Dominic BrockUpdated July 3, 2026 — 7:56pm,first published 7:28pmYour say: Panthers or Rabbitohs?By Latest Posts7.56pmTo’o has bounced back from Origin dumping: ClearyBy Penrith coach Ivan Cleary says Brian To’o has put the frustration at his NSW Origin axing behind him ahead of tonight’s contest with the Rabbitohs.“He’s obviously disappointed, but he’s bounced back,” Cleary tells Nine’s Andrew Johns before kick-off.Cleary says turning around the Panthers’ scratchy recent form – they’ve suffered back-to-back losses in Queensland against the Titans and Cowboys – has been a bigger priority this week than coping without their absent Origin stars.“Not so much without the Origin stars, just the way we’ve been playing the last couple of weeks,” he says. “The last couple of weeks we haven’t been happy with, so it’s just back to basics for us.” Prior to those losses Penrith had notched seven straight wins, and they have the chance to go on another winning run with games against bottom-eight sides Brisbane, Parramatta and Canberra coming up after tonight’s clash.7.52pmCleary on Origin III: ‘You’re either the hero or the villain’By Tom DecentState of Origin III in Brisbane on Wednesday night, with the series locked at 1-1, looms as one of the biggest games of Nathan Cleary’s decorated career.The biggest? Are we getting ahead of ourselves?“Every game you go into – like grand finals, Origin deciders or Origins in general – you think it’s the biggest game you’ve ever been a part of,” Cleary says. “This is probably no different.”Cleary is under no illusions about what awaits. He speaks calmly about the adulation or criticism that will inevitably be hurled in his direction.7.46pm‘World’s biggest birthday party’ the centrepiece of ‘Jai July’ By Adrian ProszenkoWhen Jai Arrow turns 31, on Sunday, July 12, the guest list includes everyone in the rugby league community. It has been dubbed the “world’s biggest birthday party”, and is part of the month-long “Jai July”, in aid of Arrow as he battles motor neurone disease.Held at Accor Stadium, it will double as South Sydney’s round 19 clash against Newcastle. While both clubs are jockeying for finals berths, given the uphill battle faced by Arrow and his family, there will be more at stake.“This will be a case of the game uniting behind our own,” said ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys. “We are a family.”The game-day initiative is the centrepiece of a raft of activities that will be held in Arrow’s honour during the month of July. There’s a chance to bring two children to the game for free, a half-time performance from The Wiggles, an invitation to come onto the field at full-time and to be part of a world record attempt for the most party hats.7.41pmJenkins’ chance of toppling 91-year-old try recordBy Penrith flyer Tom Jenkins had never heard of Dave Brown until it emerged he was a chance of doing the unthinkable in rugby league – breaking his 91-year try-scoring record this season.Brown scored 38 tries for Easts during the 1935 season in 15 games. Newtown’s Ray Preston bagged 34 tries in 1954, while South Sydney’s Alex Johnston got 30 tries in 2021 and again in 2022.Johnston, who remains the only player in the NRL era to score 30 tries in a season and has 19 this campaign, was meant to go up against Jenkins and Penrith on Friday night before he was grounded by a calf injury.Which leaves Jenkins as the only hope of toppling Brown.Jenkins has 22 tries in 15 games, and requires 17 tries from nine remaining regular-season games, and possibly three or four finals, depending on how Penrith progresses in the finals.Read the full story from Christian Nicolussi7.35pmWatch: Highlights from the last time these teams metBy After Souths got the chocolates against Penrith 28-18 early last season, the Panthers took revenge with a 30-10 walloping in round 20.Pinned post from 7.27pmYour say: Panthers or Rabbitohs?By 7.27pmTonight’s team listsBy Penrith Panthers1. Dylan Edwards 2. Thomas Jenkins 18. Jack Cole 4. Paul Alamoti 5. Brian To’o 6. Blaize Talagi 7. Jack Cogger 8. Moses Leota 9. Freddy Lussick 10. Liam Henry 11. Scott Sorensen 16. Billy Phillips 13. Lindsay SmithBench: 3. Izack Tago 14. Billy Scott 15. Kalani Going 17. Luron Patea 19. Sione Fonua 20. Zakauri ClarkeSouth Sydney Rabbitohs1. Jye Gray 2. Dayne Jennings 3. Latrell Siegwalt 4. Jack Wighton 5. Edward Kosi 6. Cody Walker 7. Ashton Ward 8. Tevita Tatola 9. Brandon Smith 10. Keaon Koloamatangi 11. David Fifita 12. Tallis Duncan 13. Lachlan HubnerBench: 14. Jamie Humphreys 15. Euan Aitken 16. Liam Le Blanc 17. John Radel 18. Matthew Dufty 19. Jayden Sullivan7.27pmWelcomeBy Hello and welcome to our coverage of the Friday night clash between Penrith and Souths at CommBank Stadium. It’s Dom Brock with you on blog duty tonight.Laurie Daley’s most controversial selection decision for his State of Origin III NSW squad was the axing of two-time Brad Fittler Medal-winning winger Brian To’o, who gets his chance to make a statement for the Panthers tonight.He’ll join fellow former Blue Dylan Edwards in a side otherwise lacking its usual star power: Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo and Liam Martin are on Origin duty, while Isaiah Papali’i (concussion) and Luke Garner are also out this week.For the Rabbitohs, skipper Cameron Murray is on Blues duty while Alex Johnston (calf) is sidelined, but Jack Wighton makes his return from a broken arm in the centres.The Panthers are the bookies’ favourites tonight despite the big-name absentees, but Souths have a great chance to knock off the league leaders and bolster their own place in the NRL top eight. Kick-off is at 8pm.1 of 1