Penrith Panthers stars Nathan Cleary and Dylan Edwards are set to enter the NRL season opener in Las Vegas without any trial game experience, following the club’s decision to cancel a scheduled scrimmage against Melbourne Storm’s feeder club, North Sydney Bears. The scrimmage was initially planned to help key players regain form and fitness ahead of the Panthers’ clash with Cronulla on March 2. However, with the Bears’ roster depleted due to player call-ups for a Storm trial in New Zealand, Penrith deemed the match unfit for their preparation.
Coach Ivan Cleary expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation, stating that the club was looking for a competitive hit-out, but North Sydney’s weakened squad did not meet expectations. “We wanted a decent quality team, and Norths were the best option. [But] we didn’t really get what we thought we were going to get,” Cleary told the Sydney Morning Herald. Despite North Sydney’s willingness to proceed, the Panthers opted out, likening the match-up to “the grand final winner playing against a Ron Massey team.”
The cancellation is particularly concerning given that both Cleary and Edwards are recovering from off-season shoulder surgeries and were slated to test their fitness in the scrimmage. Their readiness for the season opener remains uncertain, although the coaching staff appears cautiously optimistic. Other players, such as Liam Martin and new recruit Blaize Talagi, are also recovering from surgeries, leaving the team with several question marks ahead of the season’s start.
Penrith’s limited pre-season schedule further complicates matters. While the team participated in the ‘pre-season challenge,’ many of the regular first-graders, including Cleary and Edwards, did not feature prominently. The Panthers’ next official trial against Manly on February 21 won’t see full participation from the first-team squad, as they will already be in Las Vegas preparing for the showdown with the Sharks.
Despite the setbacks, coach Ivan Cleary remains confident in his team’s ability to adapt. While acknowledging the benefits of a trial game for players returning from injury, he emphasized that the team’s focus is on ensuring their stars are healthy and ready for the high-stakes season opener. Fans, however, will be eagerly watching to see how the lack of preparation impacts the Panthers’ performance in Las Vegas.
