Source :- THE AGE NEWS
State of Origin III in Brisbane on Wednesday night, with the series locked at 1-1, looms as one of the biggest games of Nathan Cleary’s decorated career.
The biggest? Are we getting ahead of ourselves?
“Every game you go into – like grand finals, Origin deciders or Origins in general – you think it’s the biggest game you’ve ever been a part of,” Cleary says. “This is probably no different.”
Cleary is under no illusions about what awaits. He speaks calmly about the adulation or criticism that will inevitably be hurled in his direction.
When Jai Arrow turns 31, on Sunday, July 12, the guest list includes everyone in the rugby league community. It has been dubbed the “world’s biggest birthday party”, and is part of the month-long “Jai July”, in aid of Arrow as he battles motor neurone disease.
Held at Accor Stadium, it will double as South Sydney’s round 19 clash against Newcastle. While both clubs are jockeying for finals berths, given the uphill battle faced by Arrow and his family, there will be more at stake.
“This will be a case of the game uniting behind our own,” said ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys. “We are a family.”
The game-day initiative is the centrepiece of a raft of activities that will be held in Arrow’s honour during the month of July. There’s a chance to bring two children to the game for free, a half-time performance from The Wiggles, an invitation to come onto the field at full-time and to be part of a world record attempt for the most party hats.
Penrith flyer Tom Jenkins had never heard of Dave Brown until it emerged he was a chance of doing the unthinkable in rugby league – breaking his 91-year try-scoring record this season.
Brown scored 38 tries for Easts during the 1935 season in 15 games. Newtown’s Ray Preston bagged 34 tries in 1954, while South Sydney’s Alex Johnston got 30 tries in 2021 and again in 2022.
Johnston, who remains the only player in the NRL era to score 30 tries in a season and has 19 this campaign, was meant to go up against Jenkins and Penrith on Friday night before he was grounded by a calf injury.
Which leaves Jenkins as the only hope of toppling Brown.
Jenkins has 22 tries in 15 games, and requires 17 tries from nine remaining regular-season games, and possibly three or four finals, depending on how Penrith progresses in the finals.
After Souths got the chocolates against Penrith 28-18 early last season, the Panthers took revenge with a 30-10 walloping in round 20.
Penrith Panthers
1. Dylan Edwards 2. Thomas Jenkins 18. Jack Cole 4. Paul Alamoti 5. Brian To’o 6. Blaize Talagi 7. Jack Cogger 8. Moses Leota 9. Freddy Lussick 10. Liam Henry 11. Scott Sorensen 16. Billy Phillips 13. Lindsay Smith
Bench: 3. Izack Tago 14. Billy Scott 15. Kalani Going 17. Luron Patea 19. Sione Fonua 20. Zakauri Clarke
South Sydney Rabbitohs
1. Jye Gray 2. Dayne Jennings 3. Latrell Siegwalt 4. Jack Wighton 5. Edward Kosi 6. Cody Walker 7. Ashton Ward 8. Tevita Tatola 9. Brandon Smith 10. Keaon Koloamatangi 11. David Fifita 12. Tallis Duncan 13. Lachlan Hubner
Bench: 14. Jamie Humphreys 15. Euan Aitken 16. Liam Le Blanc 17. John Radel 18. Matthew Dufty 19. Jayden Sullivan
Hello and welcome to our coverage of the Friday night clash between Penrith and Souths at CommBank Stadium. It’s Dom Brock with you on blog duty tonight.
Laurie Daley’s most controversial selection decision for his State of Origin III NSW squad was the axing of two-time Brad Fittler Medal-winning winger Brian To’o, who gets his chance to make a statement for the Panthers tonight.
He’ll join fellow former Blue Dylan Edwards in a side otherwise lacking its usual star power: Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo and Liam Martin are on Origin duty, while Isaiah Papali’i (concussion) and Luke Garner are also out this week.
For the Rabbitohs, skipper Cameron Murray is on Blues duty while Alex Johnston (calf) is sidelined, but Jack Wighton makes his return from a broken arm in the centres.
The Panthers are the bookies’ favourites tonight despite the big-name absentees, but Souths have a great chance to knock off the league leaders and bolster their own place in the NRL top eight. Kick-off is at 8pm.
