NRL finals week one schedule confirmed as Penrith Panthers claim minor premiership with win over Wests Tigers, Jarome Luai benched
The Penrith Panthers have a fourth NRL minor premiership in the last seven seasons after battering the Wests Tigers 38-10 at Western Sydney Stadium.
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Panthers → confirm → Stadium
Thomas Jenkins scored a first half double to join Alex Johnston on top of the NRL try-scoring charts for the year with 30 to share the Ken Irvine medal, while Casey McLean nabbed his first career NRL hat-trick.
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McLean → score → trick
The Wests Tigers briefly showed some life at the start of the second half, with PNG-bound via Parramatta five-eighth Jarome Luai benched by Benji Marshall after the break.
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Tigers → show → break
The lively Latu Fainu ensured the Tigers immediately lifted, amplifying the sense of disappointment fans must have felt at the underwhelming Luai era that had promised so much.
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that → ensure → much
Penrith's victory ensures the Panthers will host the Roosters at Western Sydney Stadium on Sunday in the first week of the finals.
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Panthers → ensure → finals
The Rabbitohs and Knights will open the weekend with their elimination final at the Sydney Football Stadium on Friday night (7:50pm AEST).
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Rabbitohs → open → night
The second-placed Warriors will take on the Dolphins at Mount Smart Stadium on Saturday afternoon (4:05pm AEST) before the Sharks play the Cowboys at the Sydney Football Stadium that evening at 7:50pm AEST.
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Sharks → place → AEST
The Sharks had hoped to host the match at Shark Park but the 45,500-capacity Moore Park stadium got the nod.
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stadium → hop → nod
The Cowboys will likely be without star forward Reuben Cotter, who will miss at least week one of the NRL finals after being charged for a high tackle against the Raiders.
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who → miss → Raiders
The Maroons forward was handed a grade two careless high tackle charge for his contact on Josh Papali'i in the first hit up of the match.
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forward → hand → match
Earlier, Tyrell Sloan scored a 45-metre field goal to secure the Dragons a thrilling 24-22 victory over the Parramatta Eels in Wollongong.
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Sloan → score → Wollongong
"I guess it's the stuff you dream about," Castleford-bound Sloan told ABC Sport after the match.
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Sloan → guess → match
"The fans turned up … they stuck with us through a tough year and just to repay them there is the best feeling ever.
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they → turn → them
Friday
- Elimination Final: South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Newcastle Knights at Allianz Stadium — 7:50pm AEST
Saturday
- Qualifying final: New Zealand Warriors vs Dolphins at Mount Smart Stadium — 4:05pm AEST
- Elimination final: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks vs North Queensland Cowboys at Allianz Stadium —7:50pm AEST
Sunday
- Qualifying final: Penrith Panthers vs Sydney Roosters at CommBank Stadium — 4:05pm AEST
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It's finals time
Well, that concludes the NRL regular season, but there is plenty more to come with the finals starting this Friday night.
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finals → choose → season
I shall be back on the tools then for you as the Rabbitohs take on the Knights at the Sydney Football Stadium, kick off at 7:50pm AEST for that one.
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Rabbitohs → take → one
Then the rest of the crew will take you through the weekend of action to come.
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rest → take → action
Four cracking games to look forward to - I can't wait.
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I → look → ?
I am off to ice my fingers to prepare for the finals tilt.
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I → ice → tilt
ABC NRL player of the year
You've guessed it, it's Nathan Cleary.
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it → guess → it
He's quite good, you see...
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you → see → ?
NRLW results
Here's today's NRLW results, as the Titans continued their excellent season by battering Wests Tigers.
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Titans → continue → Tigers
The Broncos also got a win, hanging on at the death to beat the Dragons 24-16.
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Broncos → get → Dragons
Panthers claim the NRL minor premiership with dominant win
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Panthers → claim → win
The Panthers have won the minor premiership, beating West Tigers 38-10.
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Panthers → win → Tigers
Penrith also welcomed back co-captain Isaah Yeo with a 55-minute hit-out at Western Sydney Stadium after a month-long lay-off with a pectoral injury.
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Penrith → welcome → injury
Penrith entered Sunday's game needing to beat the Tigers by two points to leapfrog the Warriors into first spot and claim their fourth minor premiership since the start of their dynasty in 2020.
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Penrith → enter → 2020
It took Ivan Cleary's men all of six minutes to hit the front through Brian To'o, and from there they never looked back.
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they → take → To'o
To'o's fellow winger Thomas Jenkins bagged a double to go level with South Sydney's Alex Johnston as the top try-scorer for the regular season with 30 tries.
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winger → bag → tries
To'o brushed Jahream Bula aside for Penrith's opener, before Casey McLean caught the Tigers napping at marker and scooted over on a short-side in the 15th minute.
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McLean → brush → minute
Jenkins then produced two spectacular finishes in the corner to level with Johnston, and fullback Dylan Edwards weaved his way over to make it 26-0 in the Panthers' favour at halftime.
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it → produce → halftime
The Tigers hooked co-captain Jarome Luai at the break, bringing an end to a relationship that promised to revitalise one of the NRL's sleeping giants, whose finals drought will stretch into a 16th consecutive season.
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drought → hook → season
Instead, it will end on a sour note after Luai announced midway through this season that he had signed to join the PNG Chiefs in 2028.
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he → end → 2028
The Tigers have won just three of 17 games since Luai signed with the Chiefs, and he will leave for Parramatta next season.
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he → win → Parramatta
His replacement Latu Fainu gave Benji Marshall's side an immediate boost after the break as Solomone Saukuru and Jeral Skelton hit back for the Tigers.
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Saukuru → give → Tigers
But any hint of a comeback was halted by a double from McLean.
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hint → halt → McLean
Penrith back-rower Isaiah Papali'i was placed on report in the dying stages for a hip-drop tackle on Bula.
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Papali'i → place → Bula
- with AAP
79' Panthers challenge and win a penalty
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Panthers → challenge → penalty
But Moses Leota was tackled off the ball when he was trying to get it.
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he → tackle → it
The Panthers have a minute to give Thomas Jenkins the chance to become the outright leading try scorer this season.
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Panthers → have → chance
75' Penalty Panthers, Papali'i on report
There is a hip drop tackle there by Isaiah Papali'i and he's on report, as well as giving the penalty away.
The Tigers have gone again
The Tigers were coming and now they’re gone.
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they → be → penalty
…and 36 more, not listed.
