Dylan Lucas hat-trick leads Knights to belting of the reigning champs
Origin-hit Penrith sunk to a new low on Saturday night, with the four-time champions condemned to the bottom of the NRL ladder by the struggling Newcastle Knights.
The Panthers had improved since their horror start to the season, winning twice and fighting out a draw from their past four matches.
But they were never in the hunt at Carrington Park in Bathurst, succumbing 25-6 to their fellow battlers, with Dylan Lucas grabbing a hat-trick for the Knights.
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Missing key weapons Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo, Dylan Edwards, Brian To'o and Liam Martin as they prepare for battle for the Blues on Wednesday night, and with Luke Garner and Isaiah Papali'i out injured, the Panthers rolled out only seven members from last year's grand final-winning team.
Still, coach Ivan Cleary would have expected a better showing from his troops.
The Knight's meanwhile entered the clash in utter disarray, having won just one of their last eight games.
They were also without star fullback Kalyn Ponga and injured trio Bradman Best, Jacob Saifiti and Greg Marzhew.
But a sizzling attacking display from Fletcher Sharpe and a three try effort from powerhouse backrower Lucas led them to victory at a sold out Carrington Park, snapping a 10-game losing streak against the Panthers.
Sharpe was impossible to catch, making four line breaks and 18 tackle busts, while running for 284 metres.
Lucas was too hot to handle, especially in the first half, splitting the line three times and scoring a maiden career hat-trick.
It took less than five minutes for Newcastle to open the scoring when regular five-eighth Sharpe, playing at fullback in the absence of Origin-bound Ponga, muscled his way over.
Lucas powered over inside 10 minutes to give the Knights a 12-0 lead and when the hulking backrower crossed again 90 seconds later, the reigning premiers were staring down the barrel of a shellacking.
When Panthers backrower Liam Henry was sin binned and put on report for a crusher tackle in the 23rd minute, the floodgates looked set to explode, and Lucas had his third in 15 minutes.
'First hat-trick of the career of Dylan Lucas. Incredible, what a crazy year,' Andrew Voss said.
He almost bagged a fourth a minute before halftime after a 40m break, only to drop the ball over the line and at the break the Knights led 24-0.
To their credit, the Panthers tried valiantly in the second half as the Knights descended into mediocrity, but the game was put to bed in the opening 40 minutes.
In a first half of highlights for the Knights there was also some disappointment with Adam Elliott suffering a serious arm injury.
Elliott tore his bicep midway through the period and could be out for 10-12 weeks.
It is a massive blow for the middle forward, who has missed plenty of footy over the last few years with a serious groin injury in 2023 and multiple calf-related issues at the end of last season and earlier this year.
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