General RD 21 preview-sportal

[sebastian_old]

Panthers v Warriors

VENUE & TIME: CUA Stadium, Saturday night - 17:30 AEST
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 18, Panthers 11, Warriors 7
COVERAGE: Fox Sports, ABC Radio, 4BC, 2GB
LAST TIME: Warriors 28 - Panthers 22 at Mount Smart Stadium, round 17, 2006


WALKING WOUNDED
Panthers centre Danny Galea suffered a shoulder injury last week and could miss up to two weeks, while fellow centre Luke Lewis may miss up to a month with knee ligament damage. They join lock Trent Waterhouse (groin - season) and utility Paul Aiton (ribs - two weeks) on the sidelines.
The Warriors will again be without fullback Brent Webb with a groin injury, but winger Todd Byrne returns from a broken arm.

FORM
It was a classic case of deja vu for the Panthers at the weekend when they let slip a big half-time lead to go down 32-30 to Manly at Brookvale Oval. Leading 24-6 at half-time, John Lang's men probably thought they had the match in the bag, but they allowed Manly to score 24 unanswered points in a 16-minute period after the break to surrender their massive advantage. The same thing happened at the same ground against the same team last season. The Panthers still remain in the hunt for the finals despite the loss.
The Warriors' finals hopes were dashed in round 19 by the Eels and they still remain six points off the pace after their bye last weekend. That four-point deduction at the start of the season may well be the difference for the Kiwi-based side.

WHO'S HOT
Panthers five-eighth Preston Campbell was everywhere against the Sea Eagles last Sunday, scoring two tries including a sensational effort in the 63rd minute to get his side back on level terms. He also landed five goals for a match tally of 18 points. The Gold Coast Titans will be licking their lips in anticipation of Preston heading in their direction next season.
For the Warriors, skipper Steve Price once again led the way for his side with a strong game against the Eels. In a well beaten pack, Price made 189 metres from 20 hit-ups and scored a try.

WHO'S NOT
Panthers interchange forward Frank Puletua virtually cost his side the game last week with a high and late shot on the Manly kicker Matt Orford. The resulting penalty goal to Travis Burns handed the Sea Eagles the match, leaving Puletua furious at the referee for allegedly reacting to the crowd. Anyone who saw the incident would agree that Jason Robinson's decision was justified.

KEY MATCH-UPS
Craig Gower v Grant Rovelli
Luke Priddis v Nathan Fien
Joel Clinton v Steve Price

LIKE TO SEE
Less talk in the media from Panthers prop Joel Clinton and more action on the field. His words last week directed at the Manly forwards only served to fire them up.

WOULDN'T LIKE TO SEE
The gradual demise of big Warriors winger Manu Vatuvei. After some really strong performance at the start of the season and in recent Tests against Australia, Vatuviei's hands have let him down big time. This was the case again in round 19 against the Eels.

WE THINK
The simple fact is the Panthers have too much to play for, while the Warriors are pretty much out of the finals race. Penrith certainly has the physical presence in the forwards to match it with the Warriors, but their advantage comes in the halves with Campbell in great form and Gower showing glimpses of his best last week. The capitulation against Manly should spur the Panthers onto greater heights this week. Panthers by 10.

 

[sebastian_old]

Sportal always have this ability to piss me off, there aggrivating lack of knowledge of the warriors amazes me. To not know if a player is in a team for a so called league expert is embarasing. Brent Webb was named in the team & there was no indication he was even 50/50 to play. And to say we were well beaten in the pack shows again there lack of knowledge towards anything to do with the warriors. Our pack was the only part of the team that WASN'T well beaten.

 

[D Generation X_old]

Sportal always have this ability to priss me off, there aggrivating lack of knowledge of the warriors amazes me. To not know if a player is in a team for a so called league expert is embarasing. Brent Webb was named in the team & there was no indication he was even 50/50 to play. And to say we were well beaten in the pack shows again there lack of knowledge towards anything to do with the warriors. Our pack was the only part of the team that WASN'T well beaten.

yea

 

[Skinny_Ravs82]

Whos hot= Preston Campell, funny that they mentioned all the things he did well and not say a word about the things he DOESN'T do well like tackling! hahahaha.

 

[Jesbass_old]

Brent Webb was named in the team & there was no indication he was even 50/50 to play.

Brent web isn't 50%/50%. He's 0%. I just heard on Radio Sport that he has failed a fitness test on his hip, and Cooper Vuna has been shifted into the squad.

 

[warriorfaithful*_old]

Brent Webb was named in the team & there was no indication he was even 50/50 to play.

Brent web isn't 50%/50%. He's 0%. I just heard on Radio Sport that he has failed a fitness test on his hip, and Cooper Vuna has been shifted into the squad.

Well that sucks if it turns out to be true which it likely is if it was mentioned on the radio.

 

[warriors4life_old]

Damn, this is always a problem we've had, depth in the fullback position, but Ah Van has shown he is a more than worthy replacement this year and Kirk is coming over next year to provide more depth.

 

[sebastian_old]

Damn, this is always a problem we've had, depth in the fullback position, but Ah Van has shown he is a more than worthy replacement this year and Kirk is coming over next year to provide more depth.

Ah Vahn offers our team nothing for attack, like webb does. Hes a good replacement regarding defense but hes no help with attack & with Ropati taking up a halves spot, we need all the help we can get. The parramatta game was farcical when Fien went off as Ravs was the ONLY who could kick, & thats why i'm predicting Penrith to win. Even if we dominate Penrith HOW are we gonna score, we're gonna have one player trying to set up everything!!

 

[Jesbass_old]

Damn, this is always a problem we've had, depth in the fullback position, but Ah Van has shown he is a more than worthy replacement this year and Kirk is coming over next year to provide more depth.

Ah Vahn offers our team nothing for attack, like webb does. Hes a good replacement regarding defense but hes no help with attack & with Ropati taking up a halves spot, we need all the help we can get. The parramatta game was farcical when Fien went off as Ravs was the ONLY who could kick, & thats why i'm predicting Penrith to win. Even if we dominate Penrith HOW are we gonna score, we're gonna have one player trying to set up everything!!

I'm not convinced that that was the case. I felt Ah Van brought the ball back more strongly than Webb usually does.

 

[warriors4life_old]

Damn, this is always a problem we've had, depth in the fullback position, but Ah Van has shown he is a more than worthy replacement this year and Kirk is coming over next year to provide more depth.

Ah Vahn offers our team nothing for attack, like webb does. Hes a good replacement regarding defense but hes no help with attack & with Ropati taking up a halves spot, we need all the help we can get. The parramatta game was farcical when Fien went off as Ravs was the ONLY who could kick, & thats why i'm predicting Penrith to win. Even if we dominate Penrith HOW are we gonna score, we're gonna have one player trying to set up everything!!

I'm not convinced that that was the case. I felt Ah Van brought the ball back more strongly than Webb usually does.

Yeah, and I wouldn't say Webb offers nothing in attack, he has double the line breaks than any other player in the Warriors and about the 2nd most in the NRL and is our top tryscorer.