The Panthers will reportedly be without State of Origin and Kangaroos enforcer Liam Martin when they travel to Brisbane for a blockbuster NRL clash with the Broncos on Friday night. According to The Daily Telegraph, Martin won’t be named by Ivan Cleary on Tuesday afternoon due to a calf issue.
The Panthers are said to be playing it safe with the four-time premiership winner, with Martin expected to return in Round 2 against Cronulla. It opens the door for one of Isaiah Papalii, Scott Sorensen or Luke Garner to start in the second row against Brisbane.
The Panthers will be desperate for revenge after being knocked out of the finals last year at the hands of the Broncos. Speaking on Monday, Cleary said it’s somewhat poetic his side get an immediate chance for redemption at the exact same location where their hearts were broken last September.
It’s quite romantic, you turn up to the place we lost, the same game, last year,” coach Cleary said. “I feel like it’s an honour for us.
“We’ve been playing the big teams in the big games, it’s definitely something I feel like that we’ve earned. It’s something to look forward to. I feel like in the past, our team’s been at our best when we’ve been playing big contests.”
Panthers keen to avoid another shocking start in 2026
The Panthers have been given what many have described as a ‘horror’ draw to start 2026. In the first six rounds they play five top-eight sides from last season – the Broncos, Sharks, Roosters, Storm and Bulldogs.
In Round 4 they face a Parramatta team that many believe will improve this year, and in Round 7 it’s a Dolphins side that’s tipped to make the finals in 2026. To make things even trickier, they don’t get a proper home game until Round 4, and even then it’s at Parramatta against the Eels. The Panthers will continue to play their home games at CommBank Stadium this year while a new stadium is being built in Penrith
Cleary’s side will be hell-bent on repeating their nightmare start to the 2025 season, which saw them sitting last after 11 rounds before they got themselves off the canvas to make finals. “We certainly highlighted a couple of things that we feel like will help us be a little more consistent when you’re navigating the early parts of the season,” Cleary said. “To be able to have a good pre-season together as a team, we’re definitely feeling pretty connected.”
