Throwback Thursday: vs Penrith Panthers

Penrith will be without their Origin contingent on Sunday, just as they were when the two sides met at Leichhardt Oval last year.

The visitors may have been unbeaten through their first twelve games of the season, but it only took fifteen minutes for the home side to strip the defence of numbers and score the opening try of the match through Daine Laurie.

Penrith looked certain to hit back after a prolonged period on the attack, but Jacob Liddle quickly changed the momentum by scooping up a Dylan Edwards grubber and racing away for a heroic length-of-the-field try that sent the Leichhardt faithful into raptures.

A second-half try to Matt Burton cut the hosts’ lead to just four points, but Wests Tigers wouldn’t be denied at the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’.

Luciano Leilua was awarded a penalty try after a high tackle from former teammate Robert Jennings, before Stefano Utoikamanu put the icing on the victory by barging over several Penrith defenders for the third try of his young career.

The loss was one of only three suffered by the Panthers all year as they marched towards the premiership, while the 26-6 victory kept Michael Maguire’s men in the hunt for a top eight finish.

2013

Between 2010 and 2013, Wests Tigers held a dominant record over their Western Sydney rivals as they emerged victorious in seven consecutive clashes.

The final game of that streak was a brave victory at Centrebet Stadium, with the last-placed Wests Tigers overcoming a second-half deficit to record their fourth win of the season.

A try to David Simmons had Mick Potter’s side trailing early, but a young David Nofoaluma crashed over in the 12th minute to cut the deficit.

Four-pointers to Mose Masoe and Dean Whare rebuilt Penrith’s lead to fourteen points and Wests Tigers’ problems soon worsened when winger Marika Koroibete was forced off the field with a dislocated elbow.

However, Wests Tigers refused to concede defeat and soon embarked on an impressive comeback.

A beautiful cut-out pass from Benji Marshall allowed Nofoaluma to tip-toe down the side-line to collect his second of the afternoon, before Ava Seumanufagai reeled in a grubber kick for the first try of his career.

Trailing by four with fifteen minutes remaining, Tim Simona took matters into his own hands with a barnstorming run as he fended away two defenders and skipped through the line.

The Samoan centre raced away from the trailing defenders and turned Wes Naiqama inside-out to score underneath the posts, with Benji Marshall adding the extras to take the lead.

Wests Tigers would hold on for a famous victory, which would ultimately cripple Penrith’s finals hopes as they fell two points short of the top eight.