Coming into Friday night’s game, the Panthers had won 27 consecutive regular-season matches, with their sole loss in their previous 30 looks function as 2020 grand final.
It required the State of Origin series and subsequent loss of regular players to deliver the Panthers down to the earth.
And , the Wests Tigers just kicked off in the last quarter of the game against a second-string Panthers side overlooking 631 games of expertise.
The outcome showed the spirit the Tigers was overlooking.
The previous time that the Wests Tigers played at Leichhardt Oval that they were booed off in half-time, but on Friday night that the audience was rowdy in the typical way.
A 10-0 lead from the ladder leaders roused a standing ovation in the 9,127-strong audience, who had been in their vocal best.
A new competition was brought to life with former Tigers coach Ivan Cleary with re-joined Penrith at 2019, while ex-Panthers captain James Tamou moved the opposite way before the year.
Adding fuel to the fire was climbing Tigers celebrity Daine Laurie causing chaos in the trunk against his former side.
Penrith didn’t wish to launch Laurie this year and also the reason became clear with all the young fullback scoring off a simple set play.
His smart job in defence stored an attempt later on at the half as the Tigers functioned to maintain Penrith’s probing assault .
Having a 6-0 lead the Tigers kept turning Penrith off with replicate collections before Jacob Liddle struck the killer blow.
The cost sheet Saturday morning can be expensive for both sides.
Tigers winger David Nofoaluma was put on account for a high tackle on Paul Momirovski, but the telephone came late by the bunker.
Second rower Luke Garner was also placed on record and may be in trouble for a high shot James Fisher-Harris at the first half.
Penrith will have similar issues for Mitch Kenny who handled Laurie large, while Robert Jennings gave off a penalty try using a high shot Leilua to secure the win.
