You have skipped the navigation, tab for page content
Match Preview: Panthers v Wests Tigers

Penrith Panthers and Wests Tigers will face off for the inaugural Royce Simmons Cup on Sunday afternoon at CommBank Stadium.

Sitting six competition points clear of second place on the ladder, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary has opted to rest all seven of his State of Origin stars for the Round 18 clash. 

The Panthers will celebrate key milestones with prop James Fisher-Harris playing his 150th NRL game for the club, while Matt Eisenhuth will notch 100 NRL games when he faces her former club. 

In the absence of co-captains Isaah Yeo and Nathan Cleary, Fisher-Harris and fullback Dylan Edwards will lead the side on Sunday afternoon.

Panthers v Wests Tigers: Round 18

The Rundown

Team news

Panthers: Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo, Liam Martin, Jarome Luai, Brian To'o, Stephen Crichton and Api Koroisau are all being rested after Origin III with Sean O'Sullivan and Kurt Falls taking over in the halves, Robert Jennings in the centres, Charlie Staines on the wing and Mitch Kenny, Chris Smith and Matt Eisenhuth in the pack. Soni Luke is the new face on the bench in his third career game.

NRL Teamlist Video: Round 18

Tigers: Playmaker Adam Doueihi moves to five-eighth, Jackson Hastings goes to lock and Joe Ofahengaue to prop as Brett Kimmorley searches for a winning combination. Skipper James Tamou back on deck after missing two games with a calf injury and fellow veteran Ken Maumalo (knee) also returns so Junior Tupou goes to the reserves. Second-gamer Justin Matamua moves to the starting side while Fonua Pole and Luke Garner go to the bench and Stefano Utoikamanu is out. Jake Simpkin has been added to the bench.

Team Lists

Backs

  • Fullback for Wests Tigers is number 1 Daine Laurie
    Fullback for Panthers is number 1 Dylan Edwards
  • Winger for Wests Tigers is number 5 Ken Maumalo
    Winger for Panthers is number 2 Taylan May
  • Centre for Wests Tigers is number 3 Starford To'a
    Centre for Panthers is number 3 Izack Tago
  • Centre for Wests Tigers is number 21 Asu Kepaoa
    Centre for Panthers is number 4 Robert Jennings
  • Winger for Wests Tigers is number 20 Junior Tupou
    Winger for Panthers is number 5 Charlie Staines
  • Five-Eighth for Wests Tigers is number 6 Adam Doueihi
    Five-Eighth for Panthers is number 6 Kurt Falls
  • Halfback for Wests Tigers is number 7 Luke Brooks
    Halfback for Panthers is number 7 Sean O'Sullivan

Forwards

  • Prop for Wests Tigers is number 8 Joe Ofahengaue
    Prop for Panthers is number 8 Moses Leota
  • Hooker for Wests Tigers is number 9 Fa'amanu Brown
    Hooker for Panthers is number 9 Mitch Kenny
  • Prop for Wests Tigers is number 10 Zane Musgrove
    Prop for Panthers is number 10 James Fisher-Harris
  • 2nd Row for Wests Tigers is number 12 Kelma Tuilagi
    2nd Row for Panthers is number 11 Viliame Kikau
  • 2nd Row for Wests Tigers is number 16 Luke Garner
    2nd Row for Panthers is number 12 Chris Smith
  • Lock for Wests Tigers is number 13 Jackson Hastings
    Lock for Panthers is number 13 Matthew Eisenhuth

Interchange

  • Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 11 Justin Matamua
    Interchange for Panthers is number 14 Soni Luke
  • Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 14 Fonua Pole
    Interchange for Panthers is number 15 Scott Sorensen
  • Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 15 James Tamou
    Interchange for Panthers is number 17 Jaeman Salmon
  • Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 17 Jake Simpkin
    Interchange for Panthers is number 20 Lindsay Smith

Reserves

  • Replacement for Wests Tigers is number 18 Austin Dias
    Replacement for Panthers is number 18 Sunia Turuva

Match Officials

  • Referee: Peter Gough
  • Touch Judge: Belinda Sharpe
  • Senior Review Official: Gerard Sutton

Last updated:

Now is the time to rest Origin stars: Cleary

Key match-up

Dylan Edwards v Daine Laurie: Laurie has been a constant threat since returning from injury in round 12, racking up 18 tackle breaks and averaging 125 running metres per match. The Tigers have lost all five of those games but without Laurie's penetration from the back they may have been beaten by even bigger margins. Edwards keeps on keeping on at Penrith, churning out 218 metres per game and busting 62 tackes for the season as he provides the perfect link between flashy playmakers Cleary and Luai and tryscoring machines Brian To'o and Taylan May. As he closes in on 100 career games, Edwards continues to enhance his reputation as one of the game's elite fullbacks.

Matt Eisenhuth notches 100 NRL games

Stat Attack

Dylan Edwards leads the Panthers in post-contact metres this season with 971 at an average of 60 per match. The elusive fullback's dynamic kick returns continue to put Penrith on the front foot before the likes of Taylan May (810 post-contact metres) and Stephen Crichton (757) carry on the good work. The Panthers lead the NRL with 10,175 post-contact metres.

The Fish hits 150 NRL Games

Acknowledgement of Country

Penrith Panthers players and staff respect and honour the traditional custodians of the land and pay our respects to their elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.