NRL: Panthers clear Edwards, Fisher-Harris for Storm clash

Dylan Edwards, the Penrith Panthers’ star fullback, will return against the Melbourne Storm on Thursday night in what is set to be a massive game to kick off round 24 of the NRL season.

According to Ivan Cleary, the head coach of the Panthers, Edwards and veteran prop James Fisher-Harris have received medical clearance to take part in the potential minor premiership decider at BlueBet Stadium.

• PANTHERS v STORM BETTING TIPS & PREDICTIONS

The defending NRL champions are two points behind ladder leaders Melbourne, even though key players like Edwards, Nathan Cleary, Mitch Kenny and Jarome Luai have been unavailable for significant periods this season.

Panthers closing in on Storm

Edwards has been out of the Penrith lineup since he injured his knee in this year’s State of Origin series.

It is because of his heroic performance in game three that the Blues managed to end their 19-year drought at Suncorp Stadium.

While he is listed among the reserves for Thursday’s clash, Edwards is now expected to replace Daine Laurie in the starting side.

• NRL TEAM LISTS FOR ROUND 24

Should Penrith beat the Storm by three points or more, they would take the top spot with three games left in the regular season.

That said, defeat on Thursday could put the Panthers at risk of dropping out of the top two, relinquishing home advantage in the opening week of the finals.

Melbourne secured an 8-0 victory in the reverse fixture earlier this season, but the Panthers have won five out of seven clashes between the two sides since the 2021 finals series.

Panthers and Storm favourites for minor premiership

The Panthers, Storm, Roosters and Sharks are the last four standing in the race for the 2024 minor premiership.

While Melbourne lead the way in the standings, NRL bookmakers have Penrith pegged as $1.65 favourites to finish top of the table.

Melbourne are at $2.10 in minor premiership betting, while the Roosters ($51) and Sharks ($251) are paying long odds to reach the summit.

The Panthers have the edge due to a relatively easy run of fixtures following their clash with the Storm.

Their last three assignments are the Raiders, Rabbitohs and Titans, who all sit in the bottom half of the ladder.

Melbourne, meanwhile, will play the seventh-placed Cowboys and eighth-placed Dolphins before wrapping up their campaign against the 12th-placed Broncos.

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