Round 2: Dragons v Panthers preview
Dragons look to get on the board as Panthers eye two-for-two
The St George Illawarra Dragons will be eyeing their first premiership points on Friday evening when they host the Penrith Panthers at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.
Squandering a wealth of attacking opportunities during their opening round loss in Wollongong, the St George Illawarra Dragons will need to improve their execution having led the Wests Tigers 14-8 shortly after halftime - only to concede three second half tries to go down 24-14.
Holding a disappointing record at Kogarah with two wins from their past seven appearances, coach Paul McGregor will be stressing the importance of reducing errors in the wake of a dismal 59 per cent completion rate and 14 errors in their first performance of the season.
Forced to make two changes due to injury and suspension, Matt Dufty will play his 50th NRL game at fullback in a move that sees Zac Lomax shift to the wing in place of Mikaele Ravalawa (strained thigh), while former Panther Tyrell Fuimaono moves into the second row for Tariq Sims (shoulder charge) - Jacob Host is the new man on the bench.
Pulling off the biggest upset of Round 1 by downing the defending premiers, the Penrith Panthers will be determined to build on their promising start by ending a dreadful record at Kogarah.
Boasting a horrendous record of four wins from 29 visits to the Dragons' spiritual home ground, coach Ivan Cleary will be banking on his side remaining resilient on Friday night after coming from 12-0 down against the Roosters to prevail 20-14.
Winning eight of 13 meetings against the joint venture over the past decade, the Panthers have been forced to make a change on the bench with Billy Burns replacing Jack Hetherington (suspension - high tackle).
In accordance with advice provided by the government and health authorities, the match will be played behind closed doors to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Last meeting: Round 18 2019 - Panthers 40 Dragons 18
Who to watch: Facing off against the team that forced him out of the NRL last year, experienced forward Trent Merrin will have a point to prove on Friday evening. Contracted to the Panthers until the end of 2020 only to spend last season on the other side of the world with Leeds, the former Dragons' premiership winner enjoyed a steady return to the club last Sunday with 25 tackles and four runs in 31 minutes of game time. Bringing a wealth of experience to the joint venture with over 200 NRL appearances, 13 Origins and 7 tests to his name, look for Merrin to make an impact off the bench with an offload capable of breaking the game open.
Taking longer than expected to make his mark in the top grade, Panthers speedster Brent Naden has gone from strength to strength since debuting midway through last season. Plying his trade in the lower grades at Canberra and Newcastle before returning to the club he led to lower grade success in 2015, the 24-year-old has proved to be as a player of immense potential with nine tries from 13 appearances in the NRL. Facing off against seasoned international Tim Lafai in a key personal duel on Friday evening, Naden shapes as a pivotal player for the visitors capable of turning half a chance into a match winning play.
The favourite: Coming from 12-0 down to defeat the reigning premiers last Saturday, the Panthers are expected to open the season with back-to-back wins for only the fifth time in the NRL era.
My tip: Creating plenty of attacking chances in last week's loss at WIN Stadium, the Dragons have the ability to pull off an upset if they address their shortcomings with the ball. Dragons by 4.
