Sunday’s game at Pepper Stadium will feature a side looking for their third win of the season, with their opponents likely to draw a crowd of Parramatta Eels fans to thank their ex-hooker after he was sacrificed as part of their salary cap dramas.
LAST TIME OUT
Penrith traveled to Christchurch to play their second ‘home away from home’ game in a row when they took on New Zealand Warriors. ย In tricky conditions, the Warriors took the lead 18-14 going into the break after tries to Johnathon Wright and Blake Ayshford late in the half. ย A four point lead was never going to be enough with the Panthers having the wind advantage in the second half. ย Finally on the hour Tyrone Peachey leveled scores before Dallin Watene-Zelezniak’s dive into the corner put Penrith ahead by a converted try. ย Peachey capping off a wonderful game with four minutes to play. ย Penrith recording their biggest win in 2016.
Just like Penrith, the Gold Coast Titans recorded their biggest win of the season on Monday night as they eclipsed a disappointing Sydney Roosters 26-6 at CBUS Super Stadium. ย It was a much needed win to lift the Titans within two points of the top eight. ย This might have been a breakthrough week forย Ash Taylor and Tyrone Roberts in the way they outplayed Jackson Hastings and Mitchell Pearce. ย Gold Coast hit the lead one minute before the break throughย Agnatuis Paasi and from that point the home side didn’t look back. ย The final fifteen minutes produced three tries coming to David Mead, Chris McQueen and Will Zillman.
KEY BATTLES
Experienced halves pairing of Jamie Soward and Peter Wallace are up against inexperienced pair Tyrone Roberts and Ashley Taylor. ย Soward over in the last couple of weeks has regained his confidence, especially in the goal kicking department with a near faultless display in windy conditions at Christchurch last week. ย Wallace is the surprise packet of 2016, not phased by playing either at hooker or in the halves. ย He’s found a renewed passion for the game and it’s showing in his performances. ย For the Titans Roberts and Taylor are still working on forming a formidable partnership. ย Last weekend there were good signs as they clicked against a below par Roosters. ย Taylor in particular has a big future ahead of him but it will be Roberts who will need to take the lead in dictating play.
Another good battle comes up front with young prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard ready to take on David Shillington up front. ย Shillington has all the experience of playing for his Australiaย fourteen times and pulling on the Maroons jumper on eight occasions. ย Campbell-Gillard has been the best of the Panthers forwards this season and has a clear direction in carting the ball forward. ย There’s a big future for Campbell-Gillard to play rep footy like Shillo and this clash will be a yardstick for where the twenty-two year old Panther is at in his career.
PREDICTION
It’s hard to go past the Panthers on home turf. ย They broke through to break the sequence of victory margins of ten points or less. ย Matt Moylan, Josh Mansour and Bryce Cartwright to star as they chase their Origin dreams. ย Having said that, the Titans will go down with a fight.
Panthers by 14.
SQUADS
Panthers: 1 Matthew Moylan 2 Joshua Mansour 3 Tyrone Peachey 4 Peta Hiku 5 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 6 Jamie Soward 7 Peter Wallace 8 Sam McKendry 9 James Segeyaro 10 Reagan Campbell-Gillard 11 Bryce Cartwright 12 Isaah Yeo 13 Trent Merrin Interchange: 14 Suaia Matagi 15 Jeremy Latimore 16 Lelani Latu 17 James Fisher-Harris
Titans: 1 William Zillman 2 Anthony Don 3 Josh Hoffman 4 Nathan Davis 5 Nene MacDonald 6 Tyrone Roberts 7 Ashley Taylor 8 David Shillington 9 Nathan Friend 10 Ryan James 11 John Zebelon Taia 12 Chris McQueen 13 Greg Bird Interchange: 14 Luke Douglas 15 Leivaha Pulu 16 Agnatius Paasi 17 Nathan Peats 18 Eddy Pettybourne 19 Kierran Moseley.
Venue:ย Pepper Stadium
Kick-off:ย Sunday, 2pm AEST
