Extra Time August 6 2026

Extra Time

JACK’S TIME

MATCH PREVIEW

THE FINAL WORD

There has been no conversation at all this season about Penrith being the “real deal”.

You know, that moment in a year when a contender stands up to be counted; when the rest of the competition suddenly wakes up to what that team’s fans probably already knew, or at least hoped.

The reason that conversation hasn’t happened is because it’s just a given at Penrith. We know the Panthers are contenders, indeed more than that – they have been premiership favourites all season.

It is not hard to understand why Penrith sit a rung above every other team when it comes to title predictions. Experience, results, overall squad, Nathan Cleary. End of conversation.

But in the last few weeks, a bunch of teams have stood up and had their “real deal” moments. The Roosters, Sharks and Warriors have all declared themselves serious chances of being there on the first Sunday in October.

And over the next two weeks, the Panthers will face two of them – starting with the Warriors in Auckland this Friday night in the always-enticing 6pm twilight slot.

I’m not about to say Penrith need to win these next two games against the Warriors and Roosters. Ivan Cleary’s side doesn’t have to prove anything. But if they did lose both of them, I admit I’d start to have a little bit of an uncomfortable shuffle in my seat.

At this time of year, you want to be winning. And you want to be winning against your fellow contenders.

The Warriors were red hot against the Titans last week, though Gold Coast are a hard side to

draw a form line against. They’re either on or they’re not, and they certainly had the switch firmly flicked to off last Saturday.

Penrith meanwhile had a slow start but for the bulk of the game were brilliant against Canberra – Nathan Cleary delivering another five-star performance and his partnership with Jack Cogger working well.

As much as I think Blaize Talagi has a huge future in the NRL and at Penrith, I like what Cogger offers. A solid second kick option, a safe pair of hands, a reasonable defender.

His presence also tends to unlock Cleary’s running game.

The loss of Casey McLean for this match is a big blow. While Penrith has an experienced Izack Tago ready to fill the void, there’s no question that Tago has been off this year –partly forced by some personal issues over the off-season.

This is Tago’s opportunity to stand up and be counted. No more mucking around, own this game and own the opportunity – and prove to everyone you’re worthy of a spot in the 17. Mt Smart Stadium will be rocking on Friday night. And Penrith’s slow starts in some recent matches will not quieten the atmosphere if it happens again, so being switched on from the outset will be critical. Take the crowd out of the game early, and let the Warriors play catch-up. I like this Warriors side. They have a grit and determination about them that very few coaches have been able to discover in the past. This is a serious footy side, with a whole bunch of in-form players.

But I think if Nathan Cleary can produce a strong kicking game, Penrith should win. Field position is the key here. An easy win though? Not at all. Down to the wire? Absolutely. Tip: Panthers by 1.

Why Jack’s right man for the job

When Jack Cogger returned to the foot of the Mountains after two years at Newcastle, he thought he’d play most of the season off the interchange bench and be a back-up to Nathan Cleary during Origin time.

Never in his wildest dreams did he think he’d be playing in the five-eighth jumper next to Cleary with a month remaining before the Finals begin.

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary sprung a huge selection shock last week when he dropped regular playmaker Blaize Talagi to NSW Cup and replaced him with the veteran premiership winner in Cogger.

While many people understood the decision due to Talagi’s issues in defence in recent weeks, it was still quite unbelievable considering Penrith’s position at the top of the ladder and how close those all-important September games are.

In his first full game alongside Nathan this season, Cogger was superb – complementing the future Immortal exactly the way Ivan had hoped.

Not only did Cogger set up two tries in the big win, but he kicked well and defended strongly too, making 24 tackles.

Speaking with Extra Time on Tuesday, the 29-year-old said he was pleased with how he played in Mudgee despite admitting to some pre-game nerves.

“If I was nervous, it was probably because of my fitness after coming back from a bye and two weeks suspension. I hadn’t played footy for three weeks,” Cogger said.

“Blaize is a pretty talented kid and I’m sure he’s going to come back”

“I was just worried about my match fitness. A couple of times I was puffing but overall, I think it was a pretty good transition back into the team.

“I was given the opportunity to play a role and do it well and that was the goal going into the game. I think I achieved that.”

While Cogger received plenty of praise from his coach post-match, he also missed eight tackles – proving that playing with the ‘6’ on your back is a challenging position defensively no matter who’s wearing it.

“It’s one of the toughest positions,” Cogger said of playing five-eighth.

“Everyone will say their position is the toughest to defend but you get targeted a lot and a lot of plays are based around your decision-making as well. It’s not just you making contact and your tackling skills, but your actual defensive reads and things like that.

“Everyone on that left edge, myself included on the weekend, I could’ve been better. If you put your self in a better posi tion, make tackles and keep working on it, eventually if you do that, you will reap the rewards.”

Talagi has been named on Penrith’s

extended bench for this Friday night’s clash against the New Zealand Warriors at Go Media Stadium. Whether he gets on the field or not will be down to how the game plays out, but if he doesn’t, Cogger is still backing the 21-yearold former Eel to feature again in first grade sooner rather than later.

“Everyone kind of forgets that there’s not that many people that come into first grade and stay in there for every game,” said Cogger, who’s been dropped many times during his career.

“Blaize is a pretty talented kid and I’m sure he’s going to come back, play and he’s going to have a long and successful career. It’s just part of the journey.”

The Panthers arrived in Auckland on Wednesday, gearing up for their top of the table clash with the in-form Warriors.

Earlier this year, the Panthers got the win over Andrew Webster’s men in Parramatta with Cogger and Talagi steering the ship. This time, Penrith’s Origin contingent have all been named to play.

“It was a really good game earlier in the year at home where it could have gone either way. I think it will be the same over there in New Zealand in Indigenous Round – it’s going to be a big occasion,” Cogger said.

“The Warriors are a hard team to play against. Their style of football is one I really enjoy watching. They’ll be ready for it.”

Tomorrow night’s blockbuster will be the first of three big matches for the Panthers, with the Roosters and Storm also on the radar. Cogger said the tough slate of games will do the boys the world of good heading into Finals.

“It’s a good opportunity to really set you up and play some good footy because those are the teams you’ll be playing come Finals,” he said.

Edgar is living the dream

Back-up Penrith Panthers fullback Jaxen Edgar still can’t believe he gets to play the game he loves with his rugby league heroes.

The 20-year-old from South Penrith played his third first grade game last Saturday night, putting in a solid performance against the Canberra Raiders in beautiful Mudgee.

In the team for injured superstar fullback Dylan Edwards, Edgar knows he’s filling some pretty big shoes but he’s just taking every day in his stride.

“All of this is pretty cool. As a kid, this is all I’ve ever wanted,” Edgar told Extra Time on Tuesday.

“This is definitely a dream and I’m excited for what the future holds.”

Edgar made his NRL debut late last season, playing just six minutes off the bench. While that match against the Bulldogs at Accor Stadium will go down officially as his maiden NRL game, Edgar said his second match –against the Eels in Parramatta a fortnight ago – felt like more of a debut.

“It definitely felt more real. There was a bus that went out there that had 50 of my mates on it, so it was pretty cool to see them after the game and spend some time with them,” Edgar said.

With Edwards also missing last weekend’s game against the Raiders due to a minor shoulder injury, Edgar was bestowed the opportunity to start in his second straight NRL

game, which resulted in the former St Dominic’s student scoring his first NRL try. Edgar’s try on the stroke of half-time was made even more memorable

after it came off the back of a Nathan Cleary pearler of a pass.

“It was pretty cool, to be honest,” Edgar said of his first NRL try.

“Nat put it on a platter for me, to be

honest. All I had to do was run and put it down. But it was pretty cool to see the boys get around me. It felt pretty special.”

Edgar and the Cleary family have shared a bond for many years. Not only did they attend the same high school in Kingswood, but Edgar is long-time friends with Jett Cleary, now a member of the New Zealand Warriors.

“I grew up playing footy with Ivan’s son Jett. I’ve been playing with Jett since we were eight,” Edgar said.

“We started playing OzTag together, we went to Dommies together and played all our footy together – I love Jett!

“We were both pretty naughty at school. We weren’t really the smart ones. We were just there to have fun and play footy.”

This Friday night, Edgar will have his toughest test yet when the top of the table Panthers take on the third-placed New Zealand Warriors in Auckland.

The top four clash is expected to be the game of the round, with Edgar excited for his first trip across the Tasman as an NRL player.

“I’m definitely excited! Any chance I get I’m going to take it with both hands,” he said.

“That’s all I’ve ever dreamed of as a kid, just to play NRL and I’m taking it with both hands.”

Special touch in new garden

Tribute to a legend: A special stump has been installed in the garden at Panthers Rugby League Academy in tribute to Panthers legend John Farragher. The stump is from Farragher’s property in his beloved Gilgandra and now has pride of place outside the Panthers’ administration building. Farragher had a huge impact on Penrith and there will be a massive tribute to him next month when the team wears a special jersey in his honour for the final home game against Wests Tigers.

Celebrating a milestone: Brian To’o celebrated his 150th NRL game in Mudgee last weekend with a huge family contingent in tow. He was given the honour of leading the team out and of course was front and centre for the team song post-game. Unfortunately he’s still chasing his 100th first grade try, still stuck on 99.

Pending wooden spooners St George-Illawarra are building a squad capable of making the Finals next year.

Paper confident of Grand Final appearance: The Western Weekender has commenced advertising sales for its special Grand Final collector’s edition, despite the big game being months away. The paper has produced stunning Grand Final editions over the years and

the heavy lifting for the rugby league media – plenty of whom will be in Las Vegas next March but didn’t take the drive to Mudgee. “Thanks Eloise,” said Panthers coach Ivan Cleary as he departed a presser that had become a one-on-one chat.

Leota’s guilty plea: Moses Leota has avoided suspension after being hit with a crusher tackle charge out of Penrith’s win over Canberra last weekend. The grade one charge over an incident involving Jed Stuart late in the game could have seen him suspended for two games. However, an early guilty plea has ensured he’ll be hit with a monetary fine only.

I’m hearing Penrith is unlikely to be 1-17 for Friday night’s clash with the Warriors in Auckland. Expect some late changes to the Penrith side chasing a big win across the Tasman.

PANTHERS

Age shall not wear these boys

Peter Lang Lang on League

with

It’s official, rugby league is no longer just a young man’s game anymore.

In 2026 there are over 80 players aged 30 and over playing first grade football in the National Rugby League.

The Panthers alone have five players aged over 30 who are still playing some of the best football of their career. Scott Sorensen is 33, co-captain Isaah Yeo is 31 and so is Moses Leota, while Dylan Edwards and Luke Garner are both 30.

Over the last 10 years in particular, advancements in sports science, treatment of injuries and managing player workloads has led to players now being able to play top grade football well into their 30s.

This year the oldest player is Daly Cher ry-Evans at 37 and he’s having an excellent season for the Roosters.

He’s not only helping his halves partner Sam Walker become a better player but he’s also brought a calm level-head to the previous erratic play that the Chooks were sometimes known for.

Not that being over 30 means you’ve discov ered the fountain of youth.

At 36, Adam Reynolds may still be one of the smartest halfbacks in the comp but his body is letting him down and he’s missed seven games for the Broncos and at least half of the 13 he’s played, he’s done so carrying an injury.

You can play one season too many.

The secret to assembling a successful team roster is to get the balance right between young and veteran players.

The Papua New Guinea Chiefs are trying to get the balance right. They have already signed five players, four of which will be in their 30s when pre-season training for the club begins in November 2027.

In fact, winger Alex Johnston will be 36 when the Chiefs play their first game. No one seems worried about the average age of their roster, least of all the Chiefs General Manager of Football Michael Chammas.

However, sign too many inexperienced youngsters and your team will find itself in trouble. Sign too many older players and they’ll know how to get out of trouble but may be too old to do it.

The consensus seems to be that a first grade player needs to amass at least 50 games in the top grade before he can be considered experienced. It’s a barometer which has been used for many years now and the calculation has proven mostly correct.

I’d like to finish by ranking who I believe are the Top 10 Players aged over 30 currently playing in the NRL this year.

Top 10 over 30 players in 2026:

1. Dylan Edwards (30)

2. James Tedesco (33)

3. Isaah Yeo (31)

4. Nicho Hynes (30)

5. Kodi Nikorima (32)

6. Mitch Barnett ( 32)

7. James Fisher-Harris (30)

8. Te Marie Martin (30)

9. Moses Leota (31)

10. Jason Taumalolo (33)

Honourary mentions to Mitchell Moses (31), Cameron Munster (31), Dallin WateneZelezniak (30), Joseph Tapine (32), Jahrome Hughes (31), and Addin Fonua-Blake (30)

All over 30 and still kickin’.

See you next week.

Marto’s shock AFL revelation!

enrith Panthers second

Prower Liam Martin is known for his mongrel attitude on the footy field but once the final whistle blows the façade drops and the real Marto comes out.

Since 2019, Martin has been a staple in the Panthers side and is a fan favourite for his rough style of play but he says he isn’t like that in real life.

“As soon as I shake hands at the end of the game it switches off, it’s over,” Martin said.

“I feel like I’ve always done that pretty well. Like during the game I’m switched on but as soon as it’s finished, it’s done, it’s just a game of footy.

“I feel like I’ve got a pretty good balance of that.”

Born and raised in country NSW, the 29-year-old said he is humbled to be representing his home town, Temora, on a big stage.

“I’m very proud of where I come from,” Martin said.

“It’s a small community and even though we’re a small town we’ve actually had a fair few NRL players so it’s pretty cool to be a part of that.

“To represent them here and at Origin level – there’s nothing better just knowing that I’ve got the full support of back home.”

Off the field, Martin recently welcomed his first child, a baby boy named Joey, who has made the NRL hard man that little bit softer.

“I’ve got a little boy who is ninemonths-old so there has been a lot of family time lately and I really love it,” he said with a smile.

“That takes up most of my time away from footy.”

When Martin gets a moment to relax, he doesn’t put on the NRL like many of us do, instead he puts on a different type of footy.

“To be honest I watch more AFL than NRL! More recently, I feel like it sort of takes my mind off footy,” he laughed.

“I go for Hawthorn!”

Martin hopes the Hawks go all the way!

with Emily Chate

Quick Questions

Coffee order: Iced latte

Cheat meal: Pizza

Favourite movie:

‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy

Favourite musician: Chris Stapleton

Who did you support growing up?

St George Illawarra Dragons and Gold Coast Titans

Pet peeve: He says he is everyone’s pet peeve

“I’ve always considered it an absolute honour and privilege to be involved with the NSW Blues State of Origin team, whether that was as a player or a coach, and I’ve always been ready to answer the call for my state whenever they needed me.”

“They are desperate to support the NRL so help them out. There should be much more of it.”

THEY SAID IT...

“It was a really good performance... for the most part we did what we wanted to do. We have had some scrappy wins and some losses and ultimately you don’t want to get used to losing. It wasn’t perfect, but for the most part it was really good.”

“I think I’ve got a long way to go. About 20 tries in five games.”

“It wasn’t a great start but we corrected that quickly. We finished the game strong.”

“Getting down to visit some of the schools and getting to give back is such a special thing.”

“Nathan has never said that he wants to test the market.”

“As long as we’re stringing consistent performances together and trying to get that 80-minute game, we’ll be in good stead for the finals”

5

COWBOYS

COWBOYS PANTHERS ROOSTERS SEA EAGLES DOLPHINS RABBITOHS RAIDERS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS ROOSTERS SEA EAGLES DOLPHINS RABBITOHS RAIDERS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS ROOSTERS SEA EAGLES DOLPHINS RABBITOHS KNIGHTS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS ROOSTERS SEA EAGLES DOLPHINS RABBITOHS KNIGHTS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS ROOSTERS STORM DOLPHINS RABBITOHS KNIGHTS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS BULLDOGS SEA EAGLES DOLPHINS RABBITOHS KNIGHTS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS ROOSTERS SEA EAGLES DOLPHINS RABBITOHS KNIGHTS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS ROOSTERS STORM DOLPHINS RABBITOHS KNIGHTS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS ROOSTERS STORM DOLPHINS RABBITOHS RAIDERS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS ROOSTERS SEA EAGLES DOLPHINS RABBITOHS RAIDERS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS BULLDOGS SEA EAGLES BRONCOS EELS KNIGHTS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS BULLDOGS SEA EAGLES BRONCOS EELS KNIGHTS SHARKS

TITANS PANTHERS ROOSTERS STORM DOLPHINS RABBITOHS KNIGHTS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS ROOSTERS SEA EAGLES DOLPHINS RABBITOHS RAIDERS SHARKS

TITANS PANTHERS ROOSTERS SEA EAGLES BRONCOS EELS RAIDERS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS BULLDOGS SEA EAGLES

BRONCOS EELS KNIGHTS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS ROOSTERS SEA EAGLES DOLPHINS EELS RAIDERS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS ROOSTERS SEA EAGLES DOLPHINS RABBITOHS RAIDERS SHARKS

RABBITOHS KNIGHTS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS

COWBOYS PANTHERS ROOSTERS SEA EAGLES DOLPHINS RABBITOHS KNIGHTS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS ROOSTERS STORM DOLPHINS RABBITOHS RAIDERS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS BULLDOGS SEA EAGLES BRONCOS EELS KNIGHTS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS ROOSTERS SEA EAGLES DOLPHINS RABBITOHS RAIDERS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS BULLDOGS SEA EAGLES BRONCOS EELS KNIGHTS SHARKS

TITANS PANTHERS ROOSTERS STORM DOLPHINS RABBITOHS KNIGHTS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS BULLDOGS SEA EAGLES BRONCOS EELS KNIGHTS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS ROOSTERS STORM DOLPHINS RABBITOHS KNIGHTS SHARKS

TITANS PANTHERS ROOSTERS SEA EAGLES DOLPHINS RABBITOHS KNIGHTS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS BULLDOGS STORM DOLPHINS RABBITOHS RAIDERS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS ROOSTERS STORM DOLPHINS RABBITOHS RAIDERS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS BULLDOGS SEA EAGLES BRONCOS EELS KNIGHTS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS BULLDOGS SEA EAGLES BRONCOS EELS KNIGHTS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS BULLDOGS SEA EAGLES BRONCOS EELS KNIGHTS SHARKS

COWBOYS PANTHERS BULLDOGS SEA EAGLES BRONCOS EELS KNIGHTS SHARKS