Round 18: Storm v Panthers preview
The Panthers head down to Marvel Stadium to take on the Storm, for a top of the table clash, where it is the first time for an NRL match to be played in Docklands since 2010.
Both teams are sitting level on ten wins, five loses and two byes so far for the season, the only thing setting these two teams apart are their for-and-against points. Pending the results of the Broncos v Dolphins clash, the winner of this game could find themselves sitting in number one position on the ladder at the end of Round 18.
Melbourne had a rocky start to their season, and some pretty shocking loses, however their 24-6 win against Manly last round marks the third win in a row since their 45-20 defeat to the Cowboys.
After missing out on the Round 17 game due to illness, playmaker Cameron Munster re-joins the Storm side, with Aaron Pene being listed among the reserves due to sustaining an ankle injury against Manly. Tui Kamikamica also returns to the bench after suffering a calf injury, along with Kane Bradley who will play his third game of the season, after being listed as 18th man last week.
Penrith claimed victory against the Knights last round, despite missing six of their key players due to injury and being rested after Game II of Origin. This win was a bounce back for the "baby" Panthers side, who previously lost to the Cowboys in a golden-point game, after previously winning five games in a row.
The Panthers team gets a boost with the return of all five Origin stars: Brian To'o, Stephen Crichton, Jarome Luai, Liam Martin and Isaah Yeo. These returns cause Jaemon Salmon to return to his spot on the bench with Tyrone Peachey, Thomas Jenkins, Zac Hosking and Matt Eisenhuth to all drop out of the starting 17 squad.
The Storm has a good record against the Panthers in Melbourne, where they have won 16 of their last 19 clashes in the city. This is the first time that Penrith travel to play in Melbourne since 2018, so it'll be an interesting challenge for them come Friday night.
Both sides have extremely high completion rates for the season, with Penrith on a competition-high average of 82% and Melbourne at 81%. With this stat in mind, it'll be an extremely competitive game, with errors and smart plays really dictating the direction of the match.
Last meeting: Round 22 2022 - Panthers 0 Storm 16
Who to watch: After making a stellar State of Origin arena return for Game II, Xavier Coates is a shining star in the Melbourne side. Coates has scored nine tries in thirteen games this year, including two doubles and a hat trick, as well as scoring a try in the Maroons series sealing Origin match. If Coates scores a try against Penrith, that with mark (at least) the eighth try in the last six games in Melbourne, and sixth try in four consecutive games. I'm looking forward to seeing him under Cogger and Luai's kicks, along with him competing for the ball on the Panthers' line as well.
Izack Tago had an excellent game last week against the Knights where he ran for a total of 258 metres, which was a season high for him and the most for the team, with Tyrone Peachey coming in second with 208 metres. Tago has also scored six tries this year, including two doubles, and has also assisted with three tries. He is a young centre just getting started with his career, and I really hope to see him back up last week's great performance with another one this Friday night.
Favourite: Melbourne are slightly favoured to claim victory against Penrith, to put them in the top two on the ladder.
My tip: Both teams have had a strong season with attack and defence, and each side are also back to almost full-strength squads, putting them both at equal advantages. I believe that both the Storm and the Panthers have a chance of winning, although I think that Melbourne will come out on top, especially with their entire spine returning to play this round. Melbourne by 10.
