Stand-in Penrith five-eighth Jack Cogger has declared he is not going to be overawed by the stress of his first NRL finals, able to lean on big-game expertise from his two-year stint in England.
Cogger starred in his first full sport within the halves for Penrith since Jarome Luai’s damage on Saturday evening, organising the primary three tries within the win over North Queensland.
The win lifted the Panthers to a 3rd minor premiership in 4 years, however the actuality is there are greater fish to fry for the two-time defending premiers.
Subsequent weekend’s qualifying ultimate towards the Warriors will mark Penrith’s first playoff with out Luai within the halves alongside Cleary since 2018, earlier than the membership’s present run of success.
That may go away all eyes on Cogger, who will characteristic in solely his fiftieth match as a beginning participant within the NRL.
Regardless of that, Cogger is extra skilled than his sport rely suggests.
The 26-year-old spent two years within the English Tremendous League, beginning within the Problem Cup ultimate for Huddersfield final yr.
“I acquired to play in some semi-finals and video games like that that I believe will profit me for subsequent week,” Cogger mentioned.
“I (took from it) that you simply simply should play so each play counts within the finals.
“You simply should be within the second the entire time. That is what I’ve labored on at Penrith, and it is helped take my sport to a different degree.
“With this group right here, it isn’t like they have not performed it earlier than in finals. I simply should do a job and slot in.”
Cogger mentioned he would due to this fact don’t have any concern coping with the hype forward of the largest sport of his profession in Australia.
“I am a fairly calm particular person,” he mentioned.
“We do all of the bodily coaching right here, however we work on the psychological facet of it.
I’ve been engaged on that every one yr, and that’s in all probability what helped take my sport to the subsequent degree.”
Luai educated for the primary time on Saturday since injuring his shoulder in spherical 26, and whereas he’ll miss the Warriors conflict there may be each likelihood he’ll return for the Panthers’ subsequent ultimate.
Within the meantime, Cogger’s mixture with Cleary can be essential.
Beginning collectively for the second time on Saturday, Cleary ran the ball extra typically and swung to each side of the sector.
Cogger additionally arrange two tries on the left and one on the correct, with Penrith’s assault on-song even with out hooker Mitch Kenny.
“It was having that freedom to go each methods, as a result of I believe that advantages each of us and the crew,” Cogger mentioned.
“We simply checked out ways in which go well with each our video games and can work finest for the crew.
“There have been just a few adjustments, however not large ones. As a result of Romey can be again in just a few weeks.”
