'Busted' Panthers' silver lining for grand final

3 years ago 364

Eighth Immortal Andrew Johns believes clubs should instrumentality large involvement successful an up-and-coming youngster that has been called upon to assistance the "busted" Panthers up of Sunday's NRL expansive final.

Mid-year Panthers enlistee Tevita Pangai Junior ruled himself retired of the play decider owed to injury, preferring not to propulsion himself unnecessarily portion 21-year-old Kiwi Spencer Leniu was waiting successful the wings, acceptable and raring to go.

Johns has small religion Penrith tin topple South Sydney successful the expansive final, with injuries stacking up successful the squad leaving them "busted", but the league fable saw Leniu arsenic a imaginable prima successful the making.

"I applaud Tevita for making the telephone aboriginal truthful it's not a disruption. The young feline Spencer Leniu... if I was a nine he's a feline I'd beryllium buying," Johns said connected Wide World of Sports' Immortal Behaviour.

"I deliberation he's a tremendous talent."

Along with Pangai Junior, Brian To'o is carrying an ankle wounded that had him successful a formed this week, Nathan Cleary's enarthrosis isn't 100 per cent, James Fisher-Harris is dealing with a genu ailment and fullback Dylan Edwards is successful a moonboot and connected crutches.

Johns said Pangai Junior's lack is simply a "massive loss" for Penrith, fto unsocial what the remainder of the hobbling squad are battling through. In a choky expansive last clash, John believes the Rabbitohs volition borderline the Panthers by conscionable 4 points.

"Without a uncertainty Souths are fresher and healthier which I deliberation gets them implicit the line," Johns predicted.

"It's going to beryllium thing successful it, I'm conscionable disquieted however busted Penrith are.

"Souths rested players successful the past round, they had a truly pugnacious crippled against Penrith, past they had the week off, past they had a brushed triumph against Manly. In those 4 weeks they've had 1 pugnacious game.

"Penrith didn't remainder players, [and had a] existent pugnacious crippled against Souths, a existent pugnacious crippled against Parramatta, they went to warfare against Melbourne - that's 3 truly pugnacious games successful a row. So I deliberation the fresher Souths, that's the advantage."

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