Saturday Selection: Penrith Panthers v St George Illawarra Dragons NRL Round 12 preview, stats, team lists
Saturday Selection
A host of Dragons players are battling it out for Origin spots. Picture: Brett CostelloSource: News Corp Australia
WHILE some coaches and fans prefer that their stars not get picked for representative duties in order to avoid injuries and burnout, St George Illawarra’s Paul McGregor welcomes it.
The Dragons coach and former NSW assistant actively challenges his players to strive to international and interstate honours because he believes they return from camp better for having experienced it.
The Red V have up to seven stars in the mix for State of Origin with Tyson Frizell, Jack de Belin, Paul Vaughan, Euan Aitken, Cameron McInnes, Tariq Sims (all NSW) and Ben Hunt (Queensland) all considered serious contenders.
Clash of Origin hopefuls
While they need no added motivation ahead of the team announcements on Monday, their Round 12 crunch match with Penrith at Panthers Stadium is not only an Origin audition but a top-of-the-table clash.
The Panthers, who will sit on equal competition points (18) with the Dragons should they win, also have their fair share of Origin hopefuls in Nathan Cleary, James Maloney, Tyrone Peachey, Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Trent Merrin.
“It’s what they do out there on Saturday night that’ll determine some of their Origin chances,” Panthers coach Anthony Griffin said on Friday.
“I think the game will always come first in their mind and we’ll find out what happens after that.”
What comes after that could very well be an Origin berth, but according to former Kangaroos and NSW backrower Bryan Fletcher, it can be so much more.
“If you make the semi-finals, you’re playing in front of those big crowds that you’ve already played in front of over those three games,” Fletcher told
The Late Show with Matty Johns.
“Playing in Origin gives you a lot of confidence towards the back end of the year.”
That’s exactly why McGregor embraces the Origin hype and everything that goes with it, because the rewards far outweigh the risk of injury.
Yes, representative rugby league can be brutal both mentally and physically, but there’s more to it than just 80 minutes of football.
“There’s no doubt it does hurt you,” Queensland legend Gorden Tallis said.
“Probably not through the period, it’s when you come back from Origin it can be mentally taxing for about a month of football.
“ ... I can’t think of a player who’s come back from a State of Origin camp a worse player.
“They come back with more experience and more skill.”
TEAMS
Panthers: 1 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 2 Christian Crichton, 3 Tyrone Peachey, 4 Dean Whare, 5 Tyrone Phillips, 6 James Maloney (c), 7 Nathan Cleary, 8 Trent Merrin, 9 Sione Katoa, 10 Reagan Campbell-Gillard, 11 Corey Harawira-Naera, 12 Isaah Yeo, 13 James Fisher-Harris
Interchange: 14 Wayde Egan, 15 Jack Hetherington, 16 Viliame Kikau, 17 James Tamou
Reserves: 18 Jarome Luai, 19 Kaide Ellis, 20 Tyrone May, 21 Thomas Eisenhuth
Dragons: 1 Matt Dufty, 2 Nene Macdonald, 3 Euan Aitken, 4 Tim Lafai, 5 Jason Nightingale, 6 Gareth Widdop (c), 7 Ben Hunt, 8 James Graham, 9 Cameron McInnes, 10 Paul Vaughan, 11 Tyson Frizell, 12 Tariq Sims, 13 Jack De Belin
Jeremy Latimore, 15 Kurt Mann, 16 Leeson Ah Mau, 17 Blake Lawrie
Reserves: 18 Reece Robson, 20 Luciano Leilua, 21 Hame Sele, 22 Reuben Garrick
KEY STATS, courtesy of the Fox Sports Lab
Panthers
— This is the fifth time the Panthers have started with eight wins from their first 11 matches. Penrith has finished in the top four in the first four times (1989, 1991, 2003, and 2004) and won the Grand Final twice from this position.
— Penrith has won five of its six home matches but all five wins have come at Panthers Stadium (the loss was in Bathurst, against the Cowboys).
— The Panthers did not concede a try against the Tigers in their Round 11 matchup, they have lost five of their past six matches the week after not conceding a try.
Dragons
— A victory would see the Dragons win 10 of their first 12 matches for the second time in club history after doing so in 2011. The past two Premiers both started with 10 wins from their first 12 matches.
— The Dragons have scored 299 points in their first 11 matches, which is their most in their opening 11 matches in the merged club history. Their 135 points differential is also their biggest through their opening 11 matches in the merged club history. They require just four points to break their record for most points after 12 matches.
— St George Illawarra is in the top four in all the important attacking stats. They lead the league in points scored (27.2 per game), run metres (1506 per game) and tackle busts (32.7 per game), and is second in offloads (13.2 per game). The Dragons’ defence is equally as impressive as they lead the league in fewest points conceded (14.9 per game), fewest metres conceded (1218 per game) and fewest missed tackles (20 per game) and concede the third fewest linebreaks (3.4 per game).
HEAD TO HEAD
32 games: Dragons 20, Panthers 12
THE FORM GUIDE
Panthers (most recent game first)
16-2 WIN v Wests Tigers (home)
29-18 WIN v Knights (away)
20-26 LOSS v Cowboys (home)
Dragons (most recent game first)
25-18 WIN v Raiders (home)
10-24 LOSS v Rabbitohs (away)
34-14 WIN v Storm (home)
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