“It’s been weird the last few weeks – I’ve felt more nerves going into the games, not knowing how we’re going to go,” Nathan Cleary tells Matty Johns with headphones on, microphone in hand.

Jeez, Nathan. Lucky for the rest of rugby league you’re still wondering about this Panthers premiership defence.

Genuinely blessed are we, with another Sunday afternoon affair for this Penrith attack, up against a Broncos outfit that has the firepower to match it.

Sunday’s six-try, 40-minute first-half blitz of what was statistically a Bulldogs’ defence that ranked as the best of 2025, was “at least six weeks in the making”, according to Ivan Cleary.

The place Penrith’s youngsters such as Blaize Talagi and Casey McLean have found within an intricate, all-conquering system was plain for all to see as Canterbury were skewered 38-6 by halftime.

“Blaize is the biggest addition to our spine – the x-factor and running game he brings, he just accelerates everything,” skipper Isaah Yeo says.

Talagi and McLean endured natural........

© Brisbane Times