Penrith Panthers crush PNG Cinderella story as Tony Satini scores four tries in the first half.
Penrith disrupted Papua New Guinea’s unexpected success story with a commanding 42-18 victory in the NRL Interstate Championship at ANZ Stadium on Sunday.
The NSW Cup champions dominated the game, establishing a commanding lead of 38-2 by halftime, largely propelled by Tony Satini’s impressive four tries in the opening 40 minutes.
This win added another accolade to coach Garth Brennan’s impressive resume, which includes two NSW Cup titles and a premiership win in the under-20s division during his tenure with the Penrith team.
Brennan, a prominent candidate for the vacant Gold Coast NRL coaching position, delivered a convincing statement with his team’s comprehensive eight tries to three victory.
Despite the Hunters’ heartwarming victory in the Queensland Cup grand final against the Sunshine Coast last week, they were outmatched and outplayed in this encounter.
Although the Hunters initially scored with a penalty goal by Ase Boas, Tony Satini’s three rapid-fire tries within seven minutes swiftly shifted the momentum in favor of Penrith.
Additionally, halfback Darren Nicholls showcased exceptional performance, exploiting gaps in the Hunters’ defense and adding another try under the posts, extending Penrith’s lead to 22-2 by the 21st minute mark.
Even after Panthers’ five-eighth Jarome Luai was temporarily sidelined with a sin-binning in the 67th minute, the Hunters managed to score consolation tries through Adex Wera, Bland Abavu, and Boas.
