Panthers power to convincing victory
COWBOYS coach Josh Hannay had implored his team to play expansive, enterprising football to stand a chance against the heavyweights of the NRL.
But against the Panthers they simply never got the opportunity.
Energy levels seemed down for Gavin Cooper’s final game in Townsville from the get-go, a lack of urgency at times in defence overcompensated by an apparent desire to score immediately when chances presented themselves.
First it was a forward pass out of dummy half from rom Reuben Cotter, then a sweeping backline play that ended nded over the touch line.
It was the opposite pposite from the clinical Panthers, who sealed the J.J. Giltinan Shield before the halftime me break. The side had d a 20-point lead at the he end of the first half, alf, and they would mainaintain it through the ee 80 minutes in the 32-12 win.
“They didn’t overdo rdor it out there Penrith, they y were happy to build pressure essuree and control the football,” Hannay said.
“We’ve got a bad ad habit of the first time me we get down on an oppposition try line to try and turn that into six points straight away. .
“The reality is the amount of possession on and field position Penrith rith had, when we finally got down their end they were fresh and were able to just roar off the line and defend whatever came their way.
“We needed to show some patience and be happy to get to a kick … certainly the youthful exuberance of our team, they get down with good ball and want to try and score the very first time.”
Penrith did what they have done for the past 14 weeks
a n outmatched their rivals every facet of the game.
Kick chases were where this was particularly evident with the likes of Stephen Crichton showing relentless commitment to each play.
Even when North Queensland secured a repeat set in the opening stanza, courtesy of a hard-fought charge from Cooper, Crichton was back at it off the short d in drop dro out – keeping the ball, which whi looked out for all money mo – in play and ending in the hands of Jarome Luai.
Hannay, while proud of his side’s resilience and refusal to throw in the towel, said the contest highlighted the disparity of ladder positions.
The NRL leaders were ferocious on every play while the Cowboys just did not match their intensity.
“I didn’t get a sense they were lethargic, but it’s often the case when you’re sitting where we’re sitting and you’re playing a team at the top of the ladder the team at the top seems to have the energy, the confidence and the belief. They seem to be running harder, working harder and tackling harder,” he said.
“I thought the young fellas never shirked their responsibilities and I’m really proud for how they hung in there. But certainly we have to start better in games.”
Some relief finally came for the Cowboys in the 62nd minute, with a Captain’s Challenge required to overturn a penalty in the lead up.
It was veteran Cooper who batted at the hands of a Panther to force the ball loose into the awaiting arms of Hamiso Tabuai-fidow who crashed over to score.
While they did not give Cooper the Townsville sendoff they had hoped for, the Cowboys will get the chance to send him out fittingly next week – a derby against the Brisbane Broncos.