The Penrith Panthers good begin to the NRL season was led to complete vogue by the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at Stadium Australia on Thursday night time.Â
The Bulldogs raced right into a 16-0 lead early due to tries to a revitalised Viliame Kikau, Jacob Kiraz and Samuel Hughes, whereas the Panthers had Casey McLean despatched to the sin bin for a excessive shot.
The Panthers hit again by way of two Tom Jenkins tries — his sixth multi-score sport out of six to begin the 12 months — both facet of a Dylan Edwards rating to attract stage.
However having dominant the Panthers early, the Bulldogs regrouped and went once more with tries to Jacob Preston and Sitili Tupouniua and two penalty objectives from Matt Burton sealed a well-known victory.
After some of the dominant begins to a NRL season in reminiscence, loads of folks had been already predicting a Panthers premiership procession.
However the Bulldogs — given barely a hope after two-straight, lacklustre defeats and with captain Stephen Crichton watching injured from the coaches field — threw a colossal spanner within the works with a gutsy show to wholeheartedly break Nathan Cleary’s two hundredth NRL look.
The Bulldogs began effectively, their huge forwards powering up the center and limiting the Panthers’ any freedom to assault.
It was becoming that Kikau — lacking in motion final week in opposition to Souths with simply 44 metres from 9 runs however managing 103 from 11 this week — powered over for the primary with a ferocious fend on Isaah Yeo in addition.
The Panthers might have been unlucky to lose Casey McLean to the sin bin for a excessive shot — particularly as Kurt Mann someway escaped punishment for a much more egregious excessive shot later within the half, certainly one of many vision-defying Bunker selections within the match — however the Bulldogs took full benefit, with Kiraz scooting over in a single nook and Hughes reaching over by way of the center earlier than the 20 minute mark.Â
Casey McLean was sin binned within the opening 10 minutes. (Getty Pictures: Cameron Spencer)
The Panthers had been desperately out of contact, with Yeo, Liam Martin and Cleary all making uncharacteristic errors — they’d finish with 15 for the match in comparison with the Bulldogs 10.
However they nonetheless normal sufficient territory to ship Jenkins over for his now customary two tries, the second an exhilarating leap over the pinnacle of Marcelo Montoya.
Edwards additionally scored, benefiting from a defensive misinterpret by the Bulldogs because the Panthers drew stage.
However having overpowered the Panthers as soon as, the Bulldogs did so once more, some livid runs from Sitili Tupouniua (140 metres from 11 runs) pounding the Panthers line, with the massively spectacular Preston — who ran 109 metres with three line breaks and a attempt help — scoring one and linking up with Tupouniua for one more.
Galvin starred with 102 operating metres of his personal, in addition to 4 line break assists and a attempt help to his identify, whereas Cleary by no means obtained going.
There might also be points for the Panthers on the harm entrance, with Martin enjoying simply 38 minutes and ending the match with strapping on his left knee.
Look again on how all of the motion unfolded in our stay weblog.
Key Occasions
7h in the past7 hours in the pastThu 9 Apr 2026 at 11:45am
7h in the past7 hours in the pastThu 9 Apr 2026 at 11:33am
8h in the past8 hours in the pastThu 9 Apr 2026 at 11:08am
Present all key occasions
Updates: Bulldogs vs Panthers
6h in the pastThu 9 Apr 2026 at 12:16pm
We’ll wrap issues up right here
Thanks a lot for being with us tonight, an evening the place the Bulldogs rediscovered their chunk and the omnipotent Panthers had been was pussycats.
An enormous outcome to kick off spherical six – and we’ll be again for extra tomorrow.
We’ll begin within the Gong with the under-fire Dragons taking over the resurgent Sea Eagles and comply with it up with a captivating Queensland derby in Brisbane because the injury-ravaged Broncos tackle the high-flying Cowboys.
Must be a superb Friday night time – and I am unable to wait to share it with you.
See you then.
7h in the pastThu 9 Apr 2026 at 11:51am
An astonishing sport, actually
What an upset! I am upset I did not comply with to my upset intestine with the tipping – effectively performed Bulldogs and I hope to see Penrith again quickly…
– Mike
Very entertaining weblog Simon on a really baffling sport!
– KB
7h in the pastThu 9 Apr 2026 at 11:51am
I’m somewhat bit surprised nonetheless
The Bulldogs completely dominated up the center in that sport.
Nearly as good because the Panthers have been this 12 months, they merely had no reply to being bullied by the Bulldogs’ ahead.
Jacob Preston has to determine extremely in participant of the match reckoning, however Lachie Galvin barely put a foot mistaken and neither did Matt Burton.
Large performances from the massive Bulldogs names.
FT: The Bulldogs full boilover win in opposition to the Panthers
A shocking outcome for the Bulldogs!
After two successive outcomes and with out their skipper, no one gave them a hope tonight.
Not even a touch of a hope.
However they got here out onerous from the beginning and by no means let up.
It was talked about on commentary that the Bulldogs needed to win that sport twice – as soon as within the first 20 minutes after which once more within the last 20 minutes and that is spot on.
The Panthers had been effectively off track, there is not any questioning that.
However as many individuals had been proclaiming a Panthers procession to the premiership, the Bulldogs not solely laid a glove on the champions elect, however put them on the canvas.
7h in the pastThu 9 Apr 2026 at 11:44am
80′ Penalty Bulldogs!
Tupouniua steamrolls a pair of Panthers!
They lie throughout him and provides away a penalty that the Bulldogs will kick.
And Burton kicks it by way of!
7h in the pastThu 9 Apr 2026 at 11:42am
78′ Tuala is over! However is it a knock on?
A beautiful kick, a extremely beautiful kick to the proper nook.
Montoya and Jenkins are up and contest the ball.
Who is aware of what the Bunker will see right here given a few of his calls tonight.
He spots a Montoya knock on. It is as believable as something, I suppose.
7h in the pastThu 9 Apr 2026 at 11:40am
77′ BRIAN TO’O LOSES THE BALL!
The Panthers are lifeless and buried!
The Bulldogs begin their set inside Panthers territory and, with three minutes remaining, this impossible of outcomes, is sealed!
7h in the pastThu 9 Apr 2026 at 11:37am
75′ Bulldogs lead by three scores
Matt Burton.
He is 4 from 5 tonight.
He is 10 metres in from the proper facet, 20 metres out.
AND HE KICKS IT!
7h in the pastThu 9 Apr 2026 at 11:36am
73′ Bulldogs penalty!
The kick from Galvin wasn’t the most effective, a bit quick.
Nevertheless it labored.
Jenkins got here ahead to assert the kick, could not, knocked on and Blaize Talagi is offside.
The Bulldogs can all however seal it right here by kicking a penalty.
7h in the pastThu 9 Apr 2026 at 11:35am
72′ Panthers knock on!
The quick kick off doesn’t work and the Bulldogs have an opportunity to complete this one!
7h in the pastThu 9 Apr 2026 at 11:34am
72′ Liam Martin is off
And he is obtained his left knee taped up and strapped.
He is barely performed tonight so should be injured.
70′ THE BULLDOGS SCORE!
Sitili Tupouniua scores!
Jacob Preston fashions a niche the place there was none obtainable!
He tears in the direction of the road after shrugging apart a poor problem from Casey McLean.
He passes to his assist runner Sitili Tupouniua who races over to attain.
Lachie Galvin with the linebreak help.
The kick is nice, the Bulldogs lead 28-16 with 9 minutes remaining!
7h in the pastThu 9 Apr 2026 at 11:30am
68′ Kikau loses the ball!
Viliame Kikau got here into the road at a fee of knots, however the go from Galvin wasn’t fairly good as he wanted it to be at that tempo and Paul Alamoti monstered him with a shot.
The Panthers transfer the ball out from their very own 10.
7h in the pastThu 9 Apr 2026 at 11:26am
65′ Penrith knock on, Panthers problem
The ball hits the shoulder of Scott Sorenson and appears prefer it goes backwards.
Except you are the Bunker, apparently.
Wow.
That ball clearly has hit the shoulder and gone backwards, however the Bunker, seeing the identical imaginative and prescient we’re seeing, says it is gone forwards.
Should imply one thing totally different the place they prepare.
Anyway, neither facet has a problem left.
7h in the pastThu 9 Apr 2026 at 11:24am
63′ Nathan Cleary has tried two little grubbers in a row
In consecutive units.
Neither of them have labored, thoughts you.
Is he enjoying the lengthy sport, attempting to tug Connor Tracey ahead so he can put in a deeper bomb and switch him round?
If that’s the plan, he must do it higher than he at present is.
7h in the pastThu 9 Apr 2026 at 11:22am
61′ THE BULLDOGS FLUFF THEIR LINES AGAIN! However they’ll problem
Enari Tuala knocks the ball on.
However some time after he knocks it on, a second or two later actually, Jenkins’s hand touches Tuala’s face.
It could actually’t be a excessive shot, absolutely.
He knocked it on a while earlier than Jenkins even obtained there!
The Bunker says it isn’t a excessive shot.
Fascinating – the reasoning the Bunker gave was clearly mistaken, there was contact with the face of Tuala, but it surely was so incidental that you simply’d make heavier contact getting in for a peck in your nanna’s cheek.
Anyway, the problem is misplaced.
The Panthers clear their traces.
I’m wondering if both of those sides will full one other set earlier than the top of the sport…
7h in the pastThu 9 Apr 2026 at 11:18am
59′ NOW THE PANTHERS COUGH IT UP!
MY GOODNESS!
It is a very sturdy sort out, however that is stunning from the Panthers.
The Bulldogs defence is making up for his or her unforced errors in assault in the mean time – and there shall be a superb subject place for them to begin, contained in the Panthers 40.
7h in the pastThu 9 Apr 2026 at 11:17am
58′ Shocker from the Bulldogs
Oh my goodness – neither facet can put a set collectively in the mean time.
Maybe they’d all reasonably be on the Easter present?
Bailey Hayward this time, simply fails to select the ball up, knocking it on on the play the ball.
Poor.
7h in the pastThu 9 Apr 2026 at 11:16am
57′ Dylan Edwards loses the ball within the sort out!
Highly effective defence from the Bulldogs means they reverse the error and the Panthers proceed to wrestle to make any floor by way of the midfield.
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