The Panthers are in freefall after plummeting to a hat-trick of losses for the primary time in six years.
South Sydney are nonetheless a great distance from being playoff locks however extra importantly they’re a great distance forward of their 2024 season after they sunk to a second-last positioned end.
The Rabbitohs are actually 3-1 after their 28-18 triumph at Accor Stadium, blowing the premiers away with 5 unanswered tries within the first half.
Penrith have the inverse recrod and have now misplaced three matches on the trot for the primary time since 2019, the newest 12 months that they didn’t not less than make the grand closing as a part of their dynasty of 4 titles.
The premiers should be judged on how they entrance up after they get Nathan Cleary and Dylan Edwards again on deck however their first month of the season suggests their possibilities of a fifth straight premiership are in critical jeopardy.
1. Rabbitohs pink sizzling
Even essentially the most optimistic of Rabbitohs followers wouldn’t have dreamt of Wayne Bennett’s second coming delivering such a dominant win over the premiers.
They’re 3-1 now after 4 rounds and though they regarded out of their depth towards a full-strength Sharks facet final week, their victories over the Dolphins, Dragons and Panthers have been constructed on the old school rules which are embedded within the Bennett playbook.
Souths are usually not flashy like they had been when Bennett took them to the 2021 grand closing as a result of they don’t have the identical stage of strikepower of their facet.
However they’re gritty and dedicated, and when you’re towards an inferior opposition or a depleted one that’s struggling for type, that’s usually all that you just want.
They get Latrell Mitchell again from his hamstring damage subsequent week, coincidentally towards his outdated group, South Sydney’s bitter rivals within the Roosters.
It’s exhausting to see Souths rising from second final in 2024 to being real title contenders however with Bennett bringing his distinctive mix of man administration and a easy recreation plan, you may’t rule it out.
2. Panthers plummeting
They had been gallant in defeat final week in Melbourne towards a full-strength Storm facet.
This time they had been as un-Penrith like as a surfer sipping a latte.
Their forwards had been outmuscled, the halves made elementary errors and the surface backs did little else other than making carries out of their very own pink zone.
“The Panthers are in a frantic, submissive form of temper,” was how their former basic supervisor Phil Gould described their capitulation on 9 commentary.
Even Golden Boot winner Isaah Yeo was handing over elementary errors through the first-half give up earlier than they saved some face with three tries to nil within the second time period.
Davvy Moale celebrates after scoring a attempt. (Photograph by Cameron Spencer/Getty Photographs)
Second-rower Scott Sorensen was dominated out within the eighth minute after he was concussed when he copped an unintended elbow to the pinnacle whereas making a deal with.
Trent Toelau, who began at halfback, failed to complete the match attributable to a knee damage with Schneider getting his first recreation time of 2025 for Penrith on the similar floor the place he sat on the bench for the whole grand closing win over Melbourne final October.
And star winger Brian To’o additionally hobbled off with a hamstring damage which is able to flip Ivan Cleary’s gray hair into extra of a silver shade as he tries to show the group’s season round.
3. Johnston’s bittersweet comeback
Making his first look since he tore his Achilles tendon in Canberra late final season, Alex Johnstown’s presence on the left wing introduced a way of consolation to Rabbitohs followers.
After the house facet drew first blood within the fifth minute when Keaton Koloamatangi pounced on a Cody Walker grubber, Johnston celebrated his return by ending off a left-edge foray created by his five-eighth.
He appeared to injure his left shoulder within the course of however bravely soldiered on and probably missed a attempt he usually would have scored when he was tentative going for the nook amid Daine Laurie’s cowl deal with.
The medicos shut him down at half-time amid fears that he has damaged his scapula with scans on Friday to verify the extent of the harm.
Koloamatangi nabbed a second whereas Davvy Moale and Jye Grey made a mockery of Penrith’s as soon as vaunted objective line defence to propel Souths to a 28-0 avalanche by the point the half-time siren sounded.
It wasn’t a case of too little, too late when Penrith registered tries to Liam Martin and Schneider within the first 20 minutes of the second half.
However despite the fact that the margin was again to 16, time was all the time towards them and Souths performed like they had been defending their lead fairly than placing the foot on the throat like a real top-class group can do.
A late Jack Cole four-pointer on the again of a Peter Mamouzelos sin bin helped Penrith put somewhat bit extra respectability on the ultimate scoreline.
4. Walker repaying Bennett’s religion
In ruling out making a play for Daly Cherry-Evans through the week, Bennett stated Souths had been extra involved with the signature of their very own pensioner playmaker in Cody Walker.
The 35-year-old five-eighth is simply 12 months youthful than DCE however can also be exhibiting no indicators of age. Properly, not in a unfavorable means anyway.
Walker’s knowledge after a decade within the NRL is first price and though his acceleration off the mark has slowed barely lately, he’s nonetheless pretty much as good as anybody within the NRL at launching an attacking raid.
Particularly when there’s house on the left with Koloamatangi, Jack Wighton and Johnston offering vastly completely different however equally impactful choices for his or her maestro.
With Manly recruit Jamie Humphreys placing in one other robust exhibiting at halfback, there are inexperienced shoots for Bennett to construct on because the season progresses.
5. Blaize on ice once more
The Eels needs to be placing in a name to the Panthers to say they’ll fortunately take Blaize Talagi off their fingers for a mortgage spell in the event that they don’t want him.
Even with Dylan Edwards and Nathan Cleary out, Ivan Cleary opted to drop Talagi from his game-day line-up after naming him on the interchange bench.
It was an odd selection provided that Talagi put in an encouraging efficiency in his membership debut within the Spherical 3 loss when he got here on early after Nathan Cleary’s concussion.
The Kick: Penrith’s defence nothing however putrid
It was the hallmark of their 4 consecutive premierships however Penrith’s defence has plummeted off a cliff
They conceded 22 in beating Cronulla in Vegas and nobody raised a watch forehead however then that they had 38 placed on them by the Roosters, 30 by the Storm after which this capitulation to Souths.
Not that defence is solely the area for forwards however James Fisher-Harris may elevate a wry smile, if he does certainly ever not scowl, that his departure within the low season has resulted within the Panthers pack turning into pussycats.
They ended up lacking 37 tackles, the bulk within the first half, and attributable to their 16 dealing with errors, they had been compelled to make 131 extra tackles than their opponents which made their inconceivable mission of a late comeback an unattainable one.
Cleary is again for subsequent Friday’s “residence” conflict at CommBank Stadium towards the Cowboys however as nice as he’s, the Panthers will lose 4 on the trot in the event that they dish up one other defensive disasterclass.
