Penrith ready to mimic Storm record as NRL heavyweights

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Penrith ready to mimic Storm record as NRL heavyweights

Penrith sit on the verge of joining Melbourne as the most consistent side of the 21st century, as they eye a fifth top-two finish in as many years.

The Panthers were on Wednesday handed a massive boost for their top-of-the-table clash with the Storm, with Dylan Edwards and James Fisher-Harris cleared to play.

The heavyweight clash comes as the perfect launch pad to the NRL’s race to the finals, with the eyes of the sporting public back home in Australia after the Olympics.

But Penrith and Melbourne could be forgiven for already having one eye on next month.

The Panthers are the first to admit they once sat back and admired Melbourne as the kind of club they wanted to be.

Now, the current Penrith outfit can rightly be mentioned in the same breath as any Storm side of the past.

Thursday night’s match will likely decide this year’s minor premiership, with the winner also all but certain to finish top two and earn a home final in week one.

For Penrith, that would mark another notch on their belt of achievements over the past five years.

Melbourne are the only team to have finished top two on the ladder for five consecutive years this century, doing so for six seasons from 2016-21.

Before that, the last team to achieve the feat was the great Manly side of the early 1970s, who finished top two for seven straight seasons from 1970-76.

“That’s humbling, really,” coach Ivan Cleary said.

“We’re pretty new at this compared to (Melbourne). You get consistent because it is a day in, day out thing.

“I certainly value consistency. Melbourne have been an inspiration for us. They are the type of the club we would like to become.

“As long as I have been around, Melbourne have been top of the tree or close enough. This year is no different.”

Thursday night’s match looms as a potential grand final preview for both sides, who can ensure they are on opposite sides of the draw if they finish top two and win in the first week of finals.

Data shows the eventual premiers have beaten their grand final rivals in their last regular-season dress rehearsal in four of the past five seasons.

“If you meet them down the track, the games mid-season have some relevance,” Cleary said.

“It depends how the game goes. Every game is different. What is important is you are playing well when the finals come around.

“This time of the year is a really good test and good challenge for us for things to come.”

Edwards’ return from a knee injury will mean Penrith have their first-choice spine together for only the fifth time this season, and the first time since May.

“You want your best players ******* this time of year. It’s just good to have them back. Got a few games to get them ******* for the finals,” Cleary said.

“The thing about the biggest games is you don’t get a lot of opportunities, and you want to make sure they are connecting well.

“Fortunately they have played together a lot before, but I don’t know when they played together last.”

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