NRL in Vegas as it happened: Panthers prevail in a thriller after Jillaroos and Raiders pile on points

And that’s all from us in Las Vegas and here in equally salubrious Maroubra. It’s been real. There’s been points aplenty and trouncings in three of the four games.

But that last one was good old-fashioned rugba leeg at its best, and who could begrudge the Raiders and Jillaroos their thoroughly impressive outings in Sin City either?

Our reporters on the ground will have all the wash-up for you as it unfolds and after four months of cricket and sunshine, it’s four sleeps until the footy’s back on again - Roosters and Broncos on Thursday night.

Until then, stay classy, stay out of trouble.

There it is. Great game. Great finish from Penrith, plenty to like for Cronulla too, though. The premiers hold on in a thriller that could’ve gone either way, especially in those frantic final minutes.

The take-aways? Liam Martin’s an animal. Penrith is just a machine, even with plenty of round one rust. For the Sharks - Braydon Trindall was their dominant play-maker and Addin Fonua-Blake could well be their match-winning spark. It was the former Warrior who produced when they needed points as the clock wound down.

Cronulla has enjoyed a healthy second-half advantage as far as territory goes - more than double the Panthers’ tackles inside the opposition’s 20 as we head inside the final 10 minutes.

High contact on Blayke Brailey gives the Sharks a full set inside Penrith’s half. And they don’t need too long at all. Addin Fonua-Blake winds up against a flat-footed defence, picks out Dylan Edwards and just powers his way over. That looked too easy, but Fonua-Blake can make that sort of four-pointer look much easier than it actually is.

Channel Nine reporting that Penrith actually handed back a HIA card too after Isaiah Papalii came off the field holding his jaw. So they’ve owned up and lost an interchange there - though of course if they were found to have rorted that system, it was potentially a heavier penalty after the fact too. Interesting.

Panthers 24 Sharks 22

Cronulla refusing to go away. Error from Liam Martin with Ronaldo Mulitalo up and hassling him in defence around halfway.

By the end of the set Kayal Iro is able to squeeze through between Nathan Cleary and Izack Tago on Penrith’s right edge - nice face ball from Braydon Trindall for that one. We’ve had some quality ball-playing in this contest, especially for round one.

Isaiah Papalii coming off the field and into the sheds holding onto his jaw, he doesn’t look comfortable at all.

Panthers 24 Sharks 16

And we’re on again in Vegas. Braydon Trindall has come reeling out of an attempted tackle on Liam Martin. He looks to be shaking off a burner to his shoulder in back play.

Shades of last year’s grand final now with five minutes of the second half gone and not a stoppage among them. Penrith love nothing more than this style of footy. Good test for Cronulla.

They get the first real attacking shot of this half and they throw plenty at them. Braden Hamlin-Uele is claiming a try on the last tackle from a Nicho Hynes short ball. He’s given it a decent go but the Bunker shows he’s a fibber - Lindsay Smith has managed to hold him up as he skids over the tryline, with a knock-on along the way.

Panthers 12 Sharks 10