Latimore and Simmons have been included in this weeks team...
Penrith unavailable list very similar to the Roosters this week.
Wallace, Taylor, Peachey, Docker & Cartwright
Friend, Napa, Guerra & Nuuausala.
Yep.
Using our 5th choice half to partner Soward.
Using our 6th, 7th and 8th choice forwards in Robinson, Anderson and BMM.
Halves Pecking Order:
6. Jamie Soward (moves to 7 when our first two halfbacks are out)
7. Peter Wallace, Isaac John, Tyrone Peachey, Bryce Cartwright, Will Smith
Forwards pecking order (roughly)
McKendry, Segeyaro, Kite,
Peachey, Cartwright, Taylor, Brown, Manu, Plum,
Docker, Latimore,
Yeo, Grant,
Kingston, Robinson, Anderson, BMM
9 players are unavailable for the Panthers. Mostly stacked up between the halves and second row. Meaning the players who are selected are not simply our second choice players. They're well and truly down the list for selection. The likes of Robinson, Anderson and BMM are only in the team because they have 7 injured or suspended players out to make way for them.
The injury toll is not as bad as the Sharks. But who ever said that it was? Missing more then half a starting side worth of talent is a big deal, especially in the finals. Yet Panthers have played the last 6 weeks with 9+ players unavailable for selection, and won 4 of those matches against sides that were not far off full strength. Many people in here saw the Panthers run home, their injury list and were backing them to lose their remaining games and miss the finals.
No other side has covered injury aswell as the Panthers have this season. The similarly depleted sides (and sides who are worse off) have fallen in a heap and lost most of their games and by big margins.