Wallace SOS unlikely despite injuries taking toll

PENRITH caretaker coach Cameron Ciraldo says it would be “extremely unlikely” for him to recall retired hooker Peter Wallace despite the club’s injury crisis.

The Panthers’ premiership hopes have nosedived following Friday’s heavy loss to the Warriors in Auckland. On top of slipping to sixth position with one regular season round remaining, the mountain men suffered two serious injuries to Dean Whare and Wayde Egan.

Whare season is over after he broke his arm against the Warriors while Egan picked up a suspected medial ligament injury and will undergo scans.

Five-eighth Tyrone Peachey also battled through Friday’s loss to the Warriors with a knee injury.

These injuries could leave Penrith without a starting hooker — sparking speculation the club will send an SOS to Wallace.

According to coach Ciraldo, though, it won’t happen.

“No, not at this stage,” Ciraldo said about playing Wallace, who has moved into assistant coaching at Penrith since retiring in June.

“It hasn’t been spoken about and it would be extremely unlikely.”

Penrith’s chances of finishing in the top four to secure a home final look over.

The Panthers must beat the Storm in Melbourne on Friday and hope other results go their way to claim a top four position.

In a major boost, playmaker James Maloney will be fit to face Melbourne, while Jack Hetherington will again be available for selection after serving a two-match suspension.