The last time Penrith beat Melbourne, New South Wales were the State of Origin champions, Andrew Johns was still playing halfback for Newcastle and there was no way Josh Dugan could have got himself into trouble, because Twitter didn’t exist.
It was 2005, and it’s been a long time between drinks.
At Centrebet Stadium tonight, Penrith produced what will be perhaps the biggest upset of the 2013 NRL season, downing the Storm 12-10 in a hard fought encounter.
Inspired by a man-of-the-match performance from the little-known Adam Docker and the hard-hitting Nigel Plum, the Panthers breathed life into their season and handed the Storm their second straight loss.
Penrith stunned the Storm with three early tries – the first a well-read intercept by David Simmons who pounced on a Billy Slater ball to run 80 metres to score.
Simmons would score again in the first half thanks to a freakish put-down in the corner, while his opposite winger Travis Robinson also bagged a try thanks to a smart Luke Walsh kick across field.
The Panthers could have been up 18-0 but Walsh missed all three conversions, leaving the side vulnerable to a Storm side that can strike from the smallest of opportunities. However, an unbelievable standing ovation from the small but vocal home crowd would have given the players every bit of confidence they needed in the second half.
Melbourne attacked far better in the second half than they did the first, and started to chip away at Penrith’s 12-0 lead when Sisa Waqa pounced on a Travis Robinson fumble to score out wide. Cameron Smith missed the kick, which would ultimately prove the difference.
The Storm went over again through Jesse Bromwich with 24 minutes left, setting up a thrilling final quarter in which Penrith’s defence held strong despite Melbourne’s attempts to produce one of the pieces of magic they’re renowned for.
Docker and Plum were without doubt Penrith’s best but Walsh again fired with the boot, producing a smart stop-start kicking game that limited Melbourne’s opportunities to get back into the game. Captain Kevin Kingston – believed to be departing at the end of the season – also had his best game, making up for a relatively quiet performance from James Segeyaro.
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary summed up the win when he said: “I think they were just waiting for us to fold and we didn’t.”
Cleary said the Panthers built their foundation on defence and was particularly proud of his side’s second half effort.
Storm skipper Cameron Smith said his side lacked energy, while coach Craig Bellamy said he was disappointed with the way they started the game.
“Our second half was good but our first half, we just weren’t here mentally,” he said.
Penrith have now won two of their last three matches and face the Warriors, Dragons and Tigers in coming weeks. It could be that those three games prove the most vital in determing where the Panthers may be headed in 2014.
Earlier, Penrith’s Holden Cup side held off a fast finishing Storm to remain on top of the table, with a 10-6 victory.
