With less than 60 hours until kick off, the Raiders team & their Sherpa's are probably being loaded on the bullock wagons for the arduous journey up the Hume as we speak. Meanwhile the Panthers are being treated to extra massages paid for from the proceeds of selling the team bus which is no longer required due to every game for the foreseeable future a leisurely stroll from Penrith. Matt Nable has been kind enough to do a bit of a match up promotion, but its shit, so how do they really match up?
Caleb Aekins vs Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
Caleb wont lose you a game, but he certainly wont win you one either. CNK is back from his nasty dislocation this week & will give poor Aekins the finger.
Josh Mansour vs Nick Cotric
Sauce is still making good metres from kick returns, but couldnt score at Nathans house. Bae Cotric is killing it & gets the chocolates here.
Brent Naden vs Curtis Scott
Curtis is lucky not to be matched up with Uncle Malcolm instead of Brent. If Curtis doesnt find some of his Storm form Brent will do to him what Uncle did to the cops.
Stephen Crichton vs Jarrod Croker
BYC up against Other BYC. OBYC is having a great year, but up against the old stager this week. Should be a good battle.
Malakai Watene-Zelezniak vs Jordan Rapana
Dynamic game breaker without a brain up against a squad filler with one. Could go either way.
Jarome Luai vs Jack Wighton
Luai has been showing why Ivan gave him the nod over Burton but Simple Jack keeps on proving you don't need brains to play footy. Someone will find Luai bloodied & beaten on the footpath outside the Paceway in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Nathan Cleary vs George Williams
Williams came back in round 3 looking like the next Joey Johns. He has not hit those heights again but must be doing something right steering the team around with no Hodgson. Meanwhile "Clunge" Cleary is in career best form & will need a bigger house to fit in all the tic tok girls when the covid bubble finally bursts. The Chin by a Nose.
James Tamou vs Josh Papali'i
As Matt Nable wisely told us, You. Dont. Mess. with. Josh Papalií. The Easter Island Statue will give it his best shot and make it a contest, but Nable is actually on the money this time.
Apisai Koroisau vs Siliva Havili
Stop the fight. Havili is doing a great job filling in, but Api makes me happy.
James Fisher-Harris vs Dunamis Lui
JFH in his 100th NRL game should be primed for a big game. Given what he has been doing in the other games this could get ugly.
Viliame Kikau vs John Bateman
2 of the best back rowers in the comp. Both very different as to what they bring to the team. This could be the match up of the round. Too close to call
Liam Martin vs Elliott Whitehead
Young Liam has been going great the past month or so & is developing into a fine player. Whitehead is already a fine player & experience gets him the nod here.
Isaah Yeo vs Hudson Young
People are finally starting to realise what every Panthers supporter has known for years. The thinking man's Boyd Cordner is one of the best players in the game. Poor Hudson might as well stay home.
Tyrone May vs Tom Starling
Starling to star in Tyrone's next WhatsApp production as "The Ratbag"
Spencer Leniu vs Joseph Tapine
Leniu is an exciting prospect, but Tapine has been doing it longer.
Moses Leota vs Ryan Sutton
Leota is having his best season so far coming in & going like a bull at a gate in limited minutes. Seems to have cut out the dumb errors too. Sutton seems like a good player, but I haven't really watched him that closely to make in informed decision on this one
Zane Tetevano vs Corey Harawira-Naera
CHN will be better for last weeks run & has a lot to prove. Bloody good player & as much as I have liked what Zane has bought to Penrith, I'd swap them in a heartbeat.
Can't wait for kickoff.
