Braith Anasta meant he had to leave the field and the resulting re-shuffle allowed the visitors to score their fifth try of the game.
Kevin Naiqama scored his second try of the game after he used his pace to get outside Chris Lawrence and score for the visitors.
Sowards conversion pushed the lead out to 26-6.
However, two minute from full-time the Tigers got a consolation try as a run from Lawrence down the left side saw him pass inside to Luke Brooks but it was too little too late as the Tigers were defeated comfortably by the Panthers.
