LeagueNews.co | Robbie Hamilton
In a devastating blow to their premiership campaign, the Penrith Panthers suffered a defeat to their rivals, the Parramatta Eels.
The Eels emerged victorious with a 32-18 triumph in the derby clash, leaving the Panthers with more than just a rare loss to worry about.
The star five-eighth for the Panthers, Jarome Luai, sustained a serious shoulder injury during the match, forcing him to watch the final 53 minutes from the sideline.
It was reported that Luai dislocated his left shoulder while attempting to ground the ball for a try.
The injury occurred when he was held up by Eels forward Bryce Cartwright, and concerned players immediately signaled that Luai was injured.
To add to the Panthers' woes, their captain Clint Gutherson also failed to finish the match.
Despite his early exit, Gutherson had inspired his team to secure their fourth victory over the Panthers in their last six clashes before he hobbled off in the 65th minute.
Looking ahead, the Panthers now face the daunting task of defeating the Cowboys in their next match and relying on the Broncos to lose to either the Canberra Raiders or Melbourne Storm in order to claim a record fourth minor premiership.
However, the loss of Luai looms larger than their premiership aspirations.
In response to recent struggles in the first half of matches, Parramatta coach Brad Arthur made some tactical changes.
He shifted Junior Paulo and J'maine Hopgood to the bench, alongside Shaun Lane, in an effort to strengthen their performance from the start.
Despite their season all but being over, the Parramatta Eels finished on a high note with their triumph over the Panthers in front of a sold-out crowd at BlueBet Stadium.
With Maika Sivo scoring four tries for the Eels, it was a memorable performance for the winger and a bitter defeat for the Panthers.