30 YEARS AGO: Gooloogong’s Royce Simmons (pictured with trophy) after winning the 1991 grand final. Forbes Charlie Staines will be hoping his young side can do the same on Sunday. Photo courtesy of NRL.com

It is the grand final no one expected – South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Penrith Panthers at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday and pending last minute changes it appears Forbes Charlie Staines sadly will not be part of the match day 17. It is also 30 years since Gooloogong’s favourite son Royce Simmons held aloft the Provan-Summons trophy.

Simmons, in his last game for the Panthers, scored the winning try in a 19-12 grand final rematch with a star-studded Canberra Raiders side that included the likes of Junee’s Laurie Daley, Mal Meninga, Ricky Stuart and Brad Clyde among others.

Penrith, coming off a massive win over defending premiers Melbourne, will be looking not just for revenge against the Rabbitohs after a 16-10 loss three weeks ago but redemption after losing last year’s decider 26-20 to the Storm. Penrith will be wary after master coach Wayne Bennett ambushed the young side to earn a week off.

However the game plays out it will make for riveting viewing and hopefully the Forbes Ferrari gets a last-minute call up. Now that would be a story!

Our tip – Penrith by a point in a real close one.

It appears Charlie Staines isn’t the only Forbes Ferrari winning on and off the field in Pantherland with Bayden Moran and Billy Phillips both added to the Panthers 2022 SG Ball train-on squad.

It is even more impressive given the disruption to sport in the past two years and the lack of continuity and consistent competition. While Penrith were busy beating Parramatta in the NRL finals last weekend 8-6, the Panthers SG Ball squad was announced via the highly successful Panthers Pathways that has seen the likes of Dubbo’s Matt Burton and others go through the ranks.

The 2022 squad is filled with the majority of players coming from Western Sydney as well as two from Forbes and one each from Cowra, Lithgow, Bathurst and even Queensland.

For Moran and Phillips it is testament to the hard work put in and good performances despite the COVID enforced breaks and interruptions. Forbes was the only club outside Dubbo or Western Sydney with two players selected. Well done!

Having beaten South Sydney the last five times they played, it was always going to be a matter of time before the Rabbitohs bumped into Penrith again and jagged a win. Both teams have been among the top three all year and any Wayne Bennett lead side is too good to not fight back. With Souths it was their defence that needed fixing and that is what won them a classic qualifying final against the Panthers 16-10 on Saturday night.

Playing for the first time in a month, Forbes Ferrari Charlie Staines had an indifferent night for Penrith with a bad defensive read (that led to a try), a tough dropped ball and rustiness due to lack of game time. It also didn’t help that Dylan Edwards and Moses Leota were both scratched at kick-off. Staines will now sit out this week and hope for a start should they win and play Melbourne.

Penrith must beat arch-rivals Parramatta for the right to play Melbourne the following week in a grand final qualifier. Whatever happens it makes for intriguing viewing. Both Penrith and Parramatta have beaten Melbourne this year.

Tip: Panthers 1-12

Forbes Charlie Staines and his Penrith Panthers will line up against third-placed South Sydney for the second time in a month this weekend in a preliminary qualifier that is sure to be the clash of the round.

In recent years Penrith and Souths have met a few times at the business end of the season and the Panthers have now won the last five against the Bunnies including last years grand final qualifier 20-16. There is a real rivalry developing between the sides.

A year on and both teams have improved especially Penrith who finished the regular season with the third lowest average points scored against per game in rugby league history. The Panthers conceded only 286 points – or only 11.9 points against them per game. Given Souths propensity to leak points and Penrith’s ability to stop them it may be a tough night for the Rabbitohs who will also be without superstar fullback Latrell Mitchell.

Hopefully Ivan Cleary selects Staines after a three-week hiatus for the young flyer – his clash with Alex Johnston should be a highlight. With the rust run out against the Eels for many players, this should be a classic and the smart money is on Penrith to get the chocolates again!

Tip: Panthers 1-12

First it was union and now junior rugby league has fallen victim to COVID-19 with the Group 11 Lachlan District Junior Rugby League executive voting to pull the pin on season 2021.

In a statement from the LDJRL, most clubs agreed that for the health and safety of the players and communities the rest of the 2021 season shouldn’t go ahead.

President Mark Whitla said in a statement that the LDJRL were disappointed not to be able to continue, but reinforced it was the right decision to keep everyone safe.

Whitla indicated that the league won’t be announcing premiers, but did say they would acknowledge individuals in each grade as recognition for those who had excelled.

Forbes has two junior clubs – Forbes Magpies and Red Bend College both impacted by the decision and who were both enjoying a successful 2021 season until its cancellation.

Under 16s were most impacted by the decision while other age groups were also at the nitty gritty end of a stop-start season.

It wasn’t pretty and the rust was obvious among a handful of returners but Forbes favourite NRL team the Penrith Panthers clawed their way to a scratchy 30-16 victory over the Wests Tigers in Redcliffe.

As the sides traded tries in the opening 20 minutes, new recruit Tevita Pangai Junior in only his second game for the club, barged over to give the Panthers a vital 12-6 lead at the main break. The former Bronco knocked over three would-be tacklers in an inspirational run that gave Penrith the shot in the arm it needed.

Within three minutes of the resumption, mecurial five-eighth Jerome Luai strolled through some brittle defence and when Vilame Kikau forced his way across after 50 minutes the score was beginning to blow out.

A try to Origin winger Brian To’o who was back for the first time since an ankle injury, was enough to see off the Tigers who battled until the end with two consolation tries of their own. For Penrith, the win means they are now equal with Melbourne on top of the ladder with a derby against Parramatta beckoning to finish the regular season.

Forbes Ferrari Charlie Staines Penrith Panthers were humbled by title rivals and defending premiers Melbourne Storm last Sunday in a COVID rescheduled and contentious game in Brisbane.

With Penrith missing five Origin reps (Cleary, Yeo, To’o and Koraisau) as well as new short-term signing Tevati Pangai Jr, Kiwi prop James Fisher-Harris and Tyrone May – it was always going to be a tall order for the NRL’s youngest side to beat a full strength inform Storm team.

As gallant as the Panthers were, the Storm were far too classy (and lucky) winning 37-10 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. The Craig Bellamy lead side ran in six tries to two flexing their premiership muscle over the Panthers yet mindful that titles aren’t won in August but they can be lost. Penrith will now welcome back some troops for this Saturday against the Roosters while sweating on the outcome of numerous incidents from the weekend’s loss.

With both sides having won once each against each other this season, it sets up a potentially exciting third game which may yet be in the 2021 decider and a 2020 GF rematch. Should that happen, the Forbes Ferrari may just return with a premiership ring.