Finals Week 1: Panthers v Roosters preview
West meets East in finals showdown
The 2024 NRL finals series gets underway on Friday evening with the Penrith Panthers defending their premiership crown against the injury-hit Sydney Roosters in a Qualifying Final at BlueBet Stadium.
Securing a top two finish for the fifth straight season to earn one last match at home before the stadium is redeveloped, the Penrith Panthers will be hoping to extend an emphatic record over their opponents to earn passage straight through to the final four.
Winning 11 out of 13 finals matches during Ivan Cleary's second stint with the club, the Panthers hold an undefeated record over the Roosters from nine matches contested since the start of 2020.
The Panthers have named Nathan Cleary to return after three weeks on the sidelines with Trent Toelau preferred ahead of Brad Schneider in jersey 14 in the only change from the side that defeated the Titans 18-12 last Saturday night.
Captain Isaah Yeo will play his 243rd match for Penrith, equalling Steve Carter for the most premiership appearances for the club, while departing outside back Sunia Turuva will make his 50th appearance in first grade.
The Panthers have won seven of their 11 matches against top eight teams in 2024, including a victory away from home against the Roosters during the Easter long weekend.
Finishing in the top four for the first time since 2020 to earn a guaranteed second chance in September, the Sydney Roosters will be boosted by returning cavalry as they strive to pull off an upset.
The Roosters will welcome back Daniel Tupou, Dominic Young, Lindsay Collins and Nat Butcher after coach Trent Robinson rested the quartet last Friday for the side's 36-28 win over the Rabbitohs.
Winning two of their last seven finals in the years since claiming the 2019 Grand Final, coach Robinson has won only three out of ten visits to Penrith during his tenure with the most recent victory occurring in 2017
The Roosters have managed three wins from their ten matches against top eight teams this season and failed in all four attempts to beat a top four team.
This is the fifth meeting between the Panthers and Roosters in finals football; the Panthers have won three of the previous clashes including the lone meeting at the foot of the mountains four years ago.
Last meeting: Round 4 2024 - Roosters 16 Panthers 22
Who to watch: Winning 38 out of 42 matches at BlueBet Stadium since establishing himself as a starting playmaker at the start of the decade, Jarome Luai will be eager to make his final appearance at Penrith one to remember. Taking on greater responsibility as a more dominant playmaker this season with 13 try-assists and 15 forced drop-outs, the 27-year-old has remained an attacking threat with 100 running metres on average each week. Making his first finals appearance in a win against the Roosters four years ago, Luai will be eyeing a similar result on Friday night.
Having played the vast majority of his career at Penrith as an impactful interchange forward, Spencer Leniu will return to the foot of the mountains determined to make his mark as a starting prop. Performing strongly on the field after an infamous start to life at the Roosters, the 24-year-old has averaged close to 100 running metres and 20 tackles each week, along with a devastating State of Origin campaign with NSW. Coming up against the Panthers for the first time after missing the regular season clash through suspension, the Roosters will need Leniu to be at his destructive best if they are to reach a preliminary final for the first time this decade.
FAVOURITE: The Panthers are expected to extend their record over the Roosters to ten straight wins.
MY TIP: On a night which will see the Panthers farewell their home ground and celebrate a major player milestone, the reigning premiers should have the measure of their opponents. Panthers by 12.
