FULLTIME: PANTHERS 28-22 SHARKS
That’s all she wrote! The premiers have prevailed in their first game of 2025 and Penrith’s quest for a fifth straight premiership is off to a flying start. The Sharks were wonderful in patches and looked dangerous at times but it wasn’t enough to unseat the kings of the mountain, even when Cronulla roared back into the contest after being 14 points down.
Nathan Cleary, as usual, was the difference. His calm and composure, his soft hands and granite jaw. That set the standard for his men and gave them the confidence to hold their nerve when the Sharks challenged them late in both halves. Under pressure, they refused to panic and were there to strike late when the chances came.
What a player Cleary is and what a team Penrith are. Will they make yet more history in 2025? Or will the Sharks, who showed plenty for their own fans to be excited about, bounce back from this early defeat and launch their own path to glory?
The Panthers have now won nine of their past 10 games against the Sharks. They did it on the back of quiet warriors, Dylan Edwards and Paul Alamoti, who combined for 408 metres between them. For the Sharks Jesse Ramien ran for 177m and Addin Fonua-Blake made a strong debut in blue with 190m of his own.
It’s been an awesome day of rugby league action so thank you for joining u. NRL season 2025 has been launched in style amid the bright lights of Las Vegas.
Viva rugby league!
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78th minute: Panthers 28-22 Sharks. Here come the Sharks. Nicho Hynes runs and passes to Ramien who gets inside the final quarter. Now McInnes inches it closer. Brailey to Talakai who gets within a metre. Hynes to Ramien again on the last but the black mass swarm and they can’t get the ball to the outside men. That could be it.
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