Team List Warriors vs Panthers - [Round 16, 2025]

[Makasene]

Whilst I agree with previous posters that this is a game we should win well, we need to show Penrith the respect they deserve as 4 time reigning champs. Yes, this is not the side that won the last 4 years straight. But there is still enough quality in this side to cause us trouble if we make the mistake that the Sharks made a few weeks back in thinking all we need to do is turn up and we'll win against origin depleted opposition (Roosters in their case).

This game is forever etched into my memory of what can happen if we treat an origin depleted panthers lightly. Back in 2018, when we were 4th and Penrith were 5th, we were coming to Penrith expecting to win this. The result was an absolute spanking given to us by the baby panthers. Many of these penrith cubs are terrorizing the NRL today:

Match Highlights: Panthers v Warriors - Round 17, 2018

A masterclass from rookie halfback Jarome Luai has propelled an undermanned Penrith Panthers outfit to a 36-4 win over the New Zealand Warriors

www.nrl.com

My confidence in a big win comes from the fact that we will be taking the game very seriously. No doubt about it, which is why I think we will go well.

I'm not seeing too many parallels between this week and 2018.

That game was away and 2018 ended up being the closest top 8 ever with 8th placed Warriors finishing 2 points behind 1st place Roosters. Looking at that Warriors line up it's hard to believe we thought that side had a chance of doing something that year.

I think another thing to consider is that Penrith team in 2018 is us now - we went and got blasted by a young crop that turned into many of the top players in the game.

Now they are bringing a journeymen side to Mt Smart and I just don't see how they will contain us.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

My confidence in a big win comes from the fact that we will be taking the game very seriously. No doubt about it, which is why I think we will go well.

I'm not seeing too many parallels between this week and 2018.

That game was away and 2018 ended up being the closest top 8 ever with 8th placed Warriors finishing 2 points behind 1st place Roosters. Looking at that Warriors line up it's hard to believe we thought that side had a chance of doing something that year.

I think another thing to consider is that Penrith team in 2018 is us now - we went and got blasted by a young crop that turned into many of the top players in the game.

Now they are bringing a journeymen side to Mt Smart and I just don't see how they will contain us.

In many ways I think the 2018-2019 Penrith period mirrors our 2023-2024 experience. In 2018, Penrith still had Maloney and many of their gun experienced players running around who had one last strong year left in them. 2019 they transitioned to their youth and suffered a setback by missing the 8 altogether. With the benefit of hindsight, 2019 was the year they had to have and a minor speed bump for them in the grand scheme of things. Hopefully in a couple of years, we will look back on 2024 in the same way.