With the Cowboys and Panthers both missing a stack of key players due to Origin, Friday's clash shapes as a test of the depth both clubs have at their disposal.
While North Queensland will take the field refreshed from a Round 15 bye, the Panthers head to Townsville on the back of a comprehensive, but physically taxing, 30-6 victory over the Roosters.
Penrith haven't lost a game in six weeks, while the Cowboys' last performance – a 45-20 win over the Storm – was arguably their best of the season.
At Queensland Country Bank Stadium this year the Cowboys have won five of seven games and they were winners the last time they faced the Panthers too.
Prior to that they'd lost four on the trot against the back-to-back premiers.
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Team News
Cowboys: After a couple of false starts in recent weeks, key forward Jason Taumalolo is back from a knee injury. In a game day switch Taumalolo has gone to the bench and Jamayne Taunoa-Brown will start the match. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki joins the bench alongside mid-season signing Sam McIntyre, who will make his club debut. Zac Laybutt fills in at centre, Jake Granville is the new starting hooker and Kyle Feldt returns on the wing after being 18th man in North Queensland's last game.
Panthers: No further changes on game day after Spencer Leniu came into the starting side on Thursday for Moses Leota, who remained in Sydney for the birth of his third child. Liam Henry joins the bench. With Jarome Luai, Stephen Crichton, Liam Martin, Isaah Yeo and Brian To'o all included in the NSW team for Origin II, Ivan Cleary has been forced into a number of changes. Jaeman Salmon moves in from the bench to partner Jack Cogger in the halves, while Tyrone Peachey starts at centre and Thomas Jenkins joins the squad on the wing. Matthew Eisenhuth starts at lock and Luke Garner is included on the bench for his first NRL game since Round 4. Zac Hosking returns from being rested last week.
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Stat Attack
- The Cowboys average 13.4 dummy-half runs per game, the most in the NRL, while the Panthers sit second to last in that category, averaging 5.3 per game.
- The Panthers have won four of their past five games against the Cowboys.
- Cowboys winger Kyle Feldt has scored seven tries in his past six games.
- The Panthers have conceded just seven tries in their past five games.
- The Cowboys have conceded over 200 points more than the Panthers after 15 rounds.
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Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the