Injury-hit Warriors claim famous win in thrilling Panthers upset

Inside the final five now. Penrith attacking. Pretty one-out stuff. Luai with a grubber and Tuaupiki covers it fantastically. Big play. Three minutes left and the Warriors are hanging on to what could be a famous win.

Although we might have spoken too soon. Penrith are again pressing late. And there’s a massive penalty. Thirty five metres out. Dylan Edwards is taking the shot at the two. Jack Cole was hammered jumping for a ball and juggled the ball.

The Warriors thought it was a knock-on and stripped the ball from him – hence the penalty. It wasn’t. And so Edwards is lining up. Kicks long… and misses. He’s pushed it to the right. That’s surely the game. Thirty seconds to go. And now there’s none to go. Warriors win.

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Drama for James Fisher-Harris, cited for a hip-drop, or dangerous contact, if you want to get technical. Dylan Walker grimaced as the big man came down on his ankle, certainly had all the hallmarks of the hip-drop and that’ll keep the MRC busy tomorrow.

Warriors on the attack now. And Warriors are in. Taine Tuaupiki is in – he’s been strong since sending that very first kick-off out on the full. Te Maire Martin draws Luai in off his assignment with a few dummies and then Tuaupiki skips around his man to score. Seven minutes to play and the Warriors take a two-point lead after the young fullback shaves the upright and nudges the goal over from out wide. Outstanding stuff.

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And Nico’s hardly Nostradamus tipping Penrith to prevail, but Izack Tago has followed him in with what could be the game-breaking try in the 67th minute. Jarome Luai again in the thick of it leading up to that one, very impressive day out in the No.7 for him, even among all of Penrith’s errors.

It’s Jack Cole down the right with Dylan Edwards chiming in to create the overlap and Tago does the rest. No conversion from Edwards though, it’s still a four-point game.

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Penrith on the march now thanks to a seven-tackle set from a Te Maire Martin kick that runs long. And then Jackson Ford is on report for a lifting tackle that delivers a penalty.

Luai marshalling them right, skips, jumps to the outset and Sunia Turuva loses the ball as he’s gunning for the corner. Another penalty though for a high tackle by CNK in denying Turuva a try. The dance continues.

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Isaah Yeo is back out there and Penrith are back to 13. But the Warriors have their tales up and are hammering the Panthers edges, young Ali Leiataua – the nephew of club icon Ali Lauiti’iti – almost goes through again. Only some desperate goal line defence denies him.

Penrith are on the attack soon after but it’s still clunky, though Luai is threatening when he runs. And that’s what sets up the next try.

Luai gets a quick play the ball and then Mitch Kenny sends Yeo through a yawning gap close to the ruck. Dylan Walker completely misreads the play and Yeo has five metres either side to work with. So he scores. Back to level again.

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And another! The Wahs, they’re up alright. It’s a carbon copy of the last try, just on the other side. Te Maire Martin isolates his namesake Liam in the Panthers 12-man defensive line. And then it’s shelling peas, Adam Pompey cruises through to score. The Warriors are in front for the first time with half an hour to play. Taine Tuaupiki converts too for a six-point lead.

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Three minutes into the second half and Penrith are down to 12 men. Isaah Yeo with cynical contact after a quick tap by Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad. That’s 10 minutes every day of the week. And moments later the Warriors are in. Love it.

Dylan Walker playing a very-Isaah Yeo style role in the lead-up, linking with his halves before Ali Leiataua is piloted through a gap outside Jarome Luai. Simple conversion to level up and now the Panthers are defending down a man for another nine minutes.

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