[2024] R24 Panthers v Storm - Game Day Thread

2024 Game Day Archive
4

I just realised I possibly haven’t paid that much attention to the reserve list in the past, but at first glance I’m stumped as to what the final team will look like.

We have 2 halves / utilities on the bench and then a fullback, halfback and hooker in reserves. Is it my lack of previous attention or have we got a higher number of halves/utilities than usual?

Side looks light on the boppers. Must be fairly confident of zero injuries to the bigger boys and JFH has to be pretty close, either that or Austin Dias comes in and Jack Cole drop out?

If Edwards comes in, Laurie drops and Turuva out, keeping Toelau on the bench; or Laurie drops to bench and Toelau out?

We then still have Sommerton and Schneider in the reserve list.

Or do we have unknown injury concerns in our halves?

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5

Agree light weight bench. Replace Cole with Austin Dias on the bench if JFH not good to go.

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6

I am in two minds on whether to rush Dylan and Fish back. It might be better to rest them for another week or two and just see how the storm game goes. It depends how important we see the minor premiership. Would be good to have them fresh for the finals.

7

I think Edwards could use another week off. Laurie has the fullback spot covered, but as said by @Gogatee we are light in the forwards. If Fish deels like he is good to go, then I say give him a run, he rarely disappoints.

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8

I’m with Steve, give Dyl another week just to be sure, if Fish is fit enough, get some metres back in the legs.

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9

Channel 9’s Zac Bailey has reported that Ivan has confirmed Edwards and Fisher- Harris will play tomorrow.

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10

I’m sure the medical staff would be risk assessing and you’d think not risking this late in the season. Esp Edwards.

Personally, don’t mind if Edwards is wrapped up in cotton wool until 2000% ready

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Updated NRL Teamlist: Round 24

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary has updated his squad for Thursday’s match against Melbourne Storm at BlueBet Stadium.

The head coach confirmed that Dylan Edwards (knee) and James Fisher-Harris (groin) will return against the Storm.

The Panthers will wear the 2024 Alternate (Pasifika) Jersey.

12

Will be interesting to see how the final team run out.

Edwards to fullback and Cole 18th man are certainties.

Does Fish start from the bench? And who out of Laurie and Trent misses out?

I think Trent is a must, as he can cover hooker, Kenny can cover lock, Yeo or Smith can play edge, and Mav can play centre. Turuva can cover fullback if needed.

Laurie while he can cover backs, is not a great perfomer at hooker.

Time will tell

13

Personally I’d keep Trent #14 and be a decision between Turuva and Laurie, leaning towards dropping Turuva.

Head says Iv will probably drop Casey.

14

Hope Toelau stays in the 17, I’ve been impressed with him.

Also, he was with the Storm for a time & couldn’t get a crack, so I’m sure he’d love to get one over his old club.

15

Interesting bench choice with Patea dropping out and Cole in.

Looking fwd to watching the game!

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16

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

17

Frustrating game to watch. It seemed Melbourne got the run of the green on every call. I have serious question marks over all of their first half tries. I also have a question mark of the tackle that injured Cleary, it appeared not happen in a second effort by King. Will try to rewatch the game over the weekend.

I thought it was interesting having Toelau & Cole on the bench. I think we would have been better served with another forward on the bench.

I said to a mate the other day that I thought we needed a loss to sharpen ourselves before the finals. Hopefully this will be all we need, and we can win 6 straight to claim the premiership.

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Agree with Mutley that it was a frustrating game to watch. It was clear that the $torm were out to show their credentials, and that the match officials were going to assist them as best as they can.
A few errors from us and spoiling tactics from our opponents gave them more field position than we would have hoped for & they got ahead.
We probably did enough to snatch a win, albeit a grinding one, but poor defense close to our line got them square & then the ref found a soft penalty to decide the game.
I thought that Lindsay Smith was outstanding playing on the right edge & young Casey is just getting better each week. Yeo, Luai & DE did all they could.
Maybe the loss has taken the target off our back a little.
Kudos to the fans who turned up - Thursday games are not the easiest for supporters to get to.
Good on you Royce - you are a champ!!!
Looking forward to getting back to full strength for the finals. We can still do this, but it would be an easier task sans-Klein :open_mouth:

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20

Discipline killed us.

Edwards looks half baked and visibly nursing an injury, not his fluid best. Wrap him up in wool until he’s 100%, cannot afford to lose him.

Cleary a worry. I expect he will return for the first or second week of finals with a backup half on the bench. Think Luai + Cogger in last yrs final.

Going to be a hard road and need everyone on deck.

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21

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Hey Penrith… does Ashley Klein’s wife need a job? :wink:

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22

That was a good, tough game. It could have gone either way. It’s interesting how much more you see when you watch the replay on Kayo and freeze-frame the contentious incidents. Some key moments for us would include :-

When Klein’s name came up as the ref, we knew we would be up against it.

Laurie’s dropping ball that led to the first Melbourne try was surely worth a look on replay by Klein, since Grant’s knees seemed to be partly to blame for the drop.

The hit on Cleary half that brought Tago in and led to the first Melbourne try, was another bad call.

Cleary’s missing of the early, easy conversion.

Melbourne kicking to To’o’s wing, exposing him to taller opponents – 2 tries.

When Laurie made a break down the right side in the first half, and was stopped by Papenhuyzen, surely Laurie was tripped when he moved to the right.

The one-on-one strip on an early tackle near our line.

The high shot on Cleary, in goal, that was deemed OK by the ref.

Kenny made a few too many mistakes to earn MOM points.

Toelau’s miss on Wishart on our line, followed soon after by dropping the ball on their line, proved expensive.

Laurie is still diamonds and stones. You’d hope that he’d get rid of a few of the stones.

C. Smith might have retired, but Melbourne’s hooker and half must still think that they have refereeing rights. They were constantly in Klein’s ear.

You’d think that Fisher-Harris would have enough experience to not risk a penalty in front of the posts, especially with Klein. Other refs would have let it pass, but it was a game-breaker.

23

Better late than never as I am waiting todays game.

From that very first try I knew we were up against it - the grub of the storm, and the that the script had been written my the Ref, bunker, media and NRL.

First try a blatant obstruction - not just on Cleary but Edwards, second (or was it a third) was less obvious but 9/10 times would of gone up stairs for a call of knock on in goal.

We played with heart, and yes made mistakes, and unfortunately we all know what happened to Cleary to all but end a chance of a miracle win.

That said Edwards stood up and took a shot from the touch line 40m out, which sadly fell inches short, albeit in line with the black stripe.

I was proud of our boys, yet the anger at how the result was managed still resonates with me a week later. I haven’t seen anything so bad since the first half of the 2020 grand final.

Vent over - onwards with the game today

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