[2024] R26 Panthers v Rabbitohs - Game Day Thread

R26 Panthers v Rabbitohs

Game Day Information

:rugby_football: Match Penrith Panthers v South Sydney Rabbitohs
:stadium: Venue Bluebet Stadium, Penrith NSW
:clock10: Time Friday, August 30 8:00pm
:tickets: Tickets Tickets via Ticketek
:rugby_football: Other Matches NSWCUP Penrith Panthers v South Sydney Rabbitohs 30/8 5:45pm
JFLEGG Penrith Panthers v South Sydney Rabbitohs 31/8 12:00pm1
:sun_behind_rain_cloud: Weather :full_moon: Clear 22°C (:cloud_with_rain: Chance of Rain: <1% / :wind_face: Wind: NW 10km/h)
:tv: Broadcast :tv: Channel 9 (FTA) [LIVE]
:tv: Fox League (Channel 502) [LIVE]
:desktop_computer: NRL Live Pass [LIVE]
:kayo: Kayo Sports [LIVE]
:radio: ABC Sydney 702AM [LIVE]
:radio: 2GB Sydney 873AM [LIVE]
:radio: MMM Sydney 104.9FM [LIVE]

1. Jersey Flegg Cup to be played at St Marys Leagues Stadium.

:rugby_football: Telstra Premiership | Full Time

Penrith Panthers 34 Tries

Goals
Sunia Turuva (2), James Fisher-Harris, Luke Garner, Brad Schneider, Isaah Yeo.
Paul Alamoti (5/6)
South Sydney Rabbitohs 12 Tries
Goals
Tyrone Munro (2).
Fletcher Myers (2/2)

:rugby_football: Knock On Effect NSW Cup | Full Time

Penrith Panthers 26 Tries

Goals
Tyrone Peachey (2), Austin Dias, Harrison Hassett, Luke Sommerton, Mavrik Geyer.
Billy Scott (4/7)
South Sydney Rabbitohs 24 Tries

Goals
Izaac Tu’itupou Thompson (2), Dion Teaupa, Leon Te Hau, Richard Kennar.
Bayleigh Bentley-Hape (4/5)

:rugby_football: Jersey Flegg Cup | Full Time

Penrith Panthers 58 Tries

Goals
Nick Murphy (3), Samuel Lane (2), Hokafonu Lemoto (2), Jirah Liddiard, Zack Lamont, Jaxen Edgar, Jett Cleary.
Jett Cleary (7/11)
South Sydney Rabbitohs 0 Tries
Goals

Postgame Media

MATCH REPORT

PRESS CONFERENCE

HIGHLIGHTS

FULL MATCH REPLAY

PANTHER PRIDE MOTM VOTING

Team

Telstra Premiership Knock on Effect NSW Cup Jersey Flegg Cup
:rugby_football: Panthers v Rabbitohs :rugby_football: Panthers v Rabbitohs :rugby_football: Panthers v Rabbitohs
:clock3: Friday 30/8 8:00pm :clock3: Friday 30/8 5:35pm :clock3: Saturday 31/8 11:00am
:stadium: Bluebet Stadium :stadium: Bluebet Stadium :stadium: St Marys Leagues Stadium
TEAM
1. Dylan Edwards 1. Isaiah Iongi 1. Jaxen Edgar
2. Sunia Turuva 2. Asu Kepaoa 2. Jirah Liddiard
3. Izack Tago 3. Tyrone Peachey © 3. Angelis Hotere-Papalii
4. Paul Alamoti 4. Casey Mclean 4. Sam Lane
5. Brian To’o 5. Daeon Amituanai 5. Nick Murphy
6. Brad Schneider 6. Daine Laurie 6. Jett Cleary
7. Jarome Luai 7. Soni Luke 7. Blake Moore
8. Moses Leota 8. Jordan Grant 8. Jakeb Vailalo
9. Mitch Kenny 9. Luke Sommerton 9. Zack Lamont
10. James Fisher-Harris 10. Austin Dias 10. Siotame Hansen
11. Luke Garner 11. Harrison Hassett 11. Lachlan Blackburn
12. Liam Martin 12. Zac Lipowicz 12. Aston Warwick ©
13. Isaah Yeo © 13. Luron Patea 13. Billy Phillips
INTERCHANGE
14. Trent Toelau 14. Billy Scott 14. Jenson Tuaoi
15. Lindsay Smith 15. Niko Apelu 15. Hokafonu Lemoto
16. Liam Henry 16. Riley Wake 16. Judah Galuvao
17. Mavrik Geyer 17. David Fale 17. Luke Philp
RESERVES
18. Matt Eisenhuth 18. Bayden Moran
20. Casey Mclean 19. Jack Attard
19. Daine Laurie :small_red_triangle_down: 20. Josh Ruxton
21. Luron Patea :small_red_triangle_down: 21. Ahmani Leilua
22. Luke Sommerton :small_red_triangle_down: 22. Tim Carson
COACH
HC Ivan Cleary HC Ben Harden HC Jono Rolfe
AC Peter Wallace
AC Ben Garnier

:small_red_triangle::small_red_triangle_down: Promoted/Relegated | :small_orange_diamond: Positional Change

Match Officials

Telstra Premiership K.O.E NSW Cup Jersey Flegg Cup
Referee Peter Gough TBA TBA
Sideline Official David Munro TBA TBA
Kieren Irons TBA TBA
Video Referee Chris Butler - -

Referee Success Rate

Referee Active Since 2024 Overall Pen. For Pen. Against Ratio
Peter Gough 2016 (1/1) 100% (9/14) 64.29% 71.5 79 0.91

:mega: Team Lists and Match Officials have been updated.

TELSTRA PREMIERSHIP

KNOCK ON EFFECT NSW CUP

JERSEY FLEGG CUP

Read the news about Cole this morning which isn’t great.

Honestly wouldn’t mind giving Toleau a crack at #6 and Sommerton at #14, but barring another injury can see the Schneider/Luai combo seeing us through to the finals. Both (esp Luai) needs to lift dramatically if we are any hope of a premiership, or miraculously Cleary making it through, but I don’t think anyone will convince me he’s anything but hanging on by a thread.

The right-hand edge has been the weak spot all year and a Tago + Turuva combination along with an injured Cleary is already giving me convulsions.

Rest of the side looks good on paper although prefer to see #3 and #4 swapped. Hopefully there are no more injuries to deal with and can build some consistencies from here.

Here’s hoping Edwards’ recovery is continuing and gets back to his fluid self in time for the finals

3 Likes

Apart from Cleary & Sorensen missing, this is the best side we have, imho. Agree with Gogatee that Tago & Alamoti could swap sides. Also agree that I’d like to see Toelau be given a go at 6, but I doubt it’ll happen. Hope Alamoti starts, he was killing it before he got injured.

1 Like

Like that ref TBA has been appointed. Have to be better than that NFI that we normally see :hushed:

1 Like

Yeah, the NRL were a bit late to the party with appointing referees this week.

For the record, Peter Gough got the job.

Yes, I think they’ve been busy shuffling the deckchairs at the appointments meeting. Reports are that there will be a post-season revue. Time for some people to be moved on!

2 Likes

Updated NRL Teamlist: Round 26

The starting side remains unchanged with Daine Laurie, Luron Patea and Luke Sommerton dropping off the extended bench.

The Panthers will wear the 2024 Home Jersey.

Looks like it’s going to be challenging conditions with this wind! Would have been good to have NC in that regards.

Getting close to our full-strength team, just missing Soro & Nathan. Team looks stronger than last week. Hard to be critical of IC over 5 seasons now, but I think that he went to the well just once too often with Laurie so Tito back is a better option I think.

In addition to controlling the game by dominating possession & field position, I suggest we need to be a little more expansive and run in a few more points.

See you at the game!

I think we need to dominate this game and win big. Hopefully the ref doesn’t make it a contest and allows the game to flow, God knows we WILL have the measure from an endurance POV.

Carrrrn the Pennies

1 Like

Unfortunately the refs are trying to keep souffs in the game.

1 Like

A much improved performance, but still a long way short of our best. Hopefully it’s an upward trajectory from here.

1 Like

:mega: Panther Pride Man of the Match voting now open here.

Alamoti played well on his return from injury

4 Likes

One important result is that, with Manly beating the Dogs, it puts a 4 point gap between us and the 5th placed teams. We can’t finish any worse than 4th, so it guarantees 2 bites at the cherry.

Hope we rest Edwards next week. He doesn’t look anywhere near right to me.

2 Likes

It was great to come away with the somewhat easy win, and see our confidence restored albeit against the team coming 3rd last.

Wow Yeo sure stood tall, a brilliant solo try, try assist, no missed tackles, a gazillion running metres etc etc.

On Edwards it is obvious he is being somewhat nursed into the finals. Not kicking goals or line dropouts is a clear symptom of this.

What a difference Alamoti makes, and good to see him play on Turuva’s side, with Tago and To’o on the same side. Don’t know what it is but this combination fixes our edge defence.

I thought Kenny had a blinder. Great to see him kicking grubbers from dummy half, both near tries, with one a dropout and th other a sin bin penalty.

Fish had a great game too, and I thought the starting of Henry and using Leota off the bench worked well.

Jerome got back to his good form, and combined well with Yeo to direct the team.

Often overlooked, but Garner is so important to our team. Solid defense, who can also run good lines and step.

Schneider went much better, didn’t overplay his hand, and good in defense.

All in all a satisfying result. Gee the atmosphere at the game was something special, in what was our last night game at Penrith Park (barring the somewhat remote chance of a home final). Next Sunday will be even better I expect.

We still have Cleary and Sorensen to return, so this morning at least I am optimistic of our finals chances.

3 Likes

Next week should be a special occasion for sure. Just letting you know the game is not Sunday next week. The game is 7:35pm SATURDAY night. Wouldn’t want you to miss it :slight_smile:

3 Likes

I noticed this a few weeks ago when Tago was shuffled over to the left edge, before injuries forced further changes. The Turuva + Tago combination does not work. Tago still rushes out (did again last night) but alongside To’o doesn’t cause a yawning gap.

My only concern is going to be when Cleary is back what that means.

I’ve said it since his return and last night Edwards looked both better and worse. At some points he’s starting to get a little more fluidity in his running but there were moments he was clearly grimacing in pain. Hopefully he didn’t make the injury worse last night.

Give him a rest.

We have a shot at top 2, but it relies on us winning next week and Sharks + Roosters dropping one game each in the next two weeks.

Regardless of that, Edwards probably needs a rest. I’d love to see Ionghi or Turuva at FB with McClean coming in. Aside from building combinations, we don’t need next week. We’re a long way up a creek if Edwards gets worse.

Despite the scoreline I don’t think last night was overly convincing, but I am confident it was a good base to build from in the next couple of weeks, especially with a Cleary return and providing no more injuries.

1 Like

Oh, how our expectations have changed through our golden period (2020 to date). I can recall times when beating the rabbits by 22 points would be cause for jubilation, but we feel somewhat let down by the win :open_mouth:

Again we played a team that tried hard for most of the game, we did most things well, scored 6 tries to 2, dominated possession, made 8 line breaks to 1 & yet we all feel somewhat disappointed,
I don’t know what the game elapsed time was, but the game seemed to take forever & there was no flow at all in the game. The game was just terrible for about 20 minutes from Turuva’s second try. The combination of the ref & his mates on the lines and the bunker just strangled the life out of the game. We are at our best with the game flowing, where our fitness and power just strangles the opposition. Constant stop/start and extended delays just keep the other mob in the game. That said, Bennet will need to have a big cleanout as the fitness of the rabbits is poor. Despite the game going nowhere for many minutes, the rabbits players were down on the haunches at times, even though there were a lot of rest breaks.

The dream lives on - top 4 finish & a whole new comp starts after next week. We have a good chance as any.

Yeo shows every week that he is truly the best player in the game in 2024

4 Likes