Penrith have done what they couldn't do in their 2021 premiership campaign after overcoming Wests Tigers 18-16 in an NRL win without seven of their representative stars.
In contrast to last year, the Panthers emerged from the State of Origin period undefeated at CommBank Stadium on Sunday, despite resting NSW players Isaah Yeo, Brian To'o, Jarome Luai, Liam Martin, Api Koroisau, Stephen Crichton and Nathan Cleary.
With only five members of their premiership team playing against the Tigers, Penrith's performance was easily their sloppiest of the year, especially in the 20-minute period after halftime when they committed six errors.
But the Panthers' left edge, intact despite the Origin outs, produced two early tries to give them the lead at the break and when stand-in co-captain James Fisher-Harris crashed over late in his 150th game, victory was sealed.
The Panthers may have been undisciplined but the Tigers weren't far behind them after they conceded a penalty for failing to pack a scrum in time and blew a certain try when Justin Matamua obstructed Jaeman Salmon close to the line.
It took halfback-turned-lock Jackson Hastings pitching a perfect kick to Ken Maumalo for the Tigers to edge ahead of the Panthers as the last 10 minutes approached.
Hastings looked comfortable at lock but his composure under pressure in this moment put his case forward for a return to halfback, his preferred position.
The Tigers missed his long-kicking, especially when they struggled to win the territory battle in the first half.
Adam Doueihi looks to have done enough to keep his spot in the five-eighth role for the short term at least with a running game that allowed him to burst through the line to score the Tigers' second try from a scrum play.
He also put up a nightmare bomb just before halftime that would have led to the Tigers' third try had Junior Tupou not been offside.
The loss keeps the Tigers at the bottom of the NRL ladder, while the Panthers have consolidated their spot at the top.
For the Panthers not to claim the minor premiership, they'll have to lose at least four game on the run home.
Since the start of last season, they've lost only five matches.
Penrith hooker Mitch Kenny could attract scrutiny from the match review committee for coming into a tackle late and applying pressure to the legs of Luke Garner, who will join the Panthers next year.
Referee Peter Gough put Kenny on report for the tackle.
