WESTS TIGERS AIM TO OVERCOME 'BOGEY' TEAM

[tigergirlz]

Why couldn't the Volcano ash delay their trip until Friday!!

 

[stryker]

These blokes are the one side during the year that I hate to watch. The amount of times we've had them and they came back and de-trousered us is annoying to say the least.
Our loss at CUA last year was one of our worst in a long time…and thats saying something. They are really hard for us to beat.
Not real confident about our chances at this stage of the week.......

 

[MGB]

I think we are a much stronger side this year, I'm not taking much out of last weeks game, think we are a good show.

 

[Tigerdave]

I'm not all that confident

 

[Guest]

Penrith stars fight to regain jumpers
By Tyson Otto From: The Daily Telegraph April 20, 2010 12:00AM

PANTHERS coach Matthew Elliott has warned star players Wade Graham and Daine Laurie they will struggle to force their way into his side after Penrith continued their best start to a season since 2004.

Coming off Sunday's 40-12 win over the Warriors in Auckland and sitting equal second on the competition ladder, the Panthers mentor said fierce competition for spots at training was the reason for his side's three-match winning streak.

While the Panthers were again hit hard with injuries earlier this season, they now have 27 fully fit first graders.

High-performance manager Carl Jennings joked it was the first time Penrith has had 27 first graders available for selection since 1933.

Panthers five-eighth Graham (shoulder) and back-rower Laurie (toe) played for Penrith's NSW Cup the Windsor Wolves on Saturday and Elliott said - barring any fresh injury concerns - he couldn't see either being promoted to first grade during the next few weeks.

"Who are you going to leave out?" Elliott asked.

"No, I don't [anticipate changes].

"We'll look closely at the team again but I think each player that represented the club on the weekend stuck their hand up pretty hard.

"They're two guys I really believe have massive contributions to make for us - at some point I've got to find a way to get them both into the team, for sure."

Elliott admitted he was facing another selection headache this afternoon when he names his team to tackle Wests Tigers on Saturday night and has floated the idea of naming an extended bench.

Both the Panthers and the Tigers have four wins from their opening six games, with the Tigers out to bounce back from Friday night's 24-4 loss to Canterbury.

Panthers captain Petero Civoniceva, who sits second in voting for the Dally M player of the year, said the tough competition for spots proved his side is in the best form he has seen since moving to the foot of the mountains in 2008.

"Yeah, it is our best start, there's a real competitive spirit at the club at the moment," Civoniceva said.

"We can't get ahead of ourselves we know we've got some way to go but we know we're on the improve."

The inspirational leader said he was a "couple of weeks" away from making a decision on his playing future with the big prop tossing up between moving back to Brisbane or staying at CUA Stadium.

 

[Aladinsane]

They have a very fit and healthy team ,all fighting for a spot in the top 17, in great form and at home…..It's a massive ask for our lads.
Last Friday's game was the game we shouldn't have walked away without any points.
I can't see a win here......hence our players will prove me wrong :wink:

 

[supercoach]

Any team that have a big forward pack who can offload the ball usually causes us grief and thats one of their strong points. On paper I see them as a real chance of a top four finish but they are a team that can turn in a shocker out of the blue. The key you have to frustrate them, they are not a patient football team.