Round 21
Panthers 36 d. Warriors 6

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

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

Wesser hat-tricks helps Penrith to big win
Sun July 30, 2006
Penrith fullback Rhys Wesser has scored three tries as the Panthers defeated the Warriors 36-6 to moving them into an equal share of 7th position with the Cowboys, Sharks, Eels and Raiders. Penrith are placed in 10th due to for and against differences. Wesser has now scored 15 tries this season and his career tally for Penrith stands at 98, just three behind the Club record of 101 jointly held by Greg Alexander and Ryan Girdler.

The Warriors got off to a great start when Manu Vatuvei scored in just the 3rd minute and the Warriors dominated the opening exchanges. It would have been hard to think watching the opening 15 minutes that the Warriors would only score one try for the match.

Penrith got on the board in the 21st minute when captain Tony Puletua crashed over and the decisive try for the Panthers came four minutes from the break when Wesser scored the first of his hat-trick.

The second half was tight until the 54th minute where Wesser's second try opened the floodgates with Penrith scoring four tries in 12 minutes to take the score from 12-6 out to 36-6. Luke Rooney crossed in the 58th minute, Matthew Cross was over in the 64th minute and Wesser completed his hat-trick two minutes later.

Penrith shell shocked the Warriors and showed that their season isn't yet over.

Panthers coach John Lang after the match said, "I thought we were really playing solid in that first half. We had a bit of a lead ... and I thought we were getting better as the game went on. If we could just keep at it we were a chance of coming up with a good win."

Captain Puletua said, "We've just got to look ahead. The main thing for us is to be on the improve every week. We know it's going to be a tough last few weeks but we just have to get out there and rip in. We have a lot to play for - you know, for the guys and the staff who are leaving this year."

It wasn't all great news for Penrith with Lang confirming two players will be missing next week. Lang said, "We'll probably have two missing for the next couple of weeks. Craig Stapleton's strained a hamstring and it looks like Matt Cross has done a medial ligament in his knee, so they'll probably both be missing for a couple of weeks."

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