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How star Panther copes with 'disappointing' errors
Jasper Bruce, AAP • September 9th, 2025 3:30 pm
Penrith's Dylan Edwards says he's ready for the finals despite a patch of sub-par form | Photo: Steven Markham/AAP
There was a time when Dylan Edwards wouldn't have been able to handle heading into the NRL finals in such a "disappointing", error-prone patch of form.
But the Penrith fullback is now remaining calm, insisting he will keep playing his trademark "flat-chat" style, even if it means mistakes here and there.
Usually one of the NRL's most reliable players, Edwards has fallen victim to costly errors in recent weeks, most notably in golden-point losses to Melbourne and Canberra.
He dropped the ball in the first set of extra time against the Storm, then raced out of the line to help allow Melbourne's Harry Grant to score the match-winning try.
A week later, an Edwards knock-on moved the Raiders into position for the try that sent the game to extra time, where the fullback missed a cover tackle as Ethan Strange ran away to steal victory.
On returning from a week's rest, Edwards made three errors as the Panthers beat St George Illawarra to confirm Saturday's do-or-die finals date with the Warriors.
Edwards has undergone some self examination and says his recent errors aren't part of his game | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
"Those errors are not really part of my game generally and they're disappointing," Edwards said.
"But it's a new competition now.
"I've just got to play well from here on out until we finish up, and do the best I can."
Edwards feels better equipped to recover from uncharacteristic mistakes than earlier in his career, having notably come under the spotlight for a particularly error-prone game in 2019.
Against the Storm in Bathurst, the young fullback made six errors and found himself dropped to reserve grade a few weeks later.
"That took a little bit longer," he said of his recovery from that disappointment.
"I didn't have the mental skills, I don't think, to be able to deal with that at the time," he said.
"I obviously built them over a number of years to be able to flush it a bit better and process it a bit better.
"It's just about reflection and just addressing how it happened, and just the sort of self talk and mental repetitions you might be able to get in your head without actually doing it.
"But the ability to just flush it is probably important."
For Edwards, processing unwanted errors also means realising that some mistakes are inevitable playing the game the way he does.
In 2025, no player averaged more run metres, runs or support runs than the Penrith workhorse, who is behind only Connor Tracey for average kick return metres.
Nathan Cleary (left) says he 'wouldn't want to play with any other fullback' than Edwards (right) | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
"You never want to have errors but as long as I'm competing and competing hard, I think I can live with the ones that I'm going flat chat," he said.
"It's the little crappy ones that you get the shits with more.
"Not shying away from contests is important but also just not making them in the first place."
Panthers superstar Nathan Cleary said he'd lost none of his confidence in Edwards despite his tough patch of form.
"I wouldn't want to play with any other fullback," he said.
"He's done it time and time again, and in big games he plays his best so I've got full confidence in Dyl and I absolutely love playing alongside him.
"He's played on the biggest stage and proven himself a number of times so I've got no doubt he'll do that again on the weekend."
