Capewell confident

Sports

BRISBANE: Kurt Capewell rejects the suggestion Penrith needed a loss to learn a finals lesson but insists he’s more confident now than ever they can win the National Rugby League (NRL) title.
A 10-16 loss to South Sydney last weekend has forced the Panthers onto the hard route to the Oct 3 decider, needing to get through Parramatta and then minor premiers Melbourne to make the grand final.
Saturday’s loss was their first in six weeks and just their fourth for the season but Capewell declared the Panthers were unbeatable at their best.
“If anything we can take more confidence out of it to be honest,” he said on Tuesday.
“We were nowhere near our best on the weekend and for the last 10 minutes there it looked like we were coming over the top of them.
“If we can play our best footy I don’t think anyone can stop us, so it’s made me more confident.”
In the days since the qualifying final, the Panthers have thoroughly broken down the six-point loss to find they missed chances to win late.
It’s a mistake they don’t plan to make against Parramatta tomorrow night as they eye off a preliminary final against the Storm next weekend.
“I don’t think we have to change anything, we’ve been playing pretty good footy for the last two years so I don’t think we have to change too much,” Capewell said.
Fixtures: Fri, Sept 17 — Sea Eagles v Roosters; Sat, Sept 18 — Panthers v Eels. – Yahoo Sports Australia


Cleary not worried about attention on game
Penrith Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary in action during their National Rugby League round-25 clash with the Eels on Sept 3. The sides will meet again on the second weekend of finals tomorrow. – nrlpic

BRISBANE: Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary says he’s not worried by the extra attention on his kicking game despite it being the centre of controversy leading into the National Rugby League (NRL) finals series.
The Panthers halfback on Tuesday said that he coped no more than the average halfback in the NRL and accepted it as part of the game from the best teams in the competition.
“No, not really,” he said when asked if he cops it any worse than any other playmaker.
“I think every team tries to put kick pressure on, it’s a goal for every team when you come up against some of the better teams, it’s a way to win is to try and control field position and the way to do that is to have good kick pressure.
“It’s something that all the best teams value and it’s just a part of the game.
“To combat that you try and get good position on the field, you try and get quick play the balls to get less kick pressure, it’s just the way it works.”
Last week Penrith put in a plea to the NRL to do more to protect Cleary as he kicks fearing he was going to be on the receiving end of an onslaught from Rabbitohs defenders in Saturday night’s qualifying final.
He was hit late once by Keaon Koloamatangi in the 10-16 loss to Souths.
It was Cleary’s first defeat in a 2021 season that includes two victories for New South Wales in the State of Origin series.
However, he’s philosophical about finding a positive ahead of tomorrow’s sudden-death clash with Parramatta.
“I had a friend message me who said the best lessons come out of the greatest challenges sometimes, so it’s something we’re taking on,” he said. “We’ve learnt lessons out of a challenging time and hopefully it’s something we can use this weekend.”
A thorough review of the loss revealed moments the Panthers didn’t execute as well as they have all season.
“In big games and in finals games, there’s bit moments throughout,’ he said. “If you don’t take them, other teams do, and they’re the things that will win or lose you a game.
“We had a couple of those on the weekend, we missed a few opportunities and that’s what cost us.
“We didn’t give them the ball where we wanted to as often as what we planned and they did that to us.” – Yahoo Sports Australia


St Helens sign Eels’ Lussick

BRISBANE: Reigning Super League champions St Helens have signed Parramatta hooker Joey Lussick for next season.
The 25-year-old Lussick, who made 59 appearances for the Salford Red Devils before returning to Australia at the end of the 2020 season, has signed a three-year deal with the Saints.
Lussick, who was on the losing side against the Saints in the 2019 grand final, becomes coach Kristian Woolf’s third recruit from the National Rugby League (NRL) for next season following the signing of Will Hopoate (Canterbury Bulldogs) and Curtis Sironen (Manly).
Woolf said: “Joey is a player who caught everyone’s attention playing for Salford.
“He showed how hard he competes and how he can find the try line at Salford and is a proven Super League player.
“We know we need competition for places and another player in the hooker position and we have done a lot of homework on Joey.
“He is exactly the type of player and person we want.
“He is now showing his talent in the NRL and has the core skills of a hooker including a great kicking game and a great ability to find the try line.”
Lussick, who will rival captain James Roby for the hooking spot in 2022, said: “I am really excited for the future ahead over at St Helens.
“I really enjoyed my time in England and St Helens won the year I was at Salford as well as the following year.
“They are going well again this season and I have seen nothing but strong performances.”
– Seven News


Parramatta recall experienced hand Matterson

BRISBANE: Parramatta coach Brad Arthur has reversed a controversial move to rest Ryan Matterson from week one of the National Rugby League finals by recalling the star second-rower to face Penrith tomorrow night.
After a three-week suspension for a high shot, the 26-year-old was available but overlooked for Sunday’s sudden-death 28-20 win over Newcastle.
Matterson’s exclusion came as a shock given he’s the only other player aside from Blake Ferguson in the Parramatta side with premiership-winning experience.
The pair won a title with the Sydney Roosters in 2018.
Arthur explained he didn’t want to risk playing Matterson underdone, but it appears those concerns have been squashed after he was named on the bench in place of Makahesi Makatoa for the western Sydney derby in Mackay.
It sets up a near full-strength battle between the sides after the Panthers named fullback Dylan Edwards to make his return from a minor footy injury that forced him to miss the 16-10 loss to South Sydney.
Penrith thrashed their arch-rivals 40-6 a fortnight ago but the Eels had rested the majority of their big stars.
The Panthers are aiming for a third straight win over the Eels after grinding out a 13-12 victory earlier this year.
“We didn’t take our opportunities (against the Rabbitohs) and we’re going to have to against a team like Parramatta,” said halfback Nathan Cleary on Tuesday.
“It’s a completely different ball game now (to when we played them in round 16) and completely different to two weeks ago when they had a lot of players out.
“It’s hard to predict what they’re going to be like, that’s why a lot of focus is on ourselves to prepare the best we can.
“We do our homework but we’ve got to go into the game and execute our game plan.”
Manly have also named Lachlan Croker to face Sydney Roosters in Mackay on Friday night. – Seven News