[2020] R15 Panthers v Sharks - Game Day Thread

[SteveTidball]

Game Day Information #NRLPanthersSharks

Match	Penrith Panthers v Cronulla Sharks
Venue	Panthers Stadium, Penrith NSW
Time	Friday 21st August 2020 6:00pm
Tickets	Ticketek [Link] SOLD OUT
Gates Open	5:00pm (Only open to pre-purchased tickets)
Weather	Partly Cloudy 12°C (1% Chance of Rain )
Broadcast	Fox League (Channel 502) [LIVE] Kayo Sports [LIVE] ABC Sydney 702AM [LIVE] 2GB Sydney 873AM [LIVE] MMM Sydney 104.9FM [LIVE]
Notice	NRL Matches in NSW are only open to limited number of supporters. Redemption codes are provided for members to claim tickets. Any remaining tickets (if any) are sold to the general public.

Telstra Premiership | Full Time

	Penrith Panthers	18	Tries Josh Mansour (2), Viliame Kikau, Brent Naden, Stephen Crichton, Liam Martin, Jarome Luai. Goals Nathan Cleary (5/7)
	Cronulla Sharks	12	Tries Jesse Ramien, Connor Tracey. Goals Matt Moylan (2/2)

Postgame Media

 
MATCH REPORT

Purring Panthers record big win over Cronulla

PRESS CONFERENCE

Panthers: Round 15

HIGHLIGHTS

Match Highlights: Panthers v Sharks

FULL MATCH REPLAY

Full Match Replay: Panthers v Sharks - Round 15, 2020

PANTHER PRIDE MAN OF THE MATCH VOTING

Round 15 v Sharks MOTM

[SteveTidball]

TEAM

Telstra Premiership
Panthers v Sharks
Friday 21/8 6:00pm
Panthers Stadium
TEAM
1. Dylan Edwards
2. Josh Mansour
3. Tyrone May
4. Stephen Crichton
5. Brent Naden
6. Jarome Luai
7. Nathan Cleary
8. James Tamou ©
9. Api Koroisau
10. James Fisher-Harris
11. Viliame Kikau
12. Liam Martin
13. Isaah Yeo
INTERCHANGE
14. Daine Laurie
15. Spenser Leniu
16. Moses Leota
17. Zane Tetevano
RESERVE
18. Mitch Kenny
19. Brian To’o
20. Matt Burton
21. Billy Burns
COACH
Coach: Ivan Cleary

Match Officials

	Telstra Premiership
Referee	Ashley Klein
Sideline Officials	Belinda Sharpe
	Gavin Badger
Video Referees	Ben Galea
Senior Review Official	Jared Maxwell

Referee Success Rate

Referee	Active Since	2020	Overall	Pen. For	Pen. Against	Ratio
Ashley Klein	2009	(2/2) 100%	(9/32) 28.1%	117	117	1.00

[Mutley]

I have to admit I’m a bit nervous about this game. Sharks have been in reasonable form since last time we played them, and they will probably want to make amends for the thumping we gave them.

[Kevin]

Not me, IMO they are struggling.

[Bryan]

I’m less concerned with the Sharks & more concerned by the fact that, in the last 2 games, we’ve run up a substantial lead by half-time, then scored only a penalty goal in the 2nd half. You can talk all you like about referees “managing” sides back into games, but the simple fact is that we’ve under-performed badly in the 2nd half of the last 2 games. If it’s not fixed, that will cost us big time. The Sharks have the 2nd best attacking record in the comp. So, if we go into our shell at half time again this week, we may well pay for it in the 2nd half.

We need to learn to play for 80 minutes. Teams like the Storm do that week in, week out, win, lose or draw. I hope we can take a leaf out of their book & learn to do the same.

[Puss]

… ideally with 13 men on the field at the one time.

[Kevin]

The thumbs up isn’t working puss, perfect for your comment, that or

Bryan, I agree to a point, but you cannot disagree with the momentum swings created by poor decisions. Friday night’s game is the only one I would be concerned about. The likes of Crichton, Naden and even sauce to a point were poor in the 2nd half. Couple that with Tamou and Yeo spending longer than usual on the bench and it felt like a mishmash of attack. Another glaring issue was the grubber to our line where Edwards looked like he was going to take it on the fly but let it go, Cleary was backing up and fumbled because he was expecting Edwards to take it, that could have been ugly for us.

Losing your “commitment” to the job is more the problem than the actual under performing, that is just the result of the lack of commitment…….

[mrwalker]

@Puss

ideally with 13 men on the field at the one time.

C’mon puss, the $torm are used to having 14 on the field every week, with $mith reffing the games. With him out injured they just figured they could put an extra guy on the park. Loss of game for any team other than $torm, but for them just a few bucks from a brown paper bag.

[mrwalker]

Bryan, I suggest you are a hard marker mate.

We all would have taken in a heartbeat to be where we are at this point & the team has been very consistent & ultra competitive & playing as a team. We always can do better but I’ll take what we have been doing

[Bryan]

Mr. Walker, completely agree that we have done outstandingly well & the team have, by & large, been very consistent. They deserve all the praise that has been given to them.

My point is that it’s a long season. No team can go thorough it without a flat patch or slump, or without falling into some bad habits. I take Kevin’s point about the refs & some very weird decisions against us, but the fact remains that we have scored 1 penalty goal in the 2nd half in each of our last 2 games. Even allowing for poor decisions, we should have done better than that. That it’s happenned 2 weeks running says to me that it needs to be addressed before it becomes a habit.

So, I hope we absolutely flog the Gummies this week, with a ton of points in the 2nd half.

That’ll make me feel better!

[FaulcoPete]

Prediction - On game day : To’o to wing, Naden to centre, May to bench and Laurie to reserves.

[SouthernHillFan]

I share your prediction FaulcoPete

[SteveTidball]

Team List Update - Matt Burton and Brian To’o have been dropped from the list.

To’o will be given another week to get to game fitness.

[mrwalker]

Last nights result gives us a chance to skip 3 points clear at the top tonight - big game!

Not too sure exactly how it will go tonight - expecting a much tighter game than last time against the gummies, but if we play to our form we should get the 2 points.

See you at the game, or on the TV.

[Mutley]

The way I see it is that we are playing for the minor premiership tonight. If we win tonight, it will be ours to lose, especially with a favourable draw.

[Kevin]

Thoughts on resting players in the coming weeks as we head towards finals?

Given the players would not want to miss a game, If I were IC, I would have the key players play minimal minutes but still be available on the bench. i.e. give the 3 bench forwards significant game time for a couple of weeks, condition them for “up tempo” minutes when it counts.

[Mutley]

It might be worth either resting, or giving less minutes to a few players in the coming weeks, especially in the games against Broncos & Bulldogs. Might also be a good idea to give some of our fringe players some minutes in case they are needed in the finals.

[Puss]

last weeks second half was alarming. This is a pivotal matchup.
We need to play the whole 80 minutes for our own benefit with
purportedly easier gamedays ahead of us. I wonder if we haven’t
peaked to early. C’mon Panthers prove me wrong.

[Mutley]

To be fair, our second halves have been ordinary for most of the season. This is what worries me most at the moment, because a team like Melbourne will punish us if we put in a poor second half.

[Mutley]

Happy with the first half, especially with us getting the try on half time. Our defence has aimed up, and saved at least 2 tries, hopefully it will continue in the second half.

14 games in a row we have scored first & kept our opponents scoreless in the first 20. Pretty sure that is a record.