Experienced Penrith prop Moses Leota says there’s no better game to bounce back from a loss than a Grand Final rematch.
The Panthers will touch down in Brisbane today, ready to get stuck into a Broncos team who are staring down the barrel of five straight defeats.
With Penrith’s Origin brigade back on deck, they are hoping to give Brisbane a little reminder about what happened last October at Accor Stadium.
“I think everyone is looking forward to it,” Leota told the Weekender on Wednesday.
“We’re definitely up for the challenge, working hard and hopefully we’ll get the win.”
Friday night’s clash at Suncorp Stadium will be the second time the two sides have met this season, with Penrith getting the chocolates in Round 3, 34-12.
Leota said Grand Final rematches are always extra spicy and the Broncos will be desperate for a victory after four consecutive defeats.
“They will be looking to prove a point after four losses and we want to be better than we were last week,” the 28-year-old said.
“The Broncos have a great team, they have heaps of young, powerful and skilful players. We just need to try and limit them and come away with the win.
“I’ve seen clips from last year’s Grand Final and it’s good to relive certain moments, but it’s a new year and there’s a new title to aim for.”
The Panthers will also be eager to turn their fortunes around after going down to the Cowboys last Sunday 16-6.
The Panthers were missing their Origin contingent last week bar Isaah Yeo, but so were the Cowboys who rested six Origin representatives.
“It was a good game, the Cowboys played well,” Leota said.
“We had some missed opportunities, but big ‘ups’ to them – they came prepared and ready to play.”
Thankfully, the 10-point loss didn’t hurt Penrith’s position on the ladder, remaining in second place after 17 rounds.
Leota said the side isn’t overly happy with its current form, however they are working hard to get back to their best for the run home.
“We’re definitely not happy… we can always get better every week,” he said.
“We’ve been doing our homework and just trying to build our game to get better every week.”
Nathan Taylor
Nathan Taylor is the Weekender's Deputy Editor and Senior Sports Writer. He also compiles the weekly Chatter on the Box TV column. Nathan is an award-winning journalist, who has worked at the Weekender for a decade.