Panthers great Craig Gower has urged Ivan Cleary to avoid starting Apisai Koroisau from the bench for Sunday’s decider.
South Sydney took an early lead in last week’s GF qualifier when Cleary started utility Mitch Kenny instead of Koroisau, before the hooker was inserted into the game, giving Penrith a huge spark in attack.
Gower told Triple M, starting the game without the wily rake puts more pressure on Nathan Cleary, leaving no mystery in the minds of Parramatta defenders.
“I don’t like it on the reason of last week we lacked a bit of direction out there and it also gives the defence more time to get to Nathan and more of the attacking players,” Gower said.
“Api is just so decieving out there, you don’t know what he is going to do. That just adds the element to the defensive line of, ‘We’ve got to wait and sit’ instead of going and rushing up to Nathan because there’s not enough deception at that position.
“Hopefully they go with Api. He’s a State of Origin player and adds so much to their attack and it gives Nathan and Luai so much time.”