Penrith's left edge are ready to embrace the challenge of being a target for the Sydney Roosters, as they attempt to nullify the game's most unpredictable threat in Mark Nawaqanitawase.
Nawaqanitawase, one of the most freakish players in the NRL, will on Sunday start his last finals series before returning to rugby union after two years making a name for himself.
Penrith are well aware he looms as the Roosters' X-factor at CommBank Stadium, even if they have been able to keep him quiet in previous games this year.
The Panthers' left has been one of the most potent in the competition, with young gun Casey McLean helping his winger Tom Jenkins to 30 tries in 2026.
But they have also been a target for rivals at times, with Canterbury successfully going after them time and time again back in April.
Penrith's edge has also undergone change, with Blaize Talagi first dropped as five-eighth and Jack Cole now replacing the suspended Jack Cogger at No.6.
But they still hold the record of being the most miserly left in the NRL, as part of a Panthers defensive outfit that conceded 61 points less than any other this year.
"It's obviously been a challenge a couple of times this year, but we take pride and a little bit of a challenge in about how teams want to come after us," McLean said.
"You find things in defences and teams that you want to target a bit more. If it is our side, then so be it.
"If they want to target it, you've got to go fire back.
"Every week you get to prove yourself a little bit more, so if people want to keep coming at us, it's a good test to see where we are."
McLean knows well the battle he is up for, having faced Robert Toia in State of Origin and spent time in camp with Nawaqanitawase.
Nawaqanitawase is yet to put on a full show against the Panthers this year, kept quiet in two games after scoring once and setting up a try against Penrith in 2025.
"He's probably the definition of an X-factor player," McLean said.
"He's done it for so long now that you just expect the unexpected.
"Obviously him jumping high and doing about 60 flick passes each game, which I wish I could do.
"You've got to make your way around the field, make sure you know where he is and honestly just keep moving, try not to be scrambling around."
The aerial battle between Jenkins and Nawaqanitawase is particularly enticing, with eight of Jenkins' 30 tries this year coming from taking aerial kicks.
"He's just naturally so good in the air and he times his jumps really well," Jenkins said.
"He's really good into contact, and it's hard to catch the ball times getting bumped and doing all kinds of things. He does that exceptionally well.
"With his confidence, going up for the ball, he's going up to catch it every time. That's exactly what I've got to do as well.
"So it's a good challenge."
