September 11, 2023
Penrith hard call for Warriors with Johnson out
A calf injury has put Warriors’ playmaker Shaun Johnson out of the first round of NRL finals play tomorrow – but Sky commentator Glen Larmer says he could be back for the next round.
He says Johnson’s absence will make it harder to win against the rampant Penrith Panthers, but it’s the first time all season the Warriors have been able to name a full-strength team.
They’ve brought themselves insurance by finishing in the top four.
“Next week’s game is more important than this week’s game because if they lose this week’s game they still get a life and go on to next week, and if they actually bath Penrith, Shaun’s going to get two weeks to get that calf right for the next game back here in Auckland,” Larmer says.
Another sports highlight is the start of the Rugby World Cup, with Sky Sport 2 offering te reo Māori commentary on tomorrow morning’s All Blacks clash with France.