The rivalry between the Panthers and Melbourne Storm, last year’s grand finalists, has intensified even before the new season begins. Penrith was supposed to compete against Melbourne’s feeder team, the North Sydney Bears, ahead of their round one trip to Las Vegas. However, the Storm recently opted to withdraw several players from the NSW Cup team to participate in a trial match in New Zealand.
As a result, the planned scrimmage between the Panthers and Bears, initially set for last Saturday, has been called off. Panthers coach Ivan Cleary expressed disappointment, noting that despite the Bears’ recent success in the NSW Cup grand final, their squad did not meet his expectations. He remarked that they appeared more like a “Ron Massey team.”
Consequently, Penrith is now set to face Manly in a trial on Friday, although their lineup will be significantly weakened, as many of their key players will be heading to Las Vegas. This development adds another layer of intrigue to the upcoming season, with both teams keen to assert their dominance as they build towards the competition ahead.