IN THE FIGHT
PENRITH SURGE INTO TOP FOUR ON THE BACK OF INCREDIBLE WINNING RUN PENRITH’S BEST NRL COVERAGE IS INSIDE!
Dylan Edwards.
Photo: NRL Photos.
the finalword
The stage is set for one of the biggest games of the season.
Two of the most successful sides of the modern era.
Grand Final combatants twice in the past five years.
Coaches and players that will go down as some of the game’s best.
Melbourne sit in second on the competition table heading into this Thursday night classic, stalking Canberra for Minor Premiership honours and remaining steady competition favourites.
But even that has only been written in pencil this year, with the Storm yet to prove to anyone that they’re sure things for this Premiership.
Penrith are now in the top four, an incredible feat that regardless of what happens in Septem-
ber will go down as one of Ivan Cleary’s greatest coaching achievements. If the Panthers do somehow go on and win a fifth straight Premiership, it will be their masterpiece.
The Storm beat Penrith at AAMI Park earlier this year but it’s hard to get a read on things from that game. Nathan Cleary left the field early, and the Panthers battled on well but just didn’t have the class to get across the line.
We will get a solid indication of where both Penrith and Melbourne are at come full-time on Thursday night. There will surely be no runaway winner and we could be in for another classic akin to that Panthers v Bulldogs game a couple of months back.
It’s a big fortnight for the Panthers. With nine wins under their belt, their biggest tests of the season come up against the Storm on Thurs-
day and then against the competition leaders Canberra the following week. To play the top two teams in back-to-back weeks is daunting, but also perfect timing for Ivan Cleary’s side –which has largely played bottom eight teams in the last few weeks.
The Storm have scored more points than any other team in the competition this year. They can blow you away when they really start clicking, though I doubt that will be the case here.
Penrith will get them in the grind, and with an average completion rate of 81 per cent this season (the fourth best in the competition), the Panthers will give the Storm few chances.
But Bellamy’s side don’t need an array of chances to cause you pain. Penrith will need to be on full alert every time Melbourne has the ball – the great ability the Storm has is to score
points from anywhere, whether it be sustained pressure on the line or a play from further back field. And of course, there’s the power of the high ball with Xavier Coates scoring plenty of tries from kicks this season.
As much as Melbourne miss Jahrome Hughes, Tyran Wishart is doing an admirable job in the number seven jumper and the Storm don’t lose all that much in attack with him there, especially with Cameron Munster shouldering plenty of the creative play.
The Finals have arrived early. This game will give us a glimpse into what September looks like, and I reckon it looks like two of the greatest teams we’ll ever see going hammer and tongs until the bitter end. This is going to be one hell of a game – and it wouldn’t surprise me if we do a little overtime. Tip: Panthers by 2.
Graphic by Kacey Wilson.
REFREREE: ASHLEY KLEIN | BUNKER: CHRIS BUTLER
panther rumblings
NO RUSH ON SKIPPER’S RETURN
! Yeo a chance for Mudgee: Penrith have the luxury of giving co-captain Isaah Yeo plenty of time to recover from a shoulder injury that has kept him out for a couple of weeks. With a light injury toll and a Finals berth now all but secured, Penrith won’t be rushing Yeo back, even though there’s some suggestion he could be named next Tuesday for the Friday night clash in Mudgee. He’ll be back before the Finals, but the Panthers are in no mood to risk further injury.
! Panthers tight-lipped: There’s no noise coming out of Penrith on whether or not they appealed the huge breach notice handed down by the NRL last week in relation to the incident involving trainer Corey Bocking a couple of weeks ago. “It’s a procedural matter between the NRL and the club and we don’t have a further comment on the matter,” a club spokesperson said this week. Penrith had five days to respond to the breach notice of a $50,000 fine to the club and a five-game ban for Bocking. That time period has now passed.
! Scoop confirmed: I told you several months back that Mavrik Geyer’s future at Penrith was very clouded and he was exploring options elsewhere. Last week, it was announced he would be joining the Wests Tigers on a one-year deal. Geyer is hoping to get plenty of first grade under his belt and then land himself a longer term deal the following year.
! Support for Corey: Some fans are planning on a mini-protest of sorts against the suspension handed down to Corey Bocking. They plan on raising their water bottles to the sky in the 50th minute of the match against Melbourne tonight.
! Special coin: Check out the special commemorative coin that was used for the coin toss in the Panthers v Knights clash last week. This is a Newcastle initiative for coin tosses – the Knights logo is on one side, and the opposition on the other. The guest who gets to toss the coin then gets to keep it as a gift.
! Spotted: Matildas star and Nathan Cleary’s girlfriend Mary Fowler leaving the Panthers Academy on Tuesday, with a host of journalists there to interview players blissfully unaware.
! Getting in early: It’s already tough for Panthers fans to make it to Parramatta on a Thursday night, but for some reason the official supporters bus is leaving at 4.40pm this afternoon for the match against Melbourne. As busy as the run into CommBank Stadium can be, it’s a tough ask for many people to make the bus after work with those timings. There’s also no curtain raisers before the main game, which doesn’t kick off until 7.50pm.
! Jersey push: The Panthers have worn a different jersey in all four of their Premiership wins, making each one particularly unique. There’s a push this year in some corners for Penrith to wear their commemorative Las Vegas jersey for the upcoming Finals series. The black and gold jumper would certainly make a statement as the club chases a fifth successive title.
! Spill the tea: Spotted a Panther out and about or got some gossip? Email maskedpanther@westernweekender.com.au. I don’t keep secrets but I do protect my sources.
Isaah Yeo.
GETTING THE PANTHERS BACK ON TRACK
The son of a Panthers legend will depart the club at the end of the season, with Mavrik Geyer Wests Tigers-bound in 2026.
Prior to last week’s big win over the Newcastle Knights, it was confirmed that the 24-year-old backrower – who made his debut to much fanfare early last season – would be the latest Panther to join Benji Marshall’s Tigers.
Geyer will link up with the joint venture next year after 13 appearances so far for the Panthers, including two earlier this season.
Speaking with Extra Time this week, Panthers backrower Liam Martin said the Tigers offer the former St Dominic’s College student a great opportunity to play more first grade football.
“Mav’s got plenty of ability and works extremely hard – I think he had the best pre-season out of anyone,” Martin said.
“He’s probably looking to get an opportu nity there but unfortunately he had a bit of injury this year, which set him back.
“He’s a great fella and I hope he gets his opportunity and gets to play regular first grade because he certainly deserves it.”
Geyer was named on the extended bench by Ivan Cleary ahead of Penrith’s blockbuster clash against the Melbourne Storm on Thursday night.
Following their ninth win-a-row last Friday night, the Panthers have clawed their way back from the bottom of the competition ladder and
into the coveted top four.
“Looking back to Round 12 where we were dead last and to get to where we are now is pretty incredible,” Martin admitted.
“We can’t rest on our laurels now, we just have to keep working at it and keep getting
better and better each week.”
The Panthers have enjoyed some wonderful battles with the Storm over the years. From Finals matches to Premiership deciders and Grand Final rematches, every game between the Storm and Panthers this decade has been epic to say the least.
Martin, who won a Clive Churchill Medal against the Storm in the 2024 Grand Final, said Craig Bellamy’s outfit is his favourite team to play against.
“Absolutely, they are!” he confirmed.
“When you play rugby league, you always want to test yourself against the best and they’ve always been up there. I always look forward to playing them.
“Even in the regular season, it’s always a challenge and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Another Panthers star who can’t wait to get stuck into Melbourne again is winger Brian To’o.
It’s been a rollercoaster season for the lovable 26-year-old, who has been limited to just 11 NRL games after battling several injuries.
“Injuries come and go… it’s not always going to go your way throughout the year,” To’o told
“This year has been a bit different for me with hamstring injuries and stuff like that, but you’ve just got to keep pushing through and make sure you’re getting your body right before anything else.”
To’o said despite all the challenges he and his teammates have had to face this season, he
always believed things would come good.
“We’ve always had that belief and faith that our team would be one of the top teams in this competition. We’ve obviously didn’t start well, but looking where we are now, we are on the right track,” he said.
Liam Martin. Photo: Melinda Jane.
THE VERDICT ON OUR TEMPORARY HOME
The Premiers’ first year playing away from Penrith is almost complete, with the Panthers set to run out onto CommBank Stadium for the final time in the regular season this Thursday evening.
After a sluggish 0-3 start at their temporary Parramatta digs, the Panthers have now won six straight games at the venue and are aiming for win number seven tonight against the Melbourne Storm.
While the Panthers are starting to feel more and more comfortable with their new surrounds, it did take the stars of the team some time to adjust to not playing at the iconic and very familiar Penrith Stadium.
“I’m slowly getting used to the whole stadium… it’s certainly a change of venue from Bluebet,” Brian To’o admitted to Extra Time on Tuesday.
“CommBank is definitely a different place but it’s slowly starting to sink in that it’s our new home and new fortress.”
Fellow Panthers
Premiership
winner Liam Marin said while fans were having a hard time getting used to travelling the 38km to CommBank Stadium from Penrith, the players were also finding it difficult at the beginning to feel at home.
“It was a bit shaky at the start, you were missing Penrith a bit. But after getting a few wins there, it’s starting to feel more like home,”
Martin told Extra Time
“We’re getting more crowds there now and it’s great to see. Hopefully we can finish the regular season there with a bang.”
The Panthers crowds this season have been somewhat disappointing compared to what they would have got if Penrith Stadium was available to them this
Across six official Panthers home games this season, 103,643 fans have walked through the CommBank Stadium gates – that’s an average of 14,806 fans per game.
In 12 games (including one Qualifying Final) last year at Penrith Stadium, 235,955 people attended a Panthers match – an average of 19,663 fans per game.
Martin said he sympathises with the club’s fan-base when it comes to the challenges of attending home games this season.
“We know it’s a big ask, it’s not close and footy’s not cheap for families, so when they do turn up, we really appreciate it so much,” the Clive Churchill Medal winner said.
“They are the people we do it for, and we really appreciate their support.”
But it’s not just the players who have felt the change this season, it’s the Penrith coaching staff who have had to navigate the challenges as well.
Speaking with Extra Time ahead of the Storm clash at CommBank, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary said not playing at Penrith Stadium on a regular basis has been harder than he initially thought it would be.
Stadium], but until you lose it, it’s even more magnified.
“But like anything you’ve got to adapt. If you’re going to do anything in this competition and be a half decent team, you’ve got to adapt to all different things and that’s just been one of them.”
Like Martin, the super coach also felt for the club’s loyal supporters who now must battle the temperamental Sydney Train Network or busy M4 and Great Western Highway to get to games.
“I know certainly for the fans I think it’s been difficult – I think they’re probably still adjusting,” he said.
“The reality is, we just don’t get as many fans down there for lots of different reasons.
“It’s been good to have success there lately. It’s been good to play a couple of other teams who have their homes games there too. We’ve started to familiarise ourselves with the place and hopefully our fans have as well.
“But we’re really looking forward to them getting through the travel hassles Thursday night might present, but it will be great to see as many fans as possible down there.”
Thursday night’s blockbuster against Melbourne may not be the last time the Panthers play at CommBank this season. Depending on where they finish on the NRL ladder at the end of the regular season, the players and supporters may have one more trip to make to Parramatta – not that anyone will be complaining about that!
Panthers winger Brian To’o chats with Nathan Taylor. Photo: Melinda Jane.
Fun at CommBank Stadium.
Penrith coach Ivan Cleary on Tuesday Photo: Melinda Jane.
NATHAN TAYLOR
panthers poster
Tries: L Lemusu, M Tooth, G Thomas, C Toli Goals: S Scambary 2/4
Tries: Goals:
Tries: C McLean 2, L Garner, L Smith, L Henry, B To’o, T Jenkins, I Tago, I Papali’i Goals: N Cleary 6/9
Tries: A Kepaoa 2, P Alamoti, R Price, J Cole Goals: P Alamoti 3/5
Tries: M Croker, J McEwen Goals: J Cogger 2/2
Tries: T Tapuha, M Gabrael, K Dixon Goals: M Hiroti 2/3
Missed last week’s results? Here’s a rundown of what happened in key Penrith Panthers games...
BYE: RAIDERS
panther memories
Despite playing Newtown at Penrith Park early in 1967, the venue was ‘officially’ opened on April 23, 1967 by Harold Matthews, the Vice President of the NSW Rugby League.
Pictured here is Matthews along with Penrith’s Merv Cartwright unveiling a plaque to mark the occasion – next to a jersey from the inaugural season.
On the official opening day, Penrith played the famous St George side and produced what would still today be considered one of the club’s greatest wins.
Penrith won 24-12 in front of 12,201 people.
The plaque unveiled that day is long lost, and was not at Penrith Park prior to its demolition recently.
PENRITH’S UNSUNG HEROES analysis
lang on league
with Peter Lang
During the recent telecast of the Panthers vs Knights game a commentator made the point that prop Matt Eisenhuth had been at Penrith since 2021, played in 64 first grade games since they began their historic four-peat premiership run but had yet to actually play in a Grand Final.
Now let’s break it down a little further, Eisenhuth played 19 first grade games in 2021, 16 in 2022, 11 in 2023, and 18 in 2024.
He came close though, very close. Last year Eisenhuth was named in the 17-man squad before Scott Sorensen came in as a late replacement relegating him to 18th man.
It’s also interesting to note that Eisenhuth has also made the Grand Final extended squad in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Eisenhuth is definitely an unsung hero at Penrith and his contribution to each of those four consecutive premiership victories may be lost on some media commentators and supporters but not on coach Ivan Cleary and the players.
It got me thinking, what contribution have other players made during that wonderful four-peat who deserve some recognition. You know, the players outside the starting 17 in each of those premiership victories.
Let’s take a look shall we.
Other players of note include Zac Hosking who played in 21 regular first grade games in his one season with Penrith in 2023 but still missed out on making the Grand Final team.
Tyrone Peachey played in 17 first grade games during the 2023-24 season while Daine Laurie who returned to the foot of the Mountains last year, played in 15 regular season matches.
In 2024, Trent Toelau was named in 12 first grade games, Sean O’Sullivan (2022) played in 11, J’maine
Hopgood (2021) had nine while Casey McLean (2024) played in seven.
This year’s comeback story of the year sensation Thomas Jenkins played in six first grade games in 2022-23, and rounding out the list is Chris Smith (2022-23) with six and Luke Sommerton (23-24) with five first grade games. That’s quite the list and quite a number of first grade games between all the players named. Each made a valuable contribution to the team’s success and
fortunately all 10 players listed made the extended Grand Final squad. Each got to be a part of the big day in some way.
If you want to know who they are, just look at all the players who run onto the field after the full-time siren sounds at the conclusion of a Grand Final.
They’re the ones with lanyards around their neck, hugging, singing and congratulating the starting players.
One must also spare a thought for Brad Schnieder who actually did make it into the final 17 last year but didn’t get to play any active minutes on the field as half Nathan Cleary battled on with injury until the 80th minute.
He wasn’t going to come off, even if his leg fell off. That’s what it means to each player who plays in a Grand Final. They never know if it will be their last.
I’ll be honest, before I did all the research for this story, it never occurred to me just how important it is to acknowledge every player in that long team list announced for every Grand Final.
I used to stop reading after about the 18th player. Thinking, no one beyond this point really matters in this game, they’re not going to make it onto the field.
I won’t be making that same mistake again.
Matt Eisenhuth. Photo: NRL Images.
PANTHERS WARRIORS ROOSTERS SHARKS
STORM WARRIORS
PANTHERS WARRIORS
SHARKS
PANTHERS DRAGONS ROOSTERS SHARKS
RABBITOHS TIGERS COWBOYS
EELS TIGERS COWBOYS
EELS
SEA EAGLES COWBOYS
PANTHERS WARRIORS BULLDOGS SHARKS BRONCOS EELS SEA EAGLES COWBOYS
PANTHERS WARRIORS ROOSTERS SHARKS BRONCOS EELS TIGERS COWBOYS
PANTHERS DRAGONS ROOSTERS SHARKS BRONCOS EELS SEA EAGLES COWBOYS
PANTHERS DRAGONS ROOSTERS SHARKS
DOLPHINS EELS TIGERS COWBOYS
PANTHERS WARRIORS BULLDOGS SHARKS BRONCOS EELS SEA EAGLES COWBOYS
STORM DRAGONS BULLDOGS SHARKS BRONCOS EELS SEA EAGLES COWBOYS
PANTHERS DRAGONS BULLDOGS SHARKS DOLPHINS EELS
PANTHERS DRAGONS BULLDOGS TITANS
SEA EAGLES COWBOYS
DOLPHINS EELS SEA EAGLES KNIGHTS
PANTHERS WARRIORS BULLDOGS SHARKS BRONCOS EELS TIGERS COWBOYS
PANTHERS WARRIORS
BULLDOGS SHARKS BRONCOS EELS SEA EAGLES COWBOYS
PANTHERS WARRIORS
SHARKS
EELS
COWBOYS PANTHERS WARRIORS
EAGLES COWBOYS
PANTHERS WARRIORS
PANTHERS WARRIORS BULLDOGS SHARKS
EELS TIGERS COWBOYS
PANTHERS WARRIORS BULLDOGS SHARKS BRONCOS EELS TIGERS COWBOYS
STORM WARRIORS BULLDOGS SHARKS TITANS EELS SEA EAGLES COWBOYS
PANTHERS WARRIORS BULLDOGS SHARKS
EELS TIGERS COWBOYS
PANTHERS WARRIORS BULLDOGS SHARKS DOLPHINS EELS TIGERS COWBOYS
PANTHERS WARRIORS BULLDOGS SHARKS BRONCOS EELS TIGERS COWBOYS
PANTHERS WARRIORS BULLDOGS SHARKS BRONCOS EELS SEA EAGLES COWBOYS
STORM WARRIORS ROOSTERS SHARKS BRONCOS EELS TIGERS COWBOYS
PANTHERS WARRIORS ROOSTERS SHARKS DOLPHINS EELS SEA EAGLES COWBOYS
PANTHERS DRAGONS BULLDOGS TITANS DOLPHINS EELS SEA EAGLES KNIGHTS
PANTHERS WARRIORS ROOSTERS SHARKS DOLPHINS EELS TIGERS COWBOYS
PANTHERS DRAGONS
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