Tohu Harris of the Warriors reacts to an injury
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Warriors will close out their three game blitz against top tier opposition when they face the Panthers in Brisbane this weekend.
It’s been back-to-back for the Warriors and things don’t get any easier when they square off against the defending champions on Saturday night.
It’s a familiar opposition for coach Andrew Webster who helped guide Penrith to consecutive titles, though he says there is no extra motivation needed.
“I have learnt just getting in and winning the NRL is the most exciting part. I have got a lot of friends in Penrith and had great times but now I just want to get on with two points for the club fans for everyone.”
He says they won’t focus too much on the stars in the opposition, namely halves combination Nathan Cleary and Jerome Luai.
“I think you can get carried away looking at where they’re their strengths are. They’ve been playing together since they were kids. They work hard, and they know each other’s game really well, they work hard at it and they don’t change it much from week to week.”
Webster says the side is still searching for consistency following a disappointing 14-0 loss to the Roosters in torrential rain last week.
“It’s just about concentration for 80 minutes and then just continuously getting better at it. So we’re gonna fix that this week and we’re gonna get back to our style of football and what works for us and how we do it.”
The Warriors will welcome back skipper Tohu Harris this weekend after he reaggravated an MCL strain against the Storm.
“He’s completely confident he wants it. He wants to play. There’s a process to it. I don’t have any crystal balls on what the future looks like, so when I trust people and and get the right information, and the physios and the doctors are saying yet he’s good to go if he ticks these boxes this way. So that gives me confidence.”
Marcelo Montoya, fresh off resigning with he Warriors, says it was ultimately an easy decision to recommit to the Auckland based franchise.
“I’m pretty lucky to be here to be honest, it’s a great club and a few years ago when they gave me the opportunity from the Bulldogs they didn’t really have anything, no contracts on the table but the Warriors gave me an opportunity, the club took a gamble me and for me it’s that’s what I’m truly grateful for and something that I hold close to my heart to my heart. I really love this club and, and it means a lot to me.”
Not only will he mark a two-year extension to his contract but he will also bring up his 100th NRL appearance, 54 of them for the Bulldogs and 46 for the Warriors.
Marcelo Montoya brings up a century of NRL appearances this weekend.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Now in his seventh season, the Fiji-born 27-year-old is in career-best form averaging almost 160 metres in his nine games this season, ahead of his previous best of 130 metres last season.
The powerhouse winger says he hasn’t given too much attention to the milestone.
“I’m just thinking about my prep during the week and obviously the boys have kind of tipped me up about it but yeah, it’s pretty cool for my family they’ve seen how far I’ve come in terms of my NRL career. For them. it’s pretty special to see that but for me, it’s just another game but I think more on a day I’ll let it soak in after the game but I’ll just prep as usual and put and just put my best foot forward.
Montoya says the Panthers provide another stern challenge.
“It’s a big challenge Penrith are an awesome team and obviously went back to back, so for us, it’s a massive game and we’ll make sure we turn up there and put a good performance on and get the two points.”
With Harris’ return, the starting forward pack has a familiar look with Marata ,Niukore and Jackson Ford reunited in the second row with a front row of Addin Fonua-Blake, Wayde Egan and Bunty Afoa.
Josh Curran who started in the second row on Sunday moves back to the interchange while hooker Freddy Lussick is shifted to the extended bench.
The combination in the outside backs is as it was for Anzac Day with Nicoll-Klokstad behind Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Adam Pompey, Montoya and Edward Kosi.
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