The Penrith Panthers have kept their season alive for at least another week with a crunch elimination final victory in Auckland over the New Zealand Warriors.

From the bench and kicking game difference, to the Warriors' injuries, here are our key talking points from the game.

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Penrith's bench were the difference
If you're wondering where the momentum of this game flipped, look no further than the impact of Isaiah Papali'i and Liam Henry off the Penrith bench.

The Panthers were in the fight, but on the back foot early.

That all flipped the further the first half went along.

Papali'i wound up with more than 180 metres, while Henry also broke the 100-barrier. It's little surprise that Papali'i scored the first try of the game, and that the Panthers all but controlled possession and territory from then on out.

On paper, it looked like one of the key mismatches leading into the game, and that's the exact way it played out.

A great performance from the Panthers bench, but one that will need to be repeated next week if they want to flatten the Bulldogs and any potential charge against injury issues for the blue and white.

Nathan Cleary's kicking game is still simply brilliant
The other reason, directly related to the above, that Penrith were able to flip the script was Nathan Cleary's kicking game.

He forced four drop outs in the end, but the period directly before halftime, while not being responsible for points, was where the Panthers won the game.

The way they were able to essentially pin the Warriors on their own line with brilliant kicking distance emptied the tank of the Auckland-based side, who then had to run into the wind after the break.

What was more impressive was the way Cleary and Blaize Talagi were able to pivot their strategy.

Instead of kicking high from close range, it was all about kicking low in the blustery condition to be able to have increased control over the action and ensure they were playing the kicks to the part of the ground they wanted.

The Warriors simply had no answer, and no petrol the longer the game went on to get back into it.

Risk free footy and a lack of points for the Warriors
One of the trends of the game, even when they seemingly had the ascendancy, was the lack of risk taking from the Warriors with the ball in hand.

Instead of throwing it around in the desperate pursuit of points, they were, far too often, happy to play one out footy and kick, often from inside their own half.

That is not going to unsettle the four-time premiers, particularly when so much of their own game plan is based around Dylan Edwards, Brian To'o and the rest of the back five making big metres out of their own end.

Compare the following.

From the Warriors, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad led the way with 187 metres, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck had 179 and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak had just 104.

For the Panthers, Brian To'o had 246, Paul Alamoti 158, Dylan Edwards 153, and both centres Izack Tago and Casey McLean were north of the 100-metre barrier as well.

It's an exceptional difference, and in finals footy, where the ball is often in player for longer and fatigue builds up against quality opposition, it's simply too much of a difference to overcome.

By the time the Warriors did decide to shift it around, the pressure was too great, and errors were the result.

Injuries were simply too much to overcome for the Warriors
It's unfortunate, but the Warriors once looked like a top four side. Like that's where they were going to finish, and that that'd be able to use their finals experience of two years ago to try and make a deep run through September in what is Andrew Webster's third season at the helm of the club.

But it's impossible to suggest injuries didn't play a role in the Auckland-based side running out of puff.

Mitchell Barnett injuring his ACL in the middle of the season was a blow, but replaceable. When that was compounded with Luke Metcalf doing the same thing at the back-end of the season, and a number of key backline problems as well, it was always going to be a bridge too far, even with home ground advantage on Saturday, for the Warriors.

They will be better for the run next year.

Leka Halasima is a star in the making, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad continues to improve, Wayde Egan is among the best dummy halves in the game and Erin Clark has been one of the signings of the year.

This is not a Warriors team who will be able to be taken lightly next year, so long as they can find some consistent form from one year to the next.

Mitch Kenny is a key for the Panthers
The Panthers had to travel to Auckland without Mitch Kenny, who was out with injury.

He might not get the credit of other top line hookers around the competition, but he is a star in his own right within this Penrith system.

Brad Schneider and Luke Sommerton did a commendable job in the number nine, but it's fairly clear from some of the slower style of the Panthers' play that they need Kenny to be a chance of making it five premierships in a row.