The premiers flexed their muscle in a nine-try demolition of the Raiders and will look to keep the roll going when they host the Sea Eagles at Bluebet Stadium on Saturday.
With Nathan Cleary running the show and Brian To'o running for 235 metres the Panthers moved on quicky from the disappointment of a golden point loss to the Eels in Round 4 to take their record to 2-2 for the season.
The Sea Eagles also had their attack working in a free-flowing contest against the Knights in Mudgee but were forced to settle for a draw after 90 minutes of pulsating action.
Superstar fullback Tom Trbojevic put on a show for the packed house at Glen Willow Oval with a staggering 297 running metres and three try assists as he served notice that his injury dramas are well and truly in the past a second Dally M Medal could be in his future.
With so many threats across the park, both defences will need to be on high alert, and that's one area where the Panthers have excelled in their march to back-to-back titles.
After conceding just 12 points per game across the regular season in 2021 they gave up 13.75 points a match in 2022 and so far this season have restricted their rivals to just 52 points in four matches at 13ppg.
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Team News
Panthers: The Panthers are 1-17 with no late changes. Prop James Fisher-Harris has been sidelined for five weeks by a knee injury suffered against the Raiders, his place taken by Matt Eisenhuth. Hooker Soni Luke is back on deck after suffering a concussion in Round 4 so Tyrone Peachey goes back to 18th man.
Sea Eagles: No further changes on game day after Josh Schuster (quad) was ruled out on Friday. Kaeo Weekes moves into the starting side at five-eighth with Cooper Johns added to the interchange. Speedster Jason Saab will play his first game of the season having recovered from a knee injury, taking over from Christian Tuipulotu (knee). The injury to Ben Trbojevic (hamstring) sees Karl Lawton join the bench. Samuela Fainu is 18th man.
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Stat Attack
- The Panthers have won their past six games against the Sea Eagles.
- The Sea Eagles have not won at BlueBet Stadium since 2018.
- Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary requires seven points for 500 at BlueBet Stadium.
- Only five Sea Eagles players have experienced an NRL victory at BlueBet Stadium.
- Panthers winger Brian To’o has scored three tries in his past three games against the Sea Eagles.
- Manly winger Reuben Garrick leads the NRL in line breaks with nine.
Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.