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Last minute injury sours Penrith’s Manly thumping

A key Penrith star reeled out of a tackle late in the contest.

Published by
Scott Pryde

Penrith Panthers prop Moses Leota was seen reeling out of a tackle in the final minute of the club's big opening victory over the Manly Sea Eagles.

The 28 points to 6 pasting of Manly saw the Panthers stake their claim as a serious threat of going back to back, with the club controlling the game from start to finish in all facets.

While they made it through almost the entirety of the 80 minutes unscatched, it was the final set of the game which will leave coach Ivan Cleary worried.

Running the ball back from a kick, Manly winger Reuben Garrick would be tackled by Leota, however, as Mitchell Kenny and Liam Martin joined the tackle, Leota would exit the tackle and grab at his left shoulder, moving to his haunches.

He was then pictured to be clearly favouring his right shoulder as he stood in the defensive line. Attempting to make a tackle on halfway on Manly prop Martin Taupau, Leota was only able to make a feeble grab on the big Sea Eagles' prop, before the Penrith medical staff took the clearly in distress Leota out of the game with just seconds remaining.

Fox Sports commentator Michael Ennis said he was "in big trouble."

"Yeah see that?" Ennis asked.

"He couldn't even grab Taupau there. He is in big trouble."

The Panthers will next take on the St George Illawarra Dragons in eight days time at Kogarah, with kick-off scheduled for 6pm (AEDT) next Friday.

Leota would appear to be no sure thing of being a starter for Penrith following his late exit from the contest, with Spencer Leniu the most likely replacement starter, allowing Matt Eisenhuth - a late dropping from tonight's contest - to rejoin the bench.

Published by
Scott Pryde