Quick Read
- Penrith secured their fifth consecutive win of the season with a 50-10 victory over Melbourne.
- The result marks the first time in history a team has won their first five games by 20 points or more.
- Tom Jenkins set a new record with 12 tries in the opening five rounds of the season.
SYDNEY (Azat TV) – Penrith Panthers coach Ivan Cleary has overseen the most dominant start to an NRL season in over six decades, as his side dismantled the Melbourne Storm 50-10 at CommBank Stadium on Friday night. The victory, which extended the Panthers’ unbeaten streak to five games, marks the first time since 1963 that a team has maintained such a superior for-and-against record at this stage of the competition.
Record-Breaking Dominance Under Cleary
The win solidified Penrith’s position as the clear premiership favourite, with the team becoming the first in the history of the premiership to secure five consecutive victories by a margin of 20 points or more. The 50-point haul against Melbourne was particularly significant, as it represented the first time the Storm had conceded a half-century of points in a single match since 2003. According to Reuters, the clinical nature of the performance saw the Panthers maintain control even when forced to adjust for the absence of hooker Mitch Kenny.
The Tactical Evolution of the Panthers
The effectiveness of the squad’s regeneration was on full display, with the left-edge combination of Blaize Talagi, Isaiah Papali’i, Casey McLean, and Tom Jenkins playing a central role in the demolition. Jenkins, in particular, has emerged as a key attacking weapon, recording his 12th try of the season within the first five rounds—a feat unprecedented in the sport’s history. Despite the tactical shift in personnel, the core leadership of Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo, and Dylan Edwards ensured the team remained disciplined against a desperate Melbourne side.
Implications for the 2026 Premiership Race
The result leaves the Storm in a precarious position, with three consecutive losses placing them in a negative win-loss record for the first time since 2018. While Melbourne’s Harry Grant was removed from the field in the second half following a knee collision, medical staff indicated there was no evidence of a long-term injury. For the Panthers, the focus remains on maintaining this momentum as they look to secure a title that eluded them last year. The clinical execution of the game plan, highlighted by an impressive flick pass from Scott Sorensen to set up a Luke Garner try, underscored the depth and cohesion Ivan Cleary has cultivated within the club.
The scale of the 50-10 victory suggests that the Panthers have not only recovered from their 2025 championship loss but have evolved into a more versatile attacking unit, posing a significant challenge to the rest of the league for the remainder of the 2026 season.