The Penrith Panthers have officially withdrawn from the upcoming World Cup Challenge against the Super League champions.
Officials confirmed that the four-time NRL premiership winners will not be making the trip to the UK to face the winner of the Wigan versus Hull KR match due to the demanding pre-season schedule.
While the Panthers have dominated the NRL for the past four years, they have struggled to conquer the World Cup Challenge, suffering narrow defeats in two previous attempts.
With their season opener set for Las Vegas in Round 1 of the 2025 season, this has contributed to the decision to skip the World Cup Challenge.
Captain Isaah Yeo and his teammates expressed disappointment over the decision, acknowledging the challenging workload they face.
“Obviously, as a group we'd love to because it's something we've missed, sort of the only thing that's missing on the resume. You'd love another opportunity to try and make amends for that,” Yeo said to Fox Sports.
“It's just so hard with Vegas. If we weren't doing Vegas, I reckon we'd be a chance, but that just makes it a bit harder.”
Several players, including superstar Nathan Cleary, are facing surgery in the off-season, and the recovery timeline may be tight. There's a possibility that Cleary could miss the opening round in Las Vegas.