NRL 2021: Penrith Panthers defeat Cronulla Sharks 48-0, match report

Another week, another record broken, another week until another crack at Melbourne.

Less than 24 hours after the Storm rewrote history by cracking the half-century to claim the biggest points differential after nine rounds in the NRL era, Penrith couldn’t help but respond.

The purring Panthers maintained their perfect start to the season intact by embarrassing a toothless Cronulla side 48-0 at Bluebet Stadium on Friday night.

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The eight-try rout lifted their points differential to a mammoth +200, just 16 points more than the Storm had improved to after their romp over South Sydney. The previous record of +177 was also set by Melbourne, the only team to beat the Panthers over the past year, in 2012.

But no matter which way you add it, it points to a Penrith side more motivated than the one that lost just one game on their way to that heartbreaking grand final loss to the Storm last year.

If Melbourne showed little compassion towards an undermanned South Sydney, Penrith were similarly cold-blooded against a spiritless Sharks outfit that have now dropped five straight games.

Asked whether his thought his team wanted to respond to the Storm’s ruthless effort, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary said: “You’d like to think the boys always watch footy. But certainly a game like that, maybe.”

Pressed on why he thought it wasn’t a two-horse race for the premiership, he said: “Because it’s round nine. It’s a long way to go, long way to go. No one remembers the first half of the year. Still gotta get through Origin and all that.”

This time the home side made short work of a Cronulla side that had no answers to the well-oiled machine that Nathan Cleary and company are rolling around in at the foot of the mountains.

Almost a year after shooting to stardom with a remarkable four tries on debut against the same outfit, Panthers winger Charlie Staines bagged a hat trick against his favourite opponents.

Even front-rower James Fisher-Harris got in on the party, breaking a 50-game drought of tries, while Cleary finished the game with a perfect eight-from-eight off the kicking tee.

SHARKS HORROR START

Penrith were given a welcome mat into their own front yard.

Their opening three tries to Fisher-Harris, Staines and Stephen Crichton were all preceded by Sharks errors from Will Chambers, Wade Graham and Shaun Johnson, respectively.

They barely had to spend time in their own backyard as well, with Cronulla not even playing the ball inside the opposition until the 15th minute of the contest.

Penrith’s fourth try was a slick left-side shift highlighted by a Cleary reverse no-look pass that ended in Matt Burton crossing, completing a 24-point first half demolition.

PANTHERS PERFECT FINISH

There was no letting up after halftime either, with Kurt Capewell grubbering for Viliame Kikau, Staines bagging a second-half double, and even plodding prop Matt Eisenhuth touching down.

By the end of the bloodbath they had eight line breaks to none, doubled the Sharks’ run metres 1813-900, and forced a whopping 34 missed tackles compared to just 10.

Whether it was down their left, their right, or down the middle, the irrepressible Penrith attack ensured Cronulla barely had a look-in down the other end.

It was the third time this year Penrith held a team scoreless, ensuring their 60 total points remained the least amount conceded by any team in the NRL era, and the second least in the grand final era.

“They’re just such a good side at getting on the front foot, but we helped them there tonight. Once they got a roll on, as they tend to do, it’s a slow kill,” Sharks interim coach Josh Hannay said.

WADE TREADING WATER

Two years ago he was arguably the best left-edge in the league, and the rightful heir to Paul Gallen’s throne at Cronulla, and perhaps even Boyd Cordner for NSW.

But, playing on an unrecognisable left edge, the form of the Sharks skipper has mirrored that of his team, producing a number of uncharacteristic errors against his former club.

But Graham certainly wasn’t alone, with not a single Cronulla player running for more than 100 metres in what was easily their worst performance of the season.

FISH JUMPING OUT OF WATER

Staines will get plenty of attention for his four tries, Cleary will again garner Dally M points for another attacking masterclass, while Brian To’o again topped the metre count with 246.

But the foundation was set by another impressive first stint from Fisher-Harris, who carried the ball for 117 metres in the opening 20 minutes alone.

The New Zealand international finished with 176 metres and team-high four tackle busts.

RARE SHARK SIGHTING

In a move that could spark their season, out-of-favour front-rower Andrew Fifita, who hasn’t been sighted in the NRL this year, could be a chance to make an anticipated return next week.

“The thing that’ll count against Andrew is not having played for a month. The speed of this game for a big body is a challenge,” Hannay said.

“But certainly, in Andrew, there will be another fit body available and someone we know that’s done the job for the club over a number of years, so he’ll certainly come into contention.”

ANALYSIS

FORGETTABLE NIGHT A GRIM REALITY FOR SHARKS

By Nick Campton

The Sharks aren’t the first team this year to be whooped by Penrith and they’ll not be the last, but there was a different kind of misery to their 48-0 defeat.

Even the most optimistic fan couldn’t say the result was entirely unexpected — the Panthers put just about everyone through the cleaners these days.

But Cronulla’s season has fast gotten away from them, and the point of divergence, indisputably, came when the Sharks made the choice to axe John Morris for Craig Fitzgibbon, a moment they decided to sacrifice the present on the altar of the future.

Josh Hannay is not a man to panic, and he’s as good a man as any club could ask for in such a difficult situation. The interim coach put on a brave face after the match.

“They’re down. There’s no shying away from that,” Hannay said.

“What I’ll say about the group — and I’ve said this on numerous occasions — they have great camaraderie and that’s important at times like this.

“We don’t have people coming back any time soon from injury or suspension. We’ve got what we’ve got, and that’s what has to turn this around.

“I’m not doubting their want or desire to do better, and that’s critical. They take a lot of pride in their performance in wearing the jersey.

“This is hurting them. Nobody is sitting there like it’s water off a duck’s back.”

The hurt the club is experiencing right now is supposed to be tradeoff for a future that could well be very bright.

A host of off-contract players gives them plenty cap space and tremendous flexibility, perhaps enough to lure South Sydney’s Adam Reynolds to the Shire as the rock on which Fitzgibbon will build his church.

But those are dreams for tomorrow and until those days come the Sharks have a grim march through the present and through a season which has quickly turned for the worse.

Hannay is too game to throw in the towel, and he will do what he can after he was handed the reins amid a serious injury crisis which has continued unabated — Hannay said the club was flat out naming a 21-man squad this week.

Josh Dugan can’t crack the 17 and Matt Moylan’s path back to the starting side is unclear while Wade Graham is still working his way back to his best after concussion issues.

Johnson’s return from an Achilles injury was supposed to herald the beginning of something, but the Kiwi star is playing behind a pack that keeps getting dominated — the Sharks were outgained by a whopping 1813 metres to 900.

And even players who will play a big part in that future are having a tough time — which may be of greater concern in the long run than any individual loss.

Will Kennedy, who has been so impressive at times this year and remains unsigned, struggled with his hands and had four runs for 23 metres.

Meanwhile Toby Rudolf struggled to find the intensity and aggression that has become such a feature of Cronulla’s play since his debut last year and Briton Nikora had just one carry in the entire first half.

All three are good players enduring a rough trot, and all three should feature somewhere in Fitzgibbon’s plans but watching them struggle makes the road to the end of the season, when the Fitzgibbon era will begin in earnest, feels very long indeed.

Perhaps when the great halfback merry-go-round comes to a stop, Johnson and Reynolds will be together at Cronulla next year. It’s certainly a combination with plenty of upside.

And perhaps Kennedy and Rudolf and Nikora and the rest will look back on this loss as one bad day in otherwise fine careers.

But, once again, that’s all in the future. Here and now, Cronulla are floundering.

There are so many other Sharks who will not make it into the club’s new era and will not see the bright new day when Fitzgibbon finally arrives.

Will it all be worth it? Will whatever Fitzgibbon brings be worth a season down the drain?

We can’t know. Not until Fitzgibbon gets here at the end of the year, and that feels a long time away — a time that will likely include at least a couple more nights just as forgettable as this one.

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