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Farce or fair? Panthers resting 16 players divides NRL world
Charles Goodsir • August 27th, 2025 1:12 pm
The Penrith Panthers have divided the NRL world after it was confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that 16 players will be rested for Thursday night’s clash against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
After consecutive golden point defeats to the second placed Melbourne Storm and first placed Canberra Raiders, the Panthers have fallen to seventh position on the ladder and are unlikely to finish in the top four with two rounds remaining.
Playmaker Brad Schneider is the only holdover from the Round 25 defeat to the Raiders. SEN’s Greg Alexander, who also serves as a board member for the Panthers, has thrown his support behind coach Ivan Cleary’s decision to rest key players ahead of the finals.
“Isn’t it all about winning the competition?” Alexander asked on* SEN 1170 Breakfast*.
“The reasons for the decision is about giving Penrith the best chance to win a Premiership.
“No team has ever won the competition from outside the top four and Penrith will need to win four straight matches to get there.
“Penrith resting players now maximises that possibility of winning those four matches.
“After being last on the ladder at the end of Round 12, they have essentially been playing in do-or-die matches for 12 weeks straight.
“They will have a six-day turnaround as well going into this game against the Bulldogs and that’s three six-day turnarounds in the past four weeks.
“Penrith have also faced eight teams coming off the bye this season.
“Five of the players that lined up on the weekend for Penrith had to carry the load of State of Origin.
“It doesn’t matter which team it is. I understand that clubs should be playing their best players but you are playing to win the competition. That’s your aim at the start of the year.
“If things have to happen on the way through, as long as they are within the rules and it gives you your best opportunity, I don’t care if it’s Penrith or anyone else.
“Over the past four years, the strategy that Ivan has had over resting players has played a pivotal role in winning Premierships.
“I agree with the decision that Ivan Cleary has made.”
The Panthers line-up for Thursday night has a collective of just 412 first grade games including four debutants and two club debutants.
The Bulldogs and Panthers met earlier in the year in one of the games of the season. Penrith emerged 8-6 victors in a gripping affair in Round 17.
SEN’s Andrew Voss laments that the highly anticipated rematch between these two sides won’t live up to the hype given 1,943 games of experience for Penrith will be watching on from the sidelines.
“I don’t think you can argue it because it is in the rules,” Voss said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“I’ve got to be honest that I don’t like it. In fact, I hate it.
“I’m a rugby league fan and I want these big matches.
“I can’t dodge my own heart because I want the best teams playing.”
Round 26 begins with the Bulldogs hosting the Panthers at Accor Stadium on Thursday night.
