Hunt tries the grubber but Panthers collect it. FULLTIME.
Dragosn go short and get it!
The half nails the kick to make it four the difference.
PENALTY PANTHERS! Cleary taken out after kicking it. Panthers will shoot for two.
Hunt tries to invent something on last but it's a changeover. Panthers have a chance to finish this game off now.
CHALLENGE SUCCESSFUL! It was still Dragons ball but a normal set, not seven.
CAPTAIN'S CHALLENGE! Checking if it is a seven-tackle restart.
Cleary nails the kick and Panthers are ahead again!
Panthers go bang bang! Stephen Crichton busts them, goes in support and scores the try.
Cleary with a mid range kick. He nails it.
It took an odd path to get there but Kikau strides over.
PENALTY PANTHERS! Dragons are too ambitious with their tackling and called for it. Right call.
PENALTY DRAGONS! Luke pinches enough to catch the markers out.
Right besides the posts, Lomax nails it.
GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! The Dragons halves combine. Hunt with a kick inside, it has a devilish bounce and Norman gets two hands to it.
BUNKER TIME! Hunt and Norman combine. Checking grounding.
PENALTY DRAGONS! Mess in the play-the-ball from the Panthers.
Lomax with a chance to make the lead four again.Swung it over.
GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! Quick play the ball and Dufty burrows for the rest.
BUNKER TIME! Dufty might have snuck one.
PENALTY DRAGONS! whistle right on halfway.
Panthers mix up their lines on fourth and spill it.
PENALTY PANTHERS! They have a chance to extend their lead here.
Huge bomb by Hunt that is taken by the Saints backline but the inside ball is knocked on the playmaker.
Mid range kick for Cleary. He puts Panthers ahead again.
Whoops! Cleary with an incedental kick that sees Hunt slip and Naden has a simple catch.
Wonderful kick from Luai which just spun on it's head and forced Dufty to play at it. Panthers repeat set.
Pinpoint kicking from Cleary sees Dufty trapped in-goal. Panthers looking to respond after a lackluster end to the first half.
Dragons try to go second phase but a flashing Fuimaono spills it.
PENALTY DRAGONS! They get an early whistle in the first set. I believe that is called rubbish in the ruck.
Dragons loft it into a picturesque Sydney sky as the game is back underway.
We're back. That was a strange half of footy and hopefully, we'll get more of that in the second. The weather has cooled down but the action definitely won't.
HALFTIME! Wow. What a half of football. Panthers strode out to a twelve point lead before Dragons go back-to-back-to-back to lead at the break.
Dragons stripped the numbers on the left but Williame's pass is forward.
PENALTY DRAGONS! Three on one strip. Dragons can finish this off in style.
Mid range kick for Lomax. Raises the flags.
Dragons hit the front! Panthers have gotten loose. An errant offload falls into the lap of Lafai who hands Lomax a four-pointer.
BUNKER TIME! What the hell happened there?!
Panthers go the powerplay and Kikau loses it.
All the momentum then Norman throws it marginally forward.
Another tough kick for Lomax coming. Left. sideline. Swung it in.
Dragons go back-to-back. Norman goes two wide with the pass to Pereira who strides down the left, positioned Williame well, who stumbled, bumbled but got there.
Panthers earnt six again from a missed bomb then some strong defense from Norman forced a knock on.
Bad news for the Saints. Issac Luke has gone into the sheds for a HIA. Billy Brittain on.
Lomax from the sideline, waves it away.
Wow! Dufty might have started the comeback. Panthers looked poised to strike but Dufty picks up the offload and goes the length.
Dragons blushes are saved. Cleary shoots it to Fisher-Harris who tried to get it to Big Bill but it was forward.
PENALTY PANTHERS! Blocker from Lafai who shoulders a chaser. Dragons losing the plot quickly here.
Cleary converts his own effort.
Panthers making the dominance show! Cleary takes on the line, fends off Hunt and strolls over.
PENALTY PANTHERS! Fuimaono steals one after the held call. Easy whistle.
Cleary adds the easy two.
Koroisau earnt the repeat set and gets the rewards. He dummied and strode over.
Panther magic! They spread it on fourth as Mansour stretches the legs but is rounded up by Lomax. It is some razzle dazzle on last but a Koroisau kick gets a result. Six more.
Dragons go the power option on last. Ben Hunt with a short pass to a rampaging Frizell but wonderful tackle from Dean Whare to force the turnover.
PENALTY DRAGONS! Graham with a tip pass and earns the whistle. Double dip from the defense there.
Both sides get through their first set with a towering bomb. Aekins and Fudty both up to task early.
KICK-OFF! Panthers will get the ball flying first. Dragons running right to left.
Here come the teams! Panthers first out in their black kits onto Kogarah followed by the Saints, in the traditional red vee. Here we go! Football time!
It's Friday, Friday.. gotta get down on Friday! Hope everyone is looking forward to the weekend. We start off with the usual pub-slot game between St George and Penrith, the hosts coming off a diabolical ten-point loss while the Panthers beat the world champions week one. It's set up for an exciting clash on a blazing Friday afternoon.
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Matt Cecchin, Jon Stone
Touch Judges: Drew Oultram, Adam Cassidy
Video Referee: Ashley Klein, Bryan Norrie
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS (28)
Tries: Matthew Dufty (2), Zac Lomax, Brayden Wiliame, Corey Norman
Field Goals:
Conversions: Zac Lomax (4/5)
Penalty Goals:
PENRITH PANTHERS (32)
Tries: Apisai Koroisau, Nathan Cleary, Brent Naden, Viliame Kikau, Stephen Crichton
Field Goals:
Conversions: Nathan Cleary (5/5)
Penalty Goals: Nathan Cleary (1/1)