If Merrin is out, it could prove to be a fatal blow to the Panthers chances. The Panthers rely heavily on their second-phase play and Trent's ability to hit-and-spin makes him one of the best exponents of the offload in the game. While they still have Cartwright, Peachey and Latimore who are capable of getting an arm free, they'll miss Trent's mobility in the ruck.
If he is gone, I suspect we'll see Elijah Taylor into the starting 13 with James Fisher-Harris on the bench. Taylor's inclusion could allow the Panthers to play a more expansive game and more tenacity in defence but they'll need Mansour, Hiku and DWZ to run the ball more if they want to make metres through the middle.
The inclusion of Te Maire Martin interests me. He was one of the better NYC prospects to emerge in recent years and has all the skills. Physically I can see him struggling at times this season but in this instance the pros out-weigh the cons. The Panthers relied too heavily on Wallace's dummy-half play and Soward's last tackle kicking game, to the point where it cost them dearly. Martin should add another string to the Panthers bow but it remains to be seen whether he'll receive the support he requires. Players like Tyrone Peachey and Bryce Cartwright are skillful but they need to resist the urge to overplay their hand.
If Merrin does miss the game, I wouldn't put it pass Griffin to give young gun Sione Katoa a shot. He's sort of in that Nathan Peats mould, a dummy half who can also double as a backrow. Considering Akauola only received 21 minutes last week, he would have to be the guy to go. Of course it all depends on the fitness of Katoa. He suffered a MCL tear during the pre-season, so he may not be ready for the rigors of first grade just yet. If that's the case they may bring in Chris Smith with a view to play Peachey as a back-up dummy half.
Another player who may receive a shot is Leilani Latu. He was one of the few positives during the Panthers poor end to the season and would pose more of a threat than Latimore who's carries have been lacking as of late.
For the Broncos, I don't think they need to change all that much in order to win. Just try and isolate the edges, use Hunt and Milford's running game and play off the back of that. They'll crack just as long as the Broncos remove those costly handling errors out of their game.