Tips: Huge injury blow after Joey diagnoses Panthers’ ‘hangover’
The Panthers will overcome a massive blow to their spine and get back to winning ways in the western Sydney derby, according to Andrew Johns.
Penrith remain the red-hot favourites to win their fifth premiership in six years this season but their charge back to the top of the mountain has hit a significant bump at the back end of the Origin period, with Ivan Cleary’s side losing three of their last four games.
Absent Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards. Getty Images
That period has been interrupted by two byes, meaning the Panthers have only tasted victory once since thumping the Wests Tigers 68-0 way back on June 7.
Rather than having the minor premiership on ice, the Panthers — atop the ladder by a solitary win — have been dragged into a battle with the Warriors and Roosters, both two points behind, for that title.
If they’re to hold on to top spot and a guaranteed home qualifying final, the Panthers urgently need to return to winning ways and that quest has been dented by the late omission of Dylan Edwards, who has been mysteriously pulled from the team named to take on the Eels on Thursday night.
Regardless of that significant personnel blow, Johns is adamant that Panthers fans have nothing to worry about.
“They’ve lost three of their last four but don’t worry,” Johns told Wide World of Sports’ NRL Tips.
“It’s a bit of a hangover after Origin, they’ll come good. I think they’ll win, but I think it’ll be tight for 50 minutes, but Panthers will win by two or three tries.”
The Panthers have shifted aerial specialist and try scoring whiz Tom Jenkins to fullback to cover for Edwards, with Izack Tago returning to the starting side from the extended bench at centre and Paul Alamoti shuffled to the wing.
Even with that disruption it’s still a classy back five for the Eels to grapple with in a week when their club has been in the headlines due to a player who hasn’t even arrived yet.
Eels coach Jason Ryles was this week forced to stand up and defend the club’s decision to sign four-time premiership five-eighth Jarome Luai on a one-year deal that is effectively a stopover before he becomes the face of expansion club the PNG Chiefs in 2028.
Ryles sent a message of sorts to the young playmakers like Ronald Volkman and Joash Papalii who are already on the Eels roster in his response to the noise around Luai’s signing.
“We’re sitting in a spot on the ladder (15th) at the moment where we don’t want to be, and it’s no-one’s fault directly, but we need more experienced players and Jarome fits that bill,” he said.
Jason Ryles speaks to media Nine
“We’re all excited about Jarome’s arrival. He brings a lot of experience to our spine and he’s a competitor, and (with) all the background we’ve done on him, he’s very big on his training standards and his extras.
“It will be great for our younger guys to see that and watch it in action first-hand.”
Volkman has been named at five-eighth for Thursday night’s game, partnering the returning Moses, while Papalii is on the extended bench.
