LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
The Penrith Panthers have reclaimed their position at the top of the ladder, surpassing the Brisbane Broncos, after a dominant 28-0 victory over the Sharks on Saturday night.
Following the Broncos' triumph over the Roosters on Thursday, they briefly held the top spot for 48 hours.
However, the Panthers showcased their strength at BlueBet Stadium, positioning themselves favorably for a potential third minor premiership in four years.
The Panthers made an early breakthrough in the game as Nathan Cleary's grubber kick rebounded to Scott Sorensen, who then found Jarome Luai for a try.
Unfortunately for the Sharks, their fullback Will Kennedy suffered a hamstring injury, but they persevered to keep the Panthers at bay until the 21st minute.
At that point, another Cleary kick resulted in a try for Isaah Yeo, extending the home side's lead to 12-0.
In the 29th minute, Cleary's impressive 40-20 kick put the Panthers in a strong attacking position, leading to a try for Brian To'o, his 12th of the season.
Cleary successfully converted the try, bringing the score to 18-0.
The Sharks narrowly avoided conceding a fourth try in the 37th minute when Sione Katoa managed to ground the ball in-goal just before Luai could reach it.