At a glance

What: NRL grand final

Who: Penrith Panthers v Parramatta Eels

When, where: 9.30pm tomorrow (NZ time); Accor Stadium, Sydney Referee: Ashley Klein

Panthers: Dylan Edwards, Charlie Staines, Izack Tago, Stephen Crichton, Brian To’o, Jarome Luai, Nathan Cleary (capt), Moses Leota, Apisai Koroisau, James Fisher-Harris, Viliame Kikau, Liam Martin, Isaah Yeo. Interchange: Mitch Kenny, Scott Sorensen, Spencer Leniu, Jaeman Salmon.

Eels: Clinton Gutherson (capt), Maika Sivo, Will Penisini, Bailey Simonsson, Waqa Blake, Dylan Brown, Mitchell Moses, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Reed Mahoney, Junior Paulo, Shaun Lane, Isaiah Papali’i, Ryan Matterson. Interchange: Nathan Brown, Jake Arthur, Oregon Kaufusi, Marata Niukore.

telling impact off the bench, Niukore has started at centre, loose forward and second row to underline his utility value. No wonder

Maguire handed

Niukore his first

Kiwis jumper in

June.

Simonsson,

24, will be starting in his second NRL grand final after losing in 2019 with the Canberra Raiders. After 18 games on the Eels wing this season, Simonsson – a former New Zealand sevens player and son of 1980s All Black Paul Simonsson – will start in the centres for the second successive week.

The Eels also have Auckland-born Samoa international Oregon Kaufusi on the bench.

As the grand final nears, spare a thought for Maguire’s Kiwis coaching predecessor David Kidwell. A grand final runner-up as a player with the Storm in 2006, Kidwell was Arthur’s assistant coach at the Eels from leaving the Kiwis in 2018 through to last May. But he left the NRL midseason to take up a job with Michael Cheika as the Argentina national rugby team’s defence coach.

Kidwell’s defensive strategy was hailed after the Pumas beat the All Black in Christchurch in August, but proud rugby league man that he is his heart will be with the Eels as they strive to stop Penrith becoming the first club to win all four men’s rugby league titles (NRL, NSW Cup reserve grade, Jersey Flegg 21 under and SG Ball 19 and under) in 2022.