R3 Storm v Panthers - Game Day Thread

2025 Game Day Archive
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PEN
MEL
Melbourne Storm
Penrith Panthers
TELSTRA PREMIERSHIP Round 3
AAMI Park
March 20 8:00pm
Melbourne Storm
Round 3
Penrith Panthers

AAMI Park
March 20 8:00pm

Game Day Information
:rugby_football: Match Melbourne Storm v Penrith Panthers
:stadium: Venue AAMI Park
:clock10: Time Thursday March 20, 8:00pm
:tickets: Tickets Tickets via Ticketek
:rugby_football: Other Matches NSWCUP Newcastle Knights v Penrith Panthers 23/3 2:00pm1
JFLEGG Newcastle Knights v Penrith Panthers 23/3 12:30pm1
SGBALL Penrith Panthers v South Sydney Rabbitohs 21/3 7:30pm2
HMATTS South Sydney Rabbitohs v Penrith Panthers 22/3 2:00pm3
TGCUP South Sydney Rabbitohs v Penrith Panthers 22/3 12:00pm3
LFCUP South Sydney Rabbitohs v Penrith Panthers 22/3 10:30am3
:sun_behind_rain_cloud: Weather :cloud_with_rain: Showers 19ºC (:cloud_with_rain: Chance of Rain: 20% / :wind_face: Wind: S 8km/h)
:tv: Broadcast :tv: Channel 9 (Channel 90 HD / 91 SD) [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) NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg Cup to be played at Newcastle Knights CoE, Broadmeadow NSW
(1) SG Ball Cup to be played at HE Laybutt Sporting Complex, Arndell Park NSW
(1) Harold Matthews Cup, Tarsha Gale Cup and Lisa Fiaola Cup to be played at Redfern Oval Redfern NSW

:rugby_football: Telstra Premiership | Full Time
/50px Penrith Panthers 24 Tries Paul Alamoti (2), Brian To’o (2), Casey McLean.
Goals Paul Alamoti (2/5)
/50px Melbourne Storm 30 Tries Grant Anderson, Eliesa Katoa, Xavier Coates, Tyran Wishart, Ryan Papenhuyzen.
Goals Nick Meaney (3/3), Ryan Papenhuyzen (2/3)

Postgame Media

MATCH REPORT

PRESS CONFERENCE

HIGHLIGHTS

FULL MATCH REPLAY

PANTHER PRIDE MOTM VOTING

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Team

Telstra Premiership Knock on Effect NSW Cup Jersey Flegg Cup
:rugby_football: Storm v Panthers v :rugby_football: Panthers v Roosters :rugby_football: Panthers v Roosters
:clock3: Thursday 20/3 8:00pm :clock3: Saturday 22/3 4:15pm :clock3: Saturday 22/3 2:30pm
:stadium: AAMI Park :stadium: Lakeside Sporting Complex :stadium: Lakeside Sporting Complex
TEAM
22. Tom Jenkins :small_red_triangle: 1. Jaxen Edgar 1. Jaxen Edgar
2. Casey Mclean 2. Jesse Mclean 2. Nick Murphy
3. Izack Tago 3. Tom Jenkins 3. Poutuoa Hotere-Papalii
4. Paul Alamoti 4. Sam Lane 4. Siale Faeamani
5. Brian To’o 5. Asu Kepaoa 5. Jirah Liddiard
6. Jack Cole 6. Blaize Talagi 6. Tylor Bunting
7. Nathan Cleary © 7. Trent Toelau 7. Zack Lamont
8. Moses Leota 8. Preston Riki 8. Josh Ruxton
9. Mitch Kenny 9. Luke Sommerton 9. Bayden Moran
10. Lindsay Smith 10. Luron Patea 10. Ahmani Leilua
11. Scott Sorensen 11. Mavrik Geyer 11. Zakauri Clarke
12. Liam Martin 12. Harrison Hassett 12. Harry Armstrong
13. Isaah Yeo © 13. Billy Phillips 13. Delahia Wigmore
INTERCHANGE
18. Blaize Talagi :small_red_triangle: 14. Billy Scott 14. Jenson Tuaoi
15. Isaiah Papali’i 15. Niko Apelu 15. Jakeb Vailalo
16. Liam Henry 16. Riley Wake 16. Isaiah Scanlon
17. Luke Garner 17. Zac Lipowicz 17. Jack Ewer
RESERVES
20. Matt Eisenhuth 18. Dave Fale 18. Mitchell Heather
18. Blaize Talagi :small_red_triangle_down: 19. Falefa Letoi 19. Judah Galuvao
19. Trent Toelau :small_red_triangle_down: 20. Billy Thompson
21. Luke Sommerton :small_red_triangle_down: 21. Cameron Robertson
1. Daine Laurie :injured: :small_red_triangle_down:
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 Adam Gee TBA TBA
Sideline Official Dave Munro TBA TBA
Phil Henderson TBA TBA
Video Referee Chris Butler - -

Referee Success Rate

Referee Active Since 2024 Overall Pen. For Pen. Against Ratio
Adam Gee 2011 (0/0) -% (27/38) 71.05% 193.5 184.5 1.05
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The advantage of this game is that the team won’t go into it thinking it is already won.

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

TELSTRA PREMIERSHIP

OPPOSITION TEAM

KNOCK ON EFFECT NSW CUP

JERSEY FLEGG CUP

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Jaxen Egar has his work cut out for him playing back to back in cup and Flegg :joy:

Yes I know he will probably drop out of one or the other once the first grade squad is reduced.

Back to firsts - last week I said “beware the wounded rooster “ this week it’s “beware the wounded panther.

I am predicting we keep Melbourne scoreless.

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:flushed: That would be MASSIVE, i’m not so convinced as our timing in both attack and defense appears to still be a work in progress based on last week. I do hope though, we come out and treat this one like a GF rematch, lets see where we are at when we take our game to maximum level.

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I think we will see a much better performance than last week. Winning the game, or keeping the Storm scoreless might still be a bit of a stretch though. Not that I’d complain if it happened.
:rofl::rofl::rofl:

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Any word on Laurie? He’s out to an “undisclosed injury”

Jenko at FB

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Updated Team List

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary has updated his squad for the Round 3 clash against Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park on Thursday night.

Tom Jenkins will start at fullback to replace Daine Laurie, who has been ruled out with injury.

International forward Isaiah Papali’i also returns to the side after missing last week’s match against the Roosters.

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If Jenko runs out at fullback, what a redemption story we have unfolding in front of our eyes.

Dumped by Newcastle, train and trial with St Marys. Trial run the Penrith nsw cup. 2nd tier NSW Cup contract, then a first grade development contract, then running out on first grade to take the place of one of our most important players.

All this in 3 months and in as many games.

I wish home well and hope he plays well.

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Blaze replaces Schneider on the bench.

Unusually Casey is named as number 24, earlier in the week was number 2?

An error, or is Jessie replacing Casey (another error?)

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Last thing we needed was to lose Cleary early. This could get ugly!!!

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I have to say I’m stunned!!!

At 14-0 down without Cleary I thought we were looking at a cricket score.

Cole & Jenkins have both shown their value in the latter part of the first half, giving us a sniff of an upset.

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I am so proud with that 2nd 20 minutes.

To see Cole step up, Jenkins step up, Kenny barking orders, Yeo stepping into Clearys role in attack, Smith stepping into Yeo’s role. Henry running possessed, need I go on?

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Good effort, especially after losing Cleary early. We would have beaten a lot of teams tonight.

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This is such a weird feeling, never have I been so satisfied with a loss. So proud of the boys

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

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Anyone remember how Cleary and Maloney played together? Maloney was the main guy, and Nathan often struggled to find a way to be a ‘Robin’. I think we saw Jack Cole unhinged tonight. He was freed up. You can imagine how hard it is for young blokes.

All during the lower grades, they’ve been required to be ‘the guy’, and suddenly they are put in first grade and have to find a way to be a deputy. Really great signs by the squad as a whole, and of course - they never give up.

It just sucks the boys couldnt find a way to get the W.

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Looking back on the game this morning, what stands out to me most is that our systems & team first mentality stood up against the competition favourites, even with Cleary getting injured early, and Edwards out of the game completely. Good signs for the season ahead.

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It is rare to see Penrith start so badly, even before these recent ‘golden years’; with so many things going wrong on Thursday – dumb penalties due to stupidity in the ruck; twice kicks from penalties not finding touch; missed tackles letting in the first try; rampant six-agains. It was hard to keep watching. We heard all week how they learnt so much from last week, so I was wondering what exactly did they learn.

So the comeback was something to savour, with so many new faces and unfamiliar combinations, plus a fullback who has never played fullback. And it was encouraging to see Cole’s ticker after his diabolical start.

Is it my imagination, or did Leota lack penetration?

Cleary’s absence, on top of Edward’s injury (and Crichton leaving) left us with no kicker – 5 tries each, and lose by 6.

The most damning conclusion is that we must be the most susceptible team in the NRL to a bomb. We seen utterly unable to contest any high kick, and probably have one of the shortest backlines in the comp. These last two games have exposed this frailty, and you can bet that each team that we play will exploit it.

Is there a special rule that lets Munster lie on a player for twice as long as allowed, and to keep pushing them back after the tackle is completed? The NRL is supposed to be tightening up on the ruck, but we were penalised once when their ball player scrambled forward a few metres into our marker who was standing his ground – and then the freaking ref penalises us for ruck interference; WTF. I look forward to the day when every play-the-ball takes place on the spot on which the tackle was completed. At least we weren’t penalised for rolling the ball in the ruck.

From my inexpert viewpoint, our comeback was due to the experienced players standing up and to the whole lot playing as a team (one of our strengths over recent years). The rapid fire passing was also a joy to watch.

There are indeed good signs from that match, but we need to quickly start putting together sequences of wins. And our defence is crying out for the impenetrability that we have become used to.

Maybe this could be a different thread – we have heard ad nauseam over many years about our extraordinary junior strength and consequent successful systems. 2022 was a year to savour. But I’ve just looked at the juniors standings, and the Ball and Matts are terrible. We don’t even seem to be competitive. That doesn’t inspire confidence for our top grades in a few years time. What gives?

1 Like