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Live: Luai takes on former halves-partner Cleary in NRL blockbuster
NRL premiership winning halfback partners Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai will lock horns as Wests Tigers host the Penrith Panthers.
Later, Cronulla Sutherland Sharks host a St George Illawarra Dragons team desperate to build on their first win of the NRL season last week.
Follow the live blog below, keep up to date with all the latest stats in our ScoreCentre, and tune in to our live radio coverage.
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Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 1:57pm
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 1:57pm
Live updates: Wests Tigers vs Penrith Panthers
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Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:36pm
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:36pm
Where are the Tigers at?
By Simon Smale
Patience ..... have some patience. Tigers will wake up soon to the fact that they've got a job that they're paid to do and find some players to meet their contractual obligations .....
- Old timer
It's unfair to pick on Jarome Luai, but he has only touched the ball four times so far...
And he has made four tackles, but missed three others.
I mean, that's rubbish whoever you are, let alone the star player.
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:35pm
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:35pm
28' Fonua Pole on report
By Simon Smale
Fonua Pole is on report, by the way, after he decided the only way he had any chance of stopping a rampaging Moses Leota run was to lower his shoulder.
It looked like he still came off second best too, by the way.
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:34pm
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:34pm
27' The Panthers make it five!
By Simon Smale
Nathan Cleary throws a dummy and Royce Hunt was about as effective at stopping him as an open door, gifting a path into the backfield for the Panthers star.
He races through towards the line, has Isaah Yeo steaming up in support and passes to him, the giant lock sliding over the line to score another try.
The Tigers defence is pathetic at the moment.
The kick is good and the Panthers continue going at better than a point a minute to lead 30-0.
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:27pm
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:27pm
21' The Panthers score!
By Simon Smale
Thomas Jenkins dives over in the corner!
He has the best job in the NRL being on the end of this backline, does Jenkins.
The Panthers moved the ball to the left side swiftly, easily, and cut open the Tigers who already look like they want this game to be over.
That is his 19th try of the season - which is absolutely absurd in this T20-like NRL season.
Cleary slots from the sideline and the Panthers are going at better than a point a minute to lead 24-0.
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:25pm
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:25pm
20' Panthers win a captain's challenge
By Simon Smale
Oh my word.
The Panthers drop the ball after the Tigers just about manage to scramble back from the Jenkins run.
But the Panthers think that Heamasi Makasini got a touch and a knock on before the Panthers lost it - and he did.
The challenge is won and the Panthers have a scrum on the Tigers 20.
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:23pm
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:23pm
20' JENKINS WITH A 70-METRE BREAK!
By Simon Smale
THE TIGERS HAVE BEEN DECLAWED!
Straight off the kick the Panthers flood forward and Thomas Jenkins was away!
Lindsay Smith caught the ball about 15 metres in from the left sideline, started to run the ball back but then spun a perfect pass wide to Jenkins and the Tigers chasers were so narrow that he got it past all of them.
A great spot from Smith but horror defence from the Tigers!
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:22pm
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:22pm
19' Panthers have another
By Simon Smale
The Panthers score again, a third try off a Tigers error.
This time it's Freddy Lussick who just dives over from dummy half after Moses Leota is hauled down just short of the line.
This is getting ugly very, very quickly.
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:20pm
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:20pm
16' Sunia Turuva with a wild forward pass
By Simon Smale
Panic stations for the Tigers already?
The Tigers winger was scragged in a tackle and threw a ridiculous forward pass as if he was an under 8's worried about being tackled for the first time.
Blimey.
That's terrible from the Tigers centre.
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:16pm
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:16pm
13' Tigers are struggling
By Simon Smale
The Tigers have completed one set out of three so far in this game and made 98 tackles.
The Panthers are eight from eight and have only had to make 34 tackles total.
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:13pm
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:13pm
12' Nathan Cleary burrows over for the Panthers!
By Simon Smale
Oh that is very nice from the Panthers.
Isaiah Papali'i was at first receiver and passed to Nathan Cleary out the back.
The Wests Tigers defence was not expecting him to be there and the edge forwards were caught flat footed as the elite half scythed through them, diving low to score.
The kick is good and the Panthers lead 12-0.
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:13pm
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:13pm
10' Another Tigers error
By Simon Smale
Oh dear.
Charlie Murray took the ball on half way and was thinking so much about passing it on, he forgot to catch it.
Another turn over from the Tigers and this amount of defending is not sustainable for the hosts.
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:09pm
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:09pm
7' Panthers score first!
By Simon Smale
Well it was coming.
The Tigers have had to make 54 tackles in the opening phases of this match and Heamasi Makasini can't make the 55th.
Paul Alamoti on the run, gives a strong fend and swallow dives over in the corner to open the scoring.
Cleary taking the extra couple of steps out wide before passing out the back to Edwards got the Panthers in motion before Alamoti saw the gap.
Very nice shift from the Panthers to open up the Tigers defence out wide.
Nathan Cleary slots nicely from the outside edge of the pitch and it's 6-0 early.
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:07pm
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:07pm
5' Tigers drop the ball inside their own half
By Simon Smale
That's not a great start coming out of defence for Fonua Pole, who was given a rough pass by Api Koroisau, who holds his hand up in apology.
The Tigers defence has been tested in the opening five minutes - but they're not gunna be able to switch off for a while yet.
Panthers start with a scrum on the Tigers' 40.
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:04pm
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:04pm
3' Penrith earn a repeat set but the Tigers hold firm
By Simon Smale
Cleary with a very clever reverse kick to the short side that was contestable and the Tigers get a touch. The Panthers will have another set of tackles to defend on their own line.
And they do, Moses Leota stopped right on the try line as he attempts to barge over on the last.
Great defence from the Tigers.
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:01pm
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 2:01pm
1' We're underway in Western Sydney
By Simon Smale
The Panthers are away at their home away from home, while the Tigers are at home in their alternative home away from home.
Yep, simples.
Panthers in pink, Tigers in white, grey, black and orange and it is they who kick off to the pink Panthers who run it back to the 10 to get us started.
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 1:53pm
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 1:53pm
Round 14 so far
By Simon Smale
Here's how the round has shaped up so far, and what is yet to come.
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 1:48pm
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 1:48pm
Api Koroisau's Blues audition
By Simon Smale
Is Api Koroisau a chance for a spot in the Blues squad for Game II?
With Blayke Brailey suffering a broken forearm, the hooker spot is very much up for grabs at the MCG.
Wests Tigers have won six from eight when Koroisau has played this season and he was superb last week on his return from suspension.
A big performance here could provide the shove required to get him into a Blues jersey.
Blues coach Laurie Daley said Koroisau is in the mix, alongside Connor Watson and Wayde Egan.
"All three of those guys will be in the conversation," Daley told News Corp after Brailey was ruled out.
"Whoever can play well between now and when we select the side may well find themselves on that bench.
"For us it's very important. [We] saw the impact of Blayke. If you get momentum in today's game from dummy half and put pressure on the opposition, that was a real strength.
"There is an opportunity there for someone if they play well in the next couple of weeks."
Watson is, arguably, the incumbent given he played five of the last six Origin games for the Blues, while Koroisau hasn't played for the Blues since 2023, when he made the last of his four appearances.
Egan has never played Origin.
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 1:38pm
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 1:38pm
Panthers premiership friends line up against each other once more
By Simon Smale
Jarome Luai and Nathan Cleary are two of the best halves in the NRL - and are coming face-to-face once more this afternoon in the sun of Western Sydney Stadium.
The pair won four premierships as halfback partners with the Panthers before Luai shifted to the Tigers.
There he has no doubt helped instil a degree of professionalism and drive that has surely been lacking in the perennial cellar dwellers.
But he has not tasted the success he promised and, with a surprise move to Papua New Guinea on the horizon, time is running out for him to do so.
Cleary, meanwhile, has continued to chug on as one of the greatest players of his generation, not only leading the Panthers to continued success, but steering the Blues to a 1-0 Origin lead as well.
It was always a pleasure watching the pair of them weave their magic on the pitch together - can they inspire their teams to an impressive performance today?
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 1:31pm
Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 1:31pm
Team news
By Simon Smale
Here's how the two teams line up.
Wests Tigers
No late changes to the run on side.
Heamasi Makasini was at risk of missing out in the centres after suffering an AC joint injury, but he's pulled up well and will take his spot in the 4 jersey.
Mavrik Geyer steps into the second row after Sione Fainu was ruled with concussion, with Charlie Murray getting his first start of the year at lock.
Penrith Panthers
All the big names are back from their Origin rest last week, meaning Nathan Cleary will get to front up against good mate and premiership winning half Jarome Luai.
Isaah Yeo and Brian To'o also return which puts Jack Cogger, Liam Henry and Izack Tago on the pine.
Paul Alamoti moves to centre.
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