PENRITH finally conceded their first points of the season after 137 minutes – but that will be scant consolation to their 16 NRL rivals.
The Panthers backed up their 26-0 win over Brisbane in round one by racing to a 24-0 lead just after halftime at Bathurst’s Carrington Park, winger Tom Jenkins scoring two of their four tries.
Sione Katoa finally had a successful storming of their fortress in the 57th minute but it was just a flesh wound to Ivan Cleary’s juggernaut.
PENRITH 26 (Jenkins 2 To’o Cleary tries Cleary 5 goals) beat CRONULLA 6 (Katoa try Hynes goal) at Carrington Park, Bathurst.
Teams:
PENRITH: Dylan Edwards; Thomas Jenkins, Paul Alamoti, Casey McLean, Brian To’o; Blaize Talagi, Nathan Cleary (c); Moses Leota, Mitch Kenny, Lindsay Smith, Isaiah Papali’i, Luke Garner, Isaah Yeo. Res: Jack Cogger, Billy Phillips, Scott Sorensen, Kalani Going, Izack Tago, Freddy Lussick
CRONULLA: Will Kennedy; Sione Katoa, Jesse Ramien, KL Iro, Sam Stonestreet; Braydon Trindall, Nicho Hynes; Addin Fonua-Blake, Blayke Brailey (c), Tom Hazelton, Briton Nikora, Billy Burns, Jesse Colquhoun. Res: Siosifa Talakai, Toby Rudolph, Oregon Kaufusi, Hohepa Puru.
Referee: Ashley Klein