The Panthers take on a resurgent Gold Coast Titans this Sunday in a game with more than a few players backing up from Origin.
For the Titans, that includes three 80-minute forwards in the form of Greg Bird, Nate Myles and Ashley Harrison, while for Penrith, it’s Luke Lewis, Michael Jennings and Tim Grant lining up for their second game in five days.
There’s a question mark over the health of Scott Prince, whose improved form in recent weeks saw the Titans win three on the trot, before they lost to the Sharks last week without him. Prince has been named to play, but will be given until kick-off to prove his health.
Whether or not he partakes could have a big say in the outcome of this match. Meanwhile, providing they are all fit to back up, the return of Penrith’s three Origin stars is critical.
Words cannot describe how much Penrith missed Grant’s go-forward against the Warriors last week; the likes of Sam McKendry and Dayne Weston simply did not step up in his absence. McKendry in particular offered little in offence.
Compare his six runs for 49m with Ben Matulino (22 runs for 225m) and Russell Packer (17 runs for 146m) and it’s not hard to see why the Warriors were so dominant. Fans should rightly expect more from a player of McKendry’s calibre; here’s hoping he can make up for that disinterested performance with a strong showing alongside Grant this week.
Lewis, of course, is as inspirational as they come, and the boost Penrith receive by his mere presence goes without saying.
It’s Jennings, however, whom fans will watch most closely. After being dropped four weeks ago, this marks his return to first grade action, and we’re all keen to see if he returns with renewed vigour after his stint at Windsor.
Indeed, Ivan Cleary continues to show he’s not afraid to drop big-name players, with Lachlan Coote the latest to be flicked back to Windsor after showing up late to a pre-game meeting last week. Combined with his fumbling display on Monday, he’ll have to prove himself all over again for the Wolves.
Cleary is enforcing a strict code of discipline – one that has been much-needed in the club over the last few years.
Last time, his players responded with a memorable win over the Dragons. Can they do so again? As always, a lot depends on their go-forward.
The likes of Etu Uaisele and Josh Mansour are doing a brilliant job on the first couple of tackles after a kick, but they need their forwards to step up later in the set.
Only then can Luke Walsh really show what he is made of and prove he’s not worthy of constant criticism.
If Grant and McKendry can lead from the front and give their halves more time with the ball, the momentum will flow from there, and Penrith will have a huge chance of posting a very important victory.
