The New Zealand Warriors have been knocked out of the NRL playoffs after a 24–8 loss to the Penrith Panthers.
The defeat ended the Warriors’ season, while the four-time champions kept their dream of a fifth straight title alive.
The match began with high energy and early tension. A penalty from Tannah Boyd gave the Panthers the first points, while both sides got into several heated scuffles. The Warriors had a long stretch on attack, but Penrith held strong.
Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary cleverly turned the tide with a sneaky short drop-out, and soon after, Brian To’o broke through the Warriors’ defense. He offloaded to former Warrior Isaiah Papali’i, who charged over for the opening try.
After halftime, Penrith kept up the pressure. Brad Schneider ducked over from close range to stretch the lead. But the Warriors hit back quickly — taking advantage of a rare mistake from Cleary, they surged forward and rookie Leka Halasima muscled through to score and make it 12–8.
With just 15 minutes left, the Panthers pulled away for good. A bouncing Cleary kick landed perfectly for To’o, who dashed ahead and passed to Jesse McLean for a highlight-reel try.
Then, To’o sealed the match by intercepting a loose pass and sprinting 50 metres to score again, ending any Warriors comeback hopes.
Despite a brave effort, the Warriors’ season came to a close — still chasing their first-ever NRL title after 30 years of trying. The Panthers, meanwhile, march on, one step closer to a historic five-peat.
