Wigan Warriors will face Penrith Panthers in the 2024 World Club Challenge after both were crowned champions in 2023.
In 2023, Penrith lost to St Helens in the World Club Challenge, even though it is widely expected that they earn and earn comfortably in a home position.
They were beaten at Golden Point by a Lewis Dodd goal and many thought they did not take the game seriously.
This year they will face Wigan on February 24 and the question is whether Wigan can beat the reigning NRL champions of the past three years.
Wide World of Sports’ famous Mole is among those who think Wigan now have a chance of beating Penrith, implying that Wigan will have no chance of escaping.
He asked: “Can the Wigan Warriors beat the Penrith Panthers now that it looks like the World Club Challenge will be held in England?
This prompted one fan to say: “No chance.
Penrith didn’t take it seriously last year.
If there was any doubt as to whether Penrith are serious about taking part in the 2024 World Club Challenge, Ivan Cleary’s comments suggest they certainly will.
“It would be nice to have another chance,” Cleary told AAP.
We are quite disappointed with this.
We really tried our best, it was the first game of the year and St Helens were so good to us that night.
It would be nice to have another chance.
This happened while he was celebrating his Grand Final win against the Brisbane Broncos.
“Queenslanders usually fail in the end, so we knew they (Broncos) would falter,” Cleary said.
No, by midway through the second half I was thinking ‘fuck it, get us out of here’, we were all over the place.
I don’t know how we can reverse this.
Cleary was asked about his son, Panthers defender Nathan, who won his second Clive Churchill Medal and scored the winning goal late in the final.
“I actually told him yesterday that if I married someone else, he’d be a pretty terrible player,” the coach joked.
No, by midway through the second half I was thinking ‘fuck it, get us out of here’, we were all over the place.
I don’t know how we can reverse this.
Cleary was asked about his son, Panthers defender Nathan, who won his second Clive Churchill Medal and scored the winning goal late in the final.
“I actually told him yesterday that if I married someone else, he’d be a pretty terrible player,” the coach joked.
I have to thank his mother for everything he has, because it certainly did not come from me.
“You know, he owes me too.
I drove him a lot, made him lunch and all that.
“But actually, he makes my life easy now so I love you Nathan.