ROUND 23 - 2008

TEAM LINE-UP:

1. Ben Barba, 2. Hazem El Masri, 3. Daryl Millard, 4. Tim Winitana, 5. Matt Utai, 6. Ben Roberts, 7. Daniel Holdsworth, 8. Jarrad Hickey, 9. Corey Hughes, 10. Chris Armit, 11. Gary Warburton, 12. Andrew Ryan, 13. Lee Te Maari.
Interchange: 14. Brad Morrin, 15. Nick Kouparitsas, 16. Charlie Leaeno, 17. Reece Blayney

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Match Review:
Source: AAP

Penrith have bounced back from their demoralising defeat to Canberra in style with a 52-16 NRL thumping of the hapless Bulldogs at CUA Stadium.

The Panthers got their finals campaign back on track with the nine-tries-to-three win and completed a considerable turnaround from their 74-12 thrashing by the Raiders just six days ago.

Outside backs Luke Rooney and Michael Jennings did most of the damage, with French rugby union-bound winger Rooney scoring four tries, three of which were set up by Jennings.

The flashy centre also got on the scoresheet himself with a fine individual try, while Brad Tighe, Matthew Bell, Maurice Blair and Tony Puletua also scored.

Winger Michael Gordon kicked brilliantly with eight conversions from nine attempts.

The Bulldogs, who got their points through two runaway tries to halfback Daniel Holdsworth and a try to Darryl Millard, slumped to their fifth-straight loss and fourth since Sonny Bill Williams walked out on the club.

They were only spared dropping to last place by the Gold Coast's 26-20 win over North Queensland.

Rooney had two tries in the first half and both were almost identical as Jennings scorched down the touchline and turned passes inside to the lanky winger.

Jennings got on the scoresheet himself in the 32nd minute when he gathered a wayward Luke Lewis pass at his toes and showed dazzling footwork and acceleration to step his way to the line from 20 metres out.

Late first-half tries to Holdsworth and Millard made it 24-10 at halftime and gave the Bulldogs some hope but Rooney's third and a long-distance effort from interchange forward Bell just after the break gave the Panthers a handy break.

Holdsworth was then awarded another via the video referee - who had a busy night - but late tries to Blair and Puletua put the final nails in the Dogs' coffin.

Rooney crossed out wide with two minutes to go to become only the sixth Penrith player to score four tries in a match.

The Panthers moved to seventh with the win, but still face a tough assignment to finish in the top eight with matches against Melbourne, New Zealand and Manly in the final three rounds.

The struggling Dogs have now conceded 184 points in the four matches since Williams defected to French rugby union.