PF Panthers v Knights - Game Day Thread

2026 Game Day Archive
1
Penrith Panthers
Newcastle Knights
Telstra Premiership Preliminary Final
Accor Stadium
September 27 4:00 PM
Penrith Panthers
badge.svg100×100 1.16 KB
 Telstra Premiership
Preliminary Final
Newcastle Knights
Accor Stadium
September 27 4:00 PM

Game Day Information
:rugby_football: Match Penrith Panthers v Newcastle Knights
:stadium: Venue Accor Stadium, Homebush NSW
:clock10: Time Sunday, 27th September 2026 4:05pm
:tickets: Tickets Tickets via Ticketmaster
:rugby_football: Other Matches NSWCUP GF Penrith Panthers v Newtown Jets 26/9 7pm1
JFLEGG GF Penrith Panthers v Canterbury Bulldogs 26/9 5pm1
:sun_behind_rain_cloud: Weather
Loading weather…
:tv: Broadcast :tv: Channel 9 (Channel 90 HD / 91 SD) [LIVE]
:tv: Fox League (Channel 502) [LIVE]
:kayo: Kayo Sports [LIVE]
:desktop_computer: NRL Live Pass [LIVE]
:radio: ABC Sydney 702AM [LIVE]
:radio: 2GB Sydney 873AM [LIVE]
:radio: MMM Sydney 104.9FM [LIVE]

(1) NSW Cup, Jersey Flegg Cup Grand Finals to be played at Commbank Stadium, Parramatta NSW

:rugby_football: Telstra Premiership Qualifying Final| Full Time
panthers-anniversary-badge-shield__full-colour-11.svg150×150 231 KB
 Penrith Panthers 14 Tries Blaize Talagi, Lindsay Smith.
Goals Dylan Edwards (1/1), Blaize Talagi (1/1)
badge-2.svg100×100 4.99 KB
 Newcastle Knights 22 Tries Sandon Smith (2), Francis Manuleleua, Dominic Young.
Goals Sandon Smith (3/4)

:rugby_football: Knock On Effect NSW Cup Grand Final :trophy: | Full Time
panthers-anniversary-badge-shield__full-colour-11.svg150×150 231 KB
 Penrith Panthers 28 Tries JJesse McLean (2), Jaxen Edgar, Kalani Leuluai-Going, Nick Murphy, Zakauri Clarke, Luron Patea.
Goals Zakauri Clarke (4/7)
badge-2.svg100×100 2.13 KB
 Newtown Jets 20 Tries Jaxon Lavender.
Goals Kristian Dixon (1/1)

:rugby_football: Jersey Flegg Cup Grand Final :trophy: | Full Time
panthers-anniversary-badge-shield__full-colour-11.svg150×150 231 KB
 Penrith Panthers 62 Tries Tuaomaliemavaitoelau Patea (3), Darcy Feltham (3), Hokafonu Lemoto, Harry Wald, Kye Raven, Cameron Kanaan, Jack Colley, Leo-Stipe Latu.
Goals Kye Raven (3/7), Tuaomaliemavaitoelau Patea (3/3), Judah Galuvao (1/2)
badge.svg150×150 9.3 KB
 Canterbury Bulldogs 12 Tries Chelden Hayward, Bronson Reuben, Hamish Wilson.
Goals Bronson Reuben (2/3)

MATCH REPORT

PRESS CONFERENCE

HIGHLIGHTS

FULL MATCH REPLAY

PANTHER PRIDE PLAYERS RANKINGS

2

Teams & Match Officials

Telstra Premiership

Penrith Panthers Newcastle Knights
TEAM
Dylan Edwards 1 FB 1 Kalyn Ponga ©
Thomas Jenkins 2 WG 2 Dominic Young
Blaize Talagi 3 CE 3 Dane Gagai
Casey McLean 4 WG 4 Bradman Best
Brian To’o 5 CE 5 Greg Marzhew
Jack Cole 6 FE 6 Fletcher Sharpe
© Nathan Cleary 7 HB 7 Sandon Smith
Moses Leota 8 FW 8 Tyson Frizell
Mitch Kenny 9 HK 9 Phoenix Crossland
Lindsay Smith 10 FW 10 Cody Hopwood
Isaiah Papali’i 11 SR 11 Jermaine McEwen
Liam Martin 12 SR 12 Francis Manuleleua
© Isaah Yeo 13 LK 13 Mat Croker
INTERCHANGE
Jack Cogger 14 IN 14 Harrison Graham
Scott Sorensen 15 IN 15 Lachlan Crouch
Liam Henry 16 IN 16 Pasami Saulo
Billy Phillips 17 IN 17 Dylan Lucas
Luke Garner 18 IN 18 Fletcher Hunt
:red_triangle_pointed_up: Freddy Lussick 21 IN 19 Thomas Cant
RESERVES
Izack Tago 22 RS 20 Kyle McCarthy
:red_triangle_pointed_down: Billy Scott 19 RS 21 Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana :red_triangle_pointed_down:
:red_triangle_pointed_down: Luron Patea 20 RS 22 Toby Winter :red_triangle_pointed_down:
COACH
Ivan Cleary HC HC Justin Holbrook

NSWRL Matches

KOE NSW Cup GF Jersey Flegg Cup GF
:rugby_football: Panthers v Jets :rugby_football: Panthers v Bulldogs
:clock3: Saturday 26/9 7:00pm :clock3: Saturday 26/9 5:00pm
:stadium: Commbank Stadium :stadium: Commbank Stadium
TEAM TEAM
1. Jaxen Edgar 1. Darcy Feltham
2. Nick Murphy 2. Harry Wald
3. Patrick Μοιμοι 3. Hunter Bell
4. Jesse Mclean 4. Tua Patea
5. Jirah Liddiard 5. Cameron Kanaan
6. Sione Fonua 6. Ellyjah Birve
7. Kurt Falls 7. Haami Loza
8. Tom Ale 8. Hokafonu Lemoto
9. Lufusi Tapa’Atoutai 9. Jett Swadling
10. Luron Patea 10. Judah Galuvao ©
11. Zakauri Clarke 11. Ryan Goodsell
12. Buster Hindmarsh 12. Leo-Stipe Latu
13. Kalani Leuluai-Going 13. Kye Raven
INTERCHANGE INTERCHANGE
14. Jenson Tuaoi 14. Nathaniel Tolu
15. Josh Ruxton 15. Lucas Rossi
16. Jakeb Vailalo 16. Talmage Brown
17. Toby Crosby 17. Jack Colley
RESERVES RESERVES
18. Delahia Wigmore 18. Blake Pasfield
19. Tyson Sangalang
20. Zeik Selwood
21. Camden Hopes
COACH COACH
HC Matt Eisenhuth HC Scott Thompson

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

Match Officials

Telstra Premiership KOE NSW Cup Jersey Flegg Cup
Referee Gerard Sutton Kieren Irons Luke Saldern
Sideline Official Matt Noyen Tom Cambourn Jake Sutherland
Daniel Luttringer Clayton Wills Ethan Klein
Video Referee Chris Butler Todd Smith -

Referee Success Rate

Referee Active Since 2026 Overall Pen. For Pen. Against Ratio
Gerard Sutton 2009 (5/7) 41.42% (41/66) 62.12% 268 277.5 0.97
3

Again, now that general sales have commenced, prime seats have magically appeared.

4

So, of the 4 teams left, 2 have had conceded 50 points and one finished outside the top 4. Who does that leave?

5 Likes
5

We will all be waiting for team announcement 4pm tomorrow.
Hoping to see NC named of course & Alamoti back.

Expect both will be in the 21 man squad. We will get an early peek into final squad on Saturday when the Cup team plays & we will know who won’t be playing Sunday.

We always needed 3 wins to get the job done - 1 down & 2 to go.

If you had given me the scenario that we would need to beat tiges by 2+ in round 27 to take the Minor Premiership, & a home preliminary against the knights to make the GF, would have taken it in a heartbeat.

It’s all there for us now. Play close to our best & we should be thru to Oct :paw_prints::paw_prints:

3 Likes
6

Just on Nathan’s injury. It was not a new injury in the roosters game. He was having trouble with his foot in the tiges game, several times working on his boot.
At one stage a trainer came on & the boot came off & there was an insert or something put into the boot, perhaps to try and ease whatever was the issue.

I expect Coggs to came straight back in in 6, and he will do some of the kicking. Any doubt on NC will see Coley definitely in the final list. Hoping that Alamoti is good to go, as his goal kicking may be required, if only to ease the need for NC to kick the goals.

1 Like
7

While I do want Paul back, Edwards is a more than capable kicker. He would be the no 1 goal kicker in any other team

1 Like
8

Some talk in media that Cleary will play, sans goal kicking. Alamoti may not be back in time, but Garner is on deck.

I agree with Coggs at #6.

The bench however becomes more interesting. Billy Scott has quietly cemented a spot on the bench ahead of Lussick (?)

Do we carry Cole, Talagi and Scott?

This would be:

  1. Edwards
  2. Milky
  3. McLean
  4. Garner
  5. To’o
  6. Cogger
  7. Cleary
  8. Leota
  9. Kenny
  10. Henry
  11. Papa
  12. Martin
  13. Yeo
  14. Cole
  15. Smith
  16. Sorro
  17. Phillips
  18. Scott
  19. Talagi

Philips drops if Alamoti is back?

Also, talk about Klein being dropped. Adam Gee was the other ref from the weekend. Perhaps Gee gets the GF. Good signs if we do make it to the GF :slight_smile:

1 Like
9

Whelp, Looks like I got the 19 right, but Talagi named in centres, Garner on the bench and Cole at 5/8 with Coggs on the bench.

No Alamoti, but Tago in the Reserves !

I’d be surprised if they play 1-19 as named. Especially Coggs if Cleary is limited on kicking

1 Like
10

:mega: Teams and Match Officials have been updated.

TELSTRA PREMIERSHIP

OPPOSITION TEAM

KNOCK ON EFFECT NSW CUP

JERSEY FLEGG CUP

1 Like
11

Interesting selection. I wonder if this is how they will run on for the game. Possible mind games.

2 Likes
12

Such a shame Alamotti not named, I guess he’s gone for the season then.

Could be some mix ups to the run on team, though who knows? I know we are playing mind games with Yeo and Clearys injuries.

I know I say this everyone year for these games , but only time will tell!

1 Like
13

Maybe saving Alamoti for the big game.

2 Likes
14

From what I hear he is better than a 50/50 chance of playing in the Grand Final if (when :wink: ) we progress this week…

1 Like
15

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16

And the last one had Sutton reffing.

17

Any word on panthers training? Apparently black screens up around the park to be secretive… Seems like a new one for us this year?

18

The nectr branded screens have been used a number of times.
As we have no enclosed training venue, having closed training sessions has been problematic for last 2 seasons, hence the screening & sometimes security on gate to training complex.

2 Likes
19

It’s all part of the gamesmanship and keeping them guessing. We certainly did the same in ‘21 with Edwards being hoarded out of sight from the media

20

I love the way it has got the Panthers hate media really agitated. :rofl:

2 Likes