Storm throw spanner in Panthers’ Vegas preparations

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The premiers had reached out to the Bears after the NRL failed to schedule them in the Pre-season Challenge this weekend. Instead, Penrith will play a trial against Manly a week on Friday – when the bulk of their squad will be on the other side of the world.

It is not uncommon for senior players to skip pre-season games, but several Panthers underwent off-season surgeries, while Cleary also would have welcomed the chance to see his new No.6. Blaize Talagi, Jack Cole and Daine Laurie are some of the contenders to wear Jarome Laui’s vacant jumper.

Cleary senior said he was content with his son and Edwards going in first-up against Cronulla without a hit-out, but he would have preferred Martin to play some minutes beforehand.

The Sharks intend to give most of their NRL players some game time in a trial against fellow Vegas-bound club Canberra on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Storm skipper Harry Grant confirmed Xavier Coates was on track for a round-one return, despite suffering an ankle injury at training last Thursday which resulted in him being taken away on the back of a medicab.

Bold Gamble: Knights five-eighth backs club’s pursuit of Dylan Brown

Robert Dillon

Newcastle five-eighth Tyson Gamble believes it would be a smart move by his club to sign Parramatta playmaker Dylan Brown, even it adversely impacts on his own selection prospects.

The Knights are reportedly pondering a huge play for Brown, who has a get-out clause in his contract with the Eels that he can potentially activate by round 10 to become a free agent at season’s end.

The New Zealand international has spent the majority of his career at five-eighth – Gamble’s preferred position. Gamble said he had noted the speculation about Brown but wasn’t losing any sleep.

Indeed, he encouraged Newcastle officials to swoop on the 24-year-old. “He’s a special player, Dylan Brown,” Gamble said.

“He’s played for the Kiwis at a young age, and he’s a hell of a professional. If the club do go after him, I think that’s a very good decision.”

Queried about how that might affect his own career path, Gamble replied: “There’s no point in me worrying about that.

“To be honest, it’s not for this year and we’re still not even playing trial games yet. I’ve just got to worry about how I’m training and hopefully get myself in that team for round one.”

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Gamble’s teammate Dane Gagai agreed that Brown would be a handy recruit but expressed faith in Newcastle’s current crop of playmakers, which also includes Jackson Hastings, Jack Cogger, Will Pryce and potentially Fletcher Sharpe.

“Dylan Brown is a good player, no doubt,” Gagai said. “But I think the halves we already have at the club have been doing a great job.

“We’re in a good position when you have four or five guys competing for a couple of spots. That’s pushing them all along. It’s obviously up to the club who they want to recruit, but I have full confidence in our halves.”

Knights skipper Kalyn Ponga, who may well be the main beneficiary if Brown was to become a teammate, said: “Obviously he’s a quality player, so there are probably a lot of clubs interested in him. We’ll see what happens there, I guess.”

Gamble, who has played 38 top-grade games since joining the Knights from Brisbane in 2023, was willing to play in multiple roles.

“I’ve done it before in the NRL, and it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had to change,” he said. “I told the coach when I came to Newcastle I’m happy to play wherever he needs me. I’ll play in the middle and take a kick-off return if he wants me to. That’s the attitude I’ve always had.”