Good night!
Each week I add another 15 minutes to my time in front of the laptop doing this but there is no time to even scratch the surface. Ideally I want six self-contained news stories, all the audio and video from each game and more. But seriously, who's still reading this? So I'll be following up multiple angles in Fairfax's Set of Six later today. How significant were tonight's three games? I think the Cowboys showed their class once more. The other five sides remain in a mid-tavle jumble and we learned little about them. For the first time this year, but a tradition last year, it's Rugby League Internet Radio
Scott: Merrin told me he milked crusher penalty
PLACED on report for a crusher tackle, North Queensland captain Matt Scott says his alleged victim told him he had "milked" a penalty in the incident.
For the second time this year, the Australia prop was booked over the tactic - this time on Penrith's Trent Merrin as the premers scored a 23-18 win at Pepper Stadium
But Scott said: "Trent said to me at the end of the game he milked it. Jason Taumalalo was put in the same position and he got up and it wasn't looked at it.
"Trent told me his neck is fine and that he milked it."
Coach Paul Green said of the win: "We showed a lot of character to come back from where we were and win the game in the end there.
"If that's the way they're going to ref the ruck ... I don't think we were five or six penalties worse than them. They need to be consistent with their interpretations."
Green also discussed his tactic of starting Rory Kostjaysn at hooker ahead of Jake Granville, saying it was not set in stone.
Discussing off-contract fullback Lachlan Coote, the coach commented: "He's not a player I want to lose or get rid of at any stretch. But at the end of the day we've got a salary cap we have to fit into.
"His manager came to us with a figure that was not on our ballpark at the time."
Scott concluded: "Our right side is pretty dangerous at the moment."
Panthers media conference
"It's never in the bag against them," said coach Anthony Griffin.
"We went within 10 points of beating both the grand final teams of last year in the last month.
"We've got a couple of rookies defending together on the right side who got found out in that first half. We loosened up on Granville a couple of times.
"It hurts. If we were getting beaten 40-0 it would hurt more."
Asked if the Panthers might try to get Lachlan Coote back, Griffin said: "We've got a fair fullback at the moment. I don't think that'll be happening, no."
Fulltime at Pepper Stadium: NORTH QUEENSLAND 23 PENRITH 18
NORTH Queensland have finished just a little too strongly for Penrith in a cliff hanger at Pepper Stadium, a Lachlan Coote field goal and Kyle Feldt try handing the premiers a four-point victory.
The Panthers jumped to an early 10-0 lead and the home team also reclaimed the ascendancy during a keenly-contested second half.
But the calm hand of halves Jonathan Thurston and Michael Morgan played a key role in the World Club Champions' consummate finish.
80 min: Feldt try
And world's best club team ices this once with Michael Morgan and Johnathan Thurston involved for winger Kyle Feldt to score in the north-eastern corner. Udderly fantastic from the Cows. Thurston can't convert. North Queensland 23-18
Back to topA 45 metre field goal attempt from Soward is only just off-target. The crowd at Pepper Stadium has certainly got its money's worth this evening. Just a minute left. North Queensland 19-18
Spine-tingling moments as Jamie Soward positions himself for a leveller but it rushed by the defence. The Panthers keep the ball alive, spreading to the left, and scrambling NQ defence bundles Josh Mansour into touch a metre from the tryline. North Queensland 19-18
72 min: Coote field goal
Lachlan Coote had to reposition himself at the last second to land a 15-metre field goal and edge the premiers in front. North Queensland 19-18
Jason Taumalolo is over the tryline between the posts but the ball is stripped according to on-field official Ashley Klein. That view is echoed by Bernard Sutton in The Bunker, with Matt Moylan and Te Mare Martin the defenders involved. It's a line dropout ordered against Penrith. NO TRY. 18-18
65 min: Cooper try, Thurston goal
Gavin Cooper charges at the line after a couple of quick play-the-balls from the Cowboys and gets it down despite the attention of a couple of desperate defenders. Johnathan Thurston converts from close range. 18-18
Matt Scott is on report once more for a crusher tackle and once more there is notning in it. A waste of everyone's time. Let's make him fly to Sydney for a hearing just to make a bird of it. Penrith 18-12
61 min: Soward goal
Penrith get a penalty for holding down just to the right of the uprights as they attack the southern end of Pepper Stadium. An easy decision for Soward to shoot for goal. He lines it up and snaffles it. Penrith 18-12
You have to "lol" when they say "facial" #nrlpennql #rugbyleague #nrl
— Stuart May8 (@Stu_bomb_May) April 9, 2016
54 min: Merrin try, Soward goal
Trent Merrin has crashed over for Penrith after a nice interchange of passes in the centre of the field. It's sent to The Bunker as 'no-try' but the replay says otherwise. The in-goal camera clearly shows the ball on the ground in the in-goal. Jamie Soward converts. Penrith 16-12
Johnathan Thurston has received a knee in the head as a number of players contested a kick. Replays suggest most of the impact was in the Golden Boot holder's right ear. He's back on his feet and carrying on. North Queensland 12-10
Teams: PENRITH v NORTH QUEENSLAND
PENRITH: Matt Mylan ©; Josh Mansour, Waqa Blake, Peta Hiku, Dalin Watene-Zelezniak; Te-Mare Martin, Jamie Soward; Trent Merrin, Isaah Yeo, Bryce Cartwright, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Peter Wallace, Sam McKendry. Res: Tyrone Peachey, Lelani Latu, Suaia Matagi, James Fisher-Harris.
NQ: Lachlan Coote; Kyle Feldt, Justin O'Neill, Javid Bowen, Antonio Winterstein; Michael Morgan, Jonathan Thurston ©: Jason Taumalolo, Ethan Lowe, Gavin Cooper, James Tamou, Rory Kostjasyn, Matt Scott ©. Res: Jake Granville, John Asiata, Scott Bolton, Ben Hannant.
Referees: Ashley Klein/Adam Gee
Back to topHalftime at Pepper Stadium: NORTH QUEENSLAND 12 PENRITH 10
WORLD champs North Queensland have hit back from 10-0 down to snatch a two point lead at halftime over Penrith.
Two tries to flying winger Dalin Watene-Zelezniak in the opening 15 minutes gave the Panthers an unexpected advantage but a couple of set plays soon righted the ship for the Townsville side.
Penrith's Matt Moylan and Peter Wallace were seen remonstrating with referees as the teams left the field at the break.
HT at Pepper Stadium:#NRLPanthersCowboys #NRL pic.twitter.com/KqGsD9LvXy
— NRL (@NRL) April 9, 2016
34 min: O'Neill try, Thurston goal
The Cowboys are back in the saddle with Jake Granville, Thurston and Lachlan Coote combining on the right for Vanuatu-eligible Justin O'Neill to score after a worthy decoy run from Ethan Lowe. Thurston converts. North Queensland 12-10
26 min: Bowen try, Thurston goal
Second game and second try to Javid Bowen, the nephew of Matt. It's a nicely worked blindside play which finishes with Bowen going over in the south-eastern corner amid a jumble of players. Johnathan Thurston lands a not-easy conversion from a few metres in from touch. Penrith 10-6
15 min: Watene-Zelezniak try
Watene-Zelezniak catches his opposite number napping and crosses from very, very close range. Jamie Soward from the sideline ... misses. The premiers are under a little bit of pressure early. Penrith 10-0
Not good enough, Cowboys. Defence up. #NRLPanthersCowboys
— Allie (@Metallieca) April 9, 2016
7 min: Watene-Zelezniak try, Soward goal
A fantastic try for Penrith after Bryce Cartwright comes up with a richocheted kick deep in his own quarter and feeds winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak who races upfield, passes inside to Te Maaire Martin, and takes the final pass to score. It's a 90-metre score which is spoilt somewhat by the deliberation from The Bunker regarding just how Cartwright came up with the ball. All good in the end, though, Jamie Soward converts. Penrith 6 North Queensland 0
Sensational!!!#NRLPanthersCowboys#NRL #HistoryHappens https://t.co/iAuNpNFW4J
— NRL (@NRL) April 9, 2016
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