NRL: Penrith Panthers 40-10 Wests Tigers

Penrith Panthers put one foot in the NRL Finals with a 40-10 thrashing of Wests Tigers, whose top-eight hopes now hang by a thread.

Tigers tries bookended the game, but the hosts were thrilling in between at Pepper Stadium, especially in a first-half obliteration.

After Josh Addo-Carr had put the visitors ahead in the fourth minute, Penrith ran in seven unanswered tries, five before half-time.

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and try-scorer and Waqa Blake took the ball the length of the field to turn momentum Penrith's way before Bryce Cartwright powered over.

Isaah Yeo, Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Peter Wallace stretched the advantage to 28-4 at the interval, with Trent Merrin and James Fisher-Harris adding to the misery in the second half.

Mitchell Moses burst clear for a late consolation for the Tigers, who must now beat New Zealand Warriors and Canberra Raiders in their final two games, while hoping results elsewhere go their way to secure a Finals spot.