Friday, ANZ Stadium, 7.45pm
Referee: Jared Maxwell

The Dragons, who have won four in a row, resume after the bye against a Panthers side that was on a roll before coming undone with back-to-back losses to the Sharks and Roosters. The Panthers found out where they really stood in those two games. If they are to make the finals they are going to have to work damn hard and will probably need some key results involving other teams to go their way as well, in the closing rounds. The Dragons are looking pretty solid. They have had the benefit of a draw which saw them play the Storm and the Broncos before Origins I and II respectively, when the Dragons had a few star players out but their opponents had many more missing, but all you can do is win.

The Panthers are bound to pump themselves right up for this game, because they have dropped out of the top eight and badly need to win, but it will be hard for them if the Dragons remain as disciplined as they have been recently. Luke Lewis got some deserved praise for his first few games after switching to halfback for the Panthers, but he has come back to the field recently.

LATE MAIL
Penrith may blood 17-year-old schoolboy Wade Graham against St George Illawarra if, as expected, centre Michael Jennings succumbs to an ankle injury. Graham is on standby, with Maurice Blair tipped to switch to the centres in Jennings's place, allowing the Toyota Cup star to slot in alongside Luke Lewis in the halves. Front-rower Tony Puletua, not named in the squad, remains an unlikely starter (rib damage).

The Dragons are expected to be 1-17, meaning Kirk Reynoldson, Jon Green and Jarrod Saffy will drop off the seven-man bench.
Glenn Jackson

DRAGONS: Brett Morris, Jason Nightingale, Mark Gasnier (capt), Matt Cooper, Josh Morris, Jamie Soward, Ben Hornby, Justin Poore, Dean Young, Jason Ryles, Beau Scott, Ben Creagh, Stuart Webb. Interchange: Lagi Setu, Dan Hunt, Chase Stanley, Rangi Chase, Kirk Reynoldson, Jon Green, Jarrod Saffy (three to be omitted)

PANTHERS: Rhys Wesser, Luke Rooney, Michael Jennings, Brad Tighe, Jarrod Sammut, Maurice Blair, Luke Lewis, Petero Civoniceva (capt), Keith Peters, Matthew Bell, Frank Pritchard, Trent Waterhouse, Nathan Smith. Interchange: Paul Aiton, Tim Grant, Junior Moors, Shane Rodney.