FINAL ASSAULT
Nathan Cleary.
Photo: NRL Photos.
the finalword
Penrith enter the final game of the regular season with only one mission in mind: get as ready as possible for the Finals next week.
There is little else to play for – no top four, no home Final. Top eight secured.
Therefore this game is totally about ensuring the Panthers are as prepared as they can be for whoever they may meet in the opening weekend of Finals football.
After he rested his entire first grade squad last week, coach Ivan Cleary has opted to bring back the vast majority of his squad for this Saturday afternoon’s match against St George-Illawarra.
Not surprisingly Brian To’o and Liam Martin will sit out a second week to ensure they are 100 per cent right, both having got through long seasons and dealt with niggling injuries throughout the campaign.
Exactly what type of game plan Cleary imple-
ments here is anyone’s guess. As much as Penrith’s big names are back, many will likely not play the full 80 minutes – especially if the game starts to blow out on the scoreboard.
But after the heartbreak of games against Canberra and Melbourne, there’s no doubt a win would do Penrith’s confidence the world of good heading into the serious games of September.
And to that end you shouldn’t expect Penrith to take the Dragons lightly. There’s still plenty to work on, still lots of little things to get right, and certainly a need to get some metres in the legs ahead of next week.
The Dragons are an intriguing proposition. I always fear sides playing their last game of the season because they’re just so unpredictable.
You could get a side determined to go into the off-season as winners, savouring a victory
all summer ahead of going again the following year.
Or you could get a side that’s had enough, ready for Mad Monday and can already feel the sand of the beach under their feet.
As much as the Dragons have provided a few highlights this year, their fans must be disappointed with how the campaign fell away under Shane Flanagan.
There were plenty of excuses along the way with some very narrow losses and a couple of questionable refereeing decisions that cost them dearly, but their performances against Manly and Souths over the past fortnight suggest the white flag was raised some time ago.
I feel like the Dragons will go with the Panthers for a while here but in the end, the lure of the off-season and the feet going up will see them slowly fade.
be able to
to a half-time lead and then go on with the job in the second half.
Ivan Cleary will have a few things he’ll want to see before the full-time whistle blows as the sun sets on Saturday.
He’ll want to ensure the confidence of his four-time champion side wasn’t drained by those two Golden Point losses to Melbourne and Canberra.
He’ll want to see that the rest last week has refreshed his troops.
And he may well want to see a statement from some of his senior players – a stamp of authority ahead of a Finals challenge this side hasn’t faced before.
It’s a solid warm-up for the Finals – I’m not exactly sure what we’re going to get, but you’d be mad to tip against Penrith.
Tip: Panthers by 14.
Penrith should
get
Graphic by Zoe Merrick.
TROY DODDS
6
3.00PM | WIN STADIUM | REFEREE: PETER GOUGH | BUNKER: GRANT ATKINS
Nestled in the Jerrara countryside just 90 minutes from Sydney, with Kiama’s stunning beaches and town centre moments away
All our tents feature their own private fire pit and deck with breathtaking views across the beautiful green rolling hills of Jamberoo.
panther rumblings
WHERE TO NOW FOR DEBUTANTS?
! Where to next: So Sione Fonua, David Fale, Zac Lipowicz, Jaxen Edgar and Billy Phillips all have their NRL debuts behind them, and Riley Price and Austin Dias made their club debuts. So what’s in store for these players beyond this year? Fonua, Fale, Edgar and Phillips all have contracts with Penrith for next year – so you can expect to see more of them. Lipowicz is headed overseas after signing with Catalans for two years. Price and Dias are currently off-contract.
! Don’t let the truth get in the way: A few old hacks, broadcast bosses and a heap of fans were losing their minds last week over Penrith’s decision to rest 16 players for the game against the Bulldogs. The argument was that the ratings would tank, the crowd would suffer and we’d be robbed of a major spectacle. Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story, they say. Last Thursday’s game attracted an average audience of 665,000 on Channel Nine. The equivalent game last year (Storm v Cowboys) had an average audience of 621,000. That’s right, a year-on-year increase! The crowd for last week’s game was also bigger than that Storm v Cowboys clash.
! Family affair: Try telling the Sione Fonua, David Fale, Zac Lipowicz, Jaxen Edgar and Billy Phillips that last Thursday’s game against the Bulldogs meant nothing. The five NRL debutants will remember the occasion forever. All had family and friends there supporting them. Lipowicz not only had his family in attendance, but I’m told a big group from his workplace – Diamond Building Group – got their hands on tickets and were all there in the stands to support him. They may have loved his sin binning a little too much!
news raises eyebrows: You won’t hear too many people criticising the appointment of Andrew Hill (right) as the new Panthers Group CEO. He is well regarded, and
by all reports a decent bloke and a solid operator. But quietly within Panthers, there’s a few conversations being had about why the Board opted for a CEO with a strong rugby league background given the licenced clubs, headed by gaming revenue, are the critical component of the role. Meanwhile, I’m told one internal candidate and two external candidates – one of them being Hill – were on the final shortlist.
Spotted: Former
the
! Finals pieces start to fall: The NRL will release the schedule for the first weekend of the Finals on Sunday night. The Raiders and Storm are both locked in to host week one matches, likely on the Friday and Saturday night. If the ladder stays as it is now, expect the
Warriors and Panthers to meet on Saturday afternoon (Australian time). But there’s so many different scenarios that it’s impossible to speculate exactly where things will land.
! No Finals shirt: The Panthers won’t be releasing a Finals t-shirt this year. There will of course be a Grand Final shirt and Premiers shirt if Penrith make it that far, but no shirt to celebrate another Finals campaign.
! Extra Time rolls on: The Weekender’s rugby league supplement, Extra Time, will continue next week as the Finals roll around. In fact, there’s at least two more weeks of Extra Time – an edition will land on September 18 whether there’s a Panthers match or not.
! Summer holidays cancelled: My trip to the Greek Islands is off. The Masked Panther and Panther Rumblings will continue in the Weekender over the off-season. I’ll finish up on December 18 with my final column for the year, and be back in February. Make sure you send me all your off-season gossip and player sightings: maskedpanther@westernweekender.com.au.
! CEO
!
Panthers star Luke Swain competing in
Sydney Marathon last Sunday.
! Spotted: Former Panthers winger Sunia Turuva supporting good mate David Fale in his NRL debut at Accor Stadium last Thursday night.
Riley Price with his family. Photo: NRL Photos.
LAURIE’S PLEA FOR NEW CONTRACT
Following his standout performance against the Bulldogs last Thursday night, Panthers fullback Daine Laurie is pleading with club officials to give him another contract for next season.
The 26-year-old, who re-joined the Panthers in 2024 after a stint with the Wests Tigers, is currently on the hunt for a new deal with his preference being to stay at the four-time defending Premiers.
Despite being Penrith’s best player in their defeat to Canterbury last week, Laurie said his phone is yet to ring.
“Nothing has happened,” Laurie confirmed to Extra Time
“I want to stay at this club. They gave me a crack when I was 16, to come down and pursue my NRL dream.
“It’s obviously tough at the moment as I don’t know where I’m going future-wise. Hopefully I’ll sort something out but I’m open to anything. I love this club and what they’ve done for me.”
Depending on what happens with injuries during the upcoming NRL Finals Series, Laurie could have played his final game in Panthers’
colours after 25 appearances. With Penrith’s NSW Cup team not featuring in the post-season after finishing in sixth position, it could take some-
thing drastic to happen for Laurie to play again in 2025.
“That might’ve been my last Penrith game, but hopefully not… we’ll see
what happens,” Laurie said.
“Obviously my manager sorts all that stuff out and all I’m going to do is take it day by day and do the best
that I can. If I’m not playing NRL, I’ll help prep the boys.
“If ‘Spud’ (Shane Elford, Panthers General Manager of Rugby League) is listening, give me one more year, brah!”
Like the Panthers, it’s been an up and down season overall for the Lower Clarence Magpies junior. His year started in Las Vegas, coming on to replace Casey McLean following a head knock after three minutes.
Laurie would then fill in for Dylan Edwards on multiple occasions this season, including last week when coach Ivan Cleary made headlines by resting 16 players against Canterbury.
Laurie said despite the loss, he enjoyed the Bulldogs clash, which featured five NRL debutants and two club debutants.
“It was a good game, and an awesome opportunity for some of the young boys debuting and a couple of the boys getting their club debut,” he said.
“It was just a good week for the club. Ivan made the week pretty cruisy, and the leaders looked after us in terms of showing their support by coming to the jersey presentations.
“Overall, it was pretty special! It was a good week for the club and awesome to be part of.”
Daine Laurie is hopeful of securing a new deal at Penrith. Photo: Melinda Jane.
NATHAN TAYLOR
THE NRL DEBUT THAT ALMOST WASN’T
When a player makes his NRL debut, it’s the happiest moment of his life. In the days leading up to the game, his jersey is embroidered with his player number and the date of his debut, while he’ll also have it presented to him by a family member, teammate or club legend.
For Penrith’s Jaxen Edgar, he got none of that. Last Thursday night at Accor Stadium, the 19-year-old fullback arrived at the game against the Bulldogs as Penrith’s 18th man.
The ‘break glass in case of emergency’ player. Edgar had his parents in the crowd as well as a couple of mates – never predicting that with six minutes to go in the one-sided game that coach Ivan Cleary would wield his hammer and activate his 18th man.
“I wasn’t really expecting my debut to be like that!” Edgar told Extra Time on Tuesday.
“It’s a crazy feeling and still doesn’t feel real. It’s definitely a dream come true and I’m just grateful to debut at the club I’ve supported my whole life.”
The South Penrith resident was permitted to enter the playing surface at the 74:04 mark after three of his teammates – Luke Summerton, Soni Luke and Sione Fonua – required Head Injury
Assessments following suspected concussions.
Edgar said he wasn’t nervous prior to the match because he was never expecting to play, but teammate Daine Laurie revealed that the teenager was in ‘fairyland’ when he was told by long-time Panthers Football Manager Jason Wrigley to “be ready” after some players went down.
“Apparently his head was off when Wriggs gave him the tap on the shoulder to say he might be going on,” Laurie told Extra Time.
“Apparently Jax went all the way to the end of the field to do his leg swings and stuff.
“It was good to have him there though and all the boys got around him as soon as they heard he was coming on.”
Edgar is Penrith through and through. Like some of his teammates, he went to high school at St Dominic’s College and played his entire junior representative footy in the Panthers system.
Despite having a soft spot for the Storm because of his love for Billy Slater, his dream was to play first grade footy with his hometown club.
“Growing up here and playing for this club is something I’ve dreamed of my whole life,” Edgar said.
“Even watching the Panthers growing up, I always wanted to be in this team someday. I
was a big Billy Slater fan growing up, so I’ve always had a soft spot for Melbourne. But I’ve always been a big fan of Dyl and all the boys at Penrith I’ve idolised them my whole life.
“It’s honestly a dream come true. Doing this full-time is something I’ve always wanted. I’ve living out my dream. It’s special.”
The Panthers also think Edgar is special. Very special in-fact.
Many see him as their heir to King Dylan Edwards’ throne when the 2022 Clive Churchill Medallist hangs up his boots in the coming years.
Edgar is currently in Penrith’s Development Squad and is expected to be Edwards’ understudy as early as next season especially if Daine Laurie doesn’t get re-signed.
“All the boys have been so welcoming this year,” Edgar said.
“Me and Daino get along really well; he’s always giving me tips – as is Dyl. They both tell me ways to improve my game.
“All the boys have been so good this year. I couldn’t be any more grateful to be around this squad.”
Despite them battling for the same position, Laurie was also very complimentary towards the latest Penrith Valley Sports Foundation Senior Sports Star winner.
“He’s a good little fella and I have been working really close with him since he came up for the pre-season,” Laurie said.
“Jax is just about the fittest fella here, giving Dyl a run for his money! He’s had some injury setbacks and stuff, but it was good to see him rewarded with his surprise debut the other night.”
In some exciting news for fans, Edgar is
Debutants: Billy Phillips, Jaxen Edgar, Sione Fonua, Zac Lipowicz and David Fale. Photo: Penrith Panthers.
Jaxen Edgar was pinching himself after making his shock NRL debut.
NATHAN TAYLOR
LEGENDS SERIES
Missed last week’s results? Here’s a rundown of what happened in key Penrith Panthers games...
Tries: J Preston 3, L Galvin, M Burton Goals: M Burton 3, S Crichton 1
Tries: P Alamoti Goals:
Tries: J Taumoepeau 2, M Prest, V Patuki-Case, M Nicholson, E Sanders Goals: A Cook 5/6
Tries: J Liddiard, S Faeamani Goals:
BYE: COWBOYS
panther memories
A lot changes in a decade!
This photo was taken 10 years ago, with Cameron Ciraldo (right) named Holden Cup Coach of the Year for his efforts with Penrith’s Under 20’s team. Named in the 2015 Holden Cup Team of the Year and pictured with Ciraldo was Panthers captain Brent Naden.
Penrith would go on to win the Premiership that year, defeating Manly 34-18 in the Grand Final.
Ciraldo would of course become Assistant Coach of Penrith’s NRL side, before moving to Canterbury where he is now head coach.
He now has the Bulldogs primed for a major Premiership tilt after a strong 2025 season. Naden is currently playing with the Wests Tigers.
footy club
MY MEDAL NIGHT PREDICTIONS analysis
lang on league
with Peter Lang
The Penrith Panthers Merv Cartwright medal is taking place on Tuesday, September 9. For those who don’t know the medal celebrates the regular season and recognises the players and staff who have excelled both on and off the field.
I thought it might be interesting to pick a winner in each of the seven main categories.
Last year Isaah Yeo took out the Merv Cartwright medal for the Player of the Year for the second consecutive time.
So who will get it this season? Well, there are plenty of contenders to choose from including Isaah Yeo, Nathan Cleary, Dylan Edwards and even a dark horse like Thomas Jenkins.
Before we get to the main award though, let’s look at the other six categories.
Under 20s Player of the Year
Isaiah Scanlon – This talented young prop has had a super season in Jersey Flegg and his strong form has been rewarded with a contract extension. Watch this kid go as he matures over the next few years.
Reserve Grade Player of the Year
David Fale – Fale has been in fine form for the Panthers NSW Cup side all season. He played in 21
games and scored 14 tries. His consistency and skill eventually led to him making his first-grade debut in the round 26 clash against the Bulldogs where he did not disappoint. A definite first grade star of the future.
Members Player of the Year
Brian To’o – Seriously this man is so talented and has such a huge fan following that I can’t see anyone else but ‘Bizza’ winning this award. He deserves it after playing in many matches this season despite carrying plenty of niggling injuries. Bizza is also always happy to pose for photos and sign autographs for the fans.
Club Person of the Year
Shane Elford – The man nicknamed ‘Spud’ represents Penrith both on the field in the capacity of a trainer and off the field as the General Manager of Rugby League. Elford performs both these polar-opposite roles in a well-balanced juggling act.
Rookie of the Year
Luron Patea – After appearing in three first grade games last year, Patea has already played in 13 top grade games this season. Patea’s
bullocking runs when injected off the bench are really starting to make an impact as well as his offloads. He brings a spark and energy to the side whenever he’s out on the field and has shown tremendous improvement this season.
John Farragher Award
This award has to go to Thomas Jenkins. Jenkins has battled his way back from being let go by Newcastle last year to training with the St Marys Ron Massey Cup at the start of pre-season, to making his way into the Panthers first grade side and excelling in every game he’s played. Jenkins exemplifies all the qualities this prestigious award represents.
Player of the Year
Nathan Cleary – Once again Cleary has shown why he is the best player not only at Penrith but in the NRL. From 40/20 clutch kicks, his show and go, to his precise and calculated aerial bombs ‘Clez’ has really shined in 2025. His game management is beautiful to watch. The way he guides the team around the paddock and executes each game plan to perfection, has to be seen to be believed. He’s taken on more responsibility this year and shined brighter as a result.
Brian To’o. Photo: NRL Photos.
STORM WARRIORS
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