Panthers barely bat an eye against Dogs for 15th straight win
Bulldogs prop Luke Thompson will likely miss the start of next season after an alleged eye gouge on James Tamou in the Panthers' 42-0 win on Saturday afternoon.
The incident didn't derail the Panthers though as they produced their biggest win of the year, finishing the 20-round season with just one defeat and a 15th straight win.
The English forward was put on report in the 15th minute, after Tamou made an official complaint with referee Henry Perenara. Thompson is now looking at a ban which will carry over to next season.
However, Tamou downplayed the incident at half-time and said he didn't think there was "much in it".
"I was hoping to get the penalty, but I just felt something there. My eyes were closed," he said. "I think there was a bit of emotion being their last game of the year. I think it’s all good."
The bad luck continued for Canterbury's final game of 2020, with Jayden Okunbur hobbling off the field with a suspected ruptured ACL in the 25th minute. Okunbur made his return to the Bulldogs side for round 18, after being deregistered in April over a pre-season scandal in Port Macquarie.
Aiden Tolman's final hurrah with Canterbury was also ruined by a calf injury during the warm-up, with an appropriate send-off for the 275-game veteran not to be.
Will Hopoate's 100th game celebrations continued to be overshadowed, with Raymond Faitala-Mariner forced off with an ankle injury in the second half.
The match was also the final appearance for Tim Lafai and Jesse Sue, who are headed out the door with Tolman in an eight-player cleanout alongside Marcelo Montoya, Kerrod Holland, Jack Cogger, Isaiah Tass and veteran Kieran Foran – who signed a one-year deal with Manly this week.
It was also a final appearance for departing NRL referee Gavin Badger, who was not offered a contract by the NRL for next season.
James Tamou crashes over the line for his first try of the season. Credit:Getty
Trent Barrett had an opportunity to eye up the players sticking around for next year, as the Panthers assistant prepares to take over as head coach of the Bulldogs for 2021.
The Panthers looked eager to give Barrett a benchmark to take to Belmore, once again demonstrating why they are the premiership favourites.
Brian To'o opened the scoring in the right corner in the seventh minute, before Capewell bagged a first-half double. Helped along by a try from Brent Naden, the Panthers entered half-time 20-0 up.
Josh Mansour started the Panther's second-half effort with a creative leap for the left corner which saw him almost take out a cameraman on the sidelines. Brent Naden scored his second for the afternoon before Matt Burton joined the party to secure his side their biggest win of the year.
In a sign it was not Thompson's day, the English import was denied a try in the final minutes before Tamou crashed over the line three minutes from time for his first of the season.
Ivan Cleary was beaming from ear-to-ear in response to Tamou's try and as the Panthers players lifted the JJ Giltinan Shield. And so he should be.
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Sarah is a journalist for The Sydney Morning Herald.