Round 7: Knights v Panthers preview
Two sides with matching win-loss records and a penchant for scoring points, but with differing fortunes so far in 2023 battle it out in the Hunter, as the Knights play host to the Panthers on Saturday evening.
Newcastle come into the contest in good form with a three-match unbeaten streak - two wins sandwiching a draw a fortnight ago. Their performances so far have been mixed with some poor showings mixed with some strong efforts, including their last three matches against Canberra, Manly and the Warriors respectively.
Last weekend, they were impressive but yet again unable to put in an 80-minute performance as they ran out 34-24 victors over the Warriors. The Novocastrians started fast - and whilst never under any major threat, they did look to clock off during the middle stages as the Warriors sought to make a comeback, before a late finish from the hosts ensured they held onto for victory.
Sadly the Knights suffered a major blow with Jayden Brailey sustaining a season-ending ACL injury last Sunday. This has seen Phoenix Crossland move into the number 9 jersey with the returning Tyson Gamble moving back into five-eighth. The club is also confident that Mat Croker will overcome a leg injury he copped last week.
With a chance to go to the top of the ladder for the first time in 2023, the Penrith Panthers have had one of their more interesting seasons in recent memory, with three losses in competitive games this season (including the World Club Challenge) by a combined margin of just three points. Since then, the reigning champs have racked up nearly 100 points across their last two matches and appear to have hit a purple patch of form.
Facing Manly last Saturday, the Mountain Men picked up where they left off in Canberra a fortnight ago, running up a big first half score and reminding the competition of the raw power they can possess in attack. The Panthers split the Sea Eagles' defence to pieces right across the field as they racked up a 32-0 first half lead, including a hat-trick to Dylan Edwards. Edwards would add one more in the second half for a haul of four, as the Panthers ran out 44-12 winners.
Dual premiership-winning coach Ivan Cleary has stuck with the same 17 that did the job for Penrith last weekend though there is hope that Origin representative Liam Martin - named in the reserves - could return from injury, which may see some reshuffling in the forward pack or interchange bench.
Last meeting: Round 14 2022 - Knights 6 Panthers 42
Who to watch: Coming up against arguably the best halfback in the game, a lot of the responsibility for the Knights will land on the shoulders of Jackson Hastings to get the Knights into strong attacking positions. Despite their strong attack, Penrith's biggest asset is their defence, and it's going to need to be a commanding effort from Hastings to be able to control the game and help his team crack the Panthers' defensive line.
There hasn't been too much that you can say that Ivan Cleary has done wrong at the Panthers across the past three seasons (though one or two journalists do seem intent on disagreeing), but one decision that has proven to be a mistake was the late introduction to new recruit Zac Hosking into the side. In three matches in 2023, Hosking as been a weapon for the Panthers scoring two tries and having three line breaks. Hosking has played a major part in the Penrith attack and will be a big key to their performance this week. One can only imagine how his presence might have turned Penrith's early losses into potential wins earlier in the season.
The favourite: The Panthers are heavy favourites for the clash and it's not really hard to understand why, given their hot form over the past two games and their recent strong record both in the Hunter and over the Knights.
My tip: It's hard not to see Penrith putting on a score again this coming weekend. Whilst the Knights have scored 66 points across their past two games, the Penrith defence is a different kettle of fish to what Manly and the Warriors put up. Having conceded over 50 points in that fortnight, defence is clearly a big issue for the Knights. Panthers by 24.
