Panther cubs make for good entertainment

 

Roar Rookie

By mattencarnacion, 2 Apr 2009 mattencarnacion is a Roar Rookie

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 NRL, Penrith Panthers, Rugby League

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They say that when you watch a game of basketball, you only need to watch the last quarter if you want to see some action.

The same thing would be advised if you watched Monday night’s NRL game between the Penrith Panthers and the Manly Sea Eagles at Brookvale Oval.

The quality of play during the first sixty minutes was like watching the NSW Waratahs attack the goal line in the Super 14 and gave viewers ample proof as to why both teams were in the bottom three of the ladder going into the game.

It was a stop-start affair that was painful to watch, thanks to poor ball control, lazy discipline, and mediocre attacking options. Even Penrith’s conservative coach, Matthew Elliott had enough and “hooked” halfback Jarrod Sammut and his dodgy ankle out of the game after just eighteen minutes.

It seemed the only entertainment fans would be able to watch was when Foxsports presenter Andrew Webster fought the windy rain with his umbrella to deliver his halftime match report in the middle of the park.

The first twenty minutes of the second half was much of the same, with both sides looking disinterested and utterly bored.

And when Penrith leveled the match at 6-6, the game was doomed to head into golden point – much to the despair of fellow journalists, one of whom compared the game to watching an extended version of The Postman.

The last twenty minutes of the game however, reminded me of one of life’s many lessons – kids are never boring.

Manly were upstaged by the enthusiasm of Penrith’s youngsters Lachlan Coote and Wade Graham, with the latter setting up Penrith’s final try to clinch the game.

Even veteran winger Shane Elford – who this year returned from the most boring rugby league competition of all in England – has had his competitive juices flowing after only a couple of games with the kids.

“I’m just out there to boost the average age of the team,” he joked.

“But the enthusiasm they bring just makes me feel younger and want to keep up.”

So if ever there was a time when life’s fun and games have turned into an eventful watching of a snail’s race – just turn to the kids. They’ll always find a way to keep you entertained.

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