NRL Finals Week 1 Schedule 2024: Panthers Claim Minor Premiership & Luai Benched

Panthers Clinch Minor Premiership as Jenkins and McLean Shine

Penrith entered the final round fixture needing a victory by a margin of two points to leapfrog the New Zealand Warriors into first place. Ivan Cleary’s squad made short work of that requirement, opening the scoring in just the sixth minute when Brian To’o brushed past Jahream Bula. By halftime, the Panthers had built an imposing 26-0 lead.

Thomas Jenkins bagged a first-half double to finish the regular season on 30 tries, locking up the Ken Irvine medal alongside South Sydney’s Alex Johnston. Meanwhile, young outside back Casey McLean delivered a standout performance by crossing for his first career NRL hat-trick. McLean’s third try in the 65th minute—where he fended off defenders, powered through traffic, and carried a tackler over the line—effectively put the contest out of reach at 38-10. Co-captain Isaah Yeo also made a successful return from a month-long pectoral injury, logging a 55-minute hit-out.

Wests Tigers’ Luai Era Ends on a Flat Note

For the Wests Tigers, the afternoon encapsulated an underwhelming campaign that leaves the club facing a 16th consecutive season without finals football. Five-eighth Jarome Luai, who has signed to join the PNG Chiefs in 2028 and is bound for Parramatta next season, was benched by coach Benji Marshall at halftime.

According to ABC Sport reporting, the Tigers have won just three of 17 matches since Luai inked his future deal. Yet, his removal sparked an immediate reaction. Lively replacement Latu Fainu injected much-needed energy into the attack after the break, setting up tries for Solomone Saukuru and Jeral Skelton to briefly test the Panthers before Penrith slammed the door shut.

NRL Finals Schedule: Week 1 Matchups and Venue Details

The conclusion of the regular season sets the stage for a high-stakes four-game opening weekend of the finals. The action kicks off on Friday night:

• Elimination Final: South Sydney Rabbitohs vs. Newcastle Knights at the Sydney Football Stadium, Friday at 7:50pm AEST.
• Qualifying Final: New Zealand Warriors vs. Dolphins at Mount Smart Stadium, Saturday at 4:05pm AEST.
• Elimination Final: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks vs. North Queensland Cowboys at the Sydney Football Stadium, Saturday at 7:50pm AEST.

Notably, the Sharks had hoped to host their elimination final at Shark Park, but the 45,500-capacity Moore Park venue ultimately secured the hosting rights. Meanwhile, the Cowboys head into the finals severely depleted, likely missing star forward Reuben Cotter. Cotter was handed a grade-two careless high-tackle charge for contact on Josh Papali’i during the opening hit-up against the Raiders.

Dragons Edge Eels in Thrilling Regular Season Finale

Earlier in the round, the St George Illawarra Dragons secured a dramatic 24-22 victory over the Parramatta Eels in Wollongong, courtesy of a remarkable 45-metre field goal from Tyrell Sloan. The Castleford-bound utility back reflected on the match-winning moment in his post-game remarks to ABC Sport:

“I guess it’s the stuff you dream about,” Tyrell Sloan

Sloan added further perspective on the club’s difficult campaign, stating:

“The fans turned up … they stuck with us through a tough year and just to repay them there is the best feeling ever.” Tyrell Sloan