Dragons Coach Peter Hickman knows the situation that Panthers are in and knows they will be desperate and dangerous for a win and is pleased to have an almost full strength team for the occasion.

“Panthers have had a horror season with injuries and on occasions have been without their key playmaker Dave Elvy of recent years due to injury,” Hickman said.

“He is also their captain/coach and there is no doubt they have missed his inspiration on the field at times this season.

“We will not be able to rest on our laurels just because Panthers are having a lean trot as they have plenty of talent and the capability to cause an upset, which we don’t want at home.”

On Sunday, Group 10 and Western Region representative Matt Kurtz will return to the second row after a few weeks on the sidelines with injury.

However, the Dragons will be without regular hooker Brendan George who finished the game against Workies with a hamstring injury.

Hickman has promoted John Freebody from First Division to replace George.

Freebody is a veteran of two Dragons Premiership wins (2000 and 2004) and is a player who is dynamic from dummy half and should prove just as dangerous as George.

Panthers Coach Dave Elvy, although named as the fresh reserve, will be in their run-on team on Sunday.

Elvy said he was a very superstitious person and said he was going back to the 14 jumper after wearing six and losing against St Pats in their last game.

“Against Hawks two games back I wasn’t supposed to play, but I decided to risk it and came on in the 14 jumper and we won,” Elvy said.

“Then when we lost to St Pats in the regular five eighth jumper, my superstitions got the better of me and I decided to go back to 14 for the Mudgee game.”

Elvy said his superstitions go as far as only wearing black tape on his boots and when he gets to a game he has to park his car a certain way.