How will Panthers react to Latrell’s ‘cracked windscreen’ call – CODE Bet

Inside the Fox Sports Lab, NRL greats Chris Lawrence and Josh Morris are split over Penrith’s chances against South Sydney and whether Latrell Mitchell’s barbs will prove the motivating factor for the Panthers.

The pair joined host Eloise Sohier to look at the Panthers, who go into Friday night’s NRL clash at BlueBet Stadium staring down the barrel of back-to-back losses to start the season following last week’s 13-12 shock defeat to Brisbane.

But Rabbitohs fullback Mitchell has given the premiers added incentive to turn things around, after claiming there were some “cracks in the windscreen” for Penrith after losing to the Broncos and St Helens before that in the World Club Challenge.

“I’m interested to see Latrell’s first few hit-ups, with that fuse that he’s lit,” Morris said.

“If the Penrith players have bought into that and what it does to them.”

Latrell Mitchell has started the season in fine form. Picture: Brett Costello/NRL Photos

That’s in stark contrast to former Wests Tigers star Lawrence, who believes “that level of aura of invincibility is starting to wear off” the back-to-back defending premiers, who opened their campaign last year with eight straight victories.

“Sides are going to have confidence they can go to Penrith and get the win,” Lawrence said.

And the Rabbitohs will be full of confidence, having beaten the Sharks 27-18 in Cronulla in round 1 to flex their premiership muscle.

“It’s going to be Damien Cook,” Lawrence said. “He had a quiet year by his standards last year.

“He was sensational in round 1. I think he’s really going to go to another level over the next couple of weeks.”

Watch the Fox Sports Lab NRL video segment above.