Game Summary
The Penrith Panthers delivered a commanding second-half performance to defeat the Canberra Raiders 38-18 in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup Round 10 Game of the Round at GIO Stadium on Sunday evening, overcoming a 14-12 half-time deficit to claim a dominant victory.
The Raiders drew first blood in the 12th minute when halfback coby Black set up centre Mark Tuialii beautifully on the right edge. Fullback Chevy Stewart drew defenders before straightening his shoulder and giving Tuialii a clean run to the line for his fifth try of the season. Black converted to make it 6-0.
The Raiders continued to dominate territory, and Tuialii struck again in the 20th minute. A towering bomb from Black created a contest, and Tuialii was first to the ball — planting it down to complete a clinical double. Black again converted to extend the lead to 12-0.
Penrith hit back through Five-eighth Jack Cole in the 30th minute, finishing off a slick combination with Zak Clarke on the left edge. Clarke's touchline conversion reduced the deficit to 12-6. Two sets later, a clever kick from dummy half, Billy Scott sat up perfectly for Jesse McLean to find Sione Fonua in support, and Clarke converted to level the scores at 12-all.
The Panthers came out firing in the second half. Second Rower Zach Clarke crashed over in the 43rd minute from a sharp backline move, and two minutes later, McLean took advantage of another Scott kick, stepping around Chevy Stewart to score his second. Clarke converted both to put Penrith ahead 24-14.
Jaxen Edgar created a line-break on the right edge and sent Patrick Moimoi over for a try. McLean finished the night with a second try in the corner and Moimoi doubled up late to seal the result. Clark converted five from six attempts to finish as the game's primary architect of the Panthers' points tally.
Talking Points
The Panthers' dummy-half kicking proved decisive. Billy Scott's two attacking kicks from dummy half led directly to tries — both sitting up for McLean, who read the ball brilliantly each time.
The Raiders led 12-0 and 14-12 yet were unable to hold their advantage. Their discipline and defensive structure in the second half were exposed, conceding 26 unanswered points across a devastating 10-minute post-half-time burst.
Key Moment
With Penrith trailing 14-12, Scott's first kick from dummy half in the 43rd minute set the tone. The ball sat up perfectly for McLean to collect and find Fonua in the first half — Scott replicated the play in the second stanza, this time McLean collected it himself and stepped around Stewart to score. Those two kicks and the subsequent tries shifted momentum irreversibly toward the Panthers.
What's Next?
The Penrith Panthers travel home to prepare for Round 11, firmly in the top two of the NSW Cup competition. The Canberra Raiders, despite three consecutive wins heading into this match, will need to regroup and address their second-half defensive lapses ahead of a challenging Round 11 schedule. Both sides play at North Sydney Oval on the weekend.
