Round 22: St George Illawarra v Penrith preview
Dragons look to stop the rot in make-or-break clash
The St George Illawarra Dragons will put their top eight credentials to the test when they face the Penrith Panthers on Friday evening.
With their season in free fall off the back of four consecutive losses, the St George Illawarra Dragons will be desperate to stay in touch with the finals after slipping from 7th to 11th over the past month.
Squandering an opportunity to surpass the Raiders on the ladder as a result of last Friday's 20-12 loss on the Gold Coast, coach Anthony Griffin will be hoping to arrest a worrying trend that has emerged since the relocation to Queensland where the side has been outscored 72-12 in the second half of matches
In addition to leading the Dragons to victory over the Panthers for the first time in four years, coach Griffin will be chasing the personal satisfaction of getting one over the club that prematurely ended his contract a month out from the 2018 finals series.
Tyrell Fuimaono will replace suspended veteran Tariq Sims in the second row, while Gerard Beale and Josh Kerr have been named to play after sitting out last week for their parts in the infamous "Weekend at Vaughany's".
All but guaranteed to finish in the top four for the second year in a row, the Penrith Panthers will be looking to build momentum ahead of the business end of the season.
Returning to form with a 20-14 win over the Roosters last Saturday, coach Ivan Cleary will be hoping his side can continue a dominant record of eight wins from their past 12 clashes against the joint venture.
Welcoming back Brent Naden and Stephen Crichton in the backline, mid-season acquisition Tevita Pangai Jr and captain Nathan Cleary could be late inclusions after being selected on the extended bench.
Underrated front-rower Moses Leota will bring up 100 first grade appearances for the club on Friday evening; the 26-year-old Samoan international has provided great service since moving into the starting side this season with an average of 111 metres and 26 tackles each week.
Last meeting: Round 2 2020 - Dragons 28 Panthers 32
Who to watch: Out of contract and on the lookout for a new club, Dragons five-eighth Corey Norman will be playing for much more than two premiership points on Friday night.
Informed two months ago that his services with the club won't be required beyond 2021, the 30-year-old one time Queensland representative will be out to prove he can still make an impact in the world's premier rugby league competition.
Capable of producing match-winning plays at his best, Norman will need to seize the occasion if the Dragons hope to be playing beyond Round 25.
Emerging as one of the breakout stars of the NRL last season, Stephen Crichton has been unable to have the same impact in 2021.
Switching to right centre and spending time at fullback after establishing his credentials as part of a potent left edge during the Panthers remarkable run of 17 wins last year, the 20-year-old has only managed glimpses of the form that saw Brad Fittler include him in the extended NSW squad for last year's post-season Origin series.
Crossing for seven tries, setting up a further eight and averaging 133 metres each week, look for Crichton to lift his involvement in his first match back from suspension.
The favourite: Coming into the contest with a wealth of experience back on board, the Panthers are expected to extinguish the Dragons' finals fire.
My tip: After promising so much over the opening rounds with a brand of football built around toughness, the Dragons will be no match for a Penrith team with a point to prove. Penrith by 16.
