Home team Penrith are sitting on 20 points in 11th, and have very slim chances of making the top eight, while the Tigers could be forgiven for looking over their shoulders sitting in eighth, even though they are four points clear of the chasers. Join me live at 7:30pm AEST.
The Tigers will be looking to set down the marker tonight, after South Sydney’s impressive performance last week has them believing they can still be playing footy come finals time.
Wests have looked dominant in the run in to the finals, however, knocking off Manly, St George and North Queensland in a run which hasn’t seen them lose since Round 18 against Parramatta.
In the Penrith dressing shed, making the eight will still seem like a possibility, but they need to win every game, and hope the Warriors, Newcastle or the Tigers have a horrid run home. Unlikely given their 3 loss streak, but stranger things have happened.
They’ll need to pick themselves up after being destroyed in the second half against a rampant Storm outfit, but can take heart from a good first half performance against the likely Minor Premiers.
Keys to the game:
One of the big ones will definitely be Michael Jennings move to fullback, a move designed to make the most of his explosive speed and try scoring ability, the latter which has been down on previous seasons. With Lachlan Coote and Michael Gordon out, Jennings will have to have a big game for the Panthers to take the points tonight in a position unfamiliar to the Australian representative.
Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah will again be keys to a Tigers victory, especially off the boot as they look to take advantage of Jennings inexperience in the No. 1 jersey. Expect a few kicks early in the set, just to see if Jenko is paying attention.
Head-to-head:
The Tigers have won their past two against the Panthers, but Penrith nabbed the last one at Penrith Park, in Round 7 last year.
The last time the Tigers won at the foot of the mountain was in Round 11 of 2007, with a field goal the difference between the two sides.
David Simmons has moved from fullback to the wing to accommodate Jennings, who is replaced by the call up of Junior Vaivai. Ryan Walker has been dropped. Luke Lewis is out through injury, which is a huge blow for the Panthers, with young Harry Seijka moving in to five-eighth to replace him.
In the engine room, Kevin Kingston moves to hooker in place of Nafe Seluini who has dropped back to the bench, and Matthew Bell has been called up to the interchange bench to replace Masada Iosefa.
Australian centre Chris Lawrence has suffered a hamstring injury in the win over the Dragons last week and will not feature, replaced by Mitch Brown in the only change to the Tigers line up.
Referees: Ashley Klein and Phil Haines
Touch Judges: Daniel Eastwood and Ricky McFarlane
Video Referee: Paul Simpkins
Odds: The Tigers are at $1.45 to beat Penrith, at $2.75.
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
FULL TIME - TIGERS defeated the PANTHERS 32-16.
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
TRY PANTHERS - Ryan Walker scores a late try for the Panthers to put the scores at 32-16 with a kick to come. First NRL try for Walker. Scores down the sideline after some good play from other youngster Seijka who creates the overlap down the left wing.
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
Fulton drops on from the kick off.
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
Marshall hooks the conversion wide from the left.
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
77' TRY TIGERS - Gareth Ellis gathers a Robbie Farrah grubber, and puts down after the two chasers missed the bounce. 32-12 Tigers.
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
75' A Benji Marshall grubber is gathered by David Simmons, who is pushed over the dead ball line. Goal line dropout.
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
73' Great piece of play by Brad Tighe who chips and chases down the right touchline, but his inside pass is knocked down by Moltzen. Penalty to Penrith, but the next play is dropped by Waterhouse. Scrum penalty to the Tigers who kick to touch and make their way out from 30m
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
Penrith still looking to score points despite the inevitable loss, Luke Walsh putting in the chip from the halfway line, gathered by the Tigers.
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
69' Penrith Panthers drop the ball 45 out from the Tigers line.
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
Conversion is successful and it is 28-12 to Wests.
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
65' TRY TIGERS - Beau Ryan makes an intercept and goes 80m to score just when Penriths touch footy style play developed an overlap. 26-12 with a kick to come.
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
64' Penalty to the Panthers on their own 30m line after the Tigers were pushing down the Penrith left hand side. Panthers defended well and have another chance.
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
61' Beau Ryan was almost through for a try after Benji Marshall showed magnificent vision to put akick in from a long way out, but the ball went out just before Beau could get to it.Penrith feed 20m out.
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
Penrith aren't scared to throw the ball around her. The Tigers get a scrum feed after Marshall is deemed to not have played at the ball, and it rebounds out. Tigers feed 30 out from their own line with 20 minutes to go.
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
58' Penalty to the Penrith for a high tackle in the Penrith in goal line, Ellis snapped him one. Purtell slipped bu did well to get the ball to Simmons.
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
57' Penatly to the Tigers after a tackle infringement. They kick to touch and start their drive 45 out from their own line.
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
CONTROVERSY - Penrith should have had the ball at the other end end of the field. Blake Ayshford dropped the ball before his surge down the right.
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
53' TRY TIGERS - Robbie Farrah scores after a Heighington ball puts Liam Fulton through a hole, who puts it back to Farrah. Farrah toes it ahead and scores to make it 22-12 to the Tigers after the conversion.
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
A Luke Walsh bomb is not gathered cleanly, and Blake Ayshford makes a good charge down the right.
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
51' Galloway drops the ball as the Tigers were making their way out of their own end. Gathered by the Panthers. They have a good shot at the lead now.