Ivan Cleary will rest 12 of his starting 13 players from last week, elevated Mitch Kenny to captain, and take three debutants on a private charter plane to Townsville this weekend.
For several weeks Cleary had given thought to giving his entire starting side a spell in the final round so the premiers would be fresh for the opening weekend of the finals.
When it came to Isaah Yeo and Dylan Edwards, two Dally M favourites, Cleary quipped he would “buy them a beer” if the enforced spell on Saturday cost them vital votes in the race for the game’s coveted gong.
The Panthers won the minor premiership with two rounds remaining, and the powerhouse win over the New Zealand Warriors last Friday gave Cleary the utmost confidence he was doing no harm by sending a second-string team to take on the Cowboys.
The Cowboys are $1.20 favourites with the bookies, while the lack of Penrith star power will thankfully not impact on the attendance with a 25,000-strong sellout crowd expected.
“This time last year I didn’t think resting was a good idea; it’s not a one-size-fits-all thing,” Cleary said.
Mass changes … Ivan Cleary has rested 12 of his starting 13 from last weekend.Credit:Oscar Colman/SMH
“But right now, based on what’s happened through the season, how we’ve played and guys who have had breaks, this gives us the best chance next week.
“A lot of the boys knew about this a while back. This has been the main plan, and there was a potential to change that depending on results and how we’ve played. But last week sealed it with the way we played.
“Having a solid 11-day preparation going into the first finals will hold us in good stead.”
Kenny, 24, will be given the honour of leading the team on to 1300 Smiles Stadium, halfback Sean O’Sullivan will also feature, while Liam Henry, Jack Cole and Thomas Jenkins make their first-grade debuts. Jaeman Salmon was not considered because of a cork injury.
New skipper: Mitch KennyCredit:NRL Photos
Jenkins is a 21-year-old outside back from country Boorowa, Cole an under-19s NSW Origin playmaker, and Henry a prop from the outskirts of Bathurst, a region the Panthers have poured a lot of time and resources into.
“It’s a great honour for Mitch [to captain], he’s been really good for us this year, he’s had a couple of different roles, he’s a good team man and the guys like playing with him,” Cleary said.
“His football is also on the up. I know he’s excited about this challenge, and he’s looking forward to Saturday.”
As for Yeo and Edwards falling just short in the race for the Dally M, Cleary said: “I think they are both deserving of something like that [Dally M].
“It’s a hard one the Dally Ms, it’s subjective opinion, and you can only pick three guys on the field one night.
“These guys are pretty much an eight out of 10 every week.
“Dyl Edwards is definitely [in career-best form], and ‘Yeoy’ has been playing at a high level every week for a long time now. They’re extremely valuable to us.”
Cleary said he didn’t expect his decision to play a weakened team to backfire in the finals.
“In many respects since round 12 our season has been a little bit disrupted, but we’ve got on track and play well and well enough to win games,” he said.
“There’s always a risk with any decision you make.
“I guess it lands on my doorstep, so we’ll see how we go. I’m pretty sure we’ll be OK.”
