Round 17: Panthers v Knights preview
Two teams on the wrong end of tight results will be looking to bounce back when the Penrith Panthers and Newcastle Knights face off on Saturday afternoon.
An understrength Penrith side put in what was largely an impressive performance against the Cowboys given the circumstances, going down 27-23 in golden point.
Of course, North Queensland was without its own Origin contingent but benefited from the fact it was coming off the bye and better conditioned for extra time.
That extra rest proved crucial in the latter stages of the game as the Cowboys finished the stronger of the two, only made to eventually secure the win in golden point after a late Jack Cogger field goal.
It was a particularly tough defeat for the Panthers to take given how well they played in the first half, with errors proving their downfall in the end.
The challenge now will be to put the heartbreak of that result quickly behind them as Ivan Cleary's men return home to take on Newcastle on Saturday.
The Panthers are set to be bolstered by the return of all of their Origin stars, although that is of course pending on how they pull up from Wednesday's game.
Even if some of Penrith's bigger names are rested, the defending premiers proved last week that their depth makes them competitive against most teams anyway.
Moses Leota also returns to the starting side after missing last week's game due to the birth of his third child.
As for the Knights, they came up short 18-16 against the Roosters and also came to rue costly mistakes that gifted the Tricolours prime field position.
The loss saw Newcastle drop down to 15th on the ladder and three points adrift of the top eight despite having already collected four points through bye rounds.
The Knights will welcome back Daniel Saifiti (sternum) for this week's game while Greg Marzhew is recalled on the wing after being dropped for failing to meet team standards.
Lachlan Fitzgibbon sits out after failing a head injury assessment in Round 16, meaning Dylan Lucas stays in the starting side.
Newcastle's sole Origin player Tyson Frizell is set to back up.
Last meeting: Round 7 2023 - Knights 15 Panthers 16
Who to watch: Having narrowly missed out on selection for the Blues, Spencer Leniu will be able to send an immediate message to coach Brad Fittler if NSW goes down on Wednesday night. Should the Blues lose at Suncorp, Fittler - if he is even coach for Game 3 - will likely look to the future and Leniu could be one rising star rewarded with an Origin debut. Leniu started last week against North Queensland for Leota but moves back to the bench against Newcastle. After an exhausting four-point loss Penrith needs all the energy and juice it can get. Leniu provides just that, with leg drive that allows him to pick up plenty of post-contact metres.
Speaking of energy, if the Panthers are down on that it will show up in their defensive efforts and if there is one Knights player who could take advantage of that it is Kalyn Ponga. The Knights fullback has looked much better since moving back to his preferred position. Ponga has not just been more involved, he has made his touches in attack count too with two try assists and four linebreaks in the last three weeks.
Favourite: The Panthers are well-backed to get the win.
My tip: Call me crazy but I get the sense Penrith could be about to enter a bit of a mid-season slump. Last week's loss would have taken a lot out of the Panthers and a desperate Knights side could capitalise if the defending premiers come out of the gates complacent and lacking energy. Knights by 4.
