NRL Grand Final 2021 Teams: Tevita Pangai Jr ruled out of decider
Ruling himself out ahead of what would have been the biggest game of Tevita Pangai Jr’s life pales in comparison to the personal tragedy he has already faced.
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Penrith forward Tevita Pangai Jnr has selflessly ruled himself out of the NRL grand final to give Panthers local junior Spencer Leniu a chance to play in Sunday’s decider at Suncorp Stadium.
But Pangai Jnr said the decision to rule himself out of what would have been the biggest game of his life pales in comparison to the heartbreak he and his wife Anna suffered when the couple lost their daughter six weeks ago.
Pangai Jnr and his partner were forced to say goodbye to the couple’s first child after daughter, Georgia Lose Galilee Pangai, was delivered stillborn at 24 weeks in August.
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The 25-year old said the tragedy put missing a chance to play in the grand final into perspective.
“Only my life experiences can help me with that, this is like nothing to me, I lost my daughter,” Pangai Jnr said.
“To be honest, losing my daughter six weeks ago, this [joining Penrith] has been a big distraction for me. I’m thankful for the club. I could have had the season off but to come [here] and join the team it has been good for me and my wife.”
A mid-season signing from Brisbane, the injury effectively ends his time at the Panthers before he joins Canterbury for next season.
Pangai Jnr was in a race against the clock to be fit for Sunday’s clash with South Sydney after the prop suffered a knee injury in Penrith’s 10-6 preliminary final win over Melbourne.
Scans revealed Pangai Jnr had suffered a grade two medial injury to his left knee.
A Penrith official told News Corp that coaching staff were willing to give Pangai Jnr until game day to prove his fitness even after the scan results.
But after meeting with coaching staff Pangai Jnr made the call to pull out of the match.
The forward’s withdrawal has opened the door for local junior Leniu to take the field on Sunday.
Leniu didn’t earn a place in last year’s grand final after illness robbed him of a chance to take on Melbourne in 2020. Leniu had been named to play in last year’s preliminary final against the Rabbitohs but was a late omission due to the flu. It ultimately cost him a chance to play in a grand final.
Pangai Jnr said Leniu deserves his chance at playing in the decider.
“When I came off [against Melbourne], I had a feeling I wasn’t going to play,” Pangai Jnr said. “Plus we have a good young player in Spencer Leniu who deserves his opportunity as well, a Panthers junior and he is playing good footy.
“[I’m] just happy that the boys got to get to another grand final and hopefully they get the win. It’s a team sport.
Penrith’s other major injury concern Brian To’o is in some doubt for Sunday’s game.
The Panthers trained at Sunshine Coast Stadium in front of fans on Tuesday evening but only did a ‘walk-through session’.
To’o took part in the light drills session but was still sporting an ankle brace.
Fullback Dylan Edwards arrived in a moon boot and on crutches. Edwards watched from the sidelines. “I’m alright, it’s worse than it looks,” Edwards replied when asked about the seriousness of his foot injury.
2021 NRL GRAND FINAL TEAMS
RABBITOHS V PANTHERS
Sunday 3 October, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane 7:30pm
PANTHERS: 1. Dylan Edwards, 2. Stephen Crichton, 3. Paul Momirovski, 4. Matt Burton, 5. Brian To’o, 6. Jarome Luai, 7. Nathan Cleary, 8. Moses Leota, 9. Api Koroisau, 10. James Fisher-Harris, 11. Viliame Kikau, 12. Kurt Capewell, 13. Isaah Yeo
Bench: 14. Tyrone May, 15. Scott Sorensen, 16. Spencer Leniu, 17. Liam Martin
Reserves: 18. Brent Naden 19. Mitch Kenny 20. J’Maine Hopgood, 21. Charlie Staines
Team news: Late season recruit Tevita Pangai Jr (knee) is out after suffering a grade two medial ligament injury against the Storm. Moses Leota’s return offsets the pain somewhat for the Panthers and young tyro Spencer Leniu comes into the team. Brian To’o named to start, Brent Naden goes to the reserves and Charlie Staines comes in to the reserves also.
RABBITOHS: 1. Blake Taaffe, 2. Alex Johnston, 3. Dane Gagai, 4. Campbell Graham, 5. Jaxson Paulo, 6. Cody Walker, 7. Adam Reynolds, 8. Mark Nicholls, 9. Damien Cook, 10. Tevita Tatola, 11. Keaon Koloamatangi, 12. Jaydn Su’A, 13. Cameron Murray
Bench: 14. Benji Marshall, 15. Jacob Host, 16. Thomas Burgess, 17. Jai Arrow
Reserves: 18. Taane Milne, 19. Patrick Mago, 20. Braidon Burns, 21. Jed Cartwright
Team news: Unchanged from the squad that beat Manly.
———
To’o was in a jovial mood when he arrived at Penrith’s grand final media session in a wheelchair on Monday, with his left ankle heavily strapped and in a brace.
But when asked about the severity of his ankle injury To’o told News Corp he ‘wasn’t sure’ if he would be fit enough to play against the Rabbitohs.
The winger returned to the field against Melbourne after he was ruled out for the Parramatta clash in week two of the finals.
To’o said his ankle had swelled up after a gruelling encounter with Melbourne in the preliminary final.
“It’s the same I had surgery on … I’m just trying to get rid of the pain, after the game it was pretty sore but hopefully I will be all right for this week’s game,” To’o said.
“I’m still hanging in there for one last game. I didn’t need to needle it [against the Storm], I’m just trying to look after it throughout the week and it felt pretty sore after the game.”
Panthers forward Viliame Kikau said it would be a crushing blow if To’o was ruled out of the decider.
“I hope he will be OK to play,” he said.
“I don’t know how bad his injury is but if he isn’t good to go then the coaches will have to pick the best 17 to represent us this weekend. He is such an important part of the side. He racks up 200 metres on a bad day so we need him out there.”
NRL backs Sutton for big game
—Chris Honnery
NRL’s head of football Graham Annesley has put up a spirited defence in appointing Gerard Sutton as the head referee for Sunday’s grand final, despite the veteran match official coming under fire from fans for his officiating in last weekend’s preliminary final.
Sutton copped criticism for a number of decisions in Saturday’s preliminary final between Melbourne and Penrith – most notably the placement of a Nathan Cleary conversion.
After Penrith winger Brian To’o scored in the corner, Cleary appeared to take the kick at goal approximately five metres from the spot where it should have been taken.
Despite the blunder, the 42-year-old has been named to referee the premiership decider at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, in what will be his seventh grand final appearance as a match official.
Annesley leapt to the defence of Sutton on Tuesday, describing Sutton as “a big game referee”.
“One of the things about Gerard Sutton’s appointment, is that he has long been acknowledged as the number one referee in the game,” Annesley said.
“He’s not let us down in the past. He has refereed multiple grand finals. He refereed the entire Origin series this year.
“Just like some players are big game players, he’s a big-game referee.
“Experience is very important in these games. In big games, you need people who are not going to be overawed … and we’re confident he will deliver for us again on the weekend.”
Sutton himself admitted the referees weren’t always perfect, with the level of technology on the field in today’s game, but was confident in his ability to referee this weekend.
“We always know there’s going to be some focus on the match officials,” Sutton said.
“We’re out there to do the best we possibly can.
“We’ll be doing everything possible to ensure it’s about the players because at the end of the day, we want them to determine the result and if we go unnoticed, that would be great for us.
“In every game, there’s always decisions that are debatable or contentious.
“The reality is, with 16 cameras, we’re never going to be perfect but we’re always looking to improve and that will be no different this week.”
Sunday’s decider will be Sutton’s fifth grand final appearance in a row but revealed he still suffered a bout of nerves leading into the match.
“I’d be concerned if I wasn’t nervous,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve been there or what you think the game is going to present, it’s a huge occasion.
“It’s one that you put a lot of time and effort in trying to reach and you want the best possible outcome. Yeah, there’s always nerves but the key is using that to narrow your focus and channel it towards a positive performance.”
The NRL also announced David Munro and Todd Smith as the touch judges while Grant Atkins will operate the Bunker on Sunday.
Reynolds sticks to GF fitness plan
—Peter Badel, Travis Meyn
Wayne Bennett has urged the Broncos to give Adam Reynolds the club’s captaincy as the departing South Sydney skipper prepares to make a gutsy NRL grand final farewell.
Reynolds will carry a groin injury into Sunday’s premiership decider against Penrith at Suncorp Stadium after admitting he will not be 100 per cent fit for his last game in Souths colours.
Reynolds trained separately to his teammates at Tuesday’s open session on the Gold Coast and failed to take part in any match simulation practice.
The star halfback declared himself a certain starter but admitted he would not be at his peak for the big game after struggling through last weekend’s preliminary final win against Manly.
“I’m feeling good,” Reynolds said. “I ran a bit today, I still have a few boxes to tick to get through the week,” he said. “I ran at about 80 per cent. I’ll have more physio in the coming days but things are progressing well.
“I don’t know if I will get to 100 per cent but I will be pretty close. I have full trust in the Souths’ medical staff. They have a plan in place and I’ve been working around the clock with them non-stop to get the groin right.
“It’s feeling much better. As a kid you dream of being on the big stage so I’m not nervous. I’m excited.”
The grand final will be Reynolds’ 231st and last game for the Rabbitohs before he joins Brisbane next season on a three-year deal.
With Alex Glenn retiring this year, the Broncos’ captaincy is up for grabs and Brisbane is battling a leadership void. But Souths coach Bennett, who coached Brisbane in all six of its premiership triumphs, said Reynolds was the man to lead the Red Hill revolution.
“The answer is an absolute yes 1000 times over,” he said when asked if Reynolds should captain the Broncos.
“I didn’t hesitate when Sam Burgess retired to make Adam captain and if I was at the Broncos, I wouldn’t blink on making him captain again.
“He will bring to the Broncos a lot of things off the field that people won’t see. He comes from a very strong club at Souths and he has matured enormously as a leader of men.
“I’m not sure of the Broncos of today, but the Broncos of yesteryear had the qualities that Souths have today as a club. Adam is going to bring exactly what they need.”
Reynolds is the leading Broncos’ captaincy contender while the likes of Pat Carrigan, Payne Haas and Penrith recruit Kurt Capewell are also leadership options.
Capewell will face-off with Reynolds on Sunday and threw his support behind the No.7 taking charge of Brisbane next year.
“Adam is a tremendous player and he will be an asset for the Broncos next season,” Capewell said. “Adam would be a great captain for the Broncos. He is a real leader and the way he directs a team around the park is very good.”
Latrell adds name to list nobody wants to be on
– Paul Crawley
It’s the moment of madness that will always burn Latrell Mitchell.
As South Sydney’s superstar fullback prepares to join one of rugby league’s most unwanted clubs — players who have missed a grand final through either suspension or injury — Balmain legend Steve “Blocker” Roach has relived his own hurt, explaining why the pain just never goes away.
“You feel like you have let everyone down,” Roach recalled of when he was rubbed out of the Tigers’ team that went down to Canterbury in 1988.
“It was agonising, I can tell you.
“It is that hard. You feel like sh**.”
Some of the others on the list of players suspended for grand finals includes Immortal Arthur Beetson (Balmain, 1969), Greg Pierce (Cronulla, 1978), John Lomax (Canberra, 1994), Luke Ricketson (Roosters, 2004), Cameron Smith (Storm, 2008) and Issac Luke (Rabbitohs, 2014).
Throw in Johnathan Thurston who was injured from the Cowboys team that lost to the Storm in 2017, and Canterbury’s Steve Price who missed the Bulldogs’ 2004 victory (ironically the year Thurston gave him his premiership ring).
Mitchell is of course serving a six-match ban for that shocking hit that left Roosters’ star Joey Manu with a fractured face.
Mitchell’s place in the team has been taken by rookie fullback, Blake Taaffe, who will be playing just his eighth NRL game.
When Mitchell was initially suspended most thought the Rabbitohs’ hopes of having any serious impact on the finals went with him.
But they bravely fought back, scoring that upset win over Penrith in week one of the finals, before knocking out Manly last Friday night to go through to Sunday’s decider at Suncorp Stadium.
At least Mitchell can still provide some much needed grand final week experience, given he’s one of only a handful of current Souths’ players who have made it to the big dance.
Mitchell played in back-to-back grand final wins for the Roosters in 2018-19, while Benji Marshall triumphed for the Tigers in 2005.
Other than that there are only three survivors from the club’s 2014 premiership-winning team including Adam Reynolds, Alex Johnston and Tom Burgess.
Of course, Wayne Bennett has enough experience to lean on but no doubt having Latrell still in camp on the Gold Coast will be an added bonus, although it will be a week of mixed emotions.
Asked how he thinks Latrell will handle this week, Roach explained it won’t be easy.
“The thing is, they are that hard to make so every opportunity is one you don’t get back,” Roach said.
“The feeling that was going through my mind at the time was ‘I will never get another opportunity now’.
“I’d been a one club player. Lucky enough we played again in ’89 but we got beat again. So we lost two in a row.”
With Bennett and Reynolds leaving at the end of the year, there is a suggestion Souths’ premiership window may slam shut for a period after this.
Although at least Latrell gets to watch the game live.
Adding to Roach’s pain was the fact he was in England when the Tigers went down in the ’88 decider after the club came up with a plan to try and hoodwink the game’s bosses but it backfired.
“I got exactly four weeks (for a high shot on Penrith’s Chris Mortimer in a semi-final),” he recalled.
“I was going to Warrington in the off-season so Keith Barnes (former Balmain boss) came up with this great plan for me to go over to England early (to try and serve the remaining games of his suspension).”
The only problem was former league chief John Quayle didn’t fall for it, which left Roach listening to the game on an old landline telephone via a live stream of the radio call by Peter “Zorba” Peters and Greg “Hollywood” Hartley.
“Zorba got Telstra to stream the grand final over to me and I listened to it on the phone in the early hours of the morning via Hollywood and Zorba,” he said.
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