The Penrith Panthers have crushed the New Zealand Warriors’ hopes for the 2025 season with a 24-8 victory in a sudden-death elimination final tonight.
The Warriors came out in Auckland determined, despite having only just qualified for the finals. Tanah Boyd kicked the first points via a penalty, giving the home side a 2-0 lead. Penrith responded before halftime, with Nathan Cleary engineering good field position and setting up Isaiah Papali’i to cross. At halftime, the score was 6-2 in favour of the Panthers.
As the second half began, Penrith struck early. Brad Schneider snuck in from dummy half to extend the lead. The Warriors momentarily fought back through rookie Leka Halasima, who powered through tackles to score a try, narrowing the margin to 12-8. However, it was Penrith’s ability to capitalise on key moments that made the difference. With under 15 minutes remaining, a Cleary kick bounced favourably, Brian To’o chased it down, and Casey McLean completed a long, well-constructed move.
To seal it, Brian To’o scooped up a loose ball deep in Warriors territory and sprinted roughly 50 metres for the final try.
