Check out the match preview and prediction for the Preliminary Final clash between the Penrith Panthers and Cronulla Sharks.
MATCHDAY NEWS
MATCHDAY SCHEDULE
Penrith Panthers Vs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney.
Date: Saturday September 28, 7:50pm.
MATCHDAY TEAM NEWS
Panthers: 1. Dylan Edwards, 2. Sunia Turuva, 3. Izack Tago, 4. Paul Alamoti, 5. Brian To’o, 6. Jarome Luai, 7. Nathan Cleary, 8. Moses Leota, 9. Mitch Kenny, 10. James Fisher-Harris, 11. Luke Garner, 12. Liam Martin, 13. Isaah Yeo, 14. Brad Schneider, 15. Lindsay Smith, 16. Liam Henry, 17. Matt Eisenhuth, 18. Casey McLean, 19. Trent Toelau, 20. Scott Sorensen, 21. Daine Laurie, 22. Luke Sommerton
Sharks: 1. William Kennedy, 2. Sione Katoa, 3. Jesse Ramien, 4. Kayal Iro, 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6. Braydon Trindall, 7. Nicho Hynes, 8. Toby Rudolf, 9. Blayke Brailey, 10. Oregon Kaufusi, 11. Briton Nikora, 12. Teig Wilton, 13. Cameron McInnes, 14. Siosifa Talakai, 15. Jack Williams, 16. Royce Hunt, 17. Thomas Hazelton, 18. Daniel Atkinson, 19. Braden Hamlin-Uele, 20. Mawene Hiroti, 21. Jayden Berrell, 22. Samuel Stonestreet
Referee: Ashley Klein
Embed from Getty ImagesMATCHDAY PREVIEW
I truly think it may take over a decade for us to look back and appreciate what the Penrith Panthers are currently doing.
It is immensely impressive how we’re here again looking at them in a prelim, attempting to make their fifth consecutive grand final. Something we haven’t seen achieved since the 1967-71 South Sydney Rabbitohs. Obviously worth noting too that those Rabbitohs were competing pre-salary cap, and in a 12-team competition.
Not only are Penrith here yet again, but they’re rightfully heavy favourites to get the job done. Their squad is unchanged from their dominant win over the Roosters – with backrower Scott Sorensen named on the reserves to potentially return.
Every year after their premierships, the Panthers have farewelled players. But perhaps none more notably than this year. James Fisher-Harris has been the alpha of their forward pack since the dawn of their success, and Jarome Luai has provided the perfect foil for the likes of Nathan Cleary and Isaah Yeo over the years.
While they’ve consistently been able to back up the year after – this season does have a ‘last dance’ feel to it. Their journey to send those players out on a high faces a test here.
For the Sharks, their win over the Cowboys was one I saw coming, but the clinical nature with which they won that game did catch me by surprise.
For a halves pairing that has often struggled to gel together, Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall seem to really be understanding each other at the moment. Trindall put on the best performance of his career last week, and it will be on those two again if they’re any hope of beating the three-time premiers.
The key for Cronulla is that they come into this game without external pressure. There is no expectation that they’ll win this game, and that can often be where teams are at their most dangerous. Especially when their opposition are so widely expected to beat them reasonably comfortably.
Just like the Panthers, there are no changes for the Sharks this time out. Their signature four-forward bench will provide them a point of difference in this game. If their interchange players can come on and dominate while the likes of Fisher-Harris and Leota are off the field, it could just about be enough for Cronulla to pull off an unlikely upset.
As far as prelims go – this one does seem fairly clear cut. But with the NRL finals, you never quite know. Enjoy your footy.
Check out the NRL Finals Stats Number Crunch here.
MATCHDAY PREDICTION
Check out all the NRL Predictions here.
Panthers by 12 points.
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