NRL finals live updates: Penrith Panthers vs Sydney Roosters

A short-side rush on the last ends with Jenkins knocking down a pass to save a try but the Roosters have a full set inside the ten against 12 men.

Savala takes them on off the scrum! Geez he’s close, we go upstairs and it looks he promoted the ball after it hit the ground.

Panthers penalty, a lucky escape for the Riff.

And we’re halfway home – Roosters kick off, Cleary will be missing for the next eight minutes.

I think Cleary will be facing a dangerous contact charge – a Grade 2 would mean he’d be facing a one-match suspension.

Will it be a Grade 2? We’ll have to wait and see until tomorrow morning when the charge sheet comes out but contact on a player’s kicking leg is a bad area to be in.

My gut tells me it’ll be a Grade 1, which means he’d escape with a fine, but you never can tell with the judiciary sometimes.

A terrific half of footy and the drama is just getting started.

The Roosters prop faces a nervous wait after catching Phillips in a crusher tackle.

After a few minutes of set-for-set football Smith gets Kenny high after the latter fields a bomb. He goes for an HIA and Scott comes on and we have word that Egan Butcher has failed his HIA and is done for the day.

Edwards loses the ball on his own 20 and the Roosters are on the attack again.

Cherry-Evans pokes his nose through but can’t find support and then Toia beats McLean on the last only for Jenkins to bring him down a metre out. Handover.

Game has heated right up!

The Roosters backrower is off for a check with Foketi coming on.

A set restart puts Penrith into enemy territory again. The Roosters just can’t get any field position.

A deflected kick on the last gives them  fresh set inside the ten….no it doesn’t, referee Sutton rules Kenny knocked it on as he gathered the ball in.

Roosters ball – they’re bending at the moment but not breaking.

Penrith set up a spread to the right, Cleary goes out the back to Edwards and To’o has the line at his mercy only for the fullback’s tip-on to go forward and over the sideline.

Lot of chances early for the Panthers but no points.

A strong defensive set means Penrith cross halfway on just the second tackle of the ensuing set. They’re winning the field position battle.

Toia and McLean go up for a bomb, it falls for Cole who throws a great pass over the top to Jenkins, he looks certain to score but is somehow held up by Nawaqanitawase and Cherry-Evans!

We go to the video ref but it’s clearly no try. Full set for Penrith in the red zone though. They look great so far.

But I’ve jinxed them – Cole’s pass bounces off one player only for Collins to knock it on as he tries to gather it in.

Roosters challenge and replays show Collins juuuust got a finger to it. Panthers ball on the 30.

Cleary goes straight through the middle, he’s dragged down by the cover after showing Tedesco a dummy.

The Panthers have them shot, they go left, Papali’i tries to throw a cut out to an umarked Jenkins but Nawaqanitawase just manages to intercept it.

Hot start!

Let’s get it on – Panthers kick us off, running right to left.

Penrith are no strange to pulling off a late finals change and Jack Cole has the chance to join a fine tradition of late season heroes. Could Talagi be in the mix to do the same?

It’s hard to go past Penrith, but I can’t get that match these two teams played just a few weeks ago out of my mind.

I know they’re without Walker and that’s a blow but Savala has it in him to do the same job Walker did that night.

The question, for me, is whether the Roosters can match the Panthers physically for long enough to strike and win the game late?

I’m not writing them off, but I like Penrith to be a bit too composed and consistent. Let’s say Penrith by eight with Casey McLean to score first and Jack Cole to land a try.