Most galling of all, it felt like the visitors wanted it more, a crazy scenario given the Warriors were at home, in front of a sellout crowd. The Panthers scored five tries to three, with the result sealed with 10 minutes to play, as local fans began to head for the exits.
It was a remarkable performance, given they were without their State of Origin quintet. Star halfback Nathan Cleary, co-captain Issah Yeo, Kangaroos fullback Dylan Edwards, bruising second rower Liam Martin and powerful winger Brian To’o.
The Warriors had their own issues, losing Marata Niukore (HIA) early in the first half and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (lower leg) just before the break, while Luke Metcalf was hampered by a hamstring strain. That was a severe disruption, but not enough to excuse the strangely flat performance, where they didn’t look in tune from the start.
The halves struggled to dictate play, while Penrith won the collisions and the ruck. But the difference was the Panthers’ defence – a pink wall – while the Warriors were porous.
The shock result is a major bump in the road for the Warriors and stalls momentum after recent gains. They are still well placed – with a 10-4 record – but this will add pressure, ahead of a tough trip to Brisbane next week.
The first quarter was completely off script. After a promising opening, the Warriors spent most of the first 20 minutes stuck in their own half. While Penrith stuck to their patterns, the Warriors were inaccurate, with penalties, set restarts and missed tackles.
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad had to escape twice from his in-goal, while Scott Sorensen was held up over the line before Penrith finally opened the scoring in the 16th minute through winger Thomas Jenkins, after Casey McLean cut the right edge open.
The Warriors responded quickly, but it was streaky, as a Metcalf bomb ended up in Jackson Ford’s hands, though pressure from Leka Halasima contributed. But their skittish performance continued, with desperate tackles from Jacob Laban and Watene-Zelezniak preventing more Penrith scoring, after a long-range break.
From there, the Warriors finally settled into some rhythm but couldn’t make it count, though both Laban and Chanel Harris-Tavita went close. But something didn’t seem quite right, epitomised when the Panthers were able to regather their own goal line drop out, against considerable odds.
The Sydney team looked more likely and so it proved with Sorensen’s try three minutes before the break, though the hobbling Watene-Zelezniak was a passenger and left the field immediately afterwards. That meant a significant reshuffle, with Adam Pompey moving to the right wing and Te Maire Martin coming on left centre.
After some more muddle to begin the second half, Jacob Laban’s try was much needed, the youngster punching through off Metcalf, after the home side had built pressure.
But they couldn’t consolidate – with more loose play – before the excellent Sorensen outjumped everyone for his second try to give Penrith the lead. There was more pain soon afterwards, as Blaize Talagi twisted his way past three ineffectual tackles. It was a backbreaker, as moments earlier the Warriors had looked set to score, before Jenkins intercepted a pass destined for Pompey.
Any hopes of a comeback were extinguished by the Panthers’ fifth try, which summed up the night. A midfield bomb was allowed to bounce, skipped past Nicoll-Klokstad and Paul Alamoti was on the spot to clean up. Moala Graham-Taufa scored a late consolation try for the Warriors.
NZ Warriors 18 (Jackson Ford, Jacob Laban, Moala Graham-Taufa tries; Luke Metcalf con, Adam Pompey 2 cons)
Penrith Panthers 28 (Scott Sorensen 2, Thomas Jenkins, Blaize Talagi, Paul Alamoti tries; Paul Alamoti 3 cons, pen)
HT: 6-8
