Top of the table clash - Dragons v Panthers @ Kogarah

[Panther_Daz]

I am going to assume that reports in todays papers are correct and we will be without Petero, Lewis, House, Jennings and Gordon.

Therefore my team will be:

1.Lachlan Coote
2.Brad Tighe
3.Sandor Earl
4.Adrian Purtell
5.David Simmons (i believe Ryan Walker is injured)
6.Wade Graham
7.Luke Walsh
8.Tim Grant
9.Kevin Kingston
10.Frank Puletua
11.Gavin Cooper
12.Frank Pritchard (c)
13.Nathan Smith

14.Travis Burns
15.Sam McKendry
16.Matthew Bell
17.Daine Laurie/Aaron Sweeney/Joseph Paulo/Daniel Penese

 

[murraymob]

tighe will come into the centers with earl onto the wing

 

[SerbDragon]

Guys, I am so looking forward to this game (pity origin has taken some shine out of our player rosters) Ive always had a soft spot for your team, i think you guys are going great guns this year and i congratulate you and your team. That being said i am a die hard dragon, always will be. May the best team win next weekend, Regardless of the result i respect what the panfs have done this year.

Keep up the good work, there is no other team I'd rather have sitting at the top of the ladder with us.

 

[Nevan_]

It is a crime against Football that both teams will be decimated. It should still be a good match though. I cant wait.

 

[_Johnsy]

Agree with the two posts above mine.

Will be a great game, my initial gut feeling tells me Pen 22- Us 14

 

[Panther_Daz]

I will have to see the Origin teams before making a prediction on this one.

 

[murraymob]

i agree with you Daz .Sadly the game could be missing at lot of players via origin .If the papers are right we will be missing 5
As a panther fan i have to say if the selectors are serious about building a side for the future jamie soward has to be in origin.The good thing for both teams is there is a 4 point gap fro us to the next team and 6 for the dragons so a loss by either team will not hurt as bad

 

[Dave Q]

On a form basis, the Dragons will get absolutely smashed.

 

[Fibroman]

Penrith isn't the same team without Luke Lewis. I don't think people appreciate fully just how important he is to Penrith. The positive about this game is that it gives an opportunity for a few players to get a run in FG that may not have otherwise been given the opportunity with the side travelling so well.

 

[Sleep]

Lewis is our most important player. I think most people know that. Our forwards have stepped up this year in a big way so while we don't have any of Petero's calibre (who does really though?) we're able to compensate well enough without him.

Lewis' replacement would essentially be Nathan Smith who isn't nearly at the same level.

I'm expecting us to be without Lewis, Waterhouse, Jennings and Civoniceva for this game. The Dragons will be missing Boyd, Costigan, Creagh, Morris and Weyman will be suspended. They'll potentially lose Scott too. Gordon is an outside chance to be picked for us.

Both teams obviously severely weakened. It'll come down to the halves more than anything else I think.

This is a huge game for Grant and Pritchard I think more than anyone else to step up and show what they can do. If our boys can get a roll on up front and through the middle we can definitely win this game.

I feel bad for saying it but I hope Jennings isn't selected for NSW. The game is meaningless and the chance of an injury has me scared as hell.

 

[Slackboy72]

Just wondering if any of the Panthers supporters still want Matty Elliott sacked?
I remember one of you having a signature mentioning something about a stampede?

 

[Panther_Daz]

I think i am one of the few that haven't bagged Elliott on this forum. I exchanged numerous emails with him in 2008 and he gave me an idea of where this team was heading.

I had faith and stood by him.

 

[Sleep]

I was one of the many who was bagging Elliott. While I'm happy to say I was wrong, he's also improved out of sight. In the past some of his selections were pretty ordinary as was his rotation and interchanges.

Fortunately, he's no longer picking his favourites and genuinely seems to be going after the best man for the job. The last two weeks especially his interchanges were perfect. Kept the momentum going and we never let up.

He's incredibly supportive of his players and always quick to take the blame when it falls on his shoulders.

I've always thought he was a great guy, I just didn't think he was the right coach for this team. Come finals time we'll get a good indication of how far he's come.

 

[murraymob]

Elliott has gone on record as saying he has had to change things in his coaching.But i still say the turn around can also be credited to Alex Melvile a brilliant coach who came onto the coaching staff this year.
Will be interesting to see how gasnier plays .Not convinced he is going to better the dragons team just yet

 

[chrisD]

I had faith in Elliot but I can understand those that wanted him gone, I couldn't have defended him if this year was another write off.

 

[mxlegend99]

Meh. I'm still not convinced by Matt Elliott. We looked pretty good at one point last season. But when it mattered we were terrible.

He certainly seems to have improved and his team selections have looked much better this season. We're pretty much certainties for the top 8 and a great chance at the top 4. But i'll still wait and see how we go for the rest of the year before giving Elliott a pass. Hopefully he proves the doubters wrong.

 

[grandorient]

I've got a feeling in my old bones, that you guys and Elliot will go OK this year.

I sincerely hope, it's the Dragons and Penny Panthers that meet in the grand final this year.

Great game.

GO

 

[SerbDragon]

Damm right go, Panther fans can stand proud they don't have a supporter base absolutely full of wankers like other clubs which i wont mention.

 

[Dave Q]

The Panthers are playing like a team inspired at the moment. If they summons 50% of their last effort, they will well and truly show the dragons up.

Something has clicked at the foot of the mountains, something rare and brilliant.

If they can maintain this awesome form, lets be honest, they wont be beaten again this year.

I dont know what Elliot is doing, all the chaos and hardship over the years has somehow resulted in sheer unadulterated rugby league excellence. Their minds match their physical ability. Every man where he should be, working hard and with great honesty. Its tremendous.

Good on the panthers, time to show Benny's imposters up.

And cop that GWS! Take your ping pong and get out of our town, for this is panther (and wolves)country.

 

[Doomednow]

Thanks for the support, Dragons fans. I'm glad you guys are backing us and we are pretty stoked with our form, but you'll have to forgive us if we are a still a leaning a little towards a "glass half empty" attitude. We are hopeful and optimistic, but still worried.

Just watch all five of our representative players get injured this origin hahaha.