Young Panthers star Blaize Talagi won’t make his club debut in Las Vegas and a fresh new revelation why has come to light.
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For their season opener against Cronulla, the Panthers have named Jack Cole in the No. 6 jersey left vacant by the departed Jarome Luai.
Talagi was expected to assume the Luai’s previous role, but the former Eel’s shoulder still isn’t 100% fit after he went underwent surgery in the off-season.
However, it’s not just the injury which has been holding Talagi back as journalist Brent Read reported on NRL360.
“I think the issue was that he had a shoulder reconstruction in the off-season so he wasn’t with the team all the time on the park but I don’t think he is advanced as maybe they thought he would be in terms of his football knowledge and football nous,” Read explained.
“They are very confident he’ll get there eventually but for the time being, the Panthers believe Jack Cole is the right man to play five-eighth alongside Nathan Cleary.
“Blaize has signed a long-term deal there and he’s only 19 so time is on his side.”
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Talagi is expected to feature prominently for Penrith this season, and while he has been earmarked as the club’s five-eighth of the future, he is versatile in where he can play.
Cole meanwhile has no plans to relinquish his spot to Talagi or anyone, hoping a strong performance in Vegas can help him lock down the No. 6 jersey for a little longer.
“I’m going to try to stay there,” Cole told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“That’s the mindset you’ve gotta have. You can’t just be hoping to play one week and then hoping you’re playing the next week. You’ve gotta want to stay there, so I’m going to try to do that.
“This will help in the sense of me just being able to be my own sort of player.
“I’m not trying to be what Jarome was like. I like watching him and I try to take little bits of his game and put them into mine. I’ve still got a little bit to work on, but I know that I’m going back myself.”
Read on for the NRL Late Mail for Round 1.
SUNDAY MARCH 2
Canberra Raiders vs. New Zealand Warriors at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, 11.00am AEDT
Raiders team: 1. Kaeo Weekes 2. Savelio Tamale 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Sebastian Kris 5. Xavier Savage 6. Ethan Strange 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Corey Horsburgh 9. Tom Starling 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Zac Hosking 13. Morgan Smithies 14. Owen Pattie 15. Simi Sasagi 16. Josh Papali’i 17. Ata Mariota 18. Danny Levi 19. Trey Mooney 20. Ethan Sanders 21. Chevy Stewart 22. Jed Stuart
Players cut:
Late Mail: Zac Hosking has overcome a calf injury and will line up in the back row alongside the two players disciplined from the infamous hotel scuffle in Hudson Young and Morgan Smithies who are set to be fined but won’t miss the season opener.
Warriors team: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Taine Tuaupiki 3. Ali Leiataua 4. Adam Pompey 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita 7. Luke Metcalf 8. James Fisher-Harris 9. Wayde Egan 10. Mitchell Barnett 11. Kurt Capewell 12. Marata Niukore 13. Erin Clark 14. Dylan Walker 15. Jackson Ford 16. Demitric Vaimauga 17. Leka Halasima 18. Samuel Healey 20. Te Maire Martin 21. Eddie Ieremia 22. Bunty Afoa 23. Edward Kosi
Players cut:
Late Mail: To come.
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Penrith Panthers vs. Cronulla Sharks at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, 3.30am AEDT
Panthers team: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Casey McLean 3. Izack Tago 4. Luke Garner 5. Paul Alamoti 6. Jack Cole 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. Lindsay Smith 11. Scott Sorensen 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Daine Laurie 15. Isaiah Papali’i 16. Matt Eisenhuth 17. Luron Patea 18. Brad Schneider 19. Mavrik Geyer 20. Jesse McLean 21. Luke Sommerton 23. Blaize Talagi
Players cut:
Late Mail: Superstars Nathan Cleary, Liam Martin and Dylan Edwards are all set to play after returning from shoulder surgery in time for the season opener. Paul Alamoti has overcome an elbow injury to line up on the wing in place of the injured Brian To’o. Jack Cole will start over Blaize Talagi at five-eighth with the latter still not 100% fit after off-season shoulder surgery.
Sharks team: 1. William Kennedy 2. Samuel Stonestreet 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Kayal Iro 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Oregon Kaufusi 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Cameron McInnes 14. Daniel Atkinson 15. Siosifa Talakai 16. Braden Hamlin-Uele 17. Thomas Hazelton 18. Tuku Hau Tapuha 19. Mawene Hiroti 20. Billy Burns 21. Jayden Berrell 22. Hohepa Puru
Players cut:
Late Mail: To come.
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