The Mole: Panthers enforcer Liam Martin is eager to address a ‘critical flaw’ in his game

LAS VEGAS: Liam Martin acknowledges that the Panthers must address a significant flaw in their game as they strive for an extraordinary five consecutive titles, with their campaign kicking off in Sin City.

Last season, Penrith stumbled in the World Club Challenge, losing two of their opening five matches, while in 2023, they faced similar struggles with the WCC and two losses in their first three games.

Given the team’s tendency to win the majority of their fixtures each year, such starts have been disappointing and a key focus for improvement within the club.

“We’ve been a bit slow out of the gates these past couple of seasons, which has placed unnecessary pressure on ourselves,” Martin shared with Wide World of Sports.

“We’ve put in a lot of effort during the off-season to address this, and we’ll find out this weekend if it pays off. Cronulla is a top-four team, so they’re sure to challenge us.”

“This is a long trip for us, and it’s a historic occasion, so we’re eager to win – but we know they are just as motivated.”

Martin also revealed that he played through a troublesome shoulder all of last season, which worsened during the finals.

“I injured it early in the year, and it continued to be an issue,” he explained.

“I relied on needles throughout the finals and wasn’t at my peak performance.”

“Fortunately, I avoided surgery and just needed to give it ample rest, and I’m feeling fantastic now. I can’t wait for the game – none of us can – this venue is absolutely incredible.”