Live: Newcastle Knights vs Penrith Panthers
26′ TRY: Panthers score a third try
It was not the prettiest looking try, but it counts.
Liam Henry has scored for the Panthers.
It started with a linebreak down the right wing from Brian To’o.
On the next play, Nathan Cleary runs the ball to the line, and passes inside to Scott Sorensen, who runs for the line.
Sorensen was tackled, two metres from the line, and threw a wild offload.
It hits a Knights player who is on the ground, and Henry picks up the loose ball and scores.
Panther 16
Knights 0
23′ Knights holding on as Panthers apply pressure
The Panthers are making metres for fun when they have the ball.
The Knights are more often then not starting all of their sets on their goal ine.
The kicking from Nathan Cleary has been excellent through 23 minutes.
“Nathan Cleary’s kicking is putting [Newcastle] under enormous pressure,” says ABC Sport’s John Gibbs.
One negative for Penrith is their execution close to the line.
Despite scoring two early tries, Penrith have had many more chances to add to their score.
The Panthers have not been crisp in attack near the goal line.
14′ Nathan Cleary nails a 40/20
The Panthers have another chance at the Newcastle line.
From his own 30-metre line, Nathan Cleary has nailed a 40/20.
Newcastle fullback Dane Gagai produced a massive dive to save it, but the Queenslander could not throw the ball back into the field of play.
The Knights were able hold on their line, and repell the Panthers.
11′ Penrith miss a chance after being gifted soft penalty
Penrith had a penalty 10 metres from the Knights’ goal line, after a penalty against Newcastle for a hit on Nathan Cleary.
Knights forward Jermaine McEwen rushed Cleary and pushed the Panthers’ number seven as he kicked the ball.
That has led to the penalty downfield.
Ref Wyatt Raymond says the defender needed to make a genuine tackle attempt, rather than a push.
“They’ve been giving those all year,” says ABC Sport’s Luke Lewis.
Unfortunately for the Panthers, a poor pass from Dylan Edwards is dived on by a Knights player.
6′ TRY: Panthers strike again
The Panthers score off the restart.
Prop Lindsay Smith scores the try, after the Knights fail to defuse a bomb.
Nathan Cleary put up a bomb, and Newcastle winger Greg Marzhew dropped it.
Prop Moses Leota collects the footy, then gives it to his fellow front-row partner for the try.
Panthers 10
Knights 0
3′ TRY: Panthers score early
It has not taken the Penrith Panthers long to get on the scoreboard tonight.
On their second set with the ball, they score through second-row forward Luke Garner.
A six-again restart on the halfway helped the Panthers, and they have made the Knights pay.
On the final tackle, the Panthers ran the ball down the left, five-eighth Blaize Talagi held the ball for as long as he dared, then gave the ball to Garner, who easily beat the defence of Fletcher Hunt for the try.
Nathan Cleary misses the kick from wide.
Panthers 4
Knights 0
KICK-OFF: Knights vs Panthers
Referee Wyatt Raymond blows his whistle … Friday’s NRL action begins.
Fletcher Hunt kicks the ball for Newcastle.
The Panthers get through their first set well.
Nathan Cleary kicks from the halfway.
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Can the Knights or Sea Eagles cause an upset on Friday night?
Hello Mick, After unsuccessfully tipping a Broncos upset win last night I’ve opted for a comfortably dull evening tonight by tipping the favourites, Penrith and Canberra.
– Mike
G’day Mike.
Thanks for joining me on the ABC Sport live blog.
Brisbane were unlucky last night. There was a terrific game of footy brewing for 20 minutes, but the injuries to Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam felt fatal, despite Brisbane putting in a really good effort.
Tonight, it is hard to see Canberra or Penrith losing, despite both teams not playing well last weekend.
It should be a good night of entertainment.
Eels hooker Ryley Smith joins ABC Sport
If you want to know something about how the Panthers tick, go to a former Penrith junior.
Current Parramatta Hooker and former Penrith Panthers junior Ryley Smith joined the ABC Sport NRL call team to discuss everything from representing Australia in schoolboys cricket, his pinch-me moments playing first grade.
Milestones for Newcastle players
A couple of milestones to look out for this evening.
Newcastle hooker Jayden Brailey will play in his 150th NRL match tonight.
When Knights player Tyson Frizell comes off the bench, it will be his 100th match for the club.
TEAM LISTS: Knights vs Panthers
Great news from Newcastle, there are no late changes for the Knights or the Panthers.
NSW rep centre Bradman Best makes his return for the Knights at centre, while Jake Arthur makes his club debut at five-eighth.
For the Panthers, Isaiah Papali’i starts at lock after the injury to captain Isaah Yeo.
Scott Sorensen returns from injury and is on the bench.

Ivan Cleary says Panthers trainer Corey Bocking ‘struggling’ after receiving five-match suspension
It has been a dramatic week for the Panthers, following their golden point win over the Gold Coast Titans on Sunday.
Sadly, most of the focus has been on one of their trainers running across the line of Titans player Jayden Campbell, as he was preparing to kick at goal late in the match.
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary came to the defence of the under-fire trainer Corey Bocking after he received a five-match suspension by the NRL for running in front of Campbell.
Catch up on the story by tapping the link below.
Broncos great says Walters-Hunt are the most likely havles combo for Brisbane
— reporting by AAP
The Brisbane Broncos suffered three hamstring injuries during last night’s loss to the Melbourne Storm.
Halfback Adam Reynolds and five-eighth Ezra Mam were both set for scans after arriving in Brisbane on Friday following the 22-2 loss on Thursday night at AAMI Park.
They were both injured while chasing Storm winger Xavier Coates in the 22nd minute of the match.
It is feared that skipper Reynolds has the worst of the two injuries. Incredibly, winger Selwyn Cobbo also injured a hamstring and limped off with two minutes left on the clock and he too will get scans.
Fortunately for the Broncos their 35-year-old hooker against the Storm, Ben Hunt, has played 348 NRL games and 255 of them were as a starting in the halves.
Against the Storm the Broncos had to move bench utility Billy Walters to number 9 when Hunt moved to halfback but Walters trained in the pre-season as a half/hooker.

Walters also played five-eighth at Melbourne and Wests Tigers before making the dummy-half position his own.
Maguire could move Walters to five-eighth or he could call on one of his three back-up halves Coby Black, Josh Rogers or Jock Madden.
The coach also has the option of replacing Hunt by recalling Cory Paix to hooker. Paix started the season as the first-choice No.9. Blake Mozer and Tyson Smoothy are other hooker/bench options.
Former Broncos captain Darren Lockyer told Channel Nine that the Walters-Hunt combination in the halves was the most likely and he doubted Maguire would take a punt on 19-year-old Black, despite him being earmarked as a first grade regular of the future.
“I think bringing Coby in at this point in time is a huge risk in terms of their chances of winning big games, because he’s just a kid,” Lockyer said.
“I think Ben Hunt goes to seven and potentially Billy Walters goes to six and you bring in Cory Paix and Tyson Smoothy as your combination of hookers.
“That’s probably where I think it sits right now, but at the same time if Madge (Maguire) is thinking differently, Coby is an option to try and get an understanding of how good he is.”
The Broncos are on 28 points and will need one more win at least to play finals. They play cross-town rivals the Dolphins next week, followed by Newcastle and North Queensland away and Melbourne at home.
Broncos lose both halves in same play
Melbourne is, for now, the NRL ladder leaders after defeating Brisbane last night.
The Broncos’ hopes of a top-four finish suffered a hammer blow with halves Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam and winger Selwyn Cobbo suffering hamstring injuries in bizarre circumstances at AAMI Park.
Catch up on last night’s action by tapping the link below.
Who is playing in the NRL tonight?
These are the two matches tonight in the NRL:
- 6pm: Newcastle Knights vs Penrith Panthers, Hunter Stadium, Newcastle
- 8pm: Canberra Raiders vs Manly Sea Eagles, Canberra Stadium, Canberra
*all times are AEST
Welcome to the ABC Sport NRL blog
Hello, Australia.
Welcome back to ABC Sport’s live digital coverage of the 2025 NRL premiership season.
The finals are just around the corner, and seemingly every match has significance.
Tonight, two premiership contenders will be aiming to improve their positions on the NRL ladder against teams outside the NRL top eight.
You can join the conversation and let us know your thoughts on all things footy in the comment section.
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