VENUE & TIME: CUA Stadium, Sunday, July 11, 3:00pm (AEST)
COVERAGE: Channel 9
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 25, Panthers 14, Warriors 10, draws 1
LAST TIME: Panthers 40-12 at Mt Smart Stadium, Rd 6, 2010
WALKING WOUNDED: The Panthers will have Luke Walsh back after the influential half-back missed Monday night's win over the Dragons with a hamstring strain. Penrith coach Matt Elliott also has his four Origin stars - Petero Civoniceva, Michael Jennings, Luke Lewis and Michael Gordon - back on deck but have lost prop Tim Grant for a lengthy period with an ankle injury. The Warriors are still without exciting winger Kevin Locke and half Brett Seymour but Lance Hohaia returns at fullback from the side that demolished Parramatta 35-6 last weekend.
FORM: Penrith have moved into a share of the competition lead after Monday night's gritty 12-8 away win over the high-flying Dragons. It was the mountain men's fourth win on the trot and confidence is quietly building that this could be the Panthers year to add to their two premiership successes. The Warriors recent form has been just as impressive with three straight wins moving Ivan Cleary's side into the top eight. Last weekend's 35-6 thrashing of the Eels was close to their most complete performance of the year which augurs well for the closing rounds of the season.
WHO'S HOT: An injury at the start of the season meant it took almost two months for Wade Graham to establish himself in the Panthers starting side but the classy pivot has made up for lost time in recent weeks. With half-back Luke Walsh missing last round, the 19-year-old slipped into the No.7 jersey and showed all his class by scoring a try and guiding his side around the park. The Warriors were expected to do it tough once half Brett Seymour went down with an injury but in youngster Isaac John they've found a more than able replacement. John's combination with James Maloney in the halves has been a highlight in the New Zealand side's recent resurgence and if it continues to thrive the Warriors will be hard to stop in the run to the finals.
WE THINK: At home and with all their Origin stars on deck it's hard to see anything but a win for the Panthers in this one, despite the Warriors good form. With threats in the backline like Lachlan Coote and Michael Jennings, plus the forward power of Trent Waterhouse, Petero Civoniceva and Luke Lewis means Penrith should ask too many questions for the Warriors defence. The Panthers had too much class in a 40-12 win when the two teams met earlier this season and while it should be a much closer tussle this time, expect the home side to come out on top. Panthers by 10.
TEAMS:
Penrith Panthers: Lachlan Coote, Michael Gordon, Michael Jennings, Adrian Purtell, Brad Tighe, Wade Graham, Luke Walsh, Matthew Bell, Kevin Kingston, Petero Civoniceva [c], Trent Waterhouse, Frank Pritchard, Luke Lewis. Interchange: Travis Burns, Gavin Cooper, Sam McKendry, Nathan Smith, Masada Iosefa, Frank Puletua, Daine Laurie, David Simmons, Sandor Earl (five to be omitted).
New Zealand Warriors: Lance Hohaia, Bill Tupou, Joel Moon, Jerome Ropati, Manu Vatuvei, James Maloney, Isaac John, Jesse royal, Aaron Heremaia, Russell Packer, Simon Mannering [c], Lewis Brown, Micheal Luck. Interchange: Ian Henderson, Ben Matulino, Jeremy Latimore, Sione Lousi, Ukuma Ta'ai (one to omitted).