Round 8
Panthers 12 l. Sharks 40

2006 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Sharks spoil Penrith's home coming
Fri April 28, 2006
Penrith had to wait eight rounds for their first home match at a redeveloped CUA Stadium but it was spoiled by their fellow 1967 rivals with Cronulla running out impressive 40-12 victors.

The Panthers were without Internationals Craig Gower, Tony Puletua, Luke Rooney and Luke Lewis and the absence of those four players hurt the home side badly as Penrith lacked direction and class.

Cronulla had a bad start to the match when prop Ben Ross was forced off the field after a minute with a knee injury, which is likely to put him out for the remainder of the season. The disappointed was soon erased when Darren Albert intercepted a pass from Luke Priddis to be brought down by Rhys Wesser after racing 70m downfield. The Sharks a few tackles spun the ball wide to the left with Luke Covell scoring outwide. Covell converted his own try for the Sharks to lead 6-0.

Paul Gallen and Luke Douglas scored tries soon after for the Sharks to lead 16-0.

Penrith got back into the match when Matthew Cross dropped the ball but before it hit the ground put his foot to the ball and regathered to score. Wesser scored a determined try in the corner with Preston Campbell converting both to get Penrith right back into the match.

Covell scored his second try in the final stages of the first half as the Sharks went to the break leading 22-12.

Tevita Latu got the Sharks off to a great start in the second half when he dashed out of dummy half and picked up Adam Dykes in support who scored next to the posts.

Albert rounded off the game with two strong tries to show that he's still one of the leading wingers in the game despite spending four season with English Super League club St Helens after last playing for Newcastle in 2001. Albert's first try he lept above the pack to collect a cross field kick from Brett Kearney and his second try he raced 50m to score with Covell converting both tries for a personal tally of 20 points.

Dykes controlled the Cronulla side perfectly in Brett Kimmorley's absence and to win away from home after a long drought of victories away from Toyota Park will no doubt make coach Stuart Raper extremely happy.

Penrith's lack of depth was exposed and to lose at home after a long haul on the road was majorly disappointing. After a promising start to the season when the Panthers won four of their first five matches has come to a sudden hault losing their last three matches very convincingly. The second half performance against Parramatta is now a very distant memory.

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