Picked by some at the beginning of 2013 to finish at the bottom of the National Rugby League table, the resurgent Penrith Panthers sit one spot out of the top eight after 16 rounds.
A shopping spree by coach Ivan Cleary and general manager Phil Gould saw the Panthers nab the likes of James Segeyaro, Sika Manu and Lewis Brown for the new year, all of them great players and winners in their own right.
But the question was if Cleary could get the mix right and make Penrith a competitive side their fans could be proud of.
At this stage, the fans are happy with where their side is headed.
They have unearthed a whole bunch of fearless kids too. The rise of youngsters like Matt Moylan, Adam Docker and Isaac John means the club is in safe hands for 2014. It also shouldn’t be forgotten that Lachlan Coote still has to come back into the team too, with Jamie Soward, Elijah Taylor and Tyrone Peachey signing on for the next campaign.
But this isn’t a yarn spruiking Penrith for 2014. Cleary’s men have a chance to make a run this year as well.
Consistency hasn’t always been this side’s strong point, but that didn’t stop them from churning out an impressive win over the St George Illawarra Dragons in the wet on Saturday night.
The Panthers didn’t win with flash, trick shots or touch football. They were patient and wore the Dragons down.
With a 6-8 record, the Panthers sit with a group of three other teams on 16 points. Those other sides are the Newcastle Knights, the New Zealand Warriors and the Canberra Raiders.
Both the Knights and the Warriors were impressive over the weekend, and it won’t be long before the Raiders find their mojo again, once they get back to the nation’s capital.
It is an understatement to say the Panthers need to keep their good form going. But what happens over the next month will define Penrith’s season.
There are no easy games in the NRL, but Penrith might just have one of the easiest run-ins of the 16 clubs.
Over the next month, they face the Gold Coast, Parramatta, Newcastle and the Cronulla Sharks. Wins against the Titans and the Eels would be expected, and if the Panthers can claim a victory against the Knights at home or the Sharks, they’ll be pretty happy with themselves.
This run of games will also see them contest in winnable matches against North Queensland, Brisbane and the Warriors.
Seven wins would see Penrith finish with 30 competition points after 26 rounds. Even six victories could be enough for the mountain men. If results go as expected over the next few months, they could finish as high as sixth with a 6-4 record, and could easily scrape into the final eight with a 5-5 record.
Penrith’s next challenge is a trip to Darwin to face the Titans, who are still reeling after being lapped by the Knights at Hunter Stadium on Sunday. Adding to the Gold Coast’s woes is the injury to star centre Jamal Idris.
The Panthers can control their own fate if they can continue being competitive. But this is the NRL after all, and nothing is guaranteed.
If Penrith don’t take their chances now, the window will close and it will all be over for another season.
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