No Petero in the tank for Panthers

Souths led 30-6 two minutes after halftime before the Panthers hit back with three
tries, two of them to fullback Lachlan Coote.
But a Chris Sandow special in the 68th minute, in which the diminutive halfback
grubbered and regathered for himself, sealed the deal as Souths underlined their
finals credentials against the second-placed Panthers.
Wesser, a 2003 premiership hero for the Panthers, had a blinder and scored either
side of the break to help coach John Lang notch a victory coaching against his
former club for the first time.
Stuck in the traffic created by a motorway pile-up on the way to the game, Penrith
struggled to get out of first gear and gave plenty of ammunition to those who have
suggested they will struggle without inspirational skipper Petero Civoniceva.
Several Panthers stars - Michael Jennings, Luke Walsh and Adrian Purtell among them,
arrived at the ground just 40 minutes before kick-off after they needed to be picked
up by a team official on the M4 in a trip to the ground that took nearly two hours.
The Rabbitohs piled on four first half tries to lead 24-6 at halftime before
extending that lead to 30-6 when Wesser got his second just two minutes after the
break.
Panthers fullback Coote virtually fought a lone battle for the visitors, creating a
first half try for Brad Tighe and then one for himself in the 47th minute with deft
grubber kicks.
Coote's try began a comeback from Penrith and when interchange forward Gavin Cooper
grabbed a Walsh kick in the 53rd minute it was 30-16 before the fullback's second in
the 64th made it game on at 30-22.
But Sandow's brilliant work and a late try from centre Beau Champion snuffed out any
chance of a comeback win with Souths scoring seven tries to four in front of 11,108
fans.



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