PENRITH hooker Mitch Kenny suffered a suspected broken ankle in an alleged hip drop tackle by the Dolphins’ Kodi Nikorima as Nathan Cleary saved the day for the Panthers in golden point.
The premiership favourites led 18-0 early at Darwin’s TIO Stadium and seemed to be coasting. The injury happened during the first half of a game in which drinks breaks were instituted, Nikorima initially reported but then sent to the sin bin.
“We’re fearing it’s pretty serious,” said coach Ivan Cleary.
“All I’ve heard is we’d probably like to get him home if we can but ultimately it depends on how bad it is.
“Ultimately it’s just going to depend on how bad it is. He’s just getting an x-ray now. I don’t know, we’ll try to work it out as best we can.
“Mate, it just happens. Mitch did something similar a few weeks ago to Izi Iongi so there’s no malice in that. It’s just unfortunate.
“It’s a tough one because he’s a hard man to replace. Freddie (Lussick) has done a good job for us in the Storm game and coming on tonight but hopefully it’s something that’s not going to keep Mitch out for too long.”
Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf expressed sympathy for Kenny but added: “My first thoughts on the tackle was I couldn’t quite understand why it was being penalised.”
Jake Averillo’s 60th minute try seemed to put the Dophins in the driver’s seat but the NRL’s top tryscorer, Tom Jenkins, tied the scores with five minutes left.
He has now registered seven try braces in a row.”He’s nailing everything that comes his way,” said the coach.
“We’re trying really hard (to keep him). It doesn’t help when he keeps scoring tries every week.”
Captain Nathan Cleary missed the difficult sideline conversion which could have won the match.
In the end he had to wait for the fifth minute of golden point to do so, repositioning himself after being blocked by rushing defenders and booting the winner from 12 metres out just to the right of the posts.
“In a long season, you win different ways,” said Ivan Cleary. “But to win it that way, it was pretty special.”
PENRITH 23 (Jenkins 2 Edwards Talagi tries Cleary 3 goals) bt DOLPHINS 22 (Farnworth Tabuai- Fidow Talagi tries Isaako 3 goals) in golden point at TIO Stadium, Darwin. Crowd: 12,570.
Teams:
DOLPHINS: Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow; Jamayne Isaako, Jake Averillo, Herbie Farnworth, Selwyn Cobbo; Kodi Nikorima, Isaiah Katoa (c); Tom Gilbert, Max Plath, Francis Molo, Connelly Lemuelu, Kuli Finefeuaki, Morgan Knowles. Res: Felise Kaufusi, Brad Schneider, Tom Flegler, Ray Stone, Oryn Keeley, Trai Fuller.
PENRITH: Dylan Edward; Tom Jenkins, Paul Alamoti, Izack Tago, Brian To’o; Blaize Talagi, Nathan Cleary (c); Moses Leota, Mitch Kenny, Lindsay Smith, Isaiah Papalii, Luke Garner, Isaah Yeo. Res: Scott Sorensen, Kalani Going, Billy Phillips, Freddy Lussick.
Referee: Adam Gee.