Blaize Talagi cops stunning new snub amid surprise axing for Penrith Test player
Penrith recruit Blaize Talagi has copped a brutal new snub from coach Ivan Cleary after once again being overlooked in the starting side. And the Panthers coach has swung the axe for Thursday night's game against Souths, with Kiwi Test star Casey McLean dropped from the 17 altogether, for the clash at Accor Stadium.
The Panthers have shifted Paul Alamoti onto the wing to replace McLean, with young gun Tom Jenkins rewarded for last week's performance against the Storm by being named in the centres. Daine Laurie returns at fullback in the continued absence of injured No.1 Dylan Edwards after being a late scratching from last week's brutal grand final replay against Melbourne due to a quad injury.
Co-captain Nathan Cleary was knocked out in the opening stages of the six-point defeat to Melbourne and is subsequently ruled out of the Rabbitohs match, with father Ivan handing Trent Toelau a shock call-up to wear the No.7 jersey in place of the champion halfback. Talagi was expected to partner Jack Cole in Nathan's absence but will have to be content with an interchange role after being named in the No.14 jersey.
It's the latest snub for Penrith's high-profile recruit, who was brought to the club from Parramatta in the off-season, and was expected to be Jarome Luai's successor at five-eighth. Instead, coach Cleary has preferred Cole at No.6 to start the year, with Talagi having to bide his time in NSW Cup for the first two rounds. Talagi got his first chance to impress after featuring on Penrith's interchange last week, and will once again have to be content with a similar role on Thursday night after being overlooked for the unheralded Toelau.
"We've got a lot of time for Blaize," Panthers coach Cleary said. "He wouldn't be here if we didn't see a lot of future in him. He's certainly got that NRL quality about him, but there's still a long way to go as well." Toelau has never started before in the NRL, with his previous 12 games coming off the bench.
But the 25-year-old impressed in pre-season trials and played a starring role in an unlikely win over Manly, while Penrith's entire first grade squad were in Las Vegas. Talagi and Cole had helped the Panthers put 24 points on the Storm last week without Nathan Cleary, with only goal-kicking the difference in the loss.
"It wasn't the ideal situation but sometimes when you just get thrown in, you've just got to adapt as best you can," the Penrith coach added. "I thought Coley in particular, where he had to step up and take the main playmaking role there, did a really good job in difficult circumstances."
Kiwi Test star McLean's axing is also another brutal blow for the young gun, who looked to have won the battle to replace Sunia Turuva on the wing for Penrith this season. McLean suffered a concussion in the Vegas opener and has put in some mixed displays in the two games since, with Cleary naming the speedster at 18th man.
Tom Jenkins moves to centre, Alamoti moves to the wing and Casey McLean drops out. Laurie comes in at FLB and Toelau replaces Cleary out in concussion protocols. pic.twitter.com/ylRSsH4IvP
— The SuperCoach Brain 🧠 (@SC_Brain) March 25, 2025
Souths coach Wayne Bennett has also made a number of changes for Thursday night's match, with club record try-scorer Alex Johnston named to start after returning from a long-term Achilles injury. Johnston will come straight back onto the wing, with Isaiah Tass named at centre and Campbell Graham ruled out with a niggling injury.
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The Rabbitohs go into the clash one spot ahead of the Panthers on the table, with last week's defeat against Cronulla coming after wins in their opening two games. While the Panthers will be desperate to avoid a third-straight defeat after losses to the Storm and Roosters in consecutive weeks, but they'll have to do it without their star halfback.
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