R5 Panthers v Cowboys - Game Day Thread

2025 Game Day Archive
1
NQL
PEN
Penrith Panthers
North Queensland Cowboys
TELSTRA PREMIERSHIP Round 5
CommBank Stadium
April 4, 6:00pm
Penrith Panthers
Round 5
North Queensland Cowboys

CommBank Stadium
April 4, 6:00pm

Game Day Information
:rugby_football: Match Penrith Panthers v North Queensland Cowboys
:stadium: Venue CommBank Stadium
:clock10: Time Friday April 4, 6:00pm
:tickets: Tickets Tickets via Ticketek
:rugby_football: Other Matches NSWCUP Penrith Panthers v North Sydney Bears 5/4 12:00pm 1
JFLEGG Penrith Panthers v Melbourne Storm 5/4 2:00pm1
SGBALL North Sydney Bears v Penrith Panthers 6/4 2:30pm2
HMATTS Penrith Panthers v Central Coast Roosters 5/4 2:30pm3
TGCUP St George Dragons v Penrith Panthers 5/4 3:00pm4
LFCUP St George Dragons v Penrith Panthers 5/4 1:30pm4
:sun_behind_rain_cloud: Weather :sun_behind_small_cloud: Partly Cloudy 20ÂşC (:cloud_with_rain: Chance of Rain: 15% / :wind_face: Wind: E 10km/h)
:tv: Broadcast :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) NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg Cup to be played at Parker Street Reserve, Penrith NSW
(2) SG Ball Cup to be played at Hills Grammar, Kenthurst NSW
(3) Harold Matthews Cup to be played at Windsor Sporting Complex, Bligh Park NSW
(4) Tarsha Gale Cup and Lisa Fiaola Cup to be played at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, Carlton NSW

:rugby_football: Telstra Premiership | Full Time
/50px Penrith Panthers 18 Tries Casey McLean, Izack Tago, Luke Garner.
Goals Nathan Cleary (3/3)
/50px North Queensland Coboys 22 Tries Murray Taulagi (2), Viliami Vailea, Jaxon Purdue.
Goals Scott Drinkwater (3/4)

Postgame Media

MATCH REPORT

PRESS CONFERENCE

HIGHLIGHTS

FULL MATCH REPLAY

https://www.nrl.com/watch/matches/telstra-premiership/2025/round-5/full-match-replay-panthers-vs.-cowboys---round-5-2025/

PANTHER PRIDE MOTM VOTING

2

Teams & Match Officials

Telstra Premiership Knock on Effect NSW Cup Jersey Flegg Cup
:rugby_football: Rabbitohs v Panthers :rugby_football: Rabbitohs v Panthers :rugby_football: Rabbitohs v Panthers
:clock3: Thursday 27/3 8:00pm :clock3: Saturday 29/3 3:00pm :clock3: Saturday 29/3 1:00pm
:stadium: Accor Stadium :stadium: Redfern Oval :stadium: Redfern Oval
TEAM
1. Daine Laurie 1. Jaxen Edgar 1. Jack Attard
2. Paul Alamoti 2. Jesse Mclean 2. Nick Murphy
3. Izack Tago 3. David Fale 3. Poutuoa Hotere-Papalii
4. Tom Jenkins 4. Sam Lane 4. Siale Faeamani
5. Casey Mclean 5. Asu Kepaoa 5. Jirah Liddiard
6. Jack Cole 6. Blaize Talagi 6. Cameron Robertson
7. Nathan Cleary © 7. Zack Lamont 7. Tylor Bunting
8. Moses Leota 8. Preston Riki 8. Jakeb Vailalo
9. Mitch Kenny 9. Luke Sommerton 9. Bayden Moran
10. Lindsay Smith 10. Luron Patea 10. Ahmani Leilua
11. Isaiah Papali’i 11. Mavrik Geyer 11. Zakauri Clarke
12. Liam Martin 12. Harrison Hassett 12. Harry Armstrong
13. Isaah Yeo © 13. Billy Phillips 13. Del Wigmore
INTERCHANGE
14. Brad Schneider 14. Billy Scott 14. Jenson Tuaoi
15. Matt Eisenhuth 15. Niko Apelu 15. Judah Galuvao
16. Liam Henry 16. Riley Wake 16. Isaiah Scanlon
17. Luke Garner 17. Zac Lipowicz 17. Hokafonu Lemoto
RESERVES
18. Blaize Talagi 18. Tua Patea
19. Mavrik Geyer
20. Luron Patea
21. Luke Sommerton
22. Jesse Mclean
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 Peter Gough TBA TBA
Sideline Official Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski TBA TBA
Daniel Luttringer TBA TBA
Video Referee Gerard Sutton - -

Referee Success Rate

Referee Active Since 2024 Overall Pen. For Pen. Against Ratio
Peter Gough 2016 (0/0) -% (10/15) 66.67% 82.5 89 0.93
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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

4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dtz07CsZLGQ

I just watched this Clip from NRL360. At one point they were talking about the poor crowd. They seem to think that’s its only 20 minutes to get from Penrith to Parramatta. WTF are they smoking :joy:

5

So we will disregard the problem with the trains that didn’t help in the first game? :man_facepalming:

Unfortunately a 6pm kickoff this week doesn’t do us any favours either. I get the feeling it will be another small crowd.

Our next home game after that is a long weekend, which may take a few away too :roll_eyes:

Throw in 2 Thursday games later in the season, which might also affect our numbers.

Granted, we knew that the crowds were going to be down a bit going into this season, but outside factors are also going to hurt us.

6

I don’t think consideration to the time has been taken into consideration. I don’t know many people who work for a living make a 6pm Friday Kickoff unless that are already in Parramatta.

I saw the NRL 360 comment about the “20 minute trip” and had a chuckle. Some days you’d be lucky to get through Penrith in 20 minutes, yet alone around peak hours.

I haven’t been able to get to a home game yet, and it won’t be this week either. To be honest looking ahead, I would be lucky to make about a third of them.

Hopefully the stadium upgrades stays on track and we are welcomed home in mid 2026.

1 Like
7

To a capacity crowd - and when asked, did you attend Commbank stadium, answer NO - we HATE the featherweenies and want nothing to do with them or the area… :rofl:

8

Poor first half. We looked like our own worst enemy out there.

Many lost opportunities on the line, threw a few intercepts, conceded a try 13 on 12.

Need to tighten it all up. Very Un-Penrith like.

1 Like
9

That was dreadful. Our front rowers were ill disciplined, couldn’t hold the ball and weren’t going forward. I thought Moses looked better this week but didn’t play many minutes. We are definitely missing a second quality prop. I would have thought there would have been a bit more effort for Yeo this week.

Without the forwards going forward, it makes it hard for the backs to do their thing.

Congratulations Isaah Yeo for 250 games for the Panthers. Not one bad game.

2 Likes
10

Terrible.

Too many errors. (16)
Gave away too many penalties. (6)
Too many missed tackles. (43)
Awful completion rate. (70%)
3 players on report.
Conceded a try with the opposition a man down.
McLean bombing a certain try to win the game.

The way we are going, I can’t see us beating anybody in the league.

I’m going to bed.

2 Likes
11

Very ordinary.

Compounding errors with dumb penalties, giving the opposition easy field position, then letting in easy tries.

We need to take a good hard look at ourselves.

3 Likes
12

The ref was a clown but that’s not the reason for our loss - equally bad for both teams.

By god I hope we have Edwards or anyone else at fullback instead of Laurie - he is making Peachey look like Mr consistent. I never want to see him in first grade again.

I thought Milky and Paul did ok in our 3/4’s, as for the other two, well I won’t bother writing their name out.

Our halves did ok, even Schneider played a good role at hooker.

I can’t fault Yeo or Kenny - both have 100% as usual.

I don’t see this tactic of playing Papali’i at prop and putting Smith on the bench as providing any benefit. He just doesn’t have enough grunt for front the middle in my eyes.

As for our edges, Martin seemed asleep except for short spells, and Garner all but non existent.

Moses went ok, but it was only him and Yeo in the middle that seemed to make any impact.

While I saw glimpses of good attack, once again our defence stayed at home. What happened to our attacking with defence? Pinning teams down in there own 30, and waiting for fatigue to kick in. On leaving the crowd someone commented it has been like watching the 2003 panthers rather than the 2023 panthers.

At least the trains ran on time, and I managed to get a good seat - wasn’t hard with what a 6000 crowd?

Our season is far from over, be we need to bring back our team spirit, and attitude to games. Cut out the silly penalties, hold the ball, trust our system (and execute it).

2 Likes
13

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

14

I’m struggling to understand the Tago sin bin a full set of six later - I don’t know, maybe this is a rule I don’t know of but I don’t like it. If it takes the officiating staff a full set of 6 to figure out it’s an illegal play, too bad you haven’t caught it in time. My 2c.

2 Likes
15

I actually thought Liam Martin had a great game. Every run was powerful, and he did so much of the shit clean up work around Cleary.

I don’t know what more he could have done.

2 tries from poor discipline. Penrith knock on 10m out. Penalty cows on tackle one. Six again mid way through the set, finished with a try.

Just why be offside for a scrum 10m out. What do you gain from that?

Am I crazy or does this feel worse than 2019

3 Likes
16

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image1065Ă—2048 86 KB

Feels a bit this way at the moment :disappointed:

17

Our current form is undeniably concerning. A single win from five games is a worrying trend, and the looming State of Origin period threatens to derail any potential recovery. Even if the team manages to turn things around in the coming weeks, the loss of key players during Origin will likely result in further defeats, significantly jeopardising their chances of securing a top-four finish.

Adding to the unease was Ivan’s press conference last night. His struggle to articulate the team’s issues and potential solutions was unsettling. I felt he was trying hard not to say that he didn’t know what the problem was and how to fix it. We all know what happened last time he said that. But, in Ivan we trust and I am sure (hope) he has a plan.

Individually, some players need to step up. Garner, in particular, has failed to live up to expectations since joining the team. Conversely, while Henry may be young and prone to errors, his energy provides a spark that is currently lacking. Papali’i’s limited game time and underwhelming performances are also raising questions about his value to the team.

As for the young backs who seem to be copping it on social media etc, they are young and will come around but probably need some more time in reserve grade to master their positions before playing in the NRL.

3 Likes
18

I’m looking foward to round 11. Hopefully we can get the 2 points.

2 Likes
19

I pretty well agree with all the commentary here, bad as things are. At the moment, I’d suggest that defending our premiership will be a tad difficult if we miss the 8, and that is our current trajectory. It sure feels like many of the bad old days, when any victory was something to treasure, as was missing the wooden spoon.

Every week we hear how the team and staff will have a good, hard look at those aspects that need rectification, and then how well training went. Then the wall-to-wall rank stupidity takes place, and we realise that we have been delusional. Three dropped balls on their try line in the first 10 or 15 minutes typifies the dismal execution of play. And it remains to be explained how our defence can drop from the best in the NRL over 4 or 5 years to about the worst. Truly inexplicable.

The only positive that I can draw is that, despite playing brain dead for much of the match, we would still have won were it not for McLean’s brain explosion that butchered the late try. Also, curiously we would have won or drawn both this match of the Melbourne one when the match-saving tries missed by inches.

1 Like
20

I think that fatigue is playing a factor. The longer season (playing the most games of any club each season for the past 4 years) extended rep duties, shorter pre-seasons, interrupted pre-seasons.

Then on top of that you have the talent we have had to let go to remain under the cap. While last year we shed the lowest amount of players in our premiership run, the losses probably have been the most significant (mostly regarding Luai and JFH)

2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
LOSSES
James Tamou Tevita Pangai Junior Christian Crichton Stephen Crichton Isaiah Iongi
Jack Hetherington Matt Burton J’maine Hopgood Jaeman Salmon Sunia Turuva
Caleb Aekins Brent Naden Robert Jennings Spencer Leniu James Fisher-Harris
Zane Tetevano Kurt Capewell Isaiya Katoa Jack Cogger Jerome Luai
Malakai Watene-Zelezniak Paul Momirovski Viliame Kikau Tom Jenkins
Josh Mansour Tyrone May Api Koroisau Zac Hosking
Daine Laurie Sean O’Sullivan Kurt Falls
Dean Whare Charlie Staines Eddie Blacker
Billy Burns Chris Smith
Ativalu Lisati
Taylan May
GAINS
Robert Jennings Christian Crichton Luke Garner Paul Alamoti Blaize Talagi
Matt Eisenhuth Chris Smith Zac Hosking Daine Laurie Asu Kepaoa
Jaeman Salmon Sean O’Sullivan Tyrone Peachey Riley Price Isaiah Papali’i
Scott Sorensen Soni Luke Brad Schneider Tom Jenkins
Paul Momirovski
Eddie Blacker

I think this probably is going to be the most challenging, the saying goes “a rising tide lifts all ships” and the salary cap has does it’s job… a lot of teams have lifted this season, and this season make not the cake walk some previous seasons have seemed.

Will we win a fifth premiership? Maybe, maybe not. I think it’s still too early to tell. But we need to put this poor start behind us, and get back to what works.

2 Likes