Penrith's top-four dream alive with Tigers thrashing

Yahoo

26-07-2025

Penrith's top-four dream is alive and kicking thanks to a 36-2 belting of Wests Tigers that denied Jarome Luai the chance for revenge against his old firm.
Hours after Penrith's two biggest rivals for fourth spot suffered shock losses, Nathan Cleary and Dylan Edwards helped the Panthers into fifth place on the NRL ladder with a seventh-straight win.
Saturday's victory at CommBank Stadium was the most convincing on that run and signalled the Panthers hitting top gear at just the right time.
Importantly, Cleary kicked a perfect six from six goals on his first night taking the kicking tee since suffering a groin injury in mid-June.
To take fourth spot, Penrith will need the Warriors to lose at least twice on the run home but nothing appears off the table after that side's loss to Gold Coast earlier on Saturday.
A top-four spot, and double chance in finals, will have the Panthers' rivals quivering in their boots given it is their clearest path to a fifth consecutive premiership.
The situation is a far cry from a 1-5 start to the season that had pundits eulogising Penrith's premiership dynasty.
The Tigers were already highly unlikely to play finals football in 2025 but the loss makes their top-eight dream almost impossible.
Former favourite son Luai came within a whisker of bragging rights in the sides' round-14 clash but Penrith had effectively ended the rematch by half-time with three tries in 15 minutes.
Tigers halfback Latu Fainu was benched in the second half as the visitors searched fruitlessly for points, though fullback Sunia Turuva worked hard in a losing effort with 26 runs and 266 metres.
Penrith needled at some gallant Tigers defence before Isaah Yeo connected with fellow big man Lindsay Smith, who stretched out for the Panthers' first points.
Dylan Edwards finishes off a long-range effort! 🔥Telstra Moment of the Match pic.twitter.com/tc5zIEVPCX
— NRL (@NRL) July 26, 2025
Minutes later, a Jeral Skelton knock-on gave the Panthers a chance to attack the line again and Edwards found teenager Casey McLean on the short side.
Edwards was superb with 322 metres and made it a three-score game with an 80-metre team try in the shadows of half-time.
Cleary shifted left and McLean stretched a hand back inside to his halfback, who had fullback Edwards in support.
One of the NRL's most reserved characters, Edwards celebrated his try with uncharacteristic flamboyance, cartwheeling twice as a nod to his young daughters.
On return from a wrist injury, Liam Martin put the result beyond doubt with a try in the final 15 minutes before a winding Cleary kick sat up for Izack Tago to touch the ball down.