Penrith have pulled rank on the NSWRL by keeping star Bryce Cartwright at home despite his call-up as a development player to NSW State of Origin camp for game three.
Instead of leaving Sydney with his Blues teammates on Tuesday, Cartwright trained with the Panthers in preparation for Sunday's round 18 NRL match against Cronulla.
It is the second time this series Cartwright missed joining the Blues squad in Coffs Harbour, having also remained at Penrith with a thumb injury during game one.
And while the 21-year-old spent the entire build-up with the NSW team for game two, the Panthers moved to ensure Cartwright is ready to take on the Sharks instead of playing a bit role for game three in Origin.
"We need him here to prepare for the game so it's nice to have him here," Panthers veteran Peter Wallace told AAP.
"He had that experience with the Blues last game so there's not much more experience you can get as an 18th man again."
Wallace also backed skipper Matt Moylan to respond well for the Panthers on Sunday after his surprise omission from the dead rubber Origin game in Sydney on Wednesday week.
Blues coach Laurie Daley axed the Panthers fullback in favour of Wests Tigers No.1 James Tedesco despite two solid outings over the first two games of the series.
Wallace, who played four games for NSW between 2008-09 before he too was dropped, said Moylan would be motivated to prove his critics wrong against the Sharks.
"But you've got to be careful not to overplay your hand as well," he said.
"I think he'll just be keen to get to playing footy and get going again. He's been playing awesome for us all year so I'm sure this week will be no different.
"You're disappointed, and probably a little bit embarrassed too, that you've been dropped. So you've got to deal with that as well. But once you get to training around the boys, no one makes a big deal of it."
The Panthers will be without Blues winger Josh Mansour for the clash, while the Sharks also have five players away on Origin duty.
