Penrith Panthers begin NRL premiership defence with shock loss to Brisbane Broncos as Warriors trump Newcastle Knights

Brisbane has begun its NRL campaign with a bang, knocking over reigning premiers Penrith in a nail-biting 13-12 victory.

A try scoring double from English centre Herbie Farnworth and a 71st-minute field goal from Adam Reynolds sealed the win for Kevin Walters’ Broncos at Penrith Stadium.

But they did not make it easy, with the visitors nearly throwing away a seven-point buffer in the last five minutes in front of 17,125 spectators.

Panthers hooker Soni Luke barged over from close range, with Nathan Cleary reducing the deficit via the conversion to leave the Panthers one point adrift.

[NRL match summary]

Cleary then went for a two-point field goal, with his effort missing and being collected by fullback Selwyn Cobbo, who then spilled the ball.

Luke looked to have got his side the victory by pouncing on the loose ball but to Cobbo’s relief, replays showed Jarome Luai was offside on the kick chase.

It looked like it would be a straightforward equation for the Panthers on Friday night when they surged ahead after just eight minutes.

Centre Stephen Crichton put them ahead after second rower Liam Martin made an incisive break upfield.

Penrith had the upper hand in territory and possession, but Brisbane was able to strike back when Reynolds snuck down a short side and sent Farnworth in at the corner.

[NRL team stats]

Farnworth, who announced this week that he would be joining the Dolphins next season, then added a second after Broncos five-eighth Ezra Mam pinballed his way through a hole in the Panthers’ line.

Martin and Luke Garner both went close for the hosts before half-time but the Broncos were able to finish at the break 12-6 up.

The Broncos weathered an early onslaught but when they did get the ball it did not help that Cobbo was dragged into touch on the first tackle.

Cobbo — who was standing in at fullback for the injured Reece Walsh — was not alone in making errors in the Broncos’ back-field with Corey Oates and Farnworth also coughing up valuable ball to the Panthers.

Whether it was due to early season rust or the departures of Viliame Kikau and Api Koroisau over the off-season, Penrith lacked the precision in attack that has been a hallmark in recent years.

Interchange hooker Luke provided some much-needed spark in the second half and crossed after Reynolds’s field goal.

But a second try eluded him and allowed the Broncos to seal their first away victory over the Panthers since 2009.

Warriors get past Knights

The Warriors have overcome a spirited Newcastle performance to post a first-up win, standing strong for a 20-12 triumph in Wellington.

The home side was stunned by a Lachlan Fitzgibbon’s try after less than two minutes and were second best for long spells of the contest.

With the match in the balance, Bradman Best and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad produced try-saving tackles, before Wayde Egan’s 73rd-minute try sealed the points for the Warriors.

The result gives Andrew Webster a win in his Warriors coaching debut and condemns the Knights to their first round-one loss in six seasons.

[NRL match summary]

Edward Kosi, Bunty Afoa, Nicoll-Klokstad and Egan scored the Warriors’ tries, with Fitzgibbon and Hymel Hunt going over for the Knights.

The Warriors homecoming after three COVID-plagued seasons began terribly.

Nicoll-Klokstad dropped a high ball in the opening minute to give up possession, and the Knights made them pay.

Fitzgibbon crossed after receiving Kalyn Ponga’s hand-off, quietening the crowd.

The Warriors were lifeless until the 25th minute,when ex-Knight Mitchell Barnett sparked their comeback.

The second rower found a gap past his former teammates and ran clear in a move that eventually found its way to Kosi, who scored with a one-handed dive in the corner.

[NRL team stats]

Four minutes later, the Warriors were ahead as Afoa bustled his way past three to score under the posts.

The hosts were rampant and would have had three tries in under 10 minutes, only for Marata Niukore to be held up over the line.

Half-time could not come more quickly for the Knights, down 10-6 and also missing Tyson Frizell, who was caught high by Nicoll-Klokstad.

The break did the trick, with the visitors again starting sharper.

Ponga’s quick hands were pivotal once more as Hunt ran over, with Jackson Hastings’s second conversion putting the Knights back on top.

The topsy-turvy contest continued when Brayden Wiliame ran rampant and found Nicoll-Klokstad to score, making amends for his early blunder.

From that point, the scoring stopped, and the brawling began.

Phoenix Crossland was sin-binned for a professional foul and when Wayde Egan was speared into the turf, a melee broke out.

But the Knights defended ferociously with 12 players and might have gone ahead.

Ponga unleashed magic to race past four and across the line, only for Nicoll-Klokstad to produce heroics once more.

It was not to be Newcastle’s night, with Egan dummying from a play the ball to seal the Warriors’ win.

Captain Tohu Harris was enormous for the Warriors, producing 51 tackles.

Fixtures[NRLM draw]Ladder[NRLM ladder]

AAP/ABC

[newsletter]