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.
Match: Wests Tigers v Panthers
Round 18 -
home Team
Wests Tigers
away Team
Panthers
Team Lists
Backs
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Fullback for Wests Tigers is number 1 Daine LaurieFullback for Panthers is number 1 Dylan Edwards
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Winger for Wests Tigers is number 5 Ken MaumaloWinger for Panthers is number 2 Taylan May
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Centre for Wests Tigers is number 3 Starford To'aCentre for Panthers is number 3 Izack Tago
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Centre for Wests Tigers is number 21 Asu KepaoaCentre for Panthers is number 4 Robert Jennings
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Winger for Wests Tigers is number 20 Junior TupouWinger for Panthers is number 5 Charlie Staines
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Five-Eighth for Wests Tigers is number 6 Adam DoueihiFive-Eighth for Panthers is number 6 Kurt Falls
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Halfback for Wests Tigers is number 7 Luke BrooksHalfback for Panthers is number 7 Sean O'Sullivan
Forwards
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Prop for Wests Tigers is number 8 Joe OfahengaueProp for Panthers is number 8 Moses Leota
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Hooker for Wests Tigers is number 9 Fa'amanu BrownHooker for Panthers is number 9 Mitch Kenny
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Prop for Wests Tigers is number 10 Zane MusgroveProp for Panthers is number 10 James Fisher-Harris
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2nd Row for Wests Tigers is number 12 Kelma Tuilagi2nd Row for Panthers is number 11 Viliame Kikau
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2nd Row for Wests Tigers is number 16 Luke Garner2nd Row for Panthers is number 12 Chris Smith
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Lock for Wests Tigers is number 13 Jackson HastingsLock for Panthers is number 13 Matthew Eisenhuth
Interchange
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Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 11 Justin MatamuaInterchange for Panthers is number 14 Soni Luke
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Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 14 Fonua PoleInterchange for Panthers is number 15 Scott Sorensen
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Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 15 James TamouInterchange for Panthers is number 17 Jaeman Salmon
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Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 17 Jake SimpkinInterchange for Panthers is number 20 Lindsay Smith
Reserves
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Replacement for Wests Tigers is number 18 Austin DiasReplacement 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