Penrith have put an emphasis on returning to the brick-wall defence that won them four straight premierships, unconcerned by their new underdog status against Melbourne.
The Panthers have leaked 60 points across the first two rounds of 2025, making for the worst defensive fortnight since before their dynasty began.
Their defensive lapses against Cronulla and the Sydney Roosters are in stark contrast to previous years where defence has won them games.
Penrith have already let in as many points in 2025 as they did the first nine rounds of 2021, while it also took five games to concede 60 points in 2023.
And players are aware that their defence needs to improve against Melbourne, expecting the Storm to want revenge in Thursday night’s grand final rematch.
Izack Tago is tackled. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
“We’ve averaged 30 points against. We understand that’s not good enough as a playing group,” prop Lindsay Smith said.
“There’s things that we need to do to combat that. That grand final was won on defence.
“So trying to get back to that would be certainly a step in the right direction.”
Penrith have also been hit by the absence of Dylan Edwards (groin) for Thursday night’s game, while Isaiah Papali’i is aiming to return from injury.
Smith said the fact it was early in the season could not be used as an excuse for Penrith, or put the issues down to new combinations with a 1-1 start.
“That’s an excuse sometimes, and I think that gets overplayed,” Smith said.
“When you have losses early in the season there’s a reason behind it. You’ve got to learn from that.
“You can’t just think about it being early in the season and forget about it.
“Because at the end of the day if you keep thinking like that you’re going to keep losing. So we’ve got to address it and then move on.”
Penrith’s start to the season left them at $3.35 with bookmakers on Wednesday for the grand-final rematch, suggesting they are considered less than a 30 per cent chance of victory.
Daine Laurie celebrates with teammates after scoring in Vegas. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
With the exception of a final-round mass resting of players in 2022, the Panthers haven’t been at such long odds for a game since upsetting the Storm 10-6 in the 2021 preliminary final.
Penrith coach Ivan Cleary said he could understand why people might not expect his side to beat Melbourne, but was not concerned.
“I get it this week, I get what people might be thinking,” Cleary said.
“But it’s not our job to worry about that, it’s our job to worry about performing well and that’s all we worry about.
“We only worry about what we can do. We’re confident in what we can deliver, but we’re also early into a new season and a new team with new circumstances.
“We’re just fully focused on putting our best possible performance out there against Melbourne.”
Dragons cut Molo adrift
St George Illawarra have been given room to move in their salary cap after Francis Molo agreed to pay back part of his salary in order to leave the NRL club.
The Dragons will announce in coming days Molo has been released from the final year and a half of his contract, ending a two-month long dispute.
The resolution comes after Molo had taken a leave of absence from Dragons training since early this year after taking umbrage with a comment from a coach.
AAP has been told part of Molo’s exit includes a termination fee with the prop to pay back a sizeable sum in order to break the contract.
The former Queensland State of Origin prop is expected to be in the eyes of several clubs after not attending Dragons training since early this year with the Roosters emerging as frontrunners for his signature following a raft of injuries in their pack.
The Dolphins, Cowboys and Bulldogs are also interested in acquiring his services, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Canterbury have cleared cap space by punting ex-English forward Ryan Sutton after he agreed to a release from the final season of his $550,000 deal following an injury-riddled stint at the club from the former Raider.
Molo’s contract dispute had proven a constant headache for the Dragons as they were unable to sign a replacement for their most powerful prop given their top-30 roster was full.
Club officials at one stage approached the NRL for help on how to handle the matter, but were unable to secure dispensation.
They eventually released winger Mikaele Ravalawa to South Sydney for the rest of the season last week, allowing them to sign former Test prop David Klemmer.
But Molo’s exit will clear significant salary-cap space, given he was on a deal in the vicinity of $550,000 per year for both 2025 and 2026.
David Klemmer. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
The settlement means the vast majority of Molo’s salary will not be counted in this year’s cap, while his entire salary will be wiped from the 2026 cap.
There is also now one spot free on the Dragons’ 2025 30-man roster.
Beyond Klemmer’s arrival, St George Illawarra have enjoyed some relief in the forwards with Blake Lawrie returning from injury last week against South Sydney.
Hame Sele and Tom Eisenhuth are also both due back in coming weeks after the Dragons round-three bye.
But after prop Ryan Couchman suffered a season-ending ACL rupture, it’s likely the Dragons would like to fill their 30th roster spot with a forward if one becomes available.
Payten pulls trigger on big guns
North Queensland need a massive shift in form to compete with Brisbane which is why coach Todd Payten had no choice but to elevate three of his most influential players to the top side.
Forward leader Jason Taumalolo got through 56 minutes for Mackay on Sunday in the Queensland Cup and takes his place at prop after recovering fully from off-season foot surgery.
Halfback Jake Clifford, who had hernia surgery in pre-season, replaces rookie Tom Duffy and Queensland forward Jeremiah Nanai returns on the bench after being axed following the dismal round-one loss to Manly.
Nanai’s attacking wares will be vital to putting the Broncos’ edge defence on red alert when the sides meet at Suncorp Stadium on Friday.
Papua New Guinea winger Rob Derby also comes into the team for the injured Braidon Burns (hamstring).
Both Clifford and Nanai played for Northern Pride on the weekend.
The Cowboys have been dismal in defence and impotent in attack in their opening losses to Manly and Cronulla.
The experienced trio of key returnees are all attacking weapons and will give the players around them confidence.
Taumalolo is the ace in the pack. Players feel 10 feet taller when the 2015 premiership winner runs out beside them. Bench forward Sam McIntyre is one of them.
“Experience, size, speed, strength, ball playing … what else? Everything,” McIntyre said when asked what the club legend offered.
Jeremiah Nanai. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
“He is obviously one of them Cowboys all-time greats. Whenever he is in our side we are a better side.”
For Payten the relief at having his most influential forward back was more than a relief.
“Awesome,” Payten said.
“He’s had an interrupted pre-season. He felt he wasn’t right last week and played 50 minutes on the weekend and was pretty strong. He gives confidence to everyone in the team and we are looking forward to having him back.”
The Broncos were monstered by Canberra last week and the Cowboys bench has size and oomph with Nanai, Griffin Neame and Coen Hess joining McIntyre. The template to charge through the middle appears clear.
The return of Clifford, who was integral to the side’s run to the finals last year, will provide more spark and confidence.
“Jake is a bigger body. He (has) a good kick and is a good tackler,” Payten said.
“It is a tough one for Duff. He’s had a couple of games and we haven’t gone well. There were some tough lessons for him.”
The Cowboys cannot afford to go 0-3 to start the year with clashes against the Raiders and Penrith to follow.
with AAP
