Latest news with #PreSeasonChallenge
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'What a joke': Trbojevic and Luai add to fan anger as Panthers caught in $100k farce
The Penrith Panthers have named a second-string side for Friday night's pre-season game against Manly, with Sea Eagles star Tom Trbojevic and Wests Tigers marquee signing Jarome Luai among a host of big-names also missing from the Leichhardt Oval double-header. Luai's men take on the Parramatta Eels in the second match at the Tigers' spiritual home but the spate of absentees has raised more questions about the cost of tickets, and the $100,000 prize for the club that wins the Pre Season Challenge. Cleary's four-time premiership-winning Panthers take on Cronulla in their Las Vegas season opener on Sunday week so their absence from Friday night's hit-out was expected. But the situation does raise eyebrows considering the amount of money on offer for the team that comes out on top in pre-season. The winner of the NRL's minor premiership only receives $200,000 for finishing an entire season on the top of the table, so the $100,000 for the team that comes out on top after two pre-season games does not stack up. Throw in the fact big-name players will always be missing from pre-season as long as the NRL All Stars game remains where it is, coupled with the difficulties around teams travelling to Las Vegas for the start of the season, and there are obvious issues. League bosses are clearly trying to maximise how much broadcast revenue they make by scheduling the games one after another like a regular season round in the NRL. And the prize money on offer is a way of enticing the best players to take part but it's clearly not working. Which brings us to the next issue that Wests Tigers fans started blowing up about last year when the pre-season games were announced - the cost of tickets. Angry Tigers fans took to social media in disgust last year after it was revealed adult tickets would range from around $42 to $92 and the cheapest tickets for kids/juniors (aged between 5-15 yrs) starting at around $29 (slightly cheaper if you're a member of the club). The cheapest tickets for a family of four (two adults and two juniors) to attend the games at Leichhardt Oval start at $114 and go all the way up to $257 for pre-purchase. Love the tigers and Leichhardt but you can stick your $45 for a trial up ya Chaminda Vaas — Joliet Jake (@toddygoody3913) January 19, 2025 What a joke…make the tickets dirt cheap for pre-season and get some bums in seats. — Hughie (@hughieee94) February 10, 2025 @WestsTigers are these prices set by the NRL? — Ben Jahmin (@Benjahhhmin) January 19, 2025 Granted, the costs are for two games back-to-back but it's still way too expensive for pre-season footy in the minds of loads of supporters, particularly in the midst of a cost of living crisis for many. And with so many players missing for Friday night's double-header, fans can justifiably feel a little angry and short-changed. At the time tickets went on sale last year, Tigers officials trumpeted the pre-season clash against the Eels as an opportunity for supporters to see Benji Marshall's exciting new signings in action for the first time. But their biggest drawcard and marquee signing Luai isn't even playing, with fellow co-captain Api Koroisau also being rested. Tigers fans will get to see recruits Jack Bird, Royce Hunt and Terrell May play, although experienced prop David Klemmer has been left out of the squad, raising doubts around his future at the club. RELATED: Reece Walsh in huge news with Latrell Mitchell as Broncos chase $100k Broncos rocked by season-ending injury blow for young gun New detail about Nathan Cleary after Vegas availability confirmed Anthony Seibold's Sea Eagles have also put a host of their best players on ice ahead of the new season, with their superstar fullback Trbojevic and his brother Jake, plus Luke Brooks, Haumole Olakau'atu and skipper Daly Cherry-Evans all rested for the clash against Penrith's reserve grade side. Reuben Garrick, Tolu Koula and Lehi Hopoate add some NRL experience to Manly's backline, with new recruits Jazz Tevaga, Siosiua Taukeiaho, Michael Chee Kam and Chris Patolo also set to feature. Meanwhile, new Eels coach Jason Ryles has named a strong side to face the Tigers in Friday night's second match, with star signing Zac Lomax to make his first appearance for the club, starting at centre. J'maine Hopgood, Ryan Matterson, Luca Moretti, Matt Doorey and Sean Russell will get their first hit-out in pre-season, while Ronald Volkman keeps hold of the No.7 jersey after impressing against Newcastle last week, with Ryles opting to rest his two biggest stars - Mitchell Moses and Dylan Brown - ahead of their NRL round one clash with the Melbourne Storm.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Key Nathan Cleary detail called out amid telling injury revelation at Panthers
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary has confirmed his son and superstar halfback Nathan Cleary is on track to play in Penrith's NRL season opener in Las Vegas, but admits his availability is not a certainty. The four-time premiership-winning No.7 is one of four Panthers stars that underwent shoulder surgery in the off-season, with Liam Henry, Blaize Talagi and fullback Dylan Edwards also going under the knife after the club's fourth-straight premiership in 2024. The 27-year-old Cleary passed his first major test to be fit for the round one clash against Cronulla in Las Vegas after coming through an in-house scrimmage unscathed over the weekend. And Penrith's coach told SEN radio on Tuesday morning that while his champion halfback and the other players battling off-season injuries were all expected to feature in round one, he warned that "the slightest setback" could scupper any of their hopes. "It's been a case of, if everything goes well then they'll be ready," Ivan Cleary said. "And to this point everything has gone well but the slightest setback is going to put round one in serious doubt. So at this stage they're all looking pretty good but we've still got a bit to get through yet." The Panthers are expected to name a second-string side to face Manly in Friday night's Pre Season Challenge contest at Leichhardt Stadium, with the Vegas clash against the Sharks little more than a week later. The last thing the Panthers need is a worrying injury to one of their key players before they embark on a quest for a fifth-straight NRL premiership in 2025. Penrith co-captain Cleary was restricted to just 13 games last season after once again being affected by hamstring injuries. The superstar halfback has been plagued by hamstring complaints over the years that have seen him miss rep footy with the Blues in State of Origin, with his shoulder injury ruling him out of the Kangaroos' Pacific Championship campaign. The 27-year-old has turned to a strict diet to help try and manage his hamstring issues and has spoken about his plan to cut down on his training workload - particularly around kicking - to give him the best chance to stay on the park. "Nathan has come onto the public record saying he's not going to train as hard... he's going to do more mentally," former league player Joel Caine said on SEN radio. RELATED: V'landys explains key detail behind NRL's Vegas plea to Donald Trump 'Worrying' Jacob Kiraz detail emerges as Phil Gould drops bad news Tristan Sailor in staggering twist after Reece Walsh detail forced him out "So instead of him kicking it - he's done that thousands of times - he doesn't need to kick as many balls as he has in the past, which leads to hamstring injuries and those sorts of things. He can visualise himself doing it." League great Bryan Fletcher described it as playing "smarter, not harder" and the Panthers will be hoping the approach helps Cleary avoid more injuries, play more games for them and make his likely return to the Origin arena with the Blues. Cleary spoke this week about his relationship with Matildas star Mary Fowler and how the happiness in his personal life is helping him play better footy. And Cleary warned that despite already winning four premierships at the age of 27, things could get even better for the Panthers superstar this season. 'It could,' Cleary told . 'Nothing is ever perfect. You're constantly in pursuit of happiness – I don't know what that actually means. But the feeling I have is that if everything is going well off the field, you usually play pretty well on it. And I definitely feel like that at the moment."
