Extra Time August 31 2021 - Round 25

DREAMING OF OCTOBER FINALS COME EARLY AS PANTHERS FACE EELS IN EPIC BATTLE OF THE WEST BLOCKBUSTER MATCH PREVIEW: PAGE 31 MASKED PANTHER

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Friday, September 3, 2021 « the western weekender • extra time

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the final word

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the western weekender • extra time » Friday, September 3, 2021

match preview

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Nathan Cleary in action against the Tigers. Photo: NRL Photos.

TROY DODDS

T

he final round of the regular season is upon us, but let’s just call it week zero of the Finals.

There is so much on the line this Friday night at Cbus Super Stadium that it’s fair to say the playoffs have arrived a week early.

The entrée is the 6pm clash between Melbourne and Cronulla – the Storm looking to wrap up the Minor Premiership, the Sharks hoping to secure their Finals spot.

For main course, a Battle of the West with epic consequences. Penrith may well be playing for top spot and their second consecutive J.J. Giltinan Shield. The Eels will be playing for a hopeful top four finish.

Only Ivan Cleary was honest last weekend when it came to summing up the final round.

Eels coach Brad Arthur seemed unconcerned about the top four, despite the fact

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 | 8.05PM | CBUS SUPER STADIUM | REFEREE: ADAM GEE we know it’s nearly impossible to win the premiership from the bottom half of the eight. He doubled down on Tuesday when he confirmed he’d rest a host of players from this match, including Clint Gutherson and Mitch Moses.

Storm leader Craig Bellamy all but brushed aside talk of the Minor Premiership, but we know a loss would mean two defeats on the trot heading into the Finals, and no team wants that.

Bellamy too will rest players, leaving the door ajar for Penrith to grab top spot; something that seemed almost impossible a couple of weeks ago.

Cleary openly said the Minor Premiership would be a great achievement, given it shows which club has been the most consistent throughout the season. He seems the hungriest of the lot and has named a full strength side.

Last Sunday’s performance against the Wests Tigers suggests Penrith’s top squad do need another game together before the Finals. It was at times error-riddled, and while coach Cleary says there’s still a few gears to go in his team, they didn’t seem to get out of neutral.

That said, you never really got the feeling Penrith were in any trouble. They always seemed in control and never panicked even when things weren’t going their way in the first half.

But it’s safe to say that if there’s one thing Penrith do need to fix heading into the season’s biggest games, it’s their starts. The Panthers haven’t led a game at the 20th minute mark in more than a month, either falling behind early or allowing their opposition to grab a try back if they do manage to open the scoring.

As we saw in last year’s Grand Final,

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games against the good sides can get away very quickly and Penrith won’t be given the luxury of only playing 50 or 60 minutes of good football when we get down to business next weekend.

The Eels would have taken enormous confidence out of last week’s win against Melbourne, but such a physical encounter would have taken its toll.

I certainly expect this to be a high quality game of football regardless of who is and isn’t in the final teams, but for me the Panthers just have too much class across the park.

Jarome Luai and Nathan Cleary up against Will Smith and Jake Arthur? Viliame Kikau, Kurt Capewell and Isaah Yeo facing off against Bryce Cartwright, Keegan Hipgrave and Ray Stone?

Enough said.

Tip: Panthers by 18.

EELS

1 Dylan Edwards

10 James Fisher-Harris

1 Hayze Perham

2 Stephen Crichton

11 Viliame Kikau

2 Haze Dunster

10 Makahesi Makatoa 11 Bryce Cartwright

3 Paul Momirovski

12 Kurt Capewell

3 Tom Opacic

12 Keegan Hipgrave

4 Matt Burton

13 Isaah Yeo (c)

4 Michael Oldfield

13 Ray Stone

5 Brian To’o

14 Tyrone May

5 Blake Ferguson

14 Samuel Loizou

6 Jarome Luai

15 Scott Sorensen

6 Will Smith (c)

15 Ky Rodwell

7 Nathan Cleary (c)

16 Tevita Pangai Junior

7 Jake Arthur

16 Shaun Lane

8 Moses Leota

17 Liam Martin

8 Oregon Kaufusi

17 Sean Russell

9 Api Koroisau

18 Spencer Leniu 19 Izack Tago

9 Joey Lussick

18 Will Penisini 19 Isaiah Papali’i

31

Friday, September 3, 2021 « the western weekender • extra time

panther rumblings

WITH THE MASKED PANTHER

REDCLIFFE SHOWS LOVE !

It was great to see so many Penrith fans in the crowd at Redcliffe on Saturday.

Our favourite moment was seeing this sign (right) sending love to Penrith.

!

Nathan Cleary became the second youngest player in rugby league history to score 1000 career points last weekend, and the records will only continue to tumble.

Cleary is just the third Panther to reach 1000 points and now has Greg Alexander in his sights, who scored 1100 points for the club (1160 total, including his two years at the Warriors). He’s got a fair way to go to chase down Ryan Girdler’s record of 1690 career points but on his current trajectory he’ll certainly get there. Plenty of people doubted Cleary early in his career, particularly during the 2019 season, but they’ve got egg well and truly on their face now. He could go down as one of the greats.

!

Talking of records, 2021 is officially Penrith’s most successful regular season in history. This is the first time they’ve reached 20 wins in a regular season, with the previous best being 18 wins (2020 and 2003).

!

Latrell Mitchell’s suspension and the Storm’s surprise defeat by Parramatta has triggered plenty of movement in TAB’s NRL Premiership market. Penrith remain second favourite and have tightened from $3.25 to $2.75 to win the title. Melbourne are favourites at $2.40, drifting from $2.25.

!

Rising talent Mavrik Geyer has turned down an offer from Craig Bellamy and Melbourne to keep his dream of debuting for Penrith alive. Son of Mark, Mavrik has been a standout in Penrith’s Jersey Flegg side but hasn’t got much time on the park in the last couple of years due to COVID-19 disrupting the lower grades. The Storm were confident of luring the youngster down south, but Geyer Jnr phoned Bellamy last weekend to tell him he’d be staying in western Sydney.

!

Spotted: Penrith’s only Clive Churchill Medal winner, Luke Priddis, doing the right thing and getting vaccinated against COVID-19 last week (pictured right).

Photo: NRL Photos.

! Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary is showing his support for tackling climate change, signing up to ‘The Cool Down’ project. The concept aims to use sport as a way of inspiring hope and calling on policies to tackle the issue. Cleary is among hundreds of sporting stars who’ve put their name to project. ! Panthers Head of Performance Hayden Knowles is one of the best in the business, but family comes first and he’ll be leaving the club at the end of the season. Knowles, who has also worked closely with Penrith’s key players in the New South Wales Origin side, will link up with Newcastle next year.

!

COVID-19 appears to have delayed any announcement about the likely rebuild of Panthers Stadium, but the Office of Sport says its plan to upgrade venues across Sydney remains in play. “The NSW Government is committed to the renewal and revitalisation of suburban grounds across Sydney which will create valuable community assets that can be used for sports, cultural and entertainment purposes,” a spokesperson said. “The final business case must demonstrate that the redevelopment of facilities benefits the community as a whole, supports the NSW Government’s objectives and presents value for money for NSW taxpayers.”

Stand by for the big announcement.

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the western weekender • extra time » Friday, September 3, 2021

feature

YEO HAS PLENTY TO JUGGLE IN QLD A

maiden NRL Premiership may be at the forefront of his mind but, away from footy, Panthers co-captain Isaah Yeo is preparing to deal with another significant, life changing moment.

The 26-year-old and his partner Ashleigh are expecting their first child later this year, with the pair currently juggling a very busy period footy-wise along with impending parenthood.

Fortunately for the happy couple, Ashleigh was able to travel to Queensland last month to live with Yeo while the Panthers are based at Twin Waters resort on the Sunshine Coast.

Speaking with Extra Time via Zoom, the Origin star said it’s been a challenging time dealing with the various joys of pregnancy and work whilst being away from home.

“The missus is up here, she did the two weeks quarantine with the first wave of families. She’s still working just over the computer and, with the baby, we’re trying to get stuff organised at the minute,” Yeo said.

“That was sort of the plan post-Origin [to get organised] but I just never went home, so we’ve been buying a bit of stuff online.

“We’re very excited the pair of us, but I wish I was more organised,” he laughed.

Having a newborn during a pandemic would be one thing, but preparing to have one while being interstate and living in a hotel has thrown up its own set of challenges.

Yeo said the pair have a plan with doctor’s appointments to get through to the end of the season before they eventually return home to Penrith (with a Premiership) and to give birth.

“We’ve had a couple of scans done up here in Queensland, which has been good, but we have an obstetrician back in Penrith that we’ve just been doing over the phone consultations with,” he said.

“At the moment, everything is travelling alright.”

Yeo has expressed his sympathies to the state of New South Wales, which is currently in a world of pain due to the COVID-19 crisis.

“Our thoughts are with the people in Sydney in lockdown at the moment, I can’t imagine how hard that would be,” he said.

Isaah Yeo in action for Penrith. Inset: Yeo and partner Ashleigh.

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NATHAN TAYLOR

33

lang on league The special ones can and always have.

You only have to look at some of the players who have been the X-factor for Penrith in the past. Names like Tyrone Peachey, James Maloney, Greg Alexander and even Brad Fittler in his early years.

Freaky players who could do it all but also knew they couldn’t do it all on their own. Each player listed above were above everything, team players.

Kikau is such a player. Team first, every time.

Enough said.

My Tips for the week Raiders, Storm, Panthers, Knights, Sea Eagles, Rabbitohs, Titans, Tigers.

The final word The way that Phil Gould was defending Latrell Mitchell’s atrocious hit on former teammate and Roosters centre Joey Manu was an absolute disgrace.

He was one step away from suggesting that he should be let off because the act couldn’t have been intentional and that the competition would be robbed of one of its best players.

Newsflash Gus: I don’t want to watch a player poleaxe another player in the face to the point where it collapses his entire cheekbone into his teeth and you know what ‘Gus’, I may not be a ‘former player’ but I also don’t have to be a Formula One driver to know what a car crash looks like.

Pull your head in Gus!

Viliame Kikau is key to Penrith’s Finals charge. Photo: NRL Photos.

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W

ho has The X-factor?

When I say X-factor I’m not talking about those talent shows on television featuring singing people, budgies and dogs. I’m talking about the one player in your team who may not be the standout star of the squad but can put in a star performance when needed to turn the game on its head and swing the pendulum towards the side he’s playing on.

For the Panthers that player is undoubtedly Viliame Kikau, the 195cm, 116kg Fijian wrecking ball who can break a tackle, make a tackle and dance on the field around defenders like Michael Jackson.

Kikau is the player who attracts three or four defenders every time he touches the ball. He can pass, flick pass or harbour pass the ball to put a teammate into open spaces.

He can run and kick the ball around the fullback without missing a beat.

Most of all Kikau is tough and durable.

Sure, he can be a little high maintenance off the field but not in a bad way. He’s so talented that he can sometimes forget that he still needs to train hard and play hard every day to be even better than he is. He’s too humble to realise how much better he can be.

One thing however is certain, the Panthers need him if they are to win the 2021 NRL Premiership. Just his presence on the field is worth 10 points alone. He can break a game wide open with a simple hit up.

with Peter Lang

•

Friday, September 3, 2021 « the western weekender • extra time

Why Viliame Kikau can set the Finals alight

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

EDWARDS READY TO STAND TALL NATHAN TAYLOR

H

e’s played in an NRL Grand Final, captained his side and been one of the game’s most consistent fullbacks for several years, but Panthers custodian Dylan Edwards is more than happy to be flying under the radar heading into his fourth NRL Finals Series.

While fellow fullbacks Tom Trbojevic, James Tedesco, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Latrell Mitchell garner plenty of attention in the media, it’s Edwards who has quietly gone about his business without much fanfare despite being an important part of Penrith’s success in recent seasons.

Speaking with Extra Time on Tuesday, Edwards said he’s prepared and looking forward to going toe-to-toe with some of the game’s elite fullbacks when the 2021 NRL Finals kick-off next week.

“You always want to play as good, if not better, than your opposite number,” he said.

“I think if there’s many players doing that in your team, you will go a long way to getting the result you want.

“To come up against guys like that is always a challenge – they are world-class players – but it’s something you look forward to as a competitor.”

Dylan Edwards playing against the Tigers last weekend. Photo: NRL Photos.

Edwards may stay out of the media spotlight, but he’s certainly a favourite at

the Panthers club with coach Ivan Cleary backing the 25-year-old on a weekly basis

despite a couple of players, namely Stephen Crichton and Charlie Staines, nipping at his heels.

The Bellingen Dorrigo Magpie said he’s comfortable flying under the radar when it comes to the game’s best number ones, preferring to be the perfect complementary piece to the other superstars in his team.

“I’m more than happy not to be in that conversation, that’s fine with me,” Edwards admitted.

“Those players get the credit and deservedly so, they are outstanding footballers in their own right. They do it week in, week out, and they are just quality fullbacks.”

While Edwards is enjoying one of his best seasons statistically in the NRL to date, he knows he still has some improvement in him that will not only benefit his game but that of his fellow teammates as well.

The father of two said he’s focusing on being more vocal on the field.

“I’ve got to be vocal back there, tell people what I need from them and I’ve got to demand what I want – that sort of helps you find your voice,” Edwards said.

“We’ve got great leaders in Yeoy, Nat, Api and Capey, so I don’t really need to say much around the boys but, as far as my role on the field, I need to be more dominant and get the boys to do what I want them to do.”

the western weekender • extra time » Friday, September 3, 2021

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Friday, September 3, 2021 « the western weekender • extra time

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the western weekender • extra time » Friday, September 3, 2021

37

Brought to you by

warren smith Y

ou’ve booked your place in the Finals, and despite a top four position still being in play, you’ll rest many of your team’s better players to freshen them up before Week 1 of the playoffs.

Judicious planning, or overly cautious?

That’s the predicament the Eels found themselves in earlier in the week when coach Brad Arthur sat down with his staff to plot the best way forward for a team that had just knocked off the ladder-leaders, and now faced the prospect of meeting another premiership heavyweight in the Panthers.

What happens in the weeks ahead will show if coach Arthur made the right choice or not, but the Eels will be hoping the energy and enthusiasm in their play against the Melbourne Storm doesn’t evaporate while the likes of Clint Gutherson, Mitch Moses and Junior Paulo watch the action from the sideline when Parramatta meets Penrith at Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast.

The fact that the Eels will field an understrength line-up in a local derby – albeit one played a long way from western Sydney – has raised the now-almost annual debate about whether the NRL should implement a rest weekend before the Finals so that teams aren’t forced into a decision to either play or freshen up their stars.

In a twist on what the AFL competition moved to some years ago, the NRL floated the idea two years ago of giving the top six teams a rest in Week 1 of the Finals, and

Clint Gutherson will sit out this week’s clash with Penrith. Photo: NRL Photos.

having a wild card weekend instead that featured Team 7 playing Team 10, and the

team that finished the regular season in 8th meeting the 9th placed finisher.

Fortunately, that idea never left the hangar let alone be given permission for take-off.

Can you imagine that scenario playing out this season?

As things stand after 24 rounds, the Titans (10th) would meet the Knights (7th), despite Gold Coast winning only nine games for a winning ratio of 39 per cent!

If you can only win such a small percentage of your games you shouldn’t be rewarded with a Finals game at the end of a season which would be described by the most ardent Titans fan as disappointing.

With no appetite for having 10 out of 16 teams make the Finals, wildcard or not, and footy fans even less keen for the competition to shut down for a week on the eve of the Finals, the decision to rest players or run with a close to full-strength team will have coaches being second-guessed in seasons to come.

The Eels-Panthers clash in the final round of the minor premiership, with the contrast in approach between Brad Arthur and Ivan Cleary, will provide an interesting litmus test as to which path gives your team the best chance of being successful once the Finals begin.

If the Eels, having just found the spark that could reignite their premiership hopes, crash and burn in the playoffs, I know which way the Blue and Gold Army of fans will be leaning in the future.

Catch Warren Smith on Fox League.

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Friday, September 3, 2021 « the western weekender • extra time

38

To rest or not to rest? That is the question

CLUB

PD

W

D

L

B

F

A

+/-

PTS

1

Storm

23 20

0

3

1

787

300 +487 42

2

Panthers

23 20

0

3

1

636

280 +356 42

3

Rabbitohs

23 19

0

4

1

755

437

+318 40

4

Sea Eagles 23 15

0

8

1

698

474

+224 32

5

Eels

23 15

0

8

1

560

417

+143 32

6

Roosters

23 15

0

8

1

590

473

+117

7

Knights

23 12

0

11

1

406

536

-130 26

8

Sharks

23 10

0

13

1

504

528

-24

22

9

Raiders

23 10

0

13

1

465

538

-73

22

10 Titans

23

9

0

14

1

536

583

-47

20

11

Warriors

23

8

0

15

1

453

580

-127

18

12 Dragons

23

8

0

15

1

458

596

-138

18

13 W. Tigers

23

8

0

15

1

500

676

-176

18

32

14 Cowboys

23

7

0

16

1

442

702

-260 16

15 Broncos

23

6

0

17

1

411

673

-262

16 Bulldogs

23

2

0

21

1

302

710

-408

4732 6007

ROUND 25 V

Thursday, September 2 7.50pm BB Print Stadium

V

Friday, September 3 6.00pm Cbus Super Stadium

V

Friday, September 3 8.05pm Cbus Super Stadium

V

Saturday, September 4 3.00pm Suncorp Stadium

V

Saturday, September 4 5.30pm QLD Country Bank Stadium

V

Saturday, September 4 7.35pm Sunshine Coast Stadium

V

Sunday, September 5 2.00pm Cbus Super Stadium

Face In Th e Crowd

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the western weekender • extra time » Friday, September 3, 2021

nrl ladder & fixtures

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V

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TRUCKIE ATTAC KED Ambushed: “I though I was going to die” t SEE PAGE 3

MOUSE PLAGU E Rodent spike across our semi-rural suburbs SEE PAGE 5

COACH QUITS Shock: Penrith cricket icon calls it a day SEE PAGE 72

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Friday, September 3, 2021 « the western weekender • extra time

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joel caine W

ith the off-season on the horizon, clubs are thinking about their investment to players.

With that in mind, I feel like it’d be a smart call to view the player market like stocks.

Clubs would be thinking about which players they can invest in at their current market value now and in hope for exponential growth.

Clearly, blue chip stocks like Nathan Cleary, James Tedesco and Tom Trbojevic are great players, but they are already at or close to their peak.

Therefore, they have less upside than what some of the players I’ve picked out may have.

Nicho Hynes has seen his share price rise dramatically this year, and has been rewarded with a lucrative contract at the Sharks – far bigger than what he is currently on at the moment.

With the Hynes model in mind, here’s who I would invest in.

Fullback – Tyrell Sloan. Just four NRL games and has scored in each, he glides across the park and is in for a massive future.

Wing – Mikaele Ravalawa. He has an incredibly high strike rate record with 37 tries in just 50 games. I see him as a future Ken Irvine Medallist.

Centre – Paul Momirovski. Success

seems to follow this guy, he was in the Roosters’ squad in 2018, he was in the Storm squad last year, and might finally be rewarded with a premiership at Penrith this year. An underrated player.

Five-eighth – Luke Metcalf. Everything we have seen from him so far looks absolute class. Brutal Speed. A big off-season for him might see him become a major part of Craig Fitzgibbon’s 2022 campaign at the Sharkies.

Halfback – Sean O’Sullivan. The former Australian schoolboy half is a very measured player. He’s starting to look comfortable in first grade and could have a breakout year alongside Shaun Johnson next year.

Lock – Reuben Cotter. Love his style, a talented number nine with versatility similar to Brandon Smith. I love his competitiveness.

2nd Row – Haumole Olakau’atu. This kid is a bona fide star. His share price might move very quickly as I’m expecting him to have big, big Finals series.

Hooker – Jayden Sullivan. He played number nine last week against the Cowboys and looked like he’d played there his whole life despite being a half.

Front Rower – Stefano Utoikamano.

This stock will rocket in 2022. I can see this fella in a Blues jersey at some stage, maybe even as early as next season.

Who would you invest in?

the western weekender • extra time » Friday, September 3, 2021

The NRL stock market has plenty of investment opportunities

Paul Momirovski is a solid investment for any club. Photo: Megan Dunn.

extra minutes

Referee Matt Cecchin is retiring at the end of the NRL season. Photo: NRL Photos.

! The NRL has issued the Sydney Roosters with a Breach Notice and a total fine of $40,000 for the alleged abuse of match officials during Friday night’s game against the South Sydney Rabbitohs and public comments made at the post match media conference which are alleged to have breached the NRL’s Code of Conduct. The Breach Notice proposes a $10,000 fine for alleged abuse of match officials during the match, a $20,000 fine for comments

made by the Head Coach Trent Robinson following the match and a suspended $10,000 fine will also be activated, if the club is found to have breached NRL rules regarding public commentary on match officials.

! The NRL says the officials got it right in awarding a controversial try to Tom Trbojevic against the Bulldogs on Sunday. Many thought the Manly fullback had no control of the ball, and should have been stripped of the crucial try. After investigating multiple angles, Head of Football Graham Annesley believes the ruling was correct. ! Bad news for the Bulldogs with Matt Doorey suffering an ACL injury against Manly on the weekend. He’ll undergo surgery and is likely to miss the start of next season.

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! Veteran NRL referee Matt Cecchin is hanging up his whistle at the end of the season. The 48-year-old has been in charge of 370 NRL matches, and been involved in 200 more as a touch judge or video referee. While he hasn’t been awarded the big games of late, he officiated in three Grand Finals, four Origins and 13 Tests during his career.

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Friday, September 3, 2021 « the western weekender

PENRITH’S

B IG G E ST LO C K D O W N

PARTY

On Saturday September 18, we’re inviting you to Penrith’s biggest lockdown party, inside our homes!

Yo u r 4 p a rt y Prizes to be p la n n in g st e p s: won!

S

T E P S

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