team to play Panthers

[cam]

If you're going to the game, i suggest you dont take anything throwable eg) a soft drink bottle

[Surandy]

Clark is one of two referees I have actively and deliberately abused as he left the field at OP. Cecchin was the other.

[Lord Reynoldson]

Nah, I wouldn't launch anything at Steve Clark. That'd just be a waste of my energy on such a useless piece of trash.

[cookieduster]

If your worried about Clark think about his mindset after Bellamy put in a offical complaint on his handling of the Manly outing. Yeah! of course he will rise above that it wont impact on his decisions at all .
This is the moment of truth for the boys..away game..full strength opposition Rooney and Pridis in.
Chan back its apples vs apples .

[Christabella]

Penrith fans sure are confident, have a look at this

[Thunderstruck]

It's sky high! that said, I'm worried now.

[simo]

Ha! Yeah I hate him too, he's right up there with the Phil Gould and the Roosters/Robert Finch corparation.

[Surandy]

Alternatively, Bellamy's lodging an official complaint might work in Storm's favour as Clark would know that if the tackle count favours Penrith he might well be in some strife unless he's fully justified with his decision making.

Then again when was the last time Finch dropped a ref?

[Lord Reynoldson]

I have no idea if he's done it before Surandy. Certainly not often enough. If any player put in a performance like Clark did in round 3 they'd be sitting in reserve grade for the rest of the season, and told not to come back to the club next season.

[Surandy]

I have no idea if he's done it before Surandy. Certainly not often enough. If any player put in a performance like Clark did in round 3 they'd be sitting in reserve grade for the rest of the season, and told not to come back to the club next season.

A bit like Moala hey?

[Lord Reynoldson]

Exactly! What happened tp that poor fella?

[thinga87]

Can't complain about the team line-up, I can see Bellamy giving White a rest in the next few weeks, given that it is his first full season in first grade... not that he's doing anything wrong...

Just on Steve Clark, here's our record home and away with him as the referee:

Since 1998
HOME: 4 wins, 6 losses
AWAY: 8 wins, 8 losses

LAST FIVE GAMES: LWWWL

[Corona Boy]

Penrith fans sure are confident, have a look at this

Im not at all confident.
Storm are generally a team we struggle against no matter what form we are in whether it good or bad. Now we are struggling this year already and the are absolutely on fire, its not a game im looking forward to.

[Super Cronk]

this year is so unpredictable tho..the storm have never been great away from home..yes have got some good wins vs panthers at penny but they have also put some wins on us...i think if we turn up and keep the drop balls to a minimum then we can win...i cant see the storm smashing panthers will be very close

[Mike_The_Undertaker]

Lang just wants the two points
7 April 2005

The NRL clash between Penrith and Melbourne might double as a selection trial for several key positions in this month's Anzac Test but Panthers coach John Lang couldn't care less.

Lang simple wants to lift his struggling side (1-3 record) into the top half of a topsy-turvy competition, starting with victory over a white-hot Storm who are coming off a 50-4 thrashing of Brisbane.

Australian selectors will be keen to cast their eyes over the vast array of talent on display at Penrith Stadium before naming a 22-man preliminary squad named on Monday for the April 22 Test against New Zealand in Brisbane.

The interest will focus on the key spots of halfback (Craig Gower v Matt Orford), fullback (Rhys Wesser v Billy Slater) and hooker (Luke Priddis v Cameron Smith).

"I'm more concerned about the battle for the two points personally," said Lang.

Priddis is a big chance to add to his one Test match for Australia (Super League in 1997) in the absence of injured hooker Danny Buderus, who has undergone foot and shoulder surgery and won't return until round seven of the NRL.

But like Lang, Priddis is more worried about the Panthers playing some decent football following their alarming trend of getting out of the blocks slowly in their matches this year.

The last 20 minutes is not a problem - they are yet to concede a try in that period so far in 2005.

"Blokes at Penrith, we just have to worry about winning games and getting some form on the board," said Priddis, who missed last weekend's loss to Parramatta due to a virus.

"Representative stuff should be way out of the mind of all of the players because really we're just not playing good enough.

"To be fair dinkum you have to put your club first. We haven't stepped up at all this year."

Priddis said Penrith's defence had improved but the team's attack was yet to reach its potential.

"We're playing very predictable football and we're not playing up to the quality that blokes in our side are capable of," added Priddis.

Although admitting he had not closely studied the form of other potential Test hookers like Craig Wing and Smith, Lang said Priddis would not look out of place in a green and gold jersey.

"Luke has had a couple of really good years for us," said Lang.

"He's played consistently well this year and started well.

"I've got no doubt Luke would do a very good job."

Lang conceded Panthers skipper Craig Gower had struggled in the opening two rounds following off-season groin surgery but had rediscovered his "zip".

"I've felt over the last couple of weeks when he takes off he's got that zip back. He's had to ease himself back in," Lang said.

The Panthers welcome back Test winger Luke Rooney (back) for the Friday night clash with the Storm, who beat Penrith 66-14 last year at Olympic Park.

"We're getting to the stage where we're desperate for a win because we know we're a better side than what we're putting on the park at the moment," Priddis said.

"Hopefully the only way we'll see a scoreline like that (66-14) is in Penrith's favour this week."