Reece Walsh’s speed unfairly magnified the defensive issues on Canberra’s right edge last week. Still, those issues remain here and they line up against Cronulla’s preferred left edge in attack.
Braydon Trindall was a bold inclusion for the Sharks last Saturday (given the form of Daniel Atkinson the week before) but his ballplaying was superb to feed his winger two tries against a jamming Easts right edge. Trindall and Nicho Hynes also threatened to tip Teig Wilton over a few times playing short at a sliding defensive line and I’m expecting more of the same here.
With Wilton holding up Jamal Fogarty’s inside shoulder while KL Iro and Ronaldo Mulitalo demand attention out wide, the spaces could open up for a sweeping Will Kennedy or for Trindall himself when the Sharks look left in good-ball.
Canberra too will like their chances looking left in attack, particularly given the form of Ethan Strange to close out the regular season.
While the Raiders chaotic attack asks questions at any time and from anywhere on the field, Strange has proven a reliable constant for Canberra down their left edge. A run-first threat who can find a pass at or through the line, Strange will like his chances testing the spaces around Nicho Hynes opposite him in this one.
The Sharks right edge has been spotted at different times throughout the year and their movements and repeat efforts will be challenged by Canberra in the second-phase.
That being said, I still like the Sharks to earn more than enough looks down their own preferred left edge in this one – providing they produce a disciplined yardage game in the lead up.
A patched-together Canterbury backline could present a few opportunities for the clinical Panthers attack on Sunday afternoon.
Nathan Cleary and the Penrith Panthers attack is elite at identifying and then exposing a weakness in the defensive line, and new combinations on either Bulldogs edge could offer them exactly that.
Lachlan Galvin has quickly become a spot for opposing teams. He’s not a poor tackler but is still improving his movements and positioning in the line. Jacob Preston and Stephen Crichton have provided wonderful defensive support for their young half so far but with a new face in the centres (assumed to be Bronson Xerri) this week, it’s an edge unit the Panthers can target.
Bailey Hayward’s smaller body is another spot Penrith will likely test on Sunday afternoon.
The Bulldogs hooker made 50 tackles (for 15 misses) against Melbourne last week as the Storm repeatedly picked him out in yardage. The disruption created by a tackle bust or offload through Hayward in yardage can be the catalyst for Panthers points a few tackles later in the set.
For Canterbury, their NRL-best defensive system has played them into Week 2 of the Finals and they’ll need more of the same to have a chance of playing in the prelims.
Without Crichton popping up in ballplaying actions in good-ball, we can expect most of the Bulldogs attack to come through Toby Sexton and Galvin in this one. It’s not the ideal time to be trialling new combinations but that’s where Canterbury find themselves and they can’t allow it to be an excuse.
Provided the Bulldogs can hold their own in yardage (Matt Burton’s boot can be a point of difference here), they’ll try to drag this one into a grind.
Few teams can beat Penrith at their own game but the best version of this Bulldogs side can do exactly that, starting with their defence.
Repelling the Panthers attack inside-twenty is a more-than achievable task for this Canterbury defensive system. Doing it in consecutive sets while under pressure and fatigue is the challenge – particularly given how Cleary controlled things with his boot last week.