The Penrith Panthers, four-time NRL premiers, hit a rough patch at CommBank Stadium on April 26, 2025, falling 14-0 to the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles at halftime in a gritty ANZAC Round showdown. A crowd of diehards braved the autumn chill, hoping to see the Panthers claw their way off the bottom of the ladder. Instead, they watched Manly’s attack carve through a Penrith side that looked rattled and out of sync.
Manly struck early. Just seven minutes in, Reuben Garrick crossed the line, muscling past Penrith’s defense to plant the ball down. His conversion sailed through, putting the Sea Eagles up 6-0. The Panthers, usually so clinical, fumbled their response. A rare error from fullback Dylan Edwards, who dropped the ball cold during a play-the-ball, handed Manly a scrum feed 20 meters out. The Sea Eagles didn’t waste it. By the 21st minute, Tommy Talau darted into the corner for Manly’s second try, with Garrick nailing the sideline kick to stretch the lead to 12-0.
Penrith’s woes piled up. Hooker Brad Schneider copped a head knock saving a try against Manly’s Daly Cherry-Evans and limped off for a head injury assessment. Then, winger Casey McLean followed, sidelined for a concussion check after a high tackle that gifted Manly a penalty. Garrick slotted the two points, pushing the score to 14-0. The final blow came when Scott Sorensen was sin-binned for a shoulder charge on Nathan Brown, leaving Penrith a man down as the halftime whistle blew.
Manly’s defense was relentless, smothering Penrith’s attack and forcing back-to-back goal-line dropouts. Cherry-Evans, sharp as ever, nearly broke the line himself, only stopped by Schneider’s desperate tackle. The Sea Eagles’ discipline shone through—a captain’s challenge from Cherry-Evans overturned a knock-on call, keeping their momentum alive.
Fans wanting to catch the action can tune in live on Channel Nine or 9Now, with Foxtel and Kayo Sports streaming every minute, no ad breaks during play. Kayo’s 7-day free trial is an option for new subscribers, while Foxtel Now offers a 10-day trial. For those betting, odds before kickoff listed Penrith as slight favorites at $1.65, with Manly at $2.25, per PlayUp.
The match, part of the NRL’s 2025 Telstra Premiership, kicked off at CommBank Stadium, Penrith’s home ground. The Panthers entered with a 1-5 record, their worst start since 2013, while Manly, buoyed by Tom Trbojevic’s return from a hamstring scare, looked to build on their early-season form. The game paused for an ANZAC ceremony, honoring the traditional custodians and paying respects to fallen servicemen and women.
At halftime, Manly led 14-0, with tries from Garrick and Talau, plus Garrick’s three successful kicks. Penrith recorded zero points, with Sorensen set to return from the sin bin at the start of the second half. Schneider and McLean’s status remained unclear pending medical checks.