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Panthers prop Eddie Blacker’s ”brilliant” try-saving effort in the dying seconds of his side’s Cowboys clash has stunned the rugby league world… and Scott Drinkwater.
With 20 seconds remaining on the clock, and the score sitting 38-8, the North Queensland fullback broke down the right sideline.
Most players wouldn’t attempt to chase down the Cowboys flyer when behind by 30 points after Drinkwater slid through the last defender’s tackle — but not Blacker.
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The hulking prop put his head down, doing his best “RoboCop” impression to wrap Drinkwater’s legs up and force a wayward pass to the feet of Kyle Feldt.
“Look at Blacker, he is like RoboCop, tracking him down and the pass goes to ground,” Fox League’s Warren Smith said.
“195cm, 116kg and he did that, tremendous work, what a way to finish a tremendous game.”
“Shades of Martin Lang, that was brilliant from Eddie Blacker,” Fox League’s Michael Ennis said.
Drinkwater himself was shocked by Blacker’s effort, likening the tackle to Raiders prop Josh Papalii’s ankle-tap on Jamal Fogarty in Round 15 of the 2020 season.
Fogarty has never been able to live the moment down, and Drinkwater’s Cowboys teammates will be sure to remind him he was burned by a prop.
“I could see him on the big-screen coming and I thought I might have had him but yeah the legs fell out on me and the big fella got me,” Drinkwater said on Fox League’s Super Saturday coverage.
“Jamal Fogarty always hears about Papalii getting him and now I am going to have to hear about that.”
“It was a great moment and gave the Panthers something to go home and enjoy,” Fox League’s Yvonne Sampson said.
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The 22-year-old prop, who was playing in his second NRL game earned praise from coach Ivan Cleary.
“I thought the boys were really game, I thought the last play of the game really summed up their effort,” Cleary said.
Fox League’s Cooper Cronk even went as far to say the effort would spur on the Panthers first grade regulars, who had been given a week’s rest after locking up the minor premiership last week.
“I thought young Eddie Blacker really summed it up, that try-saving effort on Drinkwater towards the end, that as a player sitting at home on the couch walking your young players do that,
“That is something they will tap into, and they have a job to do next week.”
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