Sports Wrap: Eels and Tigers in early trouble as Wanderers blow golden chance

It was another tough week for our major sports teams, with only the defending premiers, Penrith, walking away with a positive result. Though it's surely too early for the likes of Brad Arthur or Tim Sheens to be under any real pressure, they might be if things don't change soon.

It's especially precarious for the Eels, who will face Manly, Penrith and the Roosters in their next three games. Based on what we've seen so far, a 0-5 start is a genuine possibility.

NRL

Penrith: The Panthers claimed their first win of the season in a hotly contested and high-quality battle with South Sydney, calming the nerves of fans who had witnessed the lack of cohesion the week before. 

It took the home side just four minutes to claim the lead, after a towering bomb was batted back into the attacking line and some quick hands shifted the ball right for Stephen Crichton to dive over in the corner. But despite the early dominance they struggled to break the line for much of the half, waiting until the final minute of the 40 to strike again.

But the second try wasn’t without controversy after Luke Garner appeared to drop the ball cold during a tackle, only for Jarome Luai to pick up the loose ball, sprint down the field and get the ball away for Izack Tago to score as the half-time siren sounded. 

The second half started in similar fashion for the Panthers, and an attempted short drop-out resulted in another two points before Brian To’o crossed for a 16-point lead. 

The Rabbitohs refused to relent and although they came close, they were ultimately made to pay for their poor start, with the Panthers winning 16-10. 

Parramatta: Last year’s grand finalists will be scratching their heads for answers after being beaten by Cronulla on Friday to start their season 0-2. 

The home side hit the ground running, with two unanswered tries in the first 10 minutes before the Sharks struck back through Briton Nikora. Will Kennedy went over for the Sharks’ second to give them the lead within the next 10 minutes, before a tense back-and-forth ensued. 

Mitch Moses went over for the home side before Kennedy scored his second for the Sharks, and it was more of the same in the second half. Every time the Eels scored, the Sharks had an answer, with Kennedy grabbing his hat-trick. 

Much like the Panthers game, the Eels had their chance with the final play, but were ultimately punished for their defensive inconsistencies. 

Wests Tigers: Things have changed a lot but results are staying the same at the Tigers, who were meek to say the least as they went down to a Newcastle side that lost star half Kalyn Ponga in the opening stages and then played the final 15 minutes a man down after Jacob Saifiti was sent off. 

The Knights started the brighter of the two sides, with two quick-fire tries in the opening 15 minutes establishing an early lead. After scoring the opening try, Knights winger Dominic Young found himself in the sin bin and the Tigers capitalised through Asu Kepaoa, but they regularly struggled to build momentum despite the factors in their favour. 

When Young scored his second, the Knights looked to have done enough - but Saifiti’s send-off and some poor goal kicking gave the Tigers a great chance to fight their way back into the contest. Unfortunately, poor handling and execution regularly brought them undone. Although Stefano Utoikamanu finally scored in the final minute of the match, it wasn’t enough to turn the tide. 

A-LEAGUE 

Western Sydney: One of the form teams of the competition, there was plenty of optimism surrounding the Wanderers’ trip to Perth, and things started to look a whole lot better when Glory defender Jordan Elsey was sent off in just the second minute of the game. 

Having scored 10 goals in their previous three outings, few would have thought the Wanderers would fail to find the net - but that’s exactly what happened as poor execution, bad luck and the woodwork regularly combined to keep them out. 

Just when it seemed as though the Wanderers would have to settle for a draw, they conceded a goal through Glory midfielder Aaron McEneff, heading back home empty handed and frustrated. 

Macarthur: The most consistent thing about the Bulls at the moment is how wildly inconsistent they are, erasing the heroics of last week with 4-1 capitulation against the Central Coast Mariners in Mudgee.

It was a bright start for the Bulls, with Daniel De Silva getting on the end of a Daniel Arzani cross in the 11th minute for an early lead. The Mariners hit back quickly through a stunning strike from James McGarry, and both sides had chances to take the lead before the break.

After half-time the Mariners went up a gear, scoring two slick goals on the counter attack before a poor challenge resulted in a penalty. The Mariners took a 4-1 lead with 25 minutes to play, and there was no further change to the result. 

‍

‍