Final thoughts
Phew. Time to breathe. That was one gripping game of NRL footy. The Bulldogs’ physicality in the first half threatened to cause an upset, but after the break the Panthers, led by Matt Moylan and Josh Mansour, played some scintillating football that was, at times, impossible to counter.
“Everyone really put in the effort tonight,” Mansour said. “Effort across the park, no one left anything in the tank tonight. You can’t ask for more than that.”
And after a performance like that, the vibrant Panthers should go to GIO Stadium next weekend to meet the in-form Raiders full of confidence and with hopes high of reaching the semis.
For the Bulldogs, their season is over, possibly paying the price for a poor end to the regular season. When asked whether this evening’s result was a case of the Panthers being good or the Bulldogs being bad, captain James Graham said: “A bit of both. They’ve got a lot of place and a lot of movement on the ball. We probably should have been a little bit better.”
And with that, I’ll bid you farewell, it’s been a pleasure. Full match report below. Until next time.
Updated
Full time: Panthers 28-12 Bulldogs
80 min: There it is! All over at Allianz, and it’s the Panthers who emerge victorious to set up a clash with the Raiders in Canberra next weekend after a sizzling second half performance.
Panthers 28-12 Bulldogs
79 min: The kick from Mybe is good this time, but it’s too little too late.
Panthers 28-10 Bulldogs
78 min: Perrett notches a consolation try for the Dogs, going over from Williams pass. But the celebrations are muted, none existent even, as the writing is already on the wall for them.
77 min: Reynolds looks like he’s coming back on, but it’s too late.
76 min: No dice for Cleary with the kick, but it won’t matter now. The Panthers are home and hosed, that Mansour stunner sealing the deal.
Updated
Try: Panthers 28-6 Bulldogs
75 min: Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant from Josh Mansour! And that is the cherry on an already tasty cake! Moylan keeps the ball alive before unloading to Mansour who simply puts the hammer down to streak away from the Dogs defence and touch down in the corner! Game over.
74 min: This is crunch time now for the Bulldogs, but on the last tackle Kasiano drops it, and now, short of a miracle, that should be that.
72 min: Oh dear, this kind of sums up where the Dogs are at the moment as Perrett spills a pass under no pressure.
70 min: Ten minutes remaining for the Dogs to somehow gets themselves back into the this one. It’s a big ask, but making predictions in sudden death finals footy is a mug’s game.
Updated
69 min: Moylan dinks a kick in behind the Dogs’ defence and Watene-Zelezniak very nearly gets on the end of it. Indeed he seems to pick it up only to lose it at the last.
Penalty: Panthers 24-6 Bulldogs
66 min: Mbye was penalised at the end of that chase, although he avoids a sinbinning. Cleary punishes him regardless with a kick at goal and the gap now stands at 18 points.
64 min: So nearly another one! Watene-Zelezniak intercepts a pass and hares off down the field, but Mbye is in hot pursuit! The Bulldogs man gets to him, although he’s held off but he bites back and at the second attempt Watene-Zelezniak is brought to the turf, close to the goalline. Thrilling stuff!
Conversion: Panthers 22-6 Bulldogs
62 min: Cleary is on target with the conversion and would be a brave man or woman to bet against the Panthers now.
Try: Panthers 20-6 Bulldogs
61 min: Peachy! And that should be that! It’s another sensational try – on the last tackle – as Moylan gets the ball and flings it out to Peachy who cuts inside instead of sending it out wide. He dives right under the posts and the Panthers are 14 point ahead with under 20 minutes remaining!
60 min: Morris gets close to the line with a powerful surge, but the referee doesn’t agree – he was stopped just short after rolling over on his back on attempting to touch down. It doesn’t go upstairs and the replay suggests he may well have scored.
58 min: James Graham was seen imploring his team-mates to step up their game in a Bulldogs huddle just after the try. They need something huge now. Something more huge than Sam Kasiano, even.
Conversion: Panthers 16-6 Bulldogs
55 min: The kick is good and the Panthers have one foot in the semis, while the Dogs have a mountain (OK, a steep hill) to climb now.
Try: Panthers 14-6 Bulldogs
54 min: It’s one of the tries of the season! Moylan starts it on the halfway line with a beautiful quick exchange with Mansour, who shows lovely quick hands, before Peachy is too strong for the Dogs defence on a couple of occasions. And it’s his pass that finds Wallace who finishes off the sweeping move, right under the posts as Canterbury get torn apart!
53 min: Kasiano is again involved as the Dogs look to break through but Morris spills it after a big hit from Blake!
52 min: If anyone can make a difference it’s that man Sam Kasiano. He might have lasted just 11 minutes in his first stint on the pitch in the first half, but he’s making his presence felt now as he nearly gets on the end of a loose ball in goal.
50 min: Kasiano’s back! And the big man announces his arrival with a typically muscular run. Moments later he’s involved in a bit of afters. Welcome back Sam.
48 min: Brett Morris is struggling here, and he finally hobbles off the pitch, having been a bit of a passenger since the restart. It’s not going the Dogs’ way at the moment.
Updated
47 min: Moylan catches a kick and offloads to Mansour again – that was how Blake’s try came about, but there’s no repeat this time and Mansour is wrapped up quickly.
Updated
46 min: You had a feeling that the Panthers had a bit more in reserve after the way the finished the first half. And they could well assert their authority on this game now, especially if the Dogs’ big men begin to tire soon.
Conversion: Panthers 10-6 Bulldogs
44 mins: Cleary nails the kick from a tight angle and Penrith are in the ascendency, for sure.
Try: Panthers 8-6 Bulldogs
43 min: Mansour! Sensational from the big man who breaks through a weak tackle from Browne before bursting past three other Dogs players and storming up the field. He delays unloading for as long as possible and when he eventually does, Waqa Blake has an easy task of completing the break! The Panthers are ahead for the first time today!
42 min: That didn’t take long. Already the Moylan memes have begun.
@mariam_s96 RT @azsportza: Matt Moylan. Can do anything. #NRLFinals #NRLPanthersBulldogs pic.twitter.com/fXimGa4w99
— David (@terryrwrist) September 11, 2016
Updated
Second half: Panthers 4-6 Bulldogs
41 min: Here we go again, then. Forty minutes remaining to determine who advances and who goes on holiday.
Well, that was a pretty hectic half of footy, so hectic I didn’t have a chance to relay an incident involving Moylan just before the end of the half – another talking point for the morning – when he seemingly on purpose threw his arm out of play with a fine backstroke style to draw a penalty. Refereeing – and more pertinently, the rules of the game – will once again be a hot topic in the washout from this first weekend of finals footy.
Half-time: Panthers 4-6 Bulldogs
40 min: There goes the siren and it’s tight, as expected, at Allianz Stadium. The Doggies have been the more physical – and dominant – of the two, but Watene-Zelezniak’s try near the end of the half will have given the Panthers a real boost heading into the break.
38 min: Lichaa, who’s back out there, comes up with a big defensive play to thwart Penrith, who are ending the half the stronger of the two.
36 min: No extras, but all the commentators can talk about is the Panthers production line of young talent. They might have a point.
Try: Panthers 4-6 Bulldogs
34 min: The Panthers get on the scoreboard after some lovely play by Cartwright and then a wonderful pass from Nathan Cleary finds Watene-Zelezniak out on the wing. He rushes over the line and the Panthers are up and running in the shadows of half-time!
DWZ scores!#NRLPanthersBulldogs 4-6 after 36 mins#NRLFinals pic.twitter.com/jXpyODBJdv
— NRL (@NRL) September 11, 2016
Updated
31 min: Oh what a great take by Phillips, who belies his inexperience as he diffuses a bomb. Brett Morris goes down clutching his right leg moments later, but he’s soon back on his feet and apparently running it off.
30 min: So, 10 minutes left this half, and the pace of this game has been relentless. Here’s a stat for you: both teams are 15 completed sets from 16. Impressive figures.
27 min: Here’s a talking point for the water cooler tomorrow – Watene-Zelezniak takes a high shot but there’s no sanction forthcoming.
Penalty: Panthers 0-6 Bulldogs
26 min: Penalty to the Doggies, and Mbye nails his kick this time. Lichaa is off though, with what could well be a neck problem.
24 min: Moylan errs on a high kick again – what’s going on? Possibly nerves, possibly the occasion beginning to get to him? Possibly the thought of getting hammered by a wall of blue-and-white muscle-men.
23 min: The Panthers lose the ball on the final tackle – it’s picked up by Reynolds who hares off on a scampering run and at one point he threatens to open up the Penrith defence. Not this time though.
21 min: The Doggies are just so physical and muscular at the moment – exemplified now as Peachy is absolutely hammered just as he threatens to break away. A collective groan goes up from the stands – that one must have hurt.
19 min: Josh Reynolds piles into a tackle with all his bulk before again a gang of blue and white shirted players make another strong defensive play. They’re like an impenetrable wall at the moment and the Panthers are struggling to bust through.
17 min: Oh dear, having sang his praises minutes ago, Moylan now makes an error in collecting a kick and he’s unceremoniously pounced on by a posse of pumped-up Bulldogs and pushed backwards. The Doggies are fired up at the moment!
16 min: Mbye himself cannot add the extras, but he’s got to be happy with his contribution moments earlier. That really was a lovely play to carve open the Panthers defence with apparent ease.
Try: Panthers 0-4 Bulldogs
14 min: The Bulldogs make the breakthrough! And it’s Moses Mbye who gleefully touches down after bursting through a pretty non-existent Panthers defence after a brilliant show-and-go!
Updated
12 min: Sam Kasiano is off the pitch already, the returning big man seemingly spent already and in need of a breather after two weeks out of action.
11 min: Better and more assured from Mansour as he makes some metres now, but Josh Morris forces a second turnover in as many minutes. Excellent play from the Blues Origin star.
9 min: Moylan is looking good already today – such a smooth operator with the ball in his hands – and if there’s a man who can have a big influence on this game it’s him.
7 min: Reynolds again goes high but this time his bomb is diffused by Moylan, who makes good ground before offloading to Watene-Zelezniak, who is eventually downed, and appears to pick up a knock in the process.
6 min: Here come the Panthers now though as Merrin barges his way through off a wonderful sidestep. He’s held up in goal by Morris though!
4 min: Some early excitement then, even if it proved to be something of a storm in a teacup.
3 min: Chance for the Bulldogs! Reynolds kicks high and Mansour struggles to collect. Indeed he spills, and Rona makes no mistakes as he pounces on the ball before diving for the line! He clearly drops it before touching down though although, something bizarrely, the try decision goes upstairs. No surprises then that it comes back as ‘no try’. Mansour was impeded as he was catching the ball anyway.
2 min: Cleary gets in an early kick, which threatens to bounce awkwardly for Morris, but it the end it falls kindly for Morris, who scoops it up and makes inroads downfield before he’s brought down.
Kick-off: Panthers 0-0 Bulldogs
1 min: Here we go then! Reynolds gets proceedings under way as he boots into the late afternoon sky, and we’re off!
Updated
Nearly there now as anticipation builds. I have to go through Moore Park on the way to Guardian Towers in Sydney, and there were already fans arriving with more than two hours to go before kick-off but it’s not a full house now and there are plenty of empty seats to be seen, notably in both upper tiers which are empty. Oh well.
It’s been a beautiful day in the Harbour City today, although clouds have moved in now. Still, it’s perfect football weather.
So, of course, Canberra await today’s winner in next weekend’s semi-final, after Cronulla’s 16-14 win over the Raiders yesterday.
Here’s an interesting stat, courtesy of the good people at Opta:
4 - @NRL_Bulldogs have won 4 of their last 6 post-season fixtures, including two Golden Point wins and a win against Penrith in 2014. Bite.
— OptaJason (@OptaJason) September 11, 2016
Team news
Here are today’s line-ups:
Panthers: 1. Matt Moylan (c), 2. Josh Mansour, 3. Waqa Blake, 4. Tyrone Peachey, 5. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 6. Bryce Cartwright, 7. Nathan Cleary, 8. Leilani Latue, 9. Peter Walace, 10. Suaia Matagi, 11. Isaah Yeo, 12. James Fisher-Harris, 13. Trent Merrin; 14. Sitaleki Akauola, 15. Jeremy Latimore, 16. Chris Grevsmuhl, 17. Zak Hardaker
Bulldogs: 1. Brett Morris, 2. Tyrone Phillips, 3. Josh Morris, 23. Sam Perrett, 5. Curtis Rona, 6. Josh Reynolds, 7. Moses Mbye, 8. Aiden Tolman, 9. Michael Lichaa, 10. James Graham (c), 11. Josh Jackson, 12. Greg Eastwood, 14. Sam Kasiano; 13. David Klemmer, 15. Tim Browne, 16. Tony Williams, 17. Danny Fualalo
So, the Panthers remain unchanged, with coach Anthony Griffin sticking with the same side that dispatched Manly so convincingly in that final regular season outing. Moses Leota is added to an extended bench.
For the Bulldogs, Sam Perrett is a late inclusion, having overcome a neck injury to prove his fitness before kick-off while Sam Kasiano comes back into the fold, on the interchange bench, after serving a two-match suspension. Brett Morris is named at fullback, replacing Will Hopoate, who ruled himself out of contention due to his religious beliefs. “He is a great player Brett Morris and a great fullback, I don’t think that hurts them at all,” the opposition coach Griffin said. “No disrespect to Will but it is an example of the depth and versatility the Dogs have. They can replace Will Hopoate with a Test player like Brett Morris at the back [and] it gives him the freedom to run a bit more there and he is very dangerous.” Tyrone Phillips plays on the wing.
Updated
Preamble
Hello there. Three down, one to go this opening weekend of NRL finals, and it’s a big one that remains unsettled with two of Sydney’s finest about to go toe-to-toe at Allianz Stadium to determine whose season will continue into week two of finals, and whose will come to a shuddering halt.
There wasn’t much to choose between the two sides during the regular season, at least in terms of ladder positions – Penrith finished sixth and the Bulldogs seventh, each on 32 points, with just a points difference of 42 separating the pair.
Heading into the finals though, the Panthers possibly get the nod over the Doggies – Penrith ended the regular season strongly, winning their last five (although only one of that vanquished quintet was a top eight club – the Titans) and seven of their last eight, while the Bulldogs lost their last three in an admittedly altogether tougher run-in, including games against the Cowboys and the Broncos.
Historically, there’s nothing to separate them – over 33 games, it’s 16 wins each and one drawn match. All of which means, well, not a lot really, other than it’s a pretty tough one to predict. But hopefully, a tight game means a good game of rugby league. We’ll find out from 16:10, when the match kicks off under what are now cloudy skies in Sydney.
In the meantime, do please get in touch, either on email (mike.hytner@theguardian.com) or via Twitter (@mike_hytner) and let me know your thoughts, dreams or aspirations.
Mike will be here shortly, so in the meantime, catch up with last night’s qualifying final between the Storm and the Cowboys:
