NRL Round 7

After a dominant early period Stephen Crichton dived over for the first try of the day to give the Panthers the lead before a try to Joseph Tapine saw the scores locked up.

However, the Panthers took the lead again with a try to skipper Isaah Yeo six minutes out from halftime, before a Nathan Cleary penalty goal made it 14-6 at halftime.

The Panthers picked up where they left off in the second half with Crichton grabbing a double, including a penalty try to seal his hat-trick and put the home side in the box seat.

Cooper Cronk was critical of David Fifita’s switch to centre to cover the loss of Phillip Sami and it didn’t take long for the Cowboys to exploit him in defence, but he hit back to set up a try to make it 6-4.

However the Cowboys extended their lead with a try to Murray Taulagi down Fifita’s side of the field to make it 12-4.

Fifita’s tough night at the office in defence continued when Scott Drinkwater burned him off a scrum to score almost untouched.

“It’s Luke Brooks this time, it’s a dream,” Dan Ginnane said on Fox League.

A charge-down field goal attempt with less than two minutes to go from Damien Cook led to accidental off-side giving the Tigers’ a full-set, and unlike last week against the Eels when finished by Jackson Hastings, Brooks slotted the one pointer for the 23-22 win over South Sydney.

Rewind six days, coach Michael Maguire was under pressure, Luke Brooks was maligned and the Tigers were winless and looking down the barrel of six straight defeats to start the season.