Last-placed Panthers declare 'ladder doesn't really matter until July or August' (2025)

Thanks a lot for joining us tonight for what ended up being two pretty one-sided games of rugby league.

The Titans capitulated in Townsville before the Panthers lay down in Western Sydney.

The Cowboys made it four victories on the bounce and the Sea Eagles are back in the winner's circle after three weeks outside of it.

We'll be back tomorrow for all of your Sunday afternoon NRL requirements.

Until then, go well!

It was a really lacklustre performance from the Panthers today, and on commentary for ABC Sport, Luke Lewis is blaming it on the fitness levels of the four-time defending premiers.

"They look unfit. They look super duper unfit," Lewis said.

"Every time we spoke about Penrith, what was the one thing we used to say?

"They looked fitter than anybody, superior to anybody else.

"For me...they look so underdone. Their outside backs aren't covering as many metres as they used to and their one two punch is doing nothing for them.

"At the same time, they're getting frustrated, don't know how to hold the ball...it's just a very frustrated side we're watching at the moment."

That's high praise for a Panthers side that will remarkably end Round 8 on the bottom of the NRL ladder.

Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold is talking to Fox post-game and is heaping praise on his players.

"We had great intensity to start the game," Seibold said.

"I felt as though we played a really good possession and field position game.

"But we knew the tide was going to turn - they're a good side and we had to hang tough when they had a bit of momentum second half.

"Really proud of the group, thought they had a really good prep so was really pleasing to see them come out and play well."

The win seas Manly snap a three game losing streak and move into the top eight on the live ladder.

Tom Trbojevic played very well tonight, picking up an assist for that first half Tommy Talau try and sparking most of what was good for the Sea Eagles today.

He's speaking to Fox post-game, and relief is etched all over his face after.

"I felt like for the first 35 minutes we really control the field position and we probably let it go five minutes before half-time," Trbojevic said.

"We didn't start the second half very well and they put a few points on us and we were probably lucky not to go behind there.

"The way the boys bounced back...to finish the game of like that, it's very pleasing.

"We were real desperate coming here, coming off three losses, we really needed that."

— reporting by AAP

For the first time since May 2019, the Penrith Panthers will finish a round at the bottom of the NRL ladder.

The Panthers suffered their sixth loss from eight games with 26-10 defeat to Manly at Western Sydney Stadium.

The four-time reigning premiers showed glimpses of their best early in Saturday night's second half, but a 14-0 halftime deficit proved too big a hurdle to overcome.

Haumole Olakau'atu poured cold water on Penrith's hopes of a comeback, beating Dylan Edwards to Daly Cherry-Evans' kick and scoring with 15 minutes to play.

It was a three-score game when Tolu Koula crossed down the right minutes later.

Penrith are now 2-6 to begin their fourth-straight premiership defence, and the season will only become more difficult to salvage when stars are lost to State of Origin duty in the coming weeks.

The Panthers would admittedly be second-last had Parramatta not received two points for the bye this weekend.

But that will be cold comfort for Ivan Cleary's side, who once again put themselves under pressure with errors and penalties in the first half at Western Sydney Stadium.

Penrith gave up an offside penalty, a set restart and then Casey McLean made a high tackle ahead of Reuben Garrick's opening try on the right edge.

It was a very tough night for McLean on the left edge, with the Panthers still clearly struggling to adjust to their latest round of personnel changes this season.

After Penrith's Scott Sorensen passed the ball into touch, trying to find winger Tom Jenkins, the Sea Eagles strolled down the other end and Trbojevic threw the last pass for Tommy Talau to score Manly's second.

It was a strong return from a three-week knee injury lay-off for Trbojevic, who finished with 181 metres and looked comfortable running and changing direction.

Nathan Cleary's 40/20 kick pulled Penrith back into the game after halftime, with recruit Blaize Talagi crashing over from dummy half to continue good signs as five-eighth.

A one-two on the right helped Izack Tago to Penrith's second try shortly thereafter.

Some 16 penalties were blown, making for a stop-start affair with three players sin-binned

Sorensen and Manly forward Siua Taukeiaho sat down for what looked like mild shoulder charges as the NRL continues to make a point of policing dangerous shots strictly.

Panthers winger Paul Alamoti also went to the sin bin for a professional foul, helping Manly move six points clear with a penalty goal.

Olakaua'atu put the Sea Eagles on the path to victory minutes later and sent a timely reminder of what he could do for NSW this Origin series.

And that should be that.

Penrith gives away the ball yet again - this time Dylan Edwards is the culprit.

He sprays a mistimed pass to his right. It hits a Panthers body, goes forward, and Manly is given the ball.

The resulting six is worked forward before a bomb from DCE is just about gathered by a Panthers body on his own line.

The Panthers look defeated here.

With just about six minutes left on the clock, they're in need of three converted tries.

They won't get them, although they do have a penalty here for a high tackle deep in their own territory.

Or do they?

Manly opts to send it upstairs - and they're successful.

No penalty, but Penrith restarts deep.

Tolutau Koula breaks through after a quick bit of play bamboozles the Panthers' backline.

DCE has the ball in the centre of the pitch, he releases it to the onrushing Koula on his right.

It's all too quick for Penrith and he's Koula charges in, dummies a couple, and slides over.

It was clearly one from the training ground - Koula made a lung busting run from deep on the left.

The conversion is shanked and it's a 16 point lead for Manly.

Daly Cherry Evans chips a high, tempting kick up on the last and it's Haumole Olakau'atu who plucks it out of the air.

Olakau'atu rises expertly, gathers it, charges through a couple of tackles and places it down.

Reuben Garrick slots the kick, and the Sea Eagles lead by 10.

A massive breakaway for the Sea Eagles.

They regain the ball from a sloppy bit of Panthers play deep in their own territory.

The Sea Eagles charge forward and the Panthers backline are nowhere. Tom Trbojevic gets his hands on the ball and chips a kick forward, with DCE running on to it.

However, he can't get to it, as it looks like Paul Alamoti blatantly shoves him off the ball.

The incident is sent to the bunker - the prospect of a penalty try is quickly ruled out, but Alamoti is pinged for a professional foul and he's off to the sinbin.

Manly has a penalty kick 15m out slightly to the left.

It's tucked away by Reuben Garrick - the score is 10-16 with both teams down to 12 men.

The whistle blows and no-one is sure why.

Turns out it's for a high tackle by Siosiua Taukeiaho a couple plays back. He's put on report and sent to the bin.

Just what the Sea Eagles didn't need - they'll have to defend a resurgent Panthers with a man down.

A beautiful little kick by DCE looks like he's unlocked Reuben Garrick down the right, but he's tackled on his way towards the line.

The Sea Eagles have one play remaining and work it out to the left slickly.

It looks like they're a chance of getting through but it's a mistimed pass and the ball is down.

The Panthers have it back.

And it's Luke Sommerton who charges forward from dummy half. He goes over amidst a sea of Manly bodies.

He looks like he's put it down, but the try goes for review, and it's ruled out.

A Manly arm got underneath the ball and the Panthers restart on the last.

Cleary chips one forward and the Sea Eagles just about get it out of their goal area.

They rebuild deep in their own territory.

The Panthers are circling now - they have a set restart about 10 metres out and it's some beautiful stuff to set Paul Alamoti away on the right.

However, he can't get through, and the Panthers are forced to re-image things through Dylan Edwards in the centre.

And it's another set restart!

It's frantic stuff as the Panthers rebuild again, just short of the line.

And they score!

It's Paul Alamoti who's over this time, after a quick popped pass from Izack Tago on the line.

Cleary slots the conversion beautifully from the right touchline and, all of a sudden, it's 14-10.

And from absolutely nowhere, it's Blaize Talagi who goes over!

Only moments after it looked like Lehi Hopoate kept Nathan Cleary's kick in play, the Panthers strike.

Talagi takes things into his own hands and charges through a few Manly bodies to put it down.

Nathan Cleary doesn't get enough bend on the conversion attempt and it flies wide of the sticks.

It's a 10-point game in Western Sydney.

Jazz Tevaga is making some great ground, carrying a Panthers body with him for about 15m.

Manly gets a penalty and elect not to kick for goal. DCE instead sends it into touch deep.

Scott Sorensen is back on the field after his sin-binning and Penrith are able to regain the ball.

Nathan Cleary smashes one up field and pulls off a 40/20 - although it looked like Lehi Hopoate actually kept in play.

The Panthers will need some sort of miracle to not end tonight on the bottom of the ladder.

They have first use as the second half is underway.

It has been a really impressive first half of rugby league from Manly.

The Sea Eagles have a 100% completion rate from the first 40, and Tom Trbojevic has been absolutely instrumental on his return.

He set up Tommy Talau for Manly's second try after Reuben Garrick had opened the scoring.

Penrith looked a bit all over the place, exhibiting some silly mistakes and lacklustre movement.

"I think Ivan will be stoked going into half-time, only 14 points down," says Luke Lewis on commentary for ABC Sport.

Was last week's win over the Roosters a false dawn for the four-time defending premiers?

We'll find out soon - the second half isn't far away.