RYAN Papenhuyzen excoriated his own performance despite scoring a try and booting two goals as Melbourne outpointed Penrith in a grand final rematch littered with significant injuries.
Panthers talisman Nathan Cleary only lasted eight minutes of the 30-24 defeat at AAMI Park before being forced off with concussion, while Storm back Nick Meaney suffered a suspected broken jaw and Craig Bellamy’s side also had to do without Grant Anderson who was forced off with a knee injury.
“I feel like I let the boys down – I didn’t play too well tonight,” fullback Pepenhuyzen, who scored in the 72nd minute, told ABC Radio.
“It was costly moments, really … dropping the ball down there … we got the scrum and I dropped the ball down there as well.
“Just some silly mistakes, concentration mistakes, the stuff I can work on. A good little learning curve but at the same time I’m so proud of the boys. They were very resiliant tonight.
“We train for those scenarios. I was pretty filthy that I was the one creating this scenarios.
Meanwhile, Penrith forward Liam Martin dismissed concerns over an ankle injury, saying: “I got tripped up there but the ankle’s alright.
“The calf started going on me, started cramping.”
“I’m sure I’ll be happy with it when I get back into the sheds but right now, initial feeling is. ..quite.”
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