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Panthers make it nine in a row with revenge on Knights
Jasper Bruce, AAP • August 9th, 2025 8:34 am
Luke Garner crashes in for his early try, opening the floodgates as Penrith beat Newcastle 48-12 | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
Penrith have exacted revenge on Newcastle with a 48-12 thrashing that lifts the resurgent Panthers into the top four and confirms a nine-game winning streak.
In the sides' last meeting, the Knights inflicted a demoralising loss that kicked the Panthers to the bottom of the NRL ladder and signalled the lowest ebb of their premiership dynasty.
Friday night's rematch hoists the Panthers in the other direction, with Ivan Cleary's side moving into fourth place, having not lost since that defeat to the Knights in round 12.
"I'm a lot happier than I was last time we played them," said coach Cleary after full-time in Newcastle.
"That was definitely the low point of the year for us. Credit to the players and the staff, everyone's just put their head down and gone back to basics. It's funny how it works out."
Penrith maestro Nathan Cleary pulled the strings as his team went on a nine-try rampage | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
If the Warriors lose on Saturday, the Panthers will finish a weekend in the top four for the first time this season - a worrying proposition for their rivals as they hunt a fifth consecutive premiership.
Co-captain Nathan Cleary said the turnaround had been down to "confidence, connection and also our defence".
"That's sort of the foundation of what everything comes off, our defence and working hard for each other," said the halfback.
Friday's first half was as one-sided as can be at NRL level as the Panthers took a 26-0 lead in their first game in a stint without injured co-captain Isaah Yeo (shoulder).
The Knights had one tackle in the Panthers' red zone in the first 50 minutes of the game; Penrith had 42, rolling upfield with alarming ease.
Penrith took a 10-0 lead inside seven minutes with tries in back-to-back sets, Blaize Talagi first putting Luke Garner over before Lindsay Smith capitalised when Greg Marzhew couldn't handle a Cleary kick.
Smith was excellent stepping into Yeo's key role as Penrith's ball-playing lock.
Cleary was predictably busy, straightening the attack and sending a short ball to Scott Sorensen, who helped Liam Henry over for the third try.
In the second half, Cleary sent a grubber kick through for Casey McLean's second try as the Panthers targeted a porous right edge featuring Jake Arthur and Fletcher Hunt.
The Knights scored twice in quick succession when they finally broke into Penrith territory, with wet conditions slowing the Panthers down.
But when Izack Tago burrowed through for the Panthers' ninth try, the visitors had their biggest score in any game since May 2023.
The Knights could find few answers amid the Panthers' onslaught | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
"We got some lessons from a pretty clinical footy team. We were slow out of the blocks to start the game and they made us pay," said Knights coach Adam O'Brien.
"They had 50 sets (of six). I've never seen that. 50 sets and they completed 44 of them in those conditions, led by a pretty special player (Cleary)."
Knights utility Phoenix Crossland suffered a game-ending head knock in the first half and will miss next week's clash with North Queensland.
