It’s official, the Penrith Panthers are in disarray.
The club that set a new benchmark in the NRL after marching to the last four premierships slipped to a stunning fifth straight loss to the Dolphins on Thursday night, 30-12 at Suncorp Stadium.
Instead of rallying following some competitive defeats to the Storm, Roosters, Cowboys and Bunnies, the Panthers let in regular tries in a performance that underlines the club’s woes.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow starred with a hat-trick of tries for a Dolphins outfit that regularly cracked Penrith’s defensive line and ended with five converted tries for the night.
The teams came into the match one place apart towards the bottom of the NRL table and the manner of victory from the home side indicates the struggle ahead for Ivan Cleary’s team.
A moment of madness from the Dolphins late in the match, when Jack Bostock’s attempted clearing kick in his own in-goal area led straight to a Moses Leota try in the 72nd minute, mattered little as the Hammer grabbed his third try in the final minute.
Nathan Cleary, so often the playmaking saviour, summed up his side’s malaise at one stage when he threw a pass straight into touch.
“I don’t think I’ve seen Nathan Cleary throw a bad pass like that before,” Cooper Cronk said on Fox League.
