South Ward is currently represented by five Councillors It takes in major population hubs like Glenmore Park and South Penrith as well as more regional areas of the Penrith Local Government Area like Badgerys Creek and Wallacia meaning there will be significant change in the ward after the September 14 poll The Liberal Party nomination debacle means that veteran Councillor and current Deputy Mayor Mark Davies is not running at the election after becoming the State Member for Penrith at the last State Election The new-look Labor ticket is headed up by Hollie McLean who was successful at gaining a spot on Council at the last election will lead a five-person ticket at this year’s election as she looks to expand her influence on Council There are only three groups contesting South Ward with the result to be particularly intriguing Where to vote in South Ward on September 14 Glenmore Park Youth & Community Centre More information and details about voting can be found here My passion for Penrith is what has driven me to want to serve the residents’ interests wholeheartedly I have always wanted to make sure their voices are heard in every decision that affects our growing city I’m dedicated to improving Penrith in multiple areas I am proactive and focused on making Penrith the best place to live I think it’s crucial that we also retain Penrith’s unique character and hold the Council accountable for its actions I will continue to advocate for sustainable urban planning that integrates land use with transport options reducing reliance on cars and promoting active transport This approach addresses traffic congestion and enhances liveability by creating more connected and cohesive communities I’ll continue pushing for infrastructure development that matches our growth ensuring our roads can handle the increased population I’m also committed to creating more vibrant liveable spaces within the ward which includes more cycleways solar lighting around our parks for safe night time walking and I totally support verge gardening activities I have been a strong advocate for upgrading our aging community neighbourhood centres and bus stop infrastructure I don’t have a hidden agenda and no aspirations for higher politics my sole focus is on serving the local residents of South ward and the LGA of Penrith I believe good leadership listens and acts in the community’s best interest I promise to keep our council focused on what truly matters to the residents I want Penrith to be a place where everyone feels welcome I truly believe having a diverse range of voices on Council is crucial in shaping Penrith’s future and I believe better connectivity means a stronger Penrith Also on Sue Day’s ticket: Faithe Skinner I understand the importance of spending our hard-earned money wisely It’s disheartening to see ratepayer money directed toward initiatives that don’t benefit Penrith City residents Our council must prioritise the basics: maintaining roads These essential services are what we rely on and deserve Councils are getting sidetracked with virtue signalling – such as DEI quotas and incessant ‘welcome to country’ ceremonies These programs come at a cost to ratepayers Our local government should stay out of divisive identity politics and focus on delivering essential services Penrith City has already commenced “Smart City” initiatives These programs involve extensive data collection and surveillance they pose real concerns for privacy and autonomy I am fundamentally opposed to Smart Cities and will fiercely protect residents from technological advancements that threaten individual freedoms Residents should have the freedom to use their private property as they wish If you want to build a shed or remove a tree you should be able to do so without council interference I will cut bureaucratic red tape and ease the financial burden of private property owners allowing them to manage their property freely providing it doesn’t impact the property rights of others We need a council that embodies common sense and accountability Decisions should be based on practicality rather than ideology Residents deserve transparency about how money is spent and accountability for the decisions made Restoring these principles will ensure our community’s needs are met efficiently and fairly I am committed to advocating for a council that serves Penrith City residents by prioritising genuine needs of the community Also on Vanessa Pollak’s ticket: Rozanne Vines I am a dedicated and passionate candidate for the Penrith South Ward I am deeply committed to the values of equity My journey has been shaped by a lifelong commitment to social justice From my early involvement in advocating for disability rights I have been at the forefront of important social issues My career as a safety professional in construction and heavy manufacturing further solidified my belief in the importance of fairness As a full-time working mother and a neurodivergent individual I bring a unique and relatable perspective to my candidacy Living in Glenmore Park and actively participating in the school Parents & Citizens Committee as well as serving as Vice President of the Australian Neurodivergent Parents Association I am intimately aware of the challenges and joys that families in our community face I recognize the significant changes that will impact South Ward particularly with the opening of the new airport in 2026 I aim to ensure that these developments are handled with care I am particularly focused on enhancing disability I am dedicated to making Penrith City a place where everyone feels supported and included ensuring that our community thrives for generations to come With my extensive advocacy experience and unwavering commitment to social justice I am eager to serve the residents of Penrith South Ward and contribute to building a community that is inclusive I ask for your support on September 14th to elect Labor representatives to Council I commit to bringing your voice to Council and always working for the West Also on Hollie McLean’s ticket: Kirstie Boerst Troy Dodds is the Weekender's Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist working with some of Australia's leading media organisations he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards Emily Chate joined The Western Weekender in 2024 and covers local news - primarily courts and politics A graduate of the University of Wollongong Emily has contributed to The Daily Telegraph and worked as a freelance journalist Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time but is Penrith’s incredible run finally over The four-time premiers went down to South Sydney 28-18 on Thursday night They had all the running in the second half and things could have been different had Moses Leota not been denied a try because of an alleged dropped ball over the try line But Penrith dropped a third straight game for the first time since 2019 They have now conceded more points than they did across the opening 13 rounds in 2021 the year they started their premiership reign Scott Sorensen was ruled out of the game early with a concussion then winger Brian To’o hobbled off with a hamstring injury late Nathan Cleary was already missing because of a concussion those two are back on deck next Friday when Penrith celebrate Isaah Yeo’s 250tgh game at CommBank Stadium against the North Queensland Cowboys Staying on top for so long – and losing players because of salary-cap pressure – meant the long long run on top for Penrith was bound to eventually come to an end TV commentators were asking if playing tough games for so many years was finally catching up with some of the personnel There were only five Penrith players involved in Thursday’s game that played against Souths in the 2021 decider Alex Johnston after scoring against Penrith.Credit: Getty Images They were starved of possession and field position in the first half and did not help themselves with the raft of errors they made and gave up some soft tries from close range The Panthers were pretty ordinary against the Sydney Roosters in round two showed a bit of fight to hang in the contest against the Storm last weekend but were proper off their game early against the Bunnies They got back to 28-12 and had all the running when Leota crashed over and Phil Gould said on the Nine commentary: “I have seen worse than that given.” Panthers coach Ivan Cleary was just as miffed and now welcome the return of Latrell Mitchell for next Friday’s grudge match against the Sydney Roosters Keaon Koloamatangi had a first-half double and continued his excellent start to the season on the left edge Alex Johnston returned from an Achilles injury and scored a try only to injure his left shoulder in the process and fail to return in the second half and doing his best to overhaul Ken Irvine’s long-standing 212-try haul His four-pointer in the tenth minute took his tally to 196 tries This match won’t be appearing in any ‘NRL Classics’ compilations they’ve just won their third match from attempts this season They were really good in the first half and then pretty bad in the second A try in the first 40 seconds for Jack Cole will give them some cheer for the bus trip back to Panthers HQ He didn’t look to be overly distressed but something must be up Penrith are now up to 14 errors for the night In previous years it’d take a month to make that many Brian To’o leaves the field with a hamstring complaint.Credit: Getty Images South Sydney have been ordinary since the resumption After somehow surviving that Leota try they can look up and see they’re still 16 points ahead that there are only 10 minutes left on the clock If they hang onto the ball when they get it Sean Keppie charges into Liam Martin.Credit: Getty Images Penrith prop Moses Leota has been denied what looked a legitimate try It went up as a lost ball over the line and video ref agreed If NRL official Graham Annesley was will hosting his Monday briefing sessions we would have had some explaining to do on that one but is Penrith\\u2019s incredible run finally over then winger Brian To\\u2019o hobbled off with a hamstring injury late those two are back on deck next Friday when Penrith celebrate Isaah Yeo\\u2019s 250tgh game at CommBank Stadium against the North Queensland Cowboys Staying on top for so long \\u2013 and losing players because of salary-cap pressure \\u2013 meant the long There were only five Penrith players involved in Thursday\\u2019s game that played against Souths in the 2021 decider and Phil Gould said on the Nine commentary: \\u201CI have seen worse than that given.\\u201D Maybe that was just the night,\\u201D he said and now welcome the return of Latrell Mitchell for next Friday\\u2019s grudge match against the Sydney Roosters and doing his best to overhaul Ken Irvine\\u2019s long-standing 212-try haul This match won\\u2019t be appearing in any \\u2018NRL Classics\\u2019 compilations they\\u2019ve just won their third match from attempts this season He didn\\u2019t look to be overly distressed but something must be up In previous years it\\u2019d take a month to make that many After somehow surviving that Leota try they can look up and see they\\u2019re still 16 points ahead that there are only 10 minutes left on the clock The Panthers are looking to snap a two-game losing streak when they take on the Rabbitohs in the opening match of Round 4 Both sides are eager to return to form after last start losses with South Sydney falling to Cronulla in Round 3 Wayne Bennett's men were slow out of the gates before storming home late and they will look to roll that momentum forward The loss put an end to the Rabbitohs' undefeated start to the season but they will have a pep in their step in their first game at Accor Stadium for the year Penrith have won seven of their last eight against South Sydney a stretch that includes their dramatic 14-12 victory in the 2021 grand final The Panthers will be undermanned on Thursday night with Nathan Cleary set to miss the clash under the concussion protocols while fullback Dylan Edwards remains sidelined with a groin injury Rabbitohs: Just the one change for the Rabbitohs on game day with Tevita Tatola shifting to the starting side and Davvy Moale dropping back to the bench A boost for the Bunnies with veteran flyer Alex Johnston set for his first game since Round 21 last year Johnston needs 18 more tries to surpass Ken Irvine as the greatest tryscorer in premiership history Centre Campbell Graham faces another stint on the sidelines with a calf muscle tear Winger Mikaele Ravalawa plays his 100th NRL game with Isaiah Papali'i to start at prop and Lindsay Smith shifting to the bench in the final team update Brad Schneider has come onto the bench in place of Blaize Talagi when the teams were updated 24-hours from the match Daine Laurie is on track to return from a quad injury at fullback with coach Ivan Cleary saying "we thought he'd be OK last week but he has taken a bit longer than we thought We're very keen for him to play but we'll find out a bit more by the end of the week" Trent Toelau comes in for his first NRL game of 2025 to replace Nathan Cleary (concussion protocol) Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL. Panthers v Broncos: Papali'i in for Sorensen; Riki returns Rabbitohs v Knights: Gray's new role; Elliott Error: no decision tree source folder detected Latrell Mitchell has inspired South Sydney to a win that will go down in Rabbitohs folklore in his return to the field South Sydney were reduced to just 14 men early in the second half of Friday's clash with the Roosters after halves Jamie Humphrey Cody Walker and winger Mikaele Ravalawa all succumbed to hamstring injury however they only led by two at the break and the match swung in the Roosters favour immediately after half-time Tries to Billy Smith and Dominic Young seemingly had the Roosters cruising to victory against an exhausted South Sydney side had other ideas and produced an unconventional line drop out that turned out to be turning point in the contest Jye Gray scored moments later to level the scores before Mitchell hit Isaiah Tass with a perfect 30-metre cutout pass to put the Rabbitohs in front The try sent the 22,114 fans at Accor Stadium into raptures and the hosts held on to secure a famous victory There was also disappointing injury news for the Roosters with Lindsay Collins injuring the medial ligament in his knee midway through the second half North Queensland spoilt Isaah Yeo's 250th game celebrations holding off a desperate Penrith to topple the premiers in Sydney Two tries in the first 10 minutes after half-time put the Cowboys up 22-18 and they successfully defended their own line throughout the rest of the contest to secure a gripping victory Penrith were bolstered by the return of halfback Nathan Cleary and they threw plenty at their opponents but execution close to the tryline let them down as they slumped to a fourth-straight defeat The hosts looked certain to level the scores with five minutes remaining only for Casey McLean to throw a dummy rather than link up with Thomas Jenkins Paul Alamoti soared throw the air in the opposite corner The result was a disappointing way for Yeo's 250th game to finish the co-captain becoming the first Panther to reach the milestone Penrith were also dealt a blow with hooker Mitch Kenny injuring his shoulder and requiring scans Medical staff are optimistic it is not serious The Friday night feast then takes us to 11km down the road to Accor Stadium for an epic showdown between foundation clubs the Rabbitohs and Roosters Wayne Bennett has already sprinkled some magic dust at Redfern to have his team travelling sweetly at 3-1 and with Latrell Mitchell back from a hamstring injury they will fancy their chances of taking down their arch-rivals Follow all the action from Round 5 of the 2025 Telstra Premiership on NRL.com's live blog Press Conferences: There will be plenty to discuss after a night at drama at Accor Stadium so be sure to check out the press conferences as the coaches and captains discuss all the action and injuries that unfolded throughout a chaotic contest Full-time: The Rabbitohs have secured a win for the ages defying a horror injury toll to triumph 20-14 in a match that will go down in history as one of their best over the Roosters South Sydney trailed 14-8 and looked dead and buried with just one man left on the bench before Latrell Mitchell produced a crazy line drop out to swing the match in his team's favour Tries to Jye Gray and Isaiah Tass secured the victory 72nd minute: The Rabbitohs don't just have a pulse Latrell Mitchell is playing halfback and rather than kicking the ball on the last the superstar has delivered a pinpoint 30-metre cut out pass to winger Isaiah Tass Tass' foot came awfully close to the sideline however the bunker ultimately cleared the play and confirmed the try The six-point leads comes despite a one-man bench and injuries to both halves and a winger with players playing out of position and extended minutes 65th minute: They're out on their feet but the Rabbitohs are not giving up A fortuitous bounce from a line drop out followed by a penalty put South Sydney on the attack linked up with Jye Gray and we're all locked up with 15 minutes to play The Roosters have also been dealt an injury blow with Lindsay Collins suffering a medial ligament injury to his knee 56th minute: South Sydney have been forced into a dramatic backline reshuffle after losing star five-eighth Cody Walker and boom halfback Jamie Humphreys in the first half against Sydney Roosters Fijian winger Mikaele Ravalawa also suffered a hamstring injury early in the second half Humphreys came from the field with a left hamstring injury in just the seventh minute and was replaced by former Dragons and Tigers playmaker Jayden Sullivaln The 22-year-old watched the rest of the match from the sideline with ice on his left thigh with reports that he had hamstring tightness and would not return with Tallis Duncan taking his place at left centre The Rabbitohs lost Ravalawa just nine minutes into the second half forcing a further reshuffle with Jack Wighton shifting to the wing and forward Jai Arrow moving to right centre The changes left Souths with just one interchange for the last 30 minutes of the match 54th minute: The Roosters have all the momentum and they're making the Rabbitohs pay Latrell Mitchell handed his opponents prime field position when he put a kick out on the full before Siua Wong beat the centre to send Dominic Young over in the corner 47th minute: Billy Smith has completed a remarkable comeback to the NRL the Roosters centre diving over in the corner to score in his first match since 2023 The try came on the back of a number of offloads with James Tedesco putting the side on the front foot and Smith finishing it off The Roosters spent the first half defending however they've burst out of the gates to start the second and have had all the running so far with Cody Walker not returning to the field after half-time due to hamstring tightness The five-eighth will not return to the match Mikaele Ravalawa has also limped from the field with what appears to be a hamstring injury Half-time: A penalty goal is all that separates the two teams at the break despite the Rabbitohs complete dominance on the stats sheet The Roosters have completed just 58% of their sets and held just 39% of possession with the Rabbitohs generating 38 tackles inside the attacking 20m zone Trent Robinson will be disappointed with his team's attack but thrilled with their defence as they repelled wave after wave of South Sydney attacking set The Roosters have made an additional 90 tackles yet they've only missed 13 compared to South Sydney's 14 missed tackles he'll be looking for his side to execute better in attacking with errors creeping in throughout the final 10 minutes of the half 25th minute: The Roosters are putting themselves under a mountain of pressure with a string of errors handing the Rabbitohs the ball in attacking territory Trent Robinson's side has completed just five from ten holding just 35% of the possession as a result Dominic Young raced away to seemingly score against the run of play however the ball rebounded off a teammates' leg with the winger in an offside position when he gathered the ball Robinson will be thrilled with the defensive effort the Roosters holding out multiple South Sydney attacking sets 16th minute: Latrell Mitchell has been forced to wait until Round 5 to play this season and he's making up for lost time Playing in the centres for the first time since he led the Roosters to victory in the 2019 grand final fought through the defence and looked to have scored came across desperately in defence and forced the ball loose before it was grounded Jamie Humphreys has been ruled out for the rest of the match with a hamstring injury 11th minute: The Roosters lead was shortlived with Tevita Tatola strollin through under the posts An error put the Rabbitohs on the attack and they capitalised courtesy of a nice forward's move Rather than playing out the back like the defence expected Lachlan Hubner received the ball straight from the dummy half before hitting Tatola with a short ball to level the scores 7th minute: The Rabbitohs had the better of the early chances but it's the Roosters who have struck first taking on the South Sydney defensive line and breaking through the tackles to score the opening points of the game South Sydney have been dealt an early blow with Jamie Humphreys leaving the field after just five minutes due to injury Kickoff: The latest edition of one of the biggest rivalries in the NRL has begun with Latrell Mitchell looking to make an instant impact in his return from a hamstring injury Late mail: No changes for either side on Friday night with the only change coming through 24 hours before kickoff Roosters centre Mark Nawaqanitawase was ruled out with calf tightness Press Conferences: Catch all the reaction from the coaches and captains at CommBank Stadium with the live stream of the press conference Cowboys coach Todd Payten will be thrilled with the result while Ivan Cleary will be searching for answers after another loss Full-time: North Queensland have successfully pulled off a shock victory holding out a last-minute attempt from Penrith to level the scores The Panthers had one final set of six to strike but the Cowboys defence was up to the task to consign the Panthers to a fourth-straight loss 76th minute: More drama at CommBank Stadium with Penrith doing everything they can to strike and the Cowboys desperately trying to hold on The Panthers looked certain to score in the left corner only for McLean to throw a dummy instead of linking up with an unmarked Jenkins Penrith shifted to the right from the subsequent play Paul Alamoti launching through the air and grounding the ball however replays showed his foot had crossed the touchline and the bunker intervened to overturn the decision 70th minute: The Panthers are throwing plenty at their opponents as the match enters the final 10 minutes however the Cowboys have an answer to every question their opponents have asked The injuries are starting to mount for Penrith with five-eight Jack Cole taken off the field by the independent doctor for an HIA Hooker Mitch Kenny was originally ruled out for the remainder of the contest however he has now returned for the final nine minutes with Cole in the HIA process 52nd minute: Taulagi has scored one of the weirder tries you'll see but it's the lead up to the four-pointer that will have Ivan Cleary most concerned Jaxon Purdue broke through the Panthers defensive line from a simple yardage carry deep inside his own half to provide his team prime field position The break highlighted the defensive issues that continue to plague the premiers to start the season The set finished with a pinpoint Tom Dearden kick to the corner with Taulagi eventually diving on it to put his team in front hooker Mitch Kenny has left the field with a right shoulder injury The dummy half went straight up the tunnel for an assessment 46th minute: The Cowboys have struck first to start the second half with Drinkwater producing a pinpoint grubber for Jaxon Purdue who gathered the ball to pull his team within two The try is exactly what North Queensland needed as they look to finish over the top over the premiers while Penrith coach Ivan Cleary will be disappointed to concede points so soon after the break Half-time: Isaah Yeo has produced a special play on the stroke of half-time to put Luke Garner over in what may turn out to be a pivotal moment in the game The milestone man engaged the line before putting Garner through a hole to ensure his team leads at the break The Cowboys will be disappointed to have done all the work to hold out Penrith while reduced to 12 men only to concede a try shortly after Robson returned to the field 35th minute: We've just had a footrace for the ages with Jack Cole throwing an intercept to Robert Derby The Cowboys winger set off for the  tryline racing 90 metres before he was run down by Penrith's Casey McLean It was a mammoth effort by the youngster and prevented North Queensland from scoring a second try while down a man 32nd minute: North Queensland have been reduced to 12 men after Reece Robson was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle but they haven't dropped their heads After defending their own line on two separate occasions the Cowboys marched their way down the field and broke through Halves Jake Clifford and Tom Dearden combined before Scott Drinkwater created the break to put Viliami Vailea over 20th minute: The Panthers have their first lead of the night with Cleary again playing a crucial role in the try The halfback produced a perfect grubber and Izack Tago won the race to the ball to put his team in front 14th minute: Cleary has been everywhere in his return to the field and he's played a crucial role in his side's first try of the night The Panthers shifted the ball early in the set Cleary drifting across field to freeze the Cowboys defensive line before linking up with Casey McLean with McLean eventually getting the ball back in support and crossing to complete a long-range effort 7th minute: The Cowboys have drawn first blood Murray Taulagi crossing in the corner off the back of a penalty and set restart The visitors asked plenty of questions of the Panthers' right flank throughout the set and they eventually broke through Jaxon Purdue producing a superb offload to put his winger over Kickoff: Isaah Yeo has led the Panthers out as he becomes the first man to play 250 games for Penrith with Nathan Cleary close behind for his return from a concussion The halfback needs just 14 points to surpass Ryan Girdler as the club's all-time leading scorer A big blow for the Cowboys with co-captain Reuben Cotter ruled out on game day due to illness Sam McIntyre comes into the starting side and Harrison Edwards joins the bench Luke Garner has been promoted to the starting side in the back row with Isaiah Papali'i moving to prop and Lindsay Smith going to the bench in a late switch for the Panthers As it happened: Raiders Kaeo Storm; Cleary masterclass; Dogs dazzle As it happened: Manly end slump; Cows hammer Titans As it happened: Storm topple Rabbitohs; Roosters A NOTE ABOUT RELEVANT ADVERTISING: We collect information about the content (including ads) you use across this site and use it to make both advertising and content more relevant to you on our network and other sites. 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Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out Raptor Squad officers have charged nine people following an investigation into the alleged criminality of a western Sydney drill group under Strike Force Cipolin Strike Force Cipolin was established in December 2024 by State Crime Command’s Raptor Squad to investigate the drug and firearm supply of members and associates of a drill group hailing from Sydney’s west police had seized five firearms and more than 800 grams of methylamphetamine as part of investigations into the group April 1) strike force detectives – with assistance from the Public Order and Riot Squad North West and South West Metropolitan Regions Operational Support Groups and Penrith Region Enforcement Squad – executed 11 search warrants across Sydney’s west police located and seized a further six firearms where he was charged with 23 offences total relating to the supply of drugs and firearms and knowingly direct activities of criminal group He was refused bail to appear in Penrith Local Court today (Wednesday where he was charged with 15 offences relating to the supply and possession of drugs and firearms as well as participating in a criminal group He was refused bail to appear in Penrith Local Court today The younger man was taken to Penrith Police Station where he was charged with four drug supply and possession related offences recklessly deal with proceeds of crime >$5000 The older man was taken to Springwood Police Station where he was charged with supply prohibited drug >indictable & <commercial quantity acquire etc firearm – subject to prohibition order possess unregistered firearm-not pistol/prohibited firearm and fail to comply digital evidence access order direction The man was refused bail to appear in Penrith Local Court today where he was charged with 17 offences relating to the supply and possession of drugs and firearms He was refused bail to appear in Mt Druitt Local Court today police arrested a 22-year-old woman and 27-year-old man where the woman was charged with knowingly deal with proceeds of crime supply prohibited drug >= large commercial quantity and participate criminal group contribute criminal She was refused bail to appear in Penrith Local Court today The 27-year-old man was charged with eight offences relating to drug supply deal with property proceeds of crime < $100000 & < $5000 and participate in a criminal group strike force officers arrested a 30-year-old man where he was charged with supply prohibited firearm to unauthorised person give ammunition to person not authorised etc and participate in a criminal group where she was charged with nine offences relating to the supply of drugs and firearms The woman was refused bail to appear in Mt Druitt Local Court today Investigations under Strike Force Cipolin continue Anyone with information that may assist investigations into organised criminal activity is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au Information is managed on a confidential basis The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages The South Penrith couple who experienced a car crash a fortnight ago want to thank all the first responders who helped them Paul and Denise Borg had just reversed out of their driveway on Tania Avenue and began driving to an optometrist appointment when their car struck another vehicle parked on the road Their car flipped upside down and Paul and Denise were stuck inside the vehicle The Weekender reported on the story and featured dramatic images from the cash “I remember waking up with my feet in the air and I was on my head,” Paul said “I moved my fingers; I could see my toes and I wiggled them I released my seatbelt and because I was on my head I rolled out Paul shared that he kept calling out for his wife to see if she was okay “I remember calling out and reaching out to check on Denise “Next thing I remember is I’m up on a stretcher and saying they had cut my clothes off and I was down to my underwear and I’m saying ‘don’t cut my boots’ and someone came up to me and said Paul and Denise were driven in separate ambulances to Westmead Hospital for treatment but on the way “I remember going down in the ambulance and a call came across the airway saying somebody is on the M4 and he is having a seizure,” Denise said “I vaguely remember saying to whoever ‘is that Paul Paul and Denise were treated for their injuries a laceration requiring five stitches a fractured rib and bruising around the sternum for Paul and a fractured sternum for Denise they want to extend their thanks to all those who assisted them after their crash “We don’t even remember the first responders in a case like this they are faceless people,” Paul said “They are right up front [and] when you are a victim and you want help and firemen who attended the scene Paul and Denise want to thank their family “We just appreciate what everyone did for us,” Denise said the police and even the neighbours and of course our [family].” teenagers have been terrorising motorists and pedestrians from the narrow seats of their recklessly driven dirt bikes Locals feel like it’s a ticking time bomb before someone is killed – or before vigilantes take matters into their own hands Penrith man Stuart said he recently witnessed teenagers wearing balaclavas doing wheelies past officers on the Great Western Highway The local father added the problem won’t disappear unless we get to the root of it “I have empathy that there’s an entire area of low socioeconomic status in Penrith that has no hope no opportunities and nothing else going for them; I think education and opportunity need to be introduced into those areas,” Stuart explained “Pretending that conclave of people are worthless and you don’t have to spend money on them is probably the biggest issue.” the adolescents display a lack of fear from their motorised thrones with multiple reports of reckless riding through busy intersections “We were travelling east on Jamison Road heading from Jamison Park up towards Northern Road and an unregistered bike overtook us on the unbroken lines on the back wheel chucking a wheelie with no helmet and no registration,” said North Richmond resident Glen and he came up to the intersection of Northern Road and just went straight through the red light.” Cambridge Park resident Neil almost collided with a boy on a bike as he was driving in the late afternoon with the sun in his eyes “I saw a silhouette of something coming towards me on the road so I moved over into the parking lane in front of St Dominic’s and saw it was a motorbike doing a wheel stand down the wrong side of the road,” Neil recounted “He seemed completely oblivious to the fact that I was coming straight towards him and if I hadn’t pulled into the parking lane I probably would’ve said it’s just kids having a bit of fun but they seem to have no concept of danger or death.” Motorists aren’t the only ones impacted by irresponsible youth; Jordan Springs resident Benny said homeowners are struggling I was coming home at 10.30pm and I noticed three juveniles on dirt bikes in the side street checking door handles on cars,” Benny detailed adding this was weeks after multiple thefts on his street Upon calling the police and explaining what he saw “He said they’d been given a directive from above not to intervene with juveniles on dirt bikes because if they are injured in cause of a pursuit One woman had to move out of her dream home in Cranebrook’s Waterside Estate after five years of putting up with relentless dirt bikers “We would regularly do the lakeside walks around my estate and on three different occasions we had episodes where motocross riders came down onto the walking tracks and were revving it up,” said Deb “You have to jump off the path to get out of their way.” Deb stood up to dirt bike riders twice – she was mooned in retaliation the first time and the second time a rider skimmed her leg She’s since been informed police aren’t allowed to chase the young riders This has raised the eyebrows of many residents wondering whose safety is more important: Law-abiding citizens or young potential criminals Belinda from Cranebrook called the police for help recently and said she felt like a second-rate citizen as the constable said there’s nothing they could do “I felt like the dirt bike riders’ welfare and their safety was more important than mine and my family’s,” the mother of three said Belinda explained she used to run a business in Union Lane but moved elsewhere due to the constant torment “They would be there daily riding in the back car park riding up and down the path on High Street,” she explained she was knocked over on High Street as she was protecting an older woman with a walker “I grabbed the walker and pulled her back before being knocked over by the guy on the Vespa,” Belinda recounted One employee at a High Street business told the Weekender a customer was recently hit while leaving their store Another employee stated they’ve been riding on the footpath Nepean Regional Security’s Gina Field said the dirt bike saga has been going for a long time “We’ve had all of our front lawn ripped up at our office area in North Penrith mud spewed all over our employees’ vehicles and our patrol officer has been stopped at the lights with trail bike riders terrorising from the front and back of the vehicle,” Field stated She’s been informed that police can’t chase them down and the dirt bike riders are aware of that the legal system won’t do anything with them and they’re faster than the police cars,” Field explained and I’m concerned people are going to start taking matters into their own hands.” Nepean Police Area Command issued a statement claiming they are taking action where possible and have undertaken several special operations Nepean PAC carried out ‘Operation Spoiler’ on the 19th of December 2024 The operation consisted of Traffic and Highway Police Command and Nepean PAC General Duties,” the statement said “The operation resulted in several charges and the recovery of a stolen vehicle More importantly it created a high visibility presence which has been proven as an effective tool in the reduction of crime “Nepean PAC assisted the Traffic and Highway Command with an operation targeting the use of trail bikes on the 18th of March 2025 “Nepean PAC plan on running similar operations moving forward and remain committed to the reduction in crime.” and focuses on entertainment and community stories She's a graduate of the University of South Australia and has previously worked as a Video Journalist with Southern Cross Austereo and as a News Reader with Australian Radio Network Penrith City Council has identified multiple roads in need of fixing and will submit an application for further funding to improve road safety in the community Council has successfully received $1.4 million in funding through the Road Safety Program and has identified a further six sites across Penrith that require remediation efforts to reduce accidents The $1.4 million will be used at Illawong Avenue and Caloola Avenue in Penrith to install two ‘wombat’ pedestrian crossings a pedestrian footpath connection to the existing footpath on the southern side of Caloola and construct a 1.8-metre-wide footpath with kerb ramps to provide missing links within the school catchment Council will now submit a report to Transport for NSW (TfNSW) for further funding to improve safety at the six sites under the Federal Government’s Black Spot Program and the NSW Safer Roads Program “Nominated projects were prioritised according to the number of injury crashes that had occurred over the five-year period and the ability to successfully remediate the accident hazards at that location by way of an appropriate treatment,” the report to Council said Improvements at the identified sites would include traffic calming installation of safety barriers line marking and median islands along with a suggested single lane roundabout at the intersection of Laycock Street with pedestrian facilities and other traffic calming Council will make a submission to TfNSW for their consideration New speed cameras between South Penrith and Eastern Creek will be installed on the M4 Motorway The heavy vehicle average speed cameras will operate in both directions Heavy vehicle average speed cameras photograph heavy vehicles as they pass the start and end points of an enforcement length to enforce speed limits March 14 2025 between the M7 on-ramp and Kingswood Road overpass westbound and between the Mulgoa Road on-ramp and M7 off-ramp eastbound Work will take place across four sites for a total of 10 day shifts and 14 night shifts per site from 7am to 5pm weekdays and 9pm to 5am weeknights There will be temporary traffic changes to make sure the work zone is safe Partial lane closures and a 40km/h speed limit will be in place for the safety of our workers and road users during work hours with traffic controllers on site to assist motorists and pedestrians This post has been published by the team in our newsroom Aitken had been battling illness for some time and formally resigned as a Penrith Councillor last year Aitken was elected to Penrith City Council in 1995 and subsequently re-elected to represent South Ward in 1999 But he is best known for his business interests building Jim Aitken + Partners into the most recognisable real estate brand in Penrith He opened his first real estate office at age 49 in the Lennox Shopping Centre in Emu Plains “He was a wonderful human being and a man from humble beginnings that really just had a heart bigger than himself,” Reeves told the Weekender this morning “He was a selfless individual who put others before himself “He was a dynamic thinker and a very successful business person and a person who thought differently from normal and had a determination to make life better for the people that he came across.” Reeves said he was “privileged” to have “lived some life with Jim” “Life was better once you got to know Jim You were better for the relationship and better for the experience,” he said Born in the Central West of New South Wales Aitken moved to Penrith with his family in 1959 garbologist and property developer before landing in the real estate industry He managed a butcher shop in Penrith Plaza when it first opened in 1971 Aitken gave back to the community significantly through his church community and Penrith Valley Rotary Club where he spearheaded Penrith’s annual Carols by Candlelight for many years He has also been a strong advocate in assisting children with disabilities Aitken became one of the largest private sector employers in Penrith with multiple offices spread across the region The legacy of the Jim Aitken + Partners brand remains in force today with offices across Penrith Aitken once said: “I always maintained a vision to make a positive contribution to my community Through our business and my role as councilor I feel blessed to be able to serve those individuals in need and support the many schools churches and charity organisations that in turn serve us all.” a recipient of the Order of Australia Medal He had been battling illness for some time There is major confusion this afternoon surrounding the nomination of Liberal Party candidates for the upcoming Local Government Election Local residents will go to the polls on September 14 for the Council elections But in what appears to be an extraordinary blunder by the party’s head office it seems many Council areas will not have Liberal candidates to vote for where only North Ward Councillor Ross Fowler’s ticket appears on the candidate list At this stage no Liberal candidates appear on the candidate list for South Ward or East Ward Mark Davies was expected to lead the Liberal ticket in South Ward while Marlene Shipley was expected to lead the Liberal ticket in East Ward Unless something dramatic happens in the next 24 hours Penrith could face the extraordinary situation of not having Liberal candidates in those wards Anthony Roberts has demanded a party room meeting of the NSW Parliamentary Liberal Party He wants answers and resignations on how the state division missed the deadline for council elections leaving many areas without Liberals to vote for — Chris O’Keefe (@cokeefe9) August 14, 2024 Labor’s Todd Carney appears to be the only candidate in East Ward it will see all five people on Labor’s ticket be election to Council – enough to ensure the Council is Labor-led It is understood Liberal HQ is in chaos this afternoon as it tries to assess the fallout and work out why nomination paperwork was not filed in time Liberal State Director Richard Shields said “secretariat resources” were behind the blunder “With the secretariat resources that we had available we were unable to nominate in all of the local government areas that were put forward by the state executive,” he said in a statement “The status of nominated Liberal candidates will be communicated upon confirmation from the NSW Electoral Commission I would like to apologise to Liberal-endorsed councillors that were not nominated and to the party membership more broadly.” There are already calls for Shields to resign The blunder will change the face of Penrith Council should Liberal candidates not run in South and East Ward two Liberal candidates in each ward were successful in earning spots on Council it could open the door for Independent Sue Day to get at least another candidate on her ticket across the line The Libertarian Party is also running a ticket in South Ward Labor has announced a team of Council veterans and political newcomers on its tickets for the upcoming Local Government Election Labor announced its candidates at Weir Reserve last weekend all candidates drove home a similar theme: ‘Working for the West’ In the East Ward current Penrith Mayor Todd Carney will lead the ticket with Garion Thain son of long-serving Penrith Councillor John Thain The ticket will be rounded out with Sabbie Kaur Carney said he looks forward to continuing to serve his community “I have had the great honour of serving the people of Penrith over the past eight years as an East Ward Councillor and the past 12 months as Mayor,” Carney said I look forward to continuing to deliver greater housing options critical infrastructure and community facilities for future generations “Delivering the much-needed upgrades and improvements to roads rural drainage and community facilities through a financially sustainable program.” The South Ward will be represented by newcomer Hollie McLean who sits in the first spot on the ticket with Kirstie Boerst as her second Mohinder Singh and Mitchell Hearne will round out the South Ward ticket McLean said she was thrilled to represent her local area in the election “This term of [Council] will see extensive change to our area with the opening of the new airport in 2026,” McLean said I will work to contribute to decisions that benefit all residents and those who work in and visit our area “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to run for Labor representation for South Ward on Penrith City Council energy and extensive advocacy experience to the Council “I am looking forward to spending the next four years working for the west.” The North Ward top candidate is long-time Penrith City Councillor and former Mayor John Thain who will have current Councillor Robin Cook as his second On the remainder of the North Ward ticket is Kyra Quinlivan Outgoing Penrith City Councillor and current State Member for Penrith Karen McKeown proudly attended the launch event where she said she was proud of the future of the Labor Party in Penrith “I have always strongly advocated for the people of Penrith and I am happy to endorse the Penrith Council Labor ticket,” McKeown said “These Labor candidates represent locals from all over our community I know that their passion and dedication will revitalise our Council for the challenges ahead “I have worked with many of the candidates both on Council and in the community and I can attest to their commitment to working for you.” Deputy Premier of NSW and former Penrith City Councillor Prue Car attended the launch event where she proudly endorsed the candidates “The Penrith City Labor team has a proven track record of delivering for local residents and their unmatched experience and knowledge is what the community deserves,” Car said their dedication to fight for [a] brighter future and unwavering commitment to ‘Working for the West’.” The Local Government Council Election will be held on Saturday Police have arrested a 15-year-old boy in connection with the stabbing death of a pizza shop owner at Kingswood He is the seventh person to be arrested over the incident He was arrested at 1.10pm this afternoon at St Marys Police Station and has since been taken to Mount Druitt Police Station The Weekender can now confirm one of the six others arrested is a 13-year-old girl Raptor Squad detectives have charged a man over a public place shooting in Merrylands West earlier this year October 26 officers from Cumberland Police Area Command were called to a home on Bristol Street police located a number of bullet holes in the front of the home Two occupants were inside the home at the time; however A crime scene was established and forensically examined before the matter was referred to the State Crime Command’s Raptor Squad under Strike Force Helio strike force investigators – with assistance from the Tactical Operation Unit – attended a home in South Penrith about 11.30am yesterday When a man inside refused to leave the premises officers commenced negotiations before a 30-year-old man was arrested without incident about 2.30pm before being conveyed to Nepean Hospital for treatment He has since been charged with a range of offences The man was refused bail to appear at Penrith Local Court today Investigations under Strike Force Helio are continuing QSR Media Australia website works best with Javascript enabled Please enable your javascript and reload the page The fast-food chain plans to construct new stores in this format KFC has partnered with startup saveBOARD to rebuild its South Penrith location to incorporate 99% recycled products into the restaurant’s design.  With saveBOARD wall and ceiling tiles fitted throughout the front of house the opening of the South Penrith location makes KFC the first quick-service restaurant in Australia to utilise saveBOARD The reimagined KFC South Penrith features an immersive tunnel at the Drive Thru entrance with visuals of the Colonel’s fried gold projected across several screens throughout the passage Fans dining in will also have the option of placing their order via three self-service kiosks within the restaurant KFC South Penrith underwent a major remodel in late-2022 The reopening of the location will see 88 team members return to the KFC South Penrith branch Chief Supply Chain Officer at KFC Australia the rebuilding of the South Penrith restaurant will mark its first partnership with saveBOARD Clark said that KFC plans to construct future restaurants with saveBOARD materials and retrofit select existing locations with the startup’s low-carbon and fully recyclable materials NRL star Jarome Luai and his partner Bailey Paris Toleafoa are the proud new owners of a $1.55million house in Sydney's South Penrith. The couple purchased the five-bedroom, two-storey home which is located near his team's home ground. The spacious property has several formal and informal living spaces, suitable for a gym or library. The home also has a grand staircase while the master bedroom features a walk-in wardrobe and ensuite. The alfresco terrace area is located on a 645sqm garden. Jarome and his partner Bailey share three children, nine-month-old daughter Halo, Akira, one, and Izzy, five. The sports star had his newborn daughter with partner Bailey induced in September last year to ensure the birth didn't clash with the NRL grand final. He announced the birth by posting an adorable snap of the newborn in a crib wrapped in a hospital blanket. He followed up the snap with some shots of Izzy meeting his new baby sister, with the toddler smiling for a photo with his mother before kissing Halo sweetly on the cheek. Jarome made his NRL debut in 2018 and played his first game at the State of Origin in 2021. 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NRL star Jarome Luai purchases $1.5million property in South PenrithCommenting on this article has endedNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}} Seeking to “revolutionise the restaurant experience” KFC has collaborated with sustainable startup SaveBoard to incorporate low-carbon construction made from 99 per cent recycled materials into its South Penrith store’s redesign.  Aside from using recycled materials for construction the site also has solar panels and energy-efficient LED lighting.    “Fans can look forward to convenience and speedy service at the KFC South Penrith Drive Thru as well as a tech show to boot,” said  Michael Clark chief supply chain officer at KFC Australia “The new KFC also marks the beginning of our partnership with saveBoard aligning with our commitment to investing in more sustainable solutions that promote a circular economy in KFC restaurants.” the reimagined restaurant features an immersive tunnel at the drive-thru entrance with visuals of KFC’s Colonel mascot featuring across several screens throughout the passage (pictured above) Customers dining in will also have the option of placing their order via three self-service kiosks added that the materials used were made from previously unrecyclable packaging waste that would otherwise end up in landfill “SaveBoard is a more durable substitution for commonly used building materials,” he said.  “With every board sold saving 25kgs of packaging waste that would normally end up in landfill our products are fully recyclable at the end of life.” KFC says it plans to construct future restaurants this year with SaveBoard and retrofit select existing locations with the game-changing low-carbon and fully recyclable at-the-end-of-life product.  By continuing, you agree to Octomedia Terms And Conditions and Privacy Policy laser clinic and beauty salon will soon be added to the changing face of Smith Street in South Penrith Work is underway for the salon named ‘Melissa Peters’ that will provide people with all their beauty treatments in one location Working in the beauty industry for 16 years owner Melissa Peters said it is the perfect opportunity to expand on the services and experiences she provides “I had a home-based salon in Orchard Hills for six years but had to close as we were compulsorily acquired by Sydney Metro,” Ms Peters said “I had always wanted to open a bigger space and had this vision of creating something that was unique in the industry and stood out in Penrith.” Standing out is the extensive range of wellness services that will be taking place in the luxurious space “We have always done laser hair removal but I have invested in superior equipment so we can offer things like tattoo removal medical grade skin treatments and more advanced body treatments such as body contouring and skin tightening,” she said “All of our beauty services like manicures eyebrows and makeup will also be done in our relaxing space.” Behind the aesthetically designed interior is another local female-owned business “We are luxury designers who work all around Australia but we are based in Penrith so we love when can create that cosmopolitan feeling so you don’t have to travel to the city,” Founder and Director so we moved away from a generic salon look and brought a lot of warm natural tones with a lot of texture to be inviting “We also made sure to create areas that could be beautiful backgrounds in photos because it is important for businesses to be share-able on social media.” Ms Peters said she is excited to see her vision complete and to welcome the community in a supportive family and the other businesses have been great so I cannot wait to do what I genuinely love which is making people feel good from the moment they walk in,” she said “We have our wonderful current clients but we have created a space that we can grow with so I hope we can have more people experience what we do and keep coming back in the future.” To keep up to date with the opening of Melissa Peters, visit http://www.facebook.com/melissapetersbeauty State and Federal politics for the Weekender Leaders from year 6 and 12 across the city’s public and private schools have shared what they are looking forward to most in the new year and what they hope to achieve as school leaders Meet our young and upcoming leaders for 2024 Lily Manners is excited to make a difference at her school and learn what it's like to be a leader Lily wants to do medical studies after school and be a school teacher or dance teacher she hopes to achieve her learning goals and try new things with confidence Elijah Vella is an avid writer and is looking forward to working with others in a positive way so that everyone has a year to reach goals Elijah aspires to be an auto electrician like his dad "He does things that fix fire trucks to make them work." Lucas is looking forward to being a leader and starting new things to help the school Lucas hopes to become an engineer or possibly make it as an NRL player after finishing school Charley has always wanted to become school captain ever since kindergarten and wants to help her peers be the best they can be Ruby ran for school captain because she loves helping teachers and students She wants to make her school a great place for students to learn and teachers to teach Isabella Brglevski is excited to engage with the Emmaus school community and represent them in the wider society Isabella admired the leadership team as a junior and is honoured to have been elected by her peers and teachers to maintain the servant leadership of previous captains Isabella wants to pursue further education in psychological science and eventually combine her passion for law and psychology to become a forensic psychologist Fellow school leader Peter Sara ran for school captain to help show those who struggled with a voice to find theirs and to show that anyone can try for a leadership position Peter wants to achieve higher results in his studies and help create a stronger sense of community Peter aspires to major in architecture and do further study in civil engineering Audrey Cocks became a school captain to share her love of learning with others in the hope others can enjoy school as much as she does I wanted people to have the love and passion for the school I do and to embrace learning every day because if you do school can be so gratifying.” Her goal as leader is to become a confidant who “all students felt comfortable to come and talk to about anything” Fellow leader Sofia Maiorana wants to make her peers “become the best young women and learners they can be” She hopes to achieve this by showing others how to be kind and respectful to each other Beyond the school gates Sofia has set herself the goal of studying either medicine or medical science at University and make a career out of “helping others through their most vulnerable moments.” As vice captain Aurelia Parsley is excited about the possibilities which lay ahead and collaborating with her leadership colleagues to enact meaningful changes and improvements in the school After school Aurelia plans to pursue a career either in agriculture or conservation and research with a specific interest in learning about sustainable agriculture practises Georgia Grady became a school leader because she wanted to make a positive difference in her school community reaching that goal has been “exhilarating” and her “biggest accomplishment” In how she hopes her 2024 will shape up Georgia says she wants to achieve podium ranks in at least three subjects before graduating to University fellow captain Jai Johnstone is immensely proud to call himself a school captain and have the opportunity to enact change “To be elected felt like a seal of approval from my peers and gave me the confidence needed to be the best captain I can be.” In looking beyond the school gates Jai wants to gain admission into the University of Sydney to study English Student leaders Kiara Wickramanayaka and Makur Agok make a powerful duo with their combined leadership qualities of enthusiasm and honesty making their school a great place to learn and grow Kiara has set her sights on becoming either a teacher or an environmentalist as she believes “we are all stewards of creation and should care about taking care of the environment” “I want to teach others how important this is.” Makur’s hope for the future is to play soccer and travel to South Sudan with his family where he will raise money to provide fresh drinking water School captain Capri Wallace threw her hat into the ring for leadership roles because she wanted “to be an approachable role model who is happy to make a difference” Looking beyond her schooling years Capri wants to improve her singing and become a singer and travel to Italy and see the Isle of Capri - the place she’s named after Fellow captain Jack Vella says it’s been “a huge honour” to be apart of the school leadership team and a wonderful opportunity to show people kindness and inclusiveness in the world As Penola Catholic College’s leadership duo Imelda Wright and Benjamin Norris are focusing their efforts on being role models and voices for the school Benjamin said his goal was to “lock in place the improvements” he’d made in his younger years and give back to the school community by “leaving the school better than it was” as school captain she recognises her role as “to reflect what the student community wants” College vice captains are out to leave a legacy of their own Montana La Rosa says during her leadership she wants to leave a lasting positive impression so “when we’re gone students will say ‘remember those school leaders’ Fellow vice captain Charlie Thomas is motivated to lead by example by “helping others with their problems” Read the full article from the Daily Telegraph Meet Anthony McElhone, who will be the new Principal of Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary Greystanes. ABC News News HomeSport Just 8,155 fans turned up to Stadium Australia to watch Souths against Penrith Link copiedShareShare articlePenrith Panthers captain Isaah Yeo says his side was taken off-guard by the small crowd who turned up to Stadium Australia for last night's NRL clash with South Sydney Just 8,155 fans were in attendance to watch the Panthers beat the last-placed Rabbitohs 42-12 That crowd figure is less than 10 per cent of Stadium Australia's official capacity of 83,500 Yeo said the noise in the stadium felt like there were even fewer fans in attendance putting the three-time defending premiers off their game "It's definitely different," Yeo said "We probably didn't realise until we got out there for a warm-up "They said there was 8,000 there tonight but there was probably half that It was definitely different with the lack of people there." The Rabbitohs' horror season continued as they lost halfback Dean Hawkins and young fullback Jye Gray to injury in the 30-point defeat The Rabbitohs hung in for almost an hour before fatigue and the Panthers tore them apart It came just days after coach Jason Demetriou was fired and leaves the Rabbitohs with one win from eight games to start the season with their for-and-against almost twice as bad as the second-last Gold Coast Titans "I don't know where they go next week They're in a lot of trouble," former Canberra halfback Sam Williams said in commentary for ABC Sport The Ben Hornby era had started remarkably well at Sydney's Olympic stadium with Cody Walker creating tries for Izaac Thompson and Hawkins to put Souths 12-0 up after 10 minutes helped the Panthers level the score against 12 men before taking an 18-12 lead to half-time after Luke Garner ran through Walker close to the line "You can't blame coaches for this kind of thing," Williams said Gray (ankle) and Hawkins (quadriceps) left the game at half-time and the Panthers ran over the top of their depleted opponents on the back of 42 straight points Hawkins's injury to his already heavily strapped right thigh initially looked like forcing a change many have been calling for with Jack Wighton moving from centre to join Walker in the halves potentially allowing Latrell Mitchell to make his return from suspension in the centres next week But Hornby confirmed after the game that Gray's injury looked like a syndesmosis and Mitchell would be in the number one to face the Dragons next Saturday Look back at all the action in our live blog below, and check out all the latest stats in our ScoreCentre Submit a comment or question Log in to commentLive updatesLatestOldest2 May 2024 12:46pmThu 2 May 2024 at 12:46pmThat will do it for usJBy Jon Healy Another rough night for South Sydney and once again the Panthers get it done while looking well below their best we'll see you again tomorrow night for Manly vs the Raiders and the blockbuster in Brisbane ReactReactCopy link2 May 2024 12:26pmThu 2 May 2024 at 12:26pmPanthers rattled by 'lack of atmosphere' at near-empty Olympic stadiumJBy Jon Healy Panthers coach Ivan Cleary says he's proud of a "professional" effort from his team in a potential "banana skin" game considering the five-day turnaround from Townsville and all the drama surrounding the Rabbitohs "This week was definitely compromised In the end I thought it was very professional Both Cleary and Penrith captain Isaah Yeo both bemoan the "lack of atmosphere" at the 80,000-seat Stadium Australia which was at least 90 per cent empty tonight "It's definitely different," Yeo says ReactReactCopy linkKey Event2 May 2024 12:10pmThu 2 May 2024 at 12:10pm'I don't think we deserved that scoreline': Rabbitohs coachJBy Jon Healy Interim Souths coach Ben Hornby says his team impressed him with their effort and the brutal scoreline reflects an exhausted team that ran out of legs saying "I don't think we deserved that scoreline" "We're going up against the premiers we've got a chance to make a statement and I thought we did that." Captain Cameron Murray echoes his coach's sentiments that the scoreline "I still think there's some good moments in there and some good things to reflect on and base the way we play our footy moving forward "It's not all smiles but we tried to turn up today We're gonna be fighting hard for the rest of the season Hornby gives a bit of an update on the injuries to halfback Dean Hawkins and fullback Jye Gray and it's "not good He says it looks like Gray has a syndesmosis injury and Hawkins has a quad strain Latrell Mitchell is back from suspension next week and Hornby says he'll step straight back into the number one jersey 11:54amThu 2 May 2024 at 11:54amWe'll let you know when the press conferences startJBy Jon Healy It will be interesting to see what Ben Hornby and Cameron Murray make of that effort by South Sydney And I don't think Ivan Cleary and Isaah Yeo will be thrilled with about three quarters of that match 11:50amThu 2 May 2024 at 11:50amDamien Cook trying to find the positives on a torrid night for South SydneyJBy Jon Healy Damien Cook looked emotional as he ran out onto the field with kids Willow and Jagger for this No doubt it was an ordinary night in a season full of them but Cook tells ABC Sport he hopes supporters can see some positives in the first 40 minutes and the way the team fought despite losing half their spine players in the game "It's been a tough week for the club "I'd like to hope they saw a lot of positives "I'll sit back tonight and be proud of 200 games." Cook started the night in his usual spot at hooker and ended it at fullback where he started his career 11:40amThu 2 May 2024 at 11:40amFULL-TIME: Panthers thump South Sydney 42-12JBy Jon Healy That's 42 straight points for Penrith after the Rabbitohs had jumped out to a 12-0 lead in just 10 minutes South Sydney's season goes from bad to worse with fullback Jye Gray in a moonboot with an ankle injury and halfback Dean Hawkins's night ending early with a quad injury There's nothing more to say about the woeful Rabbitohs who fired those early shots but completely came unstuck once Penrith got any ball 11:36amThu 2 May 2024 at 11:36amThe Panthers get one more for good measureJBy Jon Healy Captain Isaah Yeo and fullback Dylan Edwards are off the field for an early shower and replacement custodian Sunia Turuva steams onto the ball on the short side and creates a try for Izack Tago 11:31amThu 2 May 2024 at 11:31am71' It's 36-12 and could get worseJBy Jon Healy The Rabbitohs won't be back to 13 men until the final two minutes They already look knackered and are conceding consistently 11:28amThu 2 May 2024 at 11:28amSunia Turuva with a miracle ball for a try!JBy Jon Healy The Panthers go right and Sunia Turuva looks absolutely destined for the first row in the tackle of Jai Arrow Damien Cook and a late-arriving Cam Murray but the Fijian gun flicks a ball behind him and all the defenders and Luke Garner is on hand to catch it and fall over the line 11:26amThu 2 May 2024 at 11:26am68' We have a third sin-binning for the night!JBy Jon Healy Souths back rower Jacob Host gets into a tussle gets put on report and sent to the sin-bin for running through Brad Schneider's kicking leg after he bombs but referee Adam Gee says there's a "very high risk of injury" as he sends him in the same fashion as Izack Tago and Jai Arrow earlier tonight 11:25amThu 2 May 2024 at 11:25am67' The Rabbitohs are cookedJBy Jon Healy Cameron Murray knocks on as the Rabbitohs try to put on a left-side play from 40 metres out He and Cody Walker brushed ABC interviews on the field last week after the 54-20 loss to Melbourne and Murray barely spoke in the press conference 11:19amThu 2 May 2024 at 11:19amThe Panthers embarrass South Sydney after a horribly lazy effortJBy Jon Healy Cody Walker's kick trickles over the dead-ball line and Dylan Edwards charges up to the 20m line to take the tap and a grand total of THREE Rabbitohs were back onside to defend flicked a pass to Taylan May and he went 70 metres untouched to score South Sydney has done a lot of defence and suffered a couple of injuries 11:16amThu 2 May 2024 at 11:16amLindsay Smith is in for the Panthers in fittingly messy fashionJBy Jon Healy Brad Schneider's miskicked bomb comes down in no man's land between fullback Damien Cook and Cameron Murray running back from centre scuffs a deflection into the path of Liam Martin Dylan Edwards converts and that's 24-12 to Penrith 11:11amThu 2 May 2024 at 11:11am55' Neither team looking greatJBy Jon Healy but the Panthers refuse to put them away as Matt Eisenhuth drops it cold on the charge in the middle of the field You have to feel this effort from Penrith has the air of complacency about it 11:07amThu 2 May 2024 at 11:07am52' No The Rabbitohs spin it wide with a couple of wide balls and Izaac Thompson drops a cut-out pass from Jack Wighton cold on the left wing 11:05amThu 2 May 2024 at 11:05am49' They couldn't The bomb goes up and Brian To'o drops it as Damien Cook races through and comes up with fresh air but Adam Gee says Cook's effort was genuine and the Rabbitohs will attack from 10 metres out 11:03amThu 2 May 2024 at 11:03am47' Dylan Edwards remains unstoppableJBy Jon Healy The Panthers fullback fields a kick deep behind his own tryline and somehow sneaks down the right to get back into the field of play and steals 30 or so more metres too 10:59amThu 2 May 2024 at 10:59am43' Jye Gray is out with an ankle injuryJBy Jon Healy Damien Cook goes back to where it all started for him moving to fullback to replace young Jye Gray who's succumbed to the ankle injury he suffered in that hip drop from Izack Tago in the first half So the Rabbitohs initially named a backline of… 10:56amThu 2 May 2024 at 10:56am41' We're back underway at HomebushJBy Jon Healy 10:40amThu 2 May 2024 at 10:40amHALF-TIME: Panthers lead South Sydney 18-12 after a bizarre 40 minutesJBy Jon Healy a slew of odd plays and ultimately it ends with a pretty predictable scoreline Former Panthers coach Matthew Elliott is at a loss for words to describe that "high-quality weird" half "We've witnessed some pretty weird halves of footy but that one is definitely on the podium," he says on ABC Sport "Strange doesn't go near what we just witnessed." the Rabbitohs fans give their struggling team a standing ovation as they head past them up the tunnel If there's one thing Souths fans know how to do it's get behind a team that is battling at the bottom of the ladder CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) A man has been charged and more than 100kg of prohibited drugs have been seized as part of an ongoing Organised Crime Squad investigation into drug importation and supply detectives from the State Crime Command’s Organised Crime Squad established Strike Force Sharrock to investigate the importation and supply of prohibited drugs strike force detectives arrested a 47-year-old man at South Penrith just after 5am on Friday investigators executed a search warrant at a nearby home where they located and seized about 85kg of methylamphetamine the drugs have an estimated potential street value of more than $45 million The man was taken to Penrith Police Station and charged with three counts of large commercial drug supply https://www.facebook.com/westernweekender/videos/10156479490213320/ He was refused bail and appeared at Parramatta Bail Court where he was formally refused bail to reappear at Penrith Local Court on Friday Detective Acting Superintendent Damian Beaufils said investigators will continue to target any organised criminal activities that impact on the safety of the community “The NSW Police Force – in partnership and cooperation with local and international law enforcement and intelligence agencies – has had significant success in recent years with the seizure of tonnes of illicit drugs and millions of dollars in cash suspected to be proceeds of crime,” Det A/Supt Beaufils said “Strike Force Sharrock is another example of the squad’s continued dedication to tackling large-scale drug importation and supply – and we’re not done yet “We will continue to investigate source of the drugs which includes ongoing targeting of importation attempts as well as those involved in the manufacture of illicit substances Det A/Supt Beaufils added that despite large seizures of illicit drugs demand in NSW remains far too high – and it is the most important issue to be addressed “We know that organised criminal groups are motivated by profit and the unwavering demand within our community feeds right into their greed – there’s no hesitation in exploiting that demand for their own benefit,” Det A/Supt Beaufils said “Police and our partners will continue to do our job in terms of targeting these networks but we need the community’s support to incite real cultural change in relation to drug use we can hit these illegitimate businesses where it hurts the most: on their bottom line.” 21 Jun 2023 • 2m read • View Author KFC-South-Penrith-saveboard-sustainability-1732010330.png KFC’s remodelled South Penrith restaurant offers a glimpse into the physical future of the franchise with the Form 4 Architects-designed store is made of recycled materials The restaurant franchise teamed up with local start up saveBOARD who specified the sustainable wall and ceiling tiles that are seen throughout the front of house and opening spaces The tiles will be utilised for new KFC restaurant builds in Australia as well as retrofitting a suite of stores with the innovative materials “We’re excited to work with KFC to launch saveBOARD into the quick-service restaurant space,” says saveBOARD’s Chris Collimore “Manufactured entirely from previously unrecyclable packaging waste that would otherwise end up in landfill Liquid Paper Board packaging overruns and bespoke materials such as coffee pods – saveBOARD is a more durable substitution for commonly used building materials our products are fully recyclable at end of life.” THe new store has been fitted with solar panels and LED lighting A new tunnel located at the entrance to the drive thru and self-serve kiosks have also been integrated “The opening of KFC South Penrith takes a stride in industry-leading innovation for our brand with the new restaurant paving the way for KFC to introduce bold new concepts that maximise customer and team member experience in Aussie restaurants,” says KFC Australia’s Chief Supply Chain Officer “The new KFC also marks the beginning of our partnership with saveBOARD aligning with our commitment to investing in more sustainable solutions that promote a circular economy in KFC restaurants We look forward to working with saveBOARD to scale their incredible work across Australia.” For more information regarding saveBOARD, click here. Rooted, resilient, resonant: Off-grid family living amongst the rugged Australian landscape Using DecoBatten®’s latest profile on The Seaside Sanctuary Solid Nordic softwood in interior design: Sustainable solutions for joinery, flooring and wall panelling Construction of resort-style clubhouse begins at AVID’s over 50s lifestyle precinct in Fraser Coast Sign up to our newsletter for the latest industry news, products and inspiration. The occupants were trapped inside the house and could not open the door to escape. (ABC News: Jackson Vernon) Link copiedShareShare articleTwo people have been rescued by their neighbours from a house fire in Sydney's west. Crews are still working to put out hotspots and search the property after the blaze destroyed the two-storey home in Bickley Road, South Penrith. Fire Inspector Glenn Launt praised neighbours who ran to help two men who were inside the home at the time. The occupants were trapped and could not open the door. It took 40 firefighters more than two hours to contain the blaze. (ABC News: Jackson Vernon) The fire started just after 1:00pm and it took 40 firefighters more than two hours to bring the blaze under control. One of the occupants was taken to Nepean Hospital with minor hand burns and the other was treated at the scene for suspected smoke inhalation. An eyewitness, Teddy Webber, who lives five houses away, said at first it was thought more people were trapped inside the house because of the panic. But he said police worked out that was not the case. Mr Webber said the fire looked dangerous and he ran to alert other neighbours. "I ran up the street, and went to the lady around the corner ... she was concerned it was hers, but the flames were coming out of the two windows in the front and the garage, and they were nearly across the road, they were leaping in and out of the garage across the road," he said. Superintendant Ian Krimmer from NSW Fire and Rescue said they stopped the flames from spreading to neighbouring properties. He said they have yet to determine the cause of the blaze. Firefighters were able to stop the blaze from spreading to neighbouring properties. (ABC News: Jackson Vernon) Penrith Local Area Command and the Rescue & Bomb Disposal Unit have concluded the operation in Smith Street at South Penrith today December 8) emergency services were called to the location following the discovery of a number of unattended objects An initial examination was not able to determine the contents of the objects They have been removed and will be forensically examined Officers from Penrith Local Area Command reopened several roads in the area shortly after midday Anyone with information about suspicious or unusual behaviour in the area is urged to contact Penrith Police or Crime Stoppers immediately Police have apologised for any inconvenience and have thanked residents and motorists for their understanding Emily Newton is the Weekender's police and political reporter Emily is also the Weekender's Senior Journalist South Penrith resident Luciano Vranich is this month celebrating 20 years of exhibiting his photos at Penrith City Library Vranich recalls first gaining an interest in photography in the early 1980’s completing a six-week course at Penrith TAFE and then joining a camera club in 1984 before becoming self-taught Since his first exhibition at the library in 2003 Vranich has found the most success under Head On Photo Festival through which he had his 10th exhibition in November photographers remain nameless to allow for the proposals to stand alone the person at the other end wrote to me and said that the judges were very impressed with my essay,” he said Though in more recent years his subjects have come from issues in society such as refugees and depression Vranich has in the past done a variety of photography styles such as still life work and street photography he’s finding himself experimenting with colour more and more “When I sit down at my laptop with photoshop and I got bored with just everyday normalcy and normal colours so I started to see what else I could do with the pictures,” he said “I got onto changing the colours in this extraordinary way because it’s so radically different from what everyone’s experience is.” To celebrate the culmination of 20 years of work at the library Vranich has put together an exhibition entitled ‘Re-imagining Penrith in psychedelic colours’ for which he said he’s received overwhelming support through the comments book he introduced “It feels good to get positive feedback from the local community,” he said but I think the authorities have forgotten where I live!” Vranich’s current exhibition will be on at the library until the end of the month Cassidy Pearce is a news and entertainment journalist with The Western Weekender A graduate of the University of Technology Sydney she has previously worked with Good Morning Macarthur and joined the Weekender in 2022 only Brian Cartwright is not running at the election Ms McKeown again leads the Labor ticket in South Ward with Kath Presdee second on the ticket followed by Lorraine Fordham After some conjecture over whether he would run Mark Davies leads the Liberal Party ticket that also includes Mark Rusev Well-known Independent Sue Day is again running in South Ward heading a ticket that also includes Faithe Skinner Veteran Councillor Jim Aitken also heads an independent ticket Julia Parashko and Norm Atkinson feature on his ticket Abigail Nash is running as an ungrouped independent candidate Penrith has a golden future and I want to be part of that future – and deliver prosperity and success for our children and grandchildren I was first elected to Penrith Council in 1995 and have been delighted to be part of the team that has turned many tough challenges into life-changing successes the beautiful river and green space and the endless opportunities for business I will continue to be a Councillor for the entire City sensible development whilst caring for our environment and quality lifestyle already in place inclusive group who share a passionate pride in our City My burning desire is to continue to serve these people I retain the commitment of my youth after 26 years of service and will lead an independent team of five talented and loyal local residents – already leaders in our community – into the election My pledge to the Penrith community is to continue to be contactable at any time and always look to connect planning and resources for the common good The Western Sydney International Airport will have a huge impact on Penrith and surrounds and we must be ready to take advantage with smart industry and smart manufacturing Job opportunities for our young people and widespread development will secure the future of Penrith forever Also on the Jim Aitken ticket: George Rabie This Local Government election on the 4th of December provides the perfect opportunity for voters to give Council a fresh new perspective When people ask me why I am running for Council without question my response is: It’s time to break old thinking habits There hasn’t been real change for almost 20 years This is such an important election for residents especially with the current overdevelopment and congestion on roads It means that people need a representative that shares their concerns and community values I’m passionate about Penrith and will give local people a genuine and meaningful voice in shaping their local neighbourhoods and the City My vision is to make Penrith a better place to live People deserve to have someone who will fight for better planning outcomes that will integrate land use with a better range of active transport options that’s why I’m determined to create better connected I truly believe we need a greater diversity of voices that will be accountable for the decisions they make This election gives people the opportunity to have their voice really heard We deserve a Council that represents a wider variety of voices Only then can we drive the issues that are important to people and their communities so they are treated as a priority and will get delivered Also on the Sue Day ticket: Faithe Skinner and I know that this is truly the best place to live After serving the Penrith City community for 17 years as a Councillor it’s now time to work even harder to build a better future for you During my time on Penrith City Council I have worked hard for the people of Penrith As Mayor in 2012-13 I initiated the Nepean River Precinct Plan which has now seen over $35 million to redevelop the boat ramp and the upgrading of Regatta Park and Tench Reserve I have been integral in fighting for more local jobs careers and improvements to infrastructure such as shade sails and additional tree planting for 90 Council playgrounds With the multi-billion dollar Western Sydney International Airport on our doorstep more than ever we need a strong voice to improve infrastructure secure more jobs and continue to improve the liveability of our region Owning a small business here in western Sydney for the last 10 years I have firsthand experience and a strong vision for how to continue to strengthen and encourage careers and businesses into our region There is so much more to do here in Penrith Also on the Mark Davies ticket: Mark Rusev I love our local community and their generous spirit I believe Penrith is Sydney’s best kept secret and an idyllic place to raise a family Penrith has certainly grown over the last 17 years I’ve been on Council; it has transformed from a large country town into a thriving City Managing that growth has been a challenge for Council especially when there are population targets imposed from other levels of government I will continue to fight against unfair regulations that have stripped away elected Councillors’ planning powers and the ability to shape our City Penrith has been the hottest place on earth twice over the last few years and we need to plan for a more environmentally-friendly City Studies show that we need more tree canopy and open green spaces to cool the City and that’s what Council is delivering I’m proud of the City Park and Regatta Park that are currently under construction and more City parking at Soper Place I’m looking forward to following all these projects through to delivery Proudly serving Penrith as Mayor this last year during our second lockdown I understand fully the huge impacts of a divided City on our locals and small businesses I will continue to work hard for Penrith’s economic recovery and fight for more local jobs and services I commit to serving all residents of our area I’m proud of the team standing with me in South Ward at this election Also on the Karen McKeown ticket: Kath Presdee I came to live in Penrith in 2006 to work at Western Sydney University for a research position I earnt a Masters degree from the University of Sydney and am currently studying in the area of medical science at Western I am very excited every day to discover how resilient the human body is to disease My husband is a teacher and we chose to make a life in this area because of the easy drive to the wilds of the Blue Mountains and the infrastructure of a city all at hand Penrith is a City with a small-town community spirit I have enjoyed the support of my local Anglican Church playgroup team called Junior Jivers My three boys spend a lot of time on the field with the local soccer teams at Glenmore Park Football Club and in summer the Redbacks Cricket Club My daughter dances with Excite Dance and plays tennis at Nepean Tennis Club My eldest rowed with the Nepean Rowing Club before graduating high school Our family is very interested in social justice and became members of the Salvation Army in 2007 Local council is an important level of government I am dedicated to ensure opportunities for families in our area.Opportunities for community engagement makes a happy healthy community with low crime rates and a higher standard of living A family narrowly escaped injury this morning after their South Penrith home was sprayed with bullets police were called to a house on the corner of Nash Street and Samuel Foster Drive after reports that shots had been fired Police understand a husband and wife were inside the home with their son and his girlfriend when the attack occurred police found 11 bullet holes in the double garage doors which subsequently damaged an Audi sedan inside and he had “no idea” why anyone would target their home “There is no apparent motivation for this incident,” Superintendent Feszczuk said “It’s difficult to say if this is linked to any other recent shootings.” Inquiries are continuing into the incident and anyone who can assist with the investigation should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 The countdown to Christmas is on and what a better way to celebrate then cruising around town to marvel at festive light displays There are streets all throughout the Penrith LGA that are spreading joy and the Weekender has found some of the standouts to visit The houses along Chatsworth Road and surrounding streets in St Clair are full of bright and cheery displays with inflatables said she has been decorating for 10 years and loves getting into the Christmas spirit “We have many people come to see our displays and thank us for doing it for the community and keeping the Christmas spirit alive in our suburb,” she said “We have five kids ourselves and nothing brings more joy to us than seeing their faces every night when they go out to look at their Christmas lights.” Glenmore Park shines bright like a diamond with houses decked out with decorations in Esson Place Kids will be able to spot all their favourite characters as well at 60 Kiber Drive with Spider-Man See the magic of Christmas while supporting a good cause by stopping at Bottlebrush Drive The homeowners raise money for the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation Lights for Kids appeal Mrs Claus also always appears at number 10 with her trusty elves to hand out treats It wouldn’t be a night looking at Christmas lights without a stop at 14 Emerald Street The winter wonderland features a unique one-of-a-kind display with Mrs Claus’ kitchen Santa’s workshop and plenty of interactive photo opportunities South Penrith’s spirit is growing with more houses being decorated 11 songs that are synched to lights for a bright and fun dance party statues and cheer sprinkled throughout the street and don’t forget to get a photo in Santa’s sleigh at number 21 Plan your trip by visiting the Blue Mountains and Nepean Christmas Lights map at http://www.bit.ly/3GI2VGn A pedestrian is in a critical condition after a crash in Penrith yesterday Officers attached to Nepean Police Area Command attended and located an 81-year-old woman with life threatening injuries The woman was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance Paramedics and was conveyed to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition was taken to Nepean Hospital for mandatory testing Officers established a crime scene and have commenced inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the crash Police are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward Takeaway coffee cups are notoriously difficult to recycle: the tiny plastic layering that sits on the inside of Australia’s obsession results in a huge amount of landfill used coffee cups dropped off at locations across the city have been reused to produce large sections of road in the area The scene earlier this year as construction of coffee-cup-infused asphalt was laid down in Penrith.Credit: Penrith City Council Penrith City Council has worked with an environmental agency and a local asphalt supplier to produce asphalt covering on roads as part of an Australian-first effort to use the materials on local streets Close to 400 metres of road on Jamison Road have since March been resurfaced with a road surface mixture called PAK-PAVETM In addition to the thousands of coffee cups the surface also includes 1.2 million glass bottles Coffee cups “contain very high-quality fibre” which collected the majority of the cups as part of its Simply Cups program within the Penrith LGA “But [they] are challenging to recycle because of their waterproof lining.” “The Simply Cups program has saved more than 30 million paper cups such as coffee cups and takeaway soft drink cups from landfill since beginning in 2017,” Pascoe said Crushed recycled glass is now commonly used across at least 15 Sydney councils following an initiative from the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils established in 2015 “It forms a really durable road service ,” said Penrith Mayor Tricia Hitchin She said the stronger surface would result in fewer potholes and savings on council road maintenance Penrith City Council says it is the first in the country to use that type of surface which has better braking support and holds up better in wet weather The project is part of a wider council approach to reusing rubbish and other materials in the LGA business and government redefining resource recovery,” Hitchin said “What was once rubbish is now resources that can be recycled environmental and social outcomes; it takes innovation and a shift in thinking and operating Get to the heart of what’s happening with climate change and the environment. Our fortnightly Environment newsletter brings you the news, the issues and the solutions. Sign up here Takeaway coffee cups are notoriously difficult to recycle: the tiny plastic layering that sits on the inside of Australia\\u2019s obsession results in a huge amount of landfill Coffee cups \\u201Ccontain very high-quality fibre\\u201D \\u201CBut [they] are challenging to recycle because of their waterproof lining.\\u201D \\u201CThe Simply Cups program has saved more than 30 million paper cups such as coffee cups and takeaway soft drink cups from landfill since beginning in 2017,\\u201D Pascoe said \\u201CIt forms a really durable road service ,\\u201D said Penrith Mayor Tricia Hitchin business and government redefining resource recovery,\\u201D Hitchin said \\u201CWhat was once rubbish is now resources that can be recycled Get to the heart of what\\u2019s happening with climate change and the environment Our fortnightly Environment newsletter brings you the news Read moreThe 2021 NRL grand final has hardly been a story of certainty Less than 24 hours ago there was no guarantee it would even be played this week let alone at Suncorp Stadium many would have bet against the Panthers making it this far when they lost to this very opponent in the qualifying finals three weeks ago before Souths enjoyed a rest and then a big win against Manly for the opening 40 minutes of their 14-loss Souths had it coming not quite matching their counterparts’ intensity and looking the more tired team just for trying They fumbled the ball uncharacteristically and failed to apply enough pressure each time Clive Churchill medallist Nathan Cleary kicked on the fifth By the time the half was out the Panthers had 65% possession 1070m to Souths’ 632 and a Cleary penalty for an 8-6 lead that flattered the Rabbitohs no thing is a sure thing in rugby league when Wayne Bennett is in the opposing dressing room sprinkling his master coach magic dust for perhaps the final time in one of the game’s great coaching careers and watched as his Souths defended stoutly when Penrith got six again 10m out and then finally fashioned some momentum But as the sea of bodies – largely unmasked – that was 75% capacity of Suncorp moved in unison around them intercepting an errant Walker pass and galloping untouched the 40m to the line who was lost to a head knock after failing a HIA Five minutes from time Cameron Murray found Dane Gagai and the centre anticipated the run of Alex Johnston whose dash into the corner made him the first player since 1954 and third of all time to score 30 tries in a season Johnston’s was a subplot in an 80 minutes full of them Pick just about any narrative in this setting and it will resonate For Rabbitohs captain Adam Reynolds it was bleak The kid from Redfern will head to the Broncos after narrowly missing the sideline conversion which would have saved his boyhood club the title “I can’t put into words how much he’s done for this club,” Murray said of his skipper and it’s been an honour to play with him the first few years of my career.” Once Reynolds had fruitlessly attempted a two-point field goal an expressionless Bennett departed the coach’s box resigned to his second loss from his 10th grand finals as a coach across five decades with four different clubs ShowDownload the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for 'The Guardian'.If you already have the Guardian app make sure you’re on the most recent version.In the Guardian app then Notifications.Turn on sport notifications.Was this helpful?Thank you for your feedback.Penrith’s third title was a breakthrough for Bennett’s Penrith counterpart Cleary in his 370th game as a coach becoming the only man to win one for the first time after their 250th game three-year thing really,” he said afterwards “There was at least five who shouldn’t have been playing today “I woke up at 2am this morning and couldn’t get back to sleep Thinking three or four of them could have been gone by 10 minutes It’s purely on courage these boys have won.” and then more as To’o found his partner in the crowd and proposed “Pretty happy that I’ve got a ring and she does as well,” he said revealing he planned to ask the question regardless of the result “I just told her she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me then got down on one knee I was planning to do it during Origin but due to COVID it didn’t happen so made the next step to push for a grand final.” Since meeting for the first time as students at Penrith South Public School Sean Skeels and Marley Whatarau’s friendship has taken them on a rollercoaster ride which has made them known all over the world The duo’s claim to fame was their very first YouTube video which has accumulated just short of 300,000 views “We first made a music video for a song we made and I’m so happy me and Sean have become famous.” After this, Whatarau and Skeels created their TikTok account @getdownwithsandm and I love that me and Sean can do it together.” adding that they love nothing more than meeting and taking photos with their followers Skeels and Whatarau have diversified their content with their pages now mainly focused on cooking videos which see them create delicious meals in Skeels’ kitchen but the cats ate the meatballs!” Whatarau said though both agree that pies are their favourite thing to make the boys have also gotten the attention of a few celebrity followers but Gordan Ramsay follows us,” Whatarau said “We also met a chef in Sydney at the culinary school.” The boys have also been on a few excursions in Penrith and meet some of the Penrith Panthers players one of their favourite outings saw them head down to Wollongong where they were VIP guests at Yours and Owls “We loved going to Wollongong for Yours and Owls,” Skeels said with Skeels saying he just wants to meet his icon Kylie Minogue – something he got very close to after they were both nominated in the 2023 TikTok Awards Skeels and Whatarau both said they had the best night at the TikTok Awards at which they were nominated in the TikTok for Good category – aiming to celebrate creators who share TikTok’s passion for driving positive change in their communities “We were happy and overjoyed,” Skeels said Going up against The Black As Crew and Jenna Hudson the boys said they weren’t sure if they’d be able to take out the win to hear their names announced was a welcome surprise “We were sitting there together and I had my head down Skeels and Whatarau assure they have plenty more videos to make – as long as they can do it together “We’re definitely going to keep making TikToks The Footy Almanac the 2021 Suncorp Stadium Grand Final rematch … My game day pie ritual was another great example of Barossa baking – from the historic Apex Bakery in Tanunda four generations of the Fechner family stoking the famous wood-fired scotch oven Latrell had noted cracks in the Penrith windscreen The Panthers had lost to both St Helens and the Broncos by a point in their first two games of 2023  JTH and I enjoyed much on a Thursday evening in the beautiful Barossa: the ambiance of the Tanunda Club However it became quickly apparent that there were no cracks anywhere in the Penrith performance Souths’ inability to deal with the high ball gave the up-tempo Panthers early opportunities who scored the decisive intercept try in the 2021 premiership decider and a scar that will never heal for this rusted-on Rabbitohs member The Mario Fenech-George Piggins inspirational play of the day: With Souths under immense pressure following an off-side penalty from a scrum Latrell Mitchell found himself one on one in the in-goal with the barnstorming Luke Garner The Tony Rampling-Les Davidson tackle of the match: The tackle made by Lachlan Ilias and Campbell Graham on Luke Garner Jarome Luai streaked away to set up a decisive try right on the half time hooter The Michael Andrews-Luke Stuart work rate award: Shaquai Mitchell Shaquai’s early season form has been very impressive The Phil Blake ‘chip n chase’ best attacking moment: Latrell’s classy flick pass to Isaiah Tass regathered his own kick and scored to make the scoreboard interesting at 8-16 Latrell converted to make the last two minutes a little more interesting In a statistic of almost Souths-Melbourne Storm extreme lopsidedness Penrith have now won ten of the last eleven matches between these two ‘modern day’ rivals For Souths to be serious contenders in 2023 to improve from perennial preliminary finalists We need our leaders to remain composed in the big moments of big games Since 1908 we have played the Evil Empire 229 times Has worked in schools for over thirty years – as a teacher sports coordinator and in pastoral care roles Whilst at Brisbane Boys’ College as Director of Athletics he led teams to six GPS premierships in track and field He has coached at all levels from school to international most recently coaching a lad to the Australian U/20 4x100m relay squad for the 2022 world U/20 championships To return to our Footy Almanac home page click HERE. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own And want to ensure it continues in its current form To help things keep ticking over please consider making your own contribution Become an Almanac (annual) member – CLICK HERE mobility up front and general teamwork were just too much for a Bunnies side that looked wooden by contrast And you’re right when you say that the score flattered Souths I hope the GSM was more to your taste on the night I see that the bookies have Souths as favourites against the Roosters – I’m not so sure about that especially with JWH and Radley back for the Chooks Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Sign up for your weekly Almanac eNewsletter here VISIT OUR ONLINE STORE Copyright © 2025 · The Footy Almanac - Web Hosting by DISKMANdotNet Return to top of page