Penrith can enjoy a beer and a lie down. The Roosters, the same, with the knowledge they’ve revived the form of a month ago that was feared lost.
But they go again in six days’ time, because as good as they were in Sunday’s epic 19-12 east-west showdown, the Panthers were that tiny bit better, not necessarily in the moments that mattered most.
But in the moments in between. The moments that truly make premiership-winners, and those that Penrith have made their own for a dynasty and more.
The Panthers started Sunday on fire. Liam Martin screamed four-letter sweet nothings as he scored his opening try and they should have had more to show for their early dominance.
But when Rob Toia iced the Roosters first attacking opportunity of the afternoon, and Mark Nawaqanitawase reeled in a Cirque du Soleil intercept that only he could have pulled off, the Tricolours held a shock 10-6 lead. They’d nailed the big, juicy moments and deserved every bit of it.
“There is a theory,” Phil Gould ruminated in Channel Nine commentary, “that if you get them behind on the scoreboard, they do become a different sort of team and you can bustle them.”
True. But the Panthers can hustle themselves. They did just that throughout the seven minutes of ball-in-play that stretched out either side of the half-hour mark. The Roosters gamely went with them. Until they didn’t.
Victor Radley, who had already clocked 26 tackles in a busy opening 35 minutes, threw a tired forward pass that brought a break in play and Panthers attacking scrum. A few plays later, Nathan Cleary swung play back through the middle, sending Dylan Edwards screaming past an exhausted Radley and into the in-goal for Penrith’s second try.
One of the moments in between and the moment that matters collided rather nicely right there.
Minutes later came the ugly collision that had Cleary running right through Hugo Savala’s kicking leg. Knowing exactly what he had done, Cleary grimaced, scolded himself and looked ready to keep on running right on through the suburb of Parramatta.
Rugby league’s voracious media will spend the next 48 hours analysing that from every possible angle, from every possible grassy knoll.
As far as moments go, it was as big and juicy as they get. But the 10 minutes Cleary spent cooling his heels, agonising away his time in the Commbank naughty corner? Penrith didn’t concede a point.
Only once did they look like doing so. It was Savala who almost stole his way over from a scrum straight after halftime. Isaiah Papalii and Edwards scrambled their way across to stop him on the tryline.
The Bunker got involved in dubious fashion, prompting Gould to blow up over the way momentum is governed in tryscoring situations and replays are used in slow-motion and real-time. It’s a valid and worthy debate, but not one we’re having here.
Once the replays were run and done though, Penrith played their way through their one-man deficit deftly, and never let the Roosters back down their own for another moment more.
When Cleary did return, he did so to an impromptu countdown from the Commbank crowd. Mark it down as another moment in the little black book, because not even Spencer Leniu can work the masses like that.
The Roosters, gallant to the end, had their chances throughout an enthralling second half and they know it.
None more than Daly Cherry-Evans – it’s hard to recall him shanking too many field goals quite like he did like in the 73rd minute, just minutes after Cleary had nailed home his own wonky one-pointer.
Big, juicy moments. They matter most after all. Along with of course, how Cleary clattered into Savala’s right leg. Not to mention the champion No.7’s own hobbled right foot.
But the moments in between all that, those chunky, six and 10 minute stretches when you know you’re really, well and truly alive, and trying to stay that way in a game of rugby league – they’re still what Penrith treasure just as much after all these years.
Dan Walsh is a sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.From our partners
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