‘Phil Gould Left Astounded: Panthers Experience Frantic Third Consecutive Loss After Years of Stability’

Penrith was left in disbelief on Thursday evening, suffering their third consecutive defeat as the rampant Rabbitohs dominated with a stunning first half performance.

South Sydney capitalised on the absence of Nathan Cleary and Dylan Edwards, but the Panthers made it easier for their opponents with a nightmarish display at Accor Stadium.

The hosts raced to a commanding 28-0 lead by halftime, marking the largest halftime deficit Penrith had endured in seven years.

Keaon Koloamatangi scored twice within the first thirty minutes, with Jye Gray further extending South Sydney’s advantage just before the whistle blew for the break.

When the teams headed to the tunnel, Penrith found themselves with a mere 28 per cent possession, having committed eight errors and conceded five penalties.

At one point, Paul Alamoti kicked the ball out on the full, while players like Liam Martin and Daine Laurie made uncharacteristic mistakes deep within their territory.

“The Panthers are playing in a frantic, submissive manner,” Phil Gould commented on Nine.

“We haven’t seen this sort of performance in years. They are being outmuscled and outmatched in enthusiasm.”

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The Rabbitohs started making errors early in the second half, which allowed the Panthers to claw their way back into contention. Martin and Brad Schneider sparked a mini-revival.

Moses Leota appeared to have cut the deficit to less than two converted tries just past the hour mark, but referee Ashley Klein and the Bunker ruled it out.

“That’s right—hand on the ball, ball on the ground—just typical,” Gould remarked.

The decision to disallow Leota’s vital try seemed to deflate Penrith’s momentum, with mistakes and forced passes compounding their chances of a last-gasp recovery, as the cardinal and myrtle secured a significant 28-18 victory.

“We were frantic on our line, lacking resilience at this point,” Isaah Yeo stated in a post-match interview with Nine.

“We were essentially shooting ourselves in the foot. We made nearly every error possible.

“We performed somewhat better in the second half, but the damage had already been done.”

YEO VID HERE WHEN IT DROPS

To add to the champions’ woes, Brian To’o exited the field late in the match with a new hamstring injury, while Scott Sorensen was knocked out in the early stages of the game.

South Sydney has now secured victory in three of their opening four matches, surprising many observers even in the absence of superstars Latrell Mitchell and Cameron Murray.

The club’s star fullback is anticipated to return in round five when they face the Roosters.