Penrith captain Isaah Yeo has backed interim coach Cameron Ciraldo’s decision to swing the axe over his underperforming side just three weeks into his tenure.
Ciraldo has made four changes to the team upset by Newcastle last week, headlined by handing rookie hooker Wayde Egan his first NRL start to take on the Warriors on Friday.
The Tyrone Peachey experiment at fullback has seemingly ended, with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak shifted back to the role and Christian Crichton getting a recall on the wing.
Peachey will instead play five-eighth, resulting in Tyrone May moving back to the bench.
“He came out of the press conference (last week) and said there’s going to be changes because what we’re doing isn’t working,” Yeo said on Wednesday.
“They’re the changes he thought would help the side. We’ll find out Friday night if that works or not. He obviously thought they needed to be made.
“We trust him and support him, he’s got the full backing of the players.”
Egan has made 10 appearances for the Panthers since making his debut in round four, however all of them have been off the bench.
Yeo believes the 21-year-old poses a different threat to axed rake Sione Katoa.
“Obviously he’s a little bit different. He’s more of a runner. That’s just what Cameron thought we needed at the moment,” Yeo said of Egan.
“He’s pretty cluey around there. I’m sure he’ll be tested out in defence for that 80 minutes and we’ll see how he goes there. But I think he’ll do a wonderful job.”
A win against the Warriors would keep the Panthers in the hunt for a top-four finish, while a loss could leave them vulnerable to a seventh or eighth-placed finish.