R17 Panthers v Bulldogs - Game Day Thread

2025 Game Day Archive
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CBY
PEN
Penrith Panthers
Canterbury Bulldogs
TELSTRA PREMIERSHIP Round 17
CommBank Stadium
June 26 7:50pm
Penrith Panthers
Round 17
Canterbury Bulldogs

CommBank Stadium
June 26 7:50pm

Game Day Information
:rugby_football: Match Penrith Panthers v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
:stadium: Venue CommBank Stadium
:clock10: Time Thursday June 26, 7:50pm
:tickets: Tickets Tickets via Ticketek
:rugby_football: Other Matches NSWCUP Penrith Panthers v Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs 27/6 4:30pm1
JFLEGG Penrith Panthers v Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs 27/6 6:30pm1
:sun_behind_rain_cloud: Weather :sun_behind_small_cloud: Partly Cloudy 9ºC (:cloud_with_rain: Chance of Rain: <1% / :wind_face: Wind: SW 10km/h)
:tv: Broadcast :tv: Channel 9 (Channel 90 HD / 91 SD) [LIVE]
:tv: Fox League (Channel 502) [LIVE]
:desktop_computer: NRL Live Pass [LIVE]
:kayo: Kayo Sports [LIVE]
:radio: ABC Sydney 702AM [LIVE]
:radio: 2GB Sydney 873AM [LIVE]
:radio: MMM Sydney 104.9FM [LIVE]

(1) Knock on Effect NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg Cup to be played at Parker Street Reserve, Penrith NSW

:rugby_football: Telstra Premiership | Full Time
/50px Penrith Panthers 8 Tries Nathan Cleary.
Goals Dylan Edwards (2/3)
/50px Canterbury Bulldogs 6 Tries Jacob Preston.
Goals Stephen Crichton (1/1)

:rugby_football: Knock On Effect NSW Cup| Full Time
/50px Penrith Panthers 36 Tries Daine Laurie (2), Asu Kepaoa (2), Matthew Eisenhuth, Nick Murphy, Brad Schneider.
Goals Paul Alamoti (4/7)
/50px Canterbury Bulldogs 6 Tries Blake Wilson.
Goals Blake Taaffe (1/1)

:rugby_football: Jersey Flegg Cup | Full Time
/50px Penrith Panthers 42 Tries Harry Armstrong (3), Jirah Liddiard (2), Zakauri Clarke, Jenson Tuaoi.
Goals Zakauri Clarke (7/7)
/50px Canterbury Bulldogs 26 Tries Oliva Smith (2), Bailey Myers, Cassius Tia.
Goals Cassius Tia (2/4), Bailey Myers (1/1)

Postgame Media

MATCH REPORT

PRESS CONFERENCE

HIGHLIGHTS

FULL MATCH REPLAY

PANTHER PRIDE MOTM VOTING

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Teams & Match Officials

Telstra Premiership Knock on Effect NSW Cup Jersey Flegg Cup
:rugby_football: Panthers v Bulldogs :rugby_football: Panthers v Bulldogs :rugby_football: Panthers v Bulldogs
:clock3: Thursday 26/6 8:00pm :clock3: Friday 27/6 4:30pm :clock3: Friday 27/6 6:30pm
:stadium: Commbank Stadium :stadium: Parker Street Reserve :stadium: Parker Street Reserve
TEAM
1. Dylan Edwards 1. Daine Laurie :red_triangle_pointed_up: 1. Jack Attard
2. Tom Jenkins 2. Nick Murphy 2. Compton Purcell
3. Izack Tago 3. David Fale 3. Poutua Hotere-Papalii
4. Casey Mclean 4. Paul Alamoti 4. Sialetili Faeamani
5. Brian To’o 5. Asu Kepaoa 5. Jirah Liddiard
6. Blaize Talagi 6. Jack Cole 6. Zack Lamont
7. Nathan Cleary © 7.Trent Toelau :red_triangle_pointed_up: 7. Tylor Bunting
8. Moses Leota 8. Riley Price 8. Isaiah Scanlan
9. Mitch Kenny 9. Luke Sommerton :red_triangle_pointed_up: 9. Jenson Tuaoi
10. Lindsay Smith 10. Matt Eisenhuth 10. Hokafonu Lemoto
11. Isaiah Papali’i 11. Mavrik Geyer 11. Harry Armstrong
12. Liam Martin 12. Preston Riki 12. Zakauri Clarke
13. Isaah Yeo © 13. Billy Phillips 13. Bayden Moran
INTERCHANGE
14. Brad Schneider 14. Billy Scott 14. Kye Raven
15. Liam Henry 15. Niko Apelu 15. Siotame Hansen
16. Luron Patea 16. Austin Dias 16. Ahmani Leilua
17. Luke Garner 17. Harry Hassett 17. Tua Patea
RESERVES
18. Paul Alamoti 18. Riley Wake 18. Lucas Rossi
19. Matt Eisenhuth 19. Tyson Sangalang
20. Daine Laurie :red_triangle_pointed_down: 20 Mitchell Heather
21. Trent Toelau :red_triangle_pointed_down:
22. Luke Sommerton :red_triangle_pointed_down:
COACH
HC Ivan Cleary HC Ben Harden HC Jono Rolfe
AC Peter Wallace
AC Ben Garnier

:small_red_triangle::small_red_triangle_down: Promoted/Relegated | :small_orange_diamond: Positional Change

Match Officials

Telstra Premiership K.O.E NSW Cup Jersey Flegg Cup
Referee Grant Atkins Clayton Wills Mitchell Pitscheider
Sideline Official Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski Bradley Kiehne Bradley Kiehne
Matt Noyen Ethan Klein; Curtis Robinson
Video Referee Ashley Klein - -

Referee Success Rate

Referee Active Since 2024 Overall Pen. For Pen. Against Ratio
Grant Atkins 2011 (0/1) 100% (21/30) 70.0% 164 134.5 1.22
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We start the week sitting in 8th place — the first time we’ve been in the top 8 since Round 1 in Vegas.

Our boys proved they’ve got what it takes to get the job done, even without our “Origin 5.” The “next man up” mentality still rings true.

We’re riding a 3-game win streak — our best run all season. You can see the confidence building, even in this week’s clash with the Warriors. That win against the odds was a real shot in the arm.

The Origin 5 enjoyed a well-earned rest over the weekend, which is a blessing given yet another short turnaround (terrible scheduling, again). They’ll also be keen to shake off the disappointment of that narrow loss to Queensland.

Looking ahead, we’ve got a stretch that could really help us cement our top 8 spot: Eels, Rabbitohs, Tigers, Titans — but it all starts Thursday night against the Dogs.

The Bulldogs have shown they deserve respect. They’ve climbed to the top of the ladder (albeit on a soft schedule), but they’re far from unbeatable.

With nearly a full squad (Sorensen out via suspension), we’re hitting our stride. The attack is sharp, and our defence has tightened up — points leakage has slowed noticeably. Discipline is still a concern, and no doubt will be a focus heading into this week.

We’re well-positioned to take on a top 4 side — we beat the team sitting third just last week.

Plenty of former Panthers in the Dogs’ squad too. Like we saw against the Tigers, they’ll be familiar with our systems, so we’ll need to be alert and disciplined to avoid being caught out.

I’m feeling optimistic about this one. I reckon we can match them for intensity, and our forwards look fired up again.

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I am feeling optimistic after Saturdays game too, and knowing the boys won’t underestimate their opponents.

One of the hardest tasks this week may be the selection of the team, 5 into 4 in the 3/4 line. After last weeks performance (which was no one-off), there is no way you could leave Milky out of the side.

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NRL app shows NSW Cup as 4:30pm Fri 27th at Parker St.

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If To’0 is still carrying a niggle with the hamstring, it might be worth giving him an extra week to recover. I doubt it would hurt his SOO chances if he sat out this week.

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Interesting graphic in an advert that I saw for this week’s game. Three top Penrith players on the left, and Crichton, Kikau and Burton on the right. They could have added IC and Ciraldo to make up the set. Sort of like an opposing session at a Penrith training day.

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Thanks @mrwalker you’re right.

These Game Day posts are made at the start of the season, so it would have reflected the original draw released in December. NSW Cup has a habit of chopping and changing schedules.

I’ll make the change now.

EDIT: It would seem they have also changed the Jersey Flegg scheduling as well.

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:mega: Team Lists and Match Officials have been updated.

TELSTRA PREMIERSHIP

OPPOSITION TEAM

KNOCK ON EFFECT NSW CUP

JERSEY FLEGG CUP

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Yes, thanks Steve. I hadn’t seen the Flegg draw - I usually only know when the Barsports streaming schedule is listed on the app.

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It looks like Sorro isn’t playing. Does anybody know what his actual offence was, when he tackled DWZ?

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Apparently it was deemed a hip drop tackle???

Not every tackle that results in the tackler’s legs contacting the tackled players legs is a hip drop, but this one was!!!

The ‘original’ hip drop was when the defending player gripped the attacker, & then pulled himself up & dropped down with full force on the tackled players legs a la the World Club tackle by the pommie player on Taylan May, putting him out for the season. The Sorro tackle was far from that, but he’s outed. I don’t think the NRL like Scotty

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According to nrl.com - Senior Review Official: Ashley Klein. So probably no value for us with a Captain’s Challenge, or even any decision sent upstairs. Might be a long night.

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I have no confidence in Klein, but, that said, none of them provide much confidence. As long as they never again give a whistle for one of our games to Belinda Sharpe would be sort of OK :astonished_face:

See you all at Commbank - gonna be cold!!!

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That “Hip drop” offence certainly leaves me and other fans head scratching.

As far as I know, this was something that came from the Storm, when Bellyache was constantly pushing the envelope with wrestling etc.

It now seems to be penalised at a whim, when a player tackles around the legs, something I was taught to do as a wee lad lol.

So currently the penalty free tackle zone appears to be below the shoulder and above the hips. What’s next - you wind someone talking the stomach and you are on report :joy:

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I was expecting an arm wrestle, and that’s what we have seen so far. Papalii’s hands have been a worry.

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What a game!!! Good effort all around against a team that came to play. Both teams scrambled well in defence, giving little away. In the end Cleary’s big play decided it.

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:mega: Panther Pride Man of the Match voting is now open here.

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On th way home from what was the most finals like regular season game I have seen in many years.

Both teams defensive stood tall. I thought Casey and Milky stood tall with their wrapping up of Crighton all through the match.

Don’t know if anyone else had dogs fans around them, but those near me were obviously band wagon fans - didn’t know the rules of the game, nor the names of their own team members :joy:

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