Ivan Cleary, coach of the Penrith Panthers, expressed frustration over a controversial decision from the Bunker that disallowed a try by Moses Leota during their round four clash against South Sydney, a decision he feels hindered their comeback attempt. After a poor first half, in which they trailed 28-0, Penrith showed signs of recovery in the second half, scoring a couple of tries. However, the disallowed try loomed large as Cleary remarked, “It definitely killed our momentum a bit.”
Despite his discontent with the decision made by referee Ashley Klein, Cleary was cautious not to lay the blame entirely on external factors, acknowledging that the Panthers had wasted opportunities in the first half. He stated, “Things need to go your way… at the end of the day, we cost ourselves too many points in the first half.”
Echoing Cleary’s sentiments, Isaah Yeo, the team’s captain, noted that the timing of the call certainly “didn’t help” their efforts as they ultimately fell short, finishing the match 28-18. Cleary also reflected on the performance difficulties faced by the team in the opening half, admitting that he couldn’t recall a previous instance where they had made so many mistakes in just 40 minutes of play. The Panthers struggled with only 28% possession before the break, which proved insurmountable later despite their fighting spirit.
Cleary took responsibility for the team’s lack of rhythm, admitting the errors made were compounded, and they struggled defensively. He articulated, “The spirit is still there… but we haven’t got any rhythm in the way we are playing. We’re going to need to find it pretty soon.” Ultimately, the coach found the game particularly challenging and described moments of play as “comical,” highlighting the urgent need for the Panthers to regain their form and improve their overall performance moving forward.