The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Penrith Panthers to benefit from selection headaches

28th December, 2011
Advertisement
Roar Rookie
28th December, 2011
4
1029 Reads

It is, as they say, a good problem to have. With the impending return of the explosive Michael Gordon from a season-ending knee reconstruction, new Penrith coach Ivan Cleary will have a selection battle on his hands for the Panthers custodian role in 2012.

Gordon has made clear his preference to play at fullback for Penrith, and has excelled when he has done so previously.

The Mountain Men, though, also have available the quicksilver Lachlan Coote, who in conjunction with Luke Walsh, has invariably come up with the right play at the right time from the back of the field.

Undoubtedly both men are incredibly talented, but to date their respective affairs with the fullback jumper have come from the other’s expense due to injury. They have never really had to battle it out for weekly selection in the No. 1.

It seems this time will come in 2012, and Cleary will have to make the call – and not just week to week, but potentially on one man’s future long-term.

Can Penrith continue to waste Gordon’s talents from the wing? Can he make the transition to centre to accommodate? Will he ever return with the same speed and power post-operation?

Conversely, should Cleary look to shore up the troublesome five-eighth spot with the Walsh-Coote combo, or in the modern era of quickfire dummy halves can Coote play 9?

Similarly to Craig Bellamy in 2004, when Billy Slater and Greg Inglis were both vying for the Storm fullback position, a tough decison had to be made. Time has proven that one to be correct. Time will also prove if Cleary is made of the same stuff.

Advertisement

One thing is for sure though – that clubs with cash in the cap and no nailed down fullback (such as the Roosters, Tigers, Dragons, Titans, and Sharks) will be watching the progress of both men very closely.

They may not even wait for the Panthers to play their cards first.

close