Round 17 V Warriors

[OldPanther]

Kikau is a weapon. You want him getting one on one with the halves. Get him on after 30 mins or so when the defence is tiring. CHN is a good defender and runs good lines so you are still getting an attacking threat

I thought CHN was rested again. Required a second look. Apologies.

 

[mxlegend99]

I didn't know DWZ could kick goals - has he ever kicked in FG before?

Not according to this:

http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/dallin-watene-zelezniak/summary.html

0 attempts.

 

[PenrithPanther45]

Not according to this:

http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/dallin-watene-zelezniak/summary.html

0 attempts.

He kicked goals in NYC and ISP - not sure percentage or anything but he was striking them well on the video on the Panthers website from today.

 

[OldPanther]

He kicked goals in NYC and ISP - not sure percentage or anything but he was striking them well on the video on the Panthers website from today.

Not bad at all. Looked it up after reading your comment.

https://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/news/2018/07/03/dallin-talks-goal-kicking/

 

[mxlegend99]

On the bright side its unlikely hes going to be kicking any sideline conversions with the form these wingers are in.

 

[kinghippo]

I would like to see tamou coming off the bench just to split the inexperience up a bit, and CHN to start for kikau but all in all the team looks good.
Great to see Blake back, let’s hope the wingers can turn it around this week.
The warriors ask a lot of questions out wide if our backs are not making good defensive decisions we will be murded. Fusitua is a real worry.

 

[GongPanther]

A much better side than what i was expecting tbh.

Our backline are all Pacific Island internationals.

 

[mxlegend99]

On paper that is by far the weakest side we have fielded since possibly 2013.

Although it is stronger than expected. I didnt think Kikau or CHN would be named

 

[age.s]

Much better team than expected. Kikau, CHN and Blake are huge ins. Wingers and halves are clear weaknesses but it's not an auto loss imo, especially if our forwards wake up from their slumber.

Hopefully the underdog tag fires us up and relaxes the Warriors.

 

[murraymob]

don't write us off .This could go down as one of our great victories. The forwards are the key. win or match them we get field position .It is a winnable game

 

[Sime_11]

So fn happy that Yeo is given the captaincy !!!! so well deserved and you know he's not going to let you down, it just feels like he's going to lead us to an ugly win which will take seeing the quality we have who isnt playing.

hopefully CHN & blake returning is a big morale boost for the boys, anything to put us in a positive mood and on the front foot.

Would like to see Moses start and Merrin comes from the bench, he's had a few sloppy performances and needs a rocket up his clacker, and tell him that he's not a walk up starter... squad rotation is a good thing worked well for Big Jim late last year, and i hope someone got in his face and told him to buy a lottery ticket, its a miracle he wants suspended for what he did (even though it was deserved to Walker). he's a freaking giant, use your body like a front rower should and show some balls ffs = dont need to dogshot when your a front row forward....

 

[umina panther]

Im late because im overseas working but thank f**k Yeo is finally captain. Its his for the next 5+ years now

 

[tripster]

Tohu Harris and Bunty Afoa both out for the Warriors (they have been probably the Warriors best two forwards this year), which helps us a bit.

 

[snickers007]

Our backline are all Pacific Island internationals.

Only player in the starting 13 to have not played International footy is Isaah Yeo. And he's our best player. Says heaps about the quality of the Pacific Island test teams

 

[franklin2323]

I would like to see tamou coming off the bench just to split the inexperience up a bit, and CHN to start for kikau but all in all the team looks good.
Great to see Blake back, let’s hope the wingers can turn it around this week.
The warriors ask a lot of questions out wide if our backs are not making good defensive decisions we will be murded. Fusitua is a real worry.

I'd do the same start Leota and CHN.

 

[mxlegend99]

don't write us off .This could go down as one of our great victories. The forwards are the key. win or match them we get field position .It is a winnable game

If we won without 9 players including our whole spine it would easily be our best in a long time.

Warriors wingers shit on ours. That alone could prove the difference if everything else were equal.

Ontop of that Warriors have their best spine ,(3x Kiwi Internationas) while have backups in every position. Although Dallin was the backup Kiei fullback

Our front row is missing 3x experienced guys in Mckrndry, Browne and RCG. While the likes of Tamou and Mez are phoning it in for us at the moment. And our bench is extremely light on experience

Our second row and centres look good. Great dven. But the rest of the team is second or third choice options.

If we stay within 13 points of them we have done wdll. Our best chance is if they lost players during the game. But were the cursed team and would be more likely to finish with 15 men then they are.

I rate us about a 20% chance here if we show up st our best.

 

[umina panther]

Remember guys we are playing the Warriors here, the only side more consistently dissapointing than us.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

I didn't know DWZ could kick goals - has he ever kicked in FG before?

A hesitant Dallin Watene-Zelezniak says he'll take on Penrith's NRL goal-kicking void if called upon against the Warriors.

But he's joked that his Panthers teammates might need to score most of their tries under the posts.

Watene-Zelezniak is shaping as the front-runner to take shots at goal for the Panthers this weekend, with the club's two world-class kickers in James Maloney and Nathan Cleary in NSW State of Origin camp.

Rookie half Jarome Juai would be the other option with the boot, but even he doesn't kick goals in the club's ladder-leading NSW Cup team.

Back-rower Corey Harawira-Naera also fancies himself as a kicker, but it's understood he's unlikely to be considered given he's on return from a groin injury.

Which means the duties are likely to fall to Watene-Zelezniak, who kicked in his younger days but is yet to attempt a shot on goal in his 87 first grade games.

"I haven't kicked since NSW Cup and under-20s days," the fullback said.
"We have someone like Nathan there, so we haven't had to worry about the goal-kicking. Both of them are sharp shooters so I'm just happy that focus isn't on me and I can just concentrate on playing.

"(If asked) I'll do my job. I don't know, I'm average I guess.

"It would be good for the boys if they score some tries to make them under the post."
https://www.sheppnews.com.au/@rugby/2018/07/03/140032/hesitant-dwz-ready-to-take-panthers-kicks

 

[Kilkenny]

don't write us off .This could go down as one of our great victories. The forwards are the key. win or match them we get field position .It is a winnable game

Well said Murray. There are lot's of reasons why we can't win this can but it is a great opportunity to make a statement we are not finished yet. Our forwards have to roll there sleeves up and do what they can do well and at the same time 90% completion rate on our sets would no doubt help enormously.

 

[roofromoz]

I will be waiting at the baggage collection point.

I feel like I'm coming down with it too. I work near the airport and can pop down on my lunch break if you need help.