Overview

• Team lists confirm 16 senior Panthers are rested for Thursday at Accor Stadium, with Nathan Cleary out and Matt Eisenhuth to captain.
• Four NRL debutants — Zac Lipowicz, Billy Phillips, John Fonua and David Fale — are named, while Riley Price and Austin Dias make club debuts and Brad Schneider is the only carry-over from Round 25.
• Betting markets swung sharply after leaks and the announcement, moving Penrith from about $1.60 to roughly $8 and installing Canterbury near $1.10.
• The NRL Integrity Unit is investigating suspicious wagering activity linked to the plunge on the Bulldogs.
• Penrith, seventh and assured of finals, frames the decision as strategic rest, and a Bulldogs win would guarantee Canterbury a top-four finish.