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Scott Bailey

Penrith make it 20 straight NRL home wins

Penrith's Scott Sorensen makes a break on his way to the try line against Brisbane. (AAP)

Penrith can lay claim to being the hardest team to beat at home in more than 50 years after putting on a second-half clinic to dispose of Brisbane 40-12.

On an historic Friday night at Bluebet Stadium, the Panthers chalked up their 20th straight win at their home ground as part of a streak that dates back to August 2019.

It came as Nathan Cleary set up two tries before ending the night on report for dangerous contact on Billy Walters' legs in a tackle.

The Panthers' middle also had a field day, with Liam Martin, Spencer Leniu and Scott Sorensen all bagging tries and the latter having the finest game of his career.

Their domination overshadowed the excellence of Kotoni Staggs, with the Brisbane centre putting his hand up for Latrell Mitchell's NSW State of Origin jersey.

But it was one of the few bright spots for Brisbane, who only trailed 12-6 at halftime with the suspended Payne Haas headlining a glut of missing stars, before Tesi Niu was injured and the floodgates opened.

Just as every other visiting team has discovered in the past 32 months, Brisbane found out it takes more than individual brilliance to win at the Panthers.

So good is their winning streak, they become the first team since Manly in the late 1960s to win 20 straight games at their home ground.

Cleary was again one of the stars, just days after inking a new five-year deal alongside father Ivan.

The No.7 and his halves partner linked up for Penrith's first try, with Jarome Luai making the most of a Viliame Kikau decoy run and stepping through a gap to hit back after the Broncos scored first.

Then Sorensen's heroics began.

The forward burst through to make it 12-6 at halftime when he went 25 metres to score, and broke the line again in the second half to allow Cleary to kick for a flying Taylan May on the next play.

Such has been May's rise, the winger is now the equal with Ryan Papenhuyzen as the leading try-scorer in the NRL this year after just his fourth first-grade game.

Fellow-winger Charlie Staines bagged a try from some quick hands from Liam Martin, while Izack Tago claimed a penalty try on the siren.

Staggs meanwhile was easily the Broncos' best.

The centre twice got on the outside of Tago, setting up Brisbane's first try when he found Niu back inside.

Staggs scored the visitor's second try, running onto an Adam Reynolds kick with the Broncos halfback having a good night with the boot.

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