Cowboys v Panthers preview

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North Queensland Cowboys v Penrith Panthers Saturday 7:35pm at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville / Wulgurukaba

It's funny how quickly things can change in rugby league. 

The last time these two teams met earlier this year, the Cowboys were coming off a much-needed win over the Raiders but had otherwise been easily beaten in three-straight games while the Panthers, even if disappointing against the Roosters, looked their usual selves the week after in a tight loss to the Storm.

Since that point, North Queensland rattled off three consecutive wins, including over Penrith, to rocket up the ladder before a poor first half was too much to overcome last week against the Warriors.

The Panthers, meanwhile, spiraled to the bottom of the ladder but could be on the cusp of finally putting it together after their best win of the year against the Broncos.

It is a daunting prospect for the Cowboys, but Penrith seemed to have turned a corner with a 40-12 victory over the Roosters only to turn around and revert to bad habits in a loss to Manly.

So, as impressive as the 32-8 win over Brisbane may have been, the Panthers need to back it up this week against North Queensland before anyone truly declares the four-time premiers back.

The Cowboys, meanwhile, will be looking to quickly put that defeat to the Warriors behind them so as to not lose all that momentum they built up in the three-game winning streak. 

In team news, North Queensland is without Reuben Cotter (two-game ban) which sees Sam McIntyre replace him at lock forward with Thomas Mikaele joining the bench.

On the flip side, Penrith is bolstered by the return of Mitch Kenny from suspension. It means Luke Sommerton drops out of the side with Brad Schneider returning from injury on the bench as the utility.

Elsewhere, Brian To'o is back from a hamstring injury in a huge boost. Meanwhile, Luke Garner retains his spot in the centres so it is Tom Jenkins who drops back to the bench, potentially as in-game cover for To'o.

Last meeting: Round 5 2025 - Panthers 18 Cowboys 22

Who to watch: The Panthers have typically struggled defending against small, quick five-eighths and so this could be a game, particularly in the balmy Townsville weather, where Tom Dearden may shine. Dearden's name has been floated as a potential option for Queensland off the bench in Origin I and a strong performance here against Penrith will do his hopes of earning selection no harm. While Dearden is often a pass-first playmaker, his pace off the mark and underrated strength makes him tough to bring down too and it wouldn't be a surprise to see tired Panthers defenders fall for a Dearden dummy midway through the game as he shapes to go outside and instead cuts back inside.

For the Panthers, the return of Brian To'o cannot be understated. An injury-interrupted start to 2025 has kept To'o sidelined for most of the season and it is no coincidence that Penrith has struggled without his carries out the back. To'o is one of the best metre eaters in the league and without him, fullback Dylan Edwards has needed to shoulder even more responsibility in that regard. With To'o back in the frame, both Edwards and the Penrith forward pack will be given a much better platform to work off, although the key is that the likes of Paul Alamoti and Izack Tago still remain committed to putting their hands up for a carry and don't just let To'o take on the majority of the work now that he is back. 

Favourite: The Panthers are slight favourites to make it two on the trot for the first time this year.

My tip: A hard one to read given the way Penrith performed after that win over the Roosters earlier in the season. The Panthers simply need to win as many games as possible before the Origin period and this will be another tricky game up north. While it is hard to trust the defending premiers, even after last week's performance, the return of To'o and Kenny means they are near full-strength outside of Scott Sorensen being unavailable due to suspension and if they can't do it now, you can put a red line through them making it five-straight. Panthers by 8.

1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Robert Derby 3. Jaxon Purdue 4. Viliami Vailea 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Tom Dearden 7. Jake Clifford 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Jason Taumalolo 11. John Bateman 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Sam McIntyre 14. Harrison Edwards 15. Thomas Mikaele 16. Griffin Neame 17. Coen Hess 18. Zac Laybutt 19. Thomas Duffy 20. Semi Valemei 21. Karl Lawton 22. Kai O'Donnell

1. Dylan Edwards 2. Paul Alamoti 3. Izack Tago 4. Luke Garner 5. Brian To'o 6. Blaize Talagi 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. Lindsay Smith 11. Isaiah Papali'i 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Brad Schneider 15. Liam Henry 16. Luron Patea 17. Thomas Jenkins 18. Luke Sommerton 19. Matt Eisenhuth 20. Casey McLean 21. Daine Laurie 22. Trent Toelau

Referees: Todd Smith; Sideline Officials: Tyson Brough, Nick Pelgrave; Video Referees: Chris Butler;