Dylan Edwards’ anticipated return will be only the fifth occasion this season, and the first since round 10, that Penrith will field their preferred spine from the start of a game.
Despite the extended absences of Edwards, Nathan Cleary, Mitch Kenny, and Jarome Luai, the premiers are just two points behind Melbourne at the top of the standings. This reflects the remarkable depth and resilience of their squad.
Edwards (knee) and James Fisher-Harris (groin) have been included in the Panthers’ extended bench but need to make it through a training session late Tuesday to be confirmed as starters for Thursday night’s game against the Storm at a packed BlueBet Stadium.
A win by six points against the Storm would see Penrith move into first place for the weekend with three rounds left to play.
The Panthers seem to have perfectly timed their performance this season, with their backup players continuing to secure victories despite injuries to key players.
Edwards played through a knee injury to help the Blues win Origin III at Suncorp Stadium. Cleary missed over two months due to a hamstring injury, while Kenny was suspended in round one against the Storm and later suffered a minor quad strain.
Luai emphasized the importance of Edwards and Fisher-Harris nearing their return.
“They bring a high level of consistency and intensity, and you know they’ll always step up in the crucial moments when they’re needed,” Luai said.
Fisher-Harris and Luai are set to leave at the end of the year for the Wests Tigers and New Zealand Warriors, respectively. Fisher-Harris and fellow front-rower Moses Leota recently launched a special T-shirt designed by their partners, featuring a photo of the two players with the words ‘Last Ride’. The T-shirt received over 100 orders within the first hour.
Liam Martin’s suspension, along with injuries to Scott Sorensen and Luke Garner, will require the Panthers to start Mavrik Geyer and Liam Henry in the back row.
The Storm have also faced spine injuries, with Ryan Papenhuyzen, who has yet to play at Penrith in any grade, along with Harry Grant, Cameron Munster, and Jahrome Hughes, limited to only eight NRL games together this year.
In other updates, Chad Townsend has been dropped to reserve grade, with Jake Clifford set to start at halfback for North Queensland in their match against the Raiders on Saturday.
Jack Bird has been named on the Dragons’ extended bench for their game against the Gold Coast and is likely to replace Kyle Flanagan at No. 6 if Flanagan is found guilty of biting. Mat Feagai steps in for Moses Suli (knee) in the centres, while Titans captain Kieran Foran celebrates his 300th NRL game.
Shaun Johnson (quad) returns for the Warriors for their match against Manly on Friday.
Parramatta has named Ryan Matterson for Friday’s game against the Roosters, but he will not play due to broken ribs. Maika Sivo, who was listed on the Eels’ extended bench, is expected to start.