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Running It Straight: Why the Panthers' NRL dynasty is over
Sport Nation • September 30th, 2026 12:29 pm
The Penrith Panthers | Photo: Darren England/AAP
Running it Straight hosts Sam Hewat and Anthony Gelling have questioned whether Penrith’s dynasty is over after the Panthers’ 22-14 preliminary-final loss to Newcastle.
The Knights’ win sent them into their first grand final in 25 years, where they will face the Sydney Roosters on Sunday, October 4, while Penrith will miss their second final in a row after four straight victories 2021-2024.
Gelling said the defeat felt like a turning point for a Penrith side that had dominated the NRL in recent years.
“At full time, it was symbolic of this as like the end of the Penrith dynasty,” he said.
“Last year they still made a prelim. They were pushing the Broncos, just too good on the day, but this year I think it was like, this is it now, it's finished, it's done.”
Nathan Cleary suffered a compound fracture in the prelim final against the Knights | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
Gelling pointed to the club’s roster changes and contract decisions, as well as Penrith’s reliance on Nathan Cleary, who started the preliminary final on the bench due to a broken right foot.
Then after coming on in the 26th minute, Cleary later suffered a compound fracture in his left leg during a tackle.
“I think with the guys leaving, the contract talks that they have and things like that, I think it’s the end of it,” Gelling said.
“The reason I say this is because if Nathan Cleary's injured, he's got a broken foot, you don't play him, you rest him for the final. The only reason you play him is if, ‘okay, we really need him.’”
“They really need him because there's no (Jarome) Luai, there's no (Stephen) Crichton.
“(Jack) Cogger and (Jack) Cole there, they're two same-same. They needed Nathan Cleary to come on.”
Hewat also highlighted a late moment involving winger Brian To’o, saying he was struck by To’o’s failure to chase down Newcastle’s Sandon Smith.
“When I watched that image of Brian To’o not running down Sandon Smith, Sandon Smith was gassed. He had nothing in the tank, and here's Brian To’o who's arguably one of the greatest wingers of all time,” Hewat said.
Gelling said he had expected Penrith to produce another trademark late surge when they had possession in the dying minutes.
Instead, a misfired shift towards To’o ended with Smith intercepting a pass and running away to seal the Knights’ victory.
“How many times have Penrith come up with that big play when they need it?” Gelling said. “I thought this is it. They're going to Penrith them. They're gonna Penrith them at the last minute.
“They shift to Bizza (To’o), the shift was off. He doesn't score where he usually does score. The intercept is very symbolic. It's like all the years that they have run teams down, they're just out of gas. They can’t do it anymore.”
Listen to the full episode below:
