Panthers v Raiders | CUA Stadium, Penrith | Sat, 18 Jul 2009 17:30
The purr needs to turn to a roar and the cogs need some greasing, otherwise both of these teams will be spending September on holidays.
Both the Panthers and the Green Machine Raiders come into the last eight games of the year in a position to do something great – or to do something far from great.
Sure, the 12th-placed Raiders have a much tougher ask as they are already two wins behind the eighth-placed Panthers as the home stretch begins but the potential is there to go on a winning run and supplant their weekend opponents if they are up to the challenge.
The side may have fallen against the Knights last week but they follow this clash with a home double and three wins on the trot would certainly put some heat on the teams above them.
The Panthers will not be given a saloon passage into the finals and as it stands they are holding onto the top eight by the barest of margins differentia-wise.
They must stay inside the finals zone with a win here as they have much tougher propositions to come, including away games in Townsville, Brisbane and Newcastle as well as a date with the top-ranked Dragons.
The home side will be sweating on the safe return of Origin duo Michael Jennings and Trent Waterhouse, with both named as changes to the side beaten by South Sydney last weekend.
Jennings’ return moves Geoff Daniela to the bench while Joseph Paulo moves there for Waterhouse to return to the second row.
The Panthers also welcome back goal-kicking winger Michael Gordon with Ben McFadgean missing out, while the props rotation is set to continue as Frank Puletua and Matthew Bell are slated to start for Tim Grant and Adam Woolnough.
The Raiders will start the match with Josh Dugan out and Phil Graham moving from wing to fullback. Adrian Purtell returns as the new winger.
They will be hoping to have Origin stars Tom Learoyd-Lahrs and David Shillington back from Origin which sees Joe Picker move back to the bench. Glen Turner has also been added to an extended squad.
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