NRL grand final 2020: Team lists announced for decider
The Penrith Panthers have re-shuffled their squad ahead of the NRL grand final against the Melbourne Storm this Sunday. SEE FULL TEAMS HERE
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Teams are in for Sunday’s NRL grand final between the Panthers and Storm.
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NRL GRAND FINAL 2020
Panthers v Storm
Sunday 25th October, ANZ Stadium Sydney, 7.30pm
Panthers: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Josh Mansour 3. Brent Naden 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Brian To’o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. James Tamou 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo.
Interchange: 14. Tyrone May 15. Kurt Capewell 16. Moses Leota 17. Zane Tetevano
Reserves: 18. Mitch Kenny 19. Dean Whare 20. Matt Burton 21. Spencer Leniu
Comment: Viliame Kikau (suspension) is a huge inclusion in the back row. Kurt Capewell drops to the bench with Mitch Kenny out of the 17. Brent Naden has been named to start at centre despite losing the spot to Tyrone May on game day last week. Apisai Koroisau (shoulder) has been named at hooker despite leaving the field last week.
Storm: 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Suliasi Vunivalu 3. Brenko Lee 4. Justin Olam 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Cameron Smith 10. Christian Welch 11. Felise Kaufusi 12. Kenneath Bromwich 13. Nelson Asofa-Solomona
Interchange: 14. Brandon Smith 15. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 16. Dale Finucane 17. Nicholas Hynes
Reserves: 18. Tom Eisenhuth 19. Paul Momirovski 20. Tiu Kamikamica 21. Ryley Jacks
Comment: No changes from the side that hammered the Raiders.
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NADEN WILL FIGHT FOR STARTING SPOT
An upbeat Brent Naden says he wants to fight his way back into Penrith’s starting team for Sunday night’s NRL grand final against Melbourne, adamant he was not upset or angry with coach Ivan Cleary for dropping him for Tyrone May.
Cleary caught many by surprise when it was announced before the game that May would be elevated into the starting side against South Sydney for the preliminary final at Naden’s expense.
But rather than kick stones, Naden said the competition within the squad is what makes this young Panthers’ team what it is.
Asked if he was heartbroken to be told he wouldn’t be starting, he conceded: “A little bit.
“But would you rather be still named in the 17 or sitting watching it not in the squad?”
And given he was just a week away from giving up on his NRL dream last year before he got a first grade call-up, he’s not about to give up on himself now he is just days away from potentially playing in a grand final.
“I reckon that is what has made this team so much better,” Naden said about the competition for positions.
“They are teammates but you fight for spots as well, and no one gets upset about it or anything.
“It brings the best out in each other.
“I probably celebrated more than the boys did. I think the boys were too battered and bruised.”
Naden revealed Cleary had in fact told him that he wouldn’t be in the run-on team at the start of the week but he had to keep it a secret.
The coach had told him he needed to work on some defensive issues that were exposed against the Roosters.
But despite May’s outstanding performance in the win over the Rabbitohs, Naden remains hopeful he can fight his way back this week.
“It is my goal to get back into the starting squad,” he said.
“He gave me a few things to work on.
“Hopefully I can work on those through the week and hopefully prove to him I can get back into the squad.”
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Naden was close to quitting last year when he was playing NSW Cup before out of nowhere he was called up to make his NRL debut.
He said it is just a dream come true for a boy born in Wellington NSW to be now living a grand final dream.
“I was always outdoors doing something,” he said of his childhood.
“I would never be indoors on PlayStation.
“I would be always running up and down the river. Swimming in the river. Down the skate park. Out working with Pop. Out fishing with Dad. Just doing all those sort of things.”
He said of the mateship within this group: “I think we are all pretty much the same blokes who want the same thing.
“I am looking forward to the week.”
KIKAU’S SIDELINE SECRET REVEALED
Saturday’s preliminary final turned Viliame Kikau from a wrecking ball into a nervous wreck as suspension forced the Penrith enforcer to watch in anguish from the sideline.
Kikau missed the clash after he copped a one-match ban for a dangerous throw charge against Sydney Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves in week one finals series.
The Fijian powerhouse told The Daily Telegraph he felt everything from devastation to complete elation, watching his side beat South Sydney 20-16 to qualify for the grand final.
As the Panthers arrived at ANZ Stadium and started their preparations, Kikau couldn’t bear to stay in the dressing room with the rest of his teammates.
So he made his way out onto the field with around 50 minutes to go before kick off.
But rather than find respite, he initially felt devastated at the reality he wasn’t going to be playing in the Penrith’s biggest and most important game of the season.
“That was the first time I had done that. Usually when I’m not playing, I’m just sitting down with the change room with the boys,” Kikau said.
“I just walked out onto the field. I walked out and saw all the Panthers fans … I was devastated for myself.
“I was just thinking I was I’m missing out on this big occasion but in the back of my mind I had a feeling the boys were going to get the win.”
That heartache turned into elation at the full-time whistle but even then Kikau would not allow himself to celebrate until the result was made official.
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“It was the best feeling ever when I heard the whistle at the 80th minute,” he said.
“Some of the boys were already celebrating but there was still two seconds to go and Adam Reynolds put that big kick up … they were all celebrating and I was just standing there waiting for the ref to blow the whistle, that’s how nervous I was.
“Then walking up this morning, it was the best feeling ever.”
Kikau was so nervous on Saturday night he revealed he spent the entire 80 minutes profusely sweating.
“I was all over the place, I was proper sweating, it was a bit humid but I think I was sweaty as from the nerves,” Kikau said.
“I was so nervous the whole 80 minutes and I was definitely nervous throughout the week too but I didn’t want to show the boys but deep down that’s how I was feeling.”
While Kikau kept his finals anxiety from his teammates, at first he struggled to keep his disappointment over the guilty verdict at the judiciary a secret.
“I had a feeling that I had let the team down for doing that [getting suspended]. But throughout the week, all the boys were talking to me, trying to help me out because I was pretty down that day,” Kikau said.
“They were telling me they were going to bring it home for me. And now we are in the grand final.”