The Penrith Panthers made it 20 home wins on the bounce as they defeated a spirited Brisbane Broncos side 40-12 at Panthers Stadium on Friday night.
The Panthers are priced at 5/2 to win the 2022 NRL grand final and currently sit top of the ladder following an undefeated start to the season.
Strong second half
The game was a lot closer than the scoreline would suggest. The Broncos were very much in it, particularly in the first half, but the Panthers took control after the break.
Nathan Cleary was once again the star of the show when setting up three tries as the Panthers became the first side in over 50 years to notch 20 home wins on the bounce.
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"This is a classic home ground, a suburban ground," coach Ivan Cleary said after the game. "The fans are very passionate and there are a lot of them.
"The boys love playing here, always have, but at the end of the day it's still the same size field with green grass. It doesn't get it done for you."
Brisbane impress
The Broncos are starting to improve with Adam Reynolds and Kotoni Staggs standing out and coach Kevin Walters was pleased with a lot of what he saw.
"There are better days ahead for the Broncos," coach Kevin Walters said. "We were in the fight for most the match. I thought Adam had his best game for the club. He controlled the game really well. His kicking was equal with Penrith's."
