The Panthers’ march into the major semi-final this weekend has echoes of their triumphant 2003 campaign.
Eleven years ago no one gave the Chocolate Soldiers a chance as the season kicked off. Penrith finished as wooden-spooners in 2001 and 12th in 2002. They didn’t have a hope in hell.
But that season was a historic one for the club. Under John Lang, the Panthers became the first team to win the minor premiership and hold bottom spot on the ladder in the same year.
They recovered after a bad start – losing three of their first four games – to then win eight in a row. After their Round 14 loss to Melbourne they only suffered two more defeats in the rest of the season, winning seven straight to take out the 2003 decider against the Roosters, with help from a Scott Sattler cover tackle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CMfVP8s3rA
It was fantastic, it was amazing and it was bloody fun to watch, especially as a neutral. A real underdog tale.
Penrith’s team that year was largely without big-names or star players.
The key figure and captain was Craig Gower, who at 25 was probably at the peak of his powers. Around him was a number of local juniors and kids who were talented but young, with huge potential but yet to be proven in first-grade. But boy did they prove themselves that year and in the years to come.
Luke Lewis was 20, Luke Rooney 20, Ben Ross 23, Trent Waterhouse 22, Paul Whatuira 22, Joel Clinton 21 and Rhys Wesser 24. All would go on to play Origin, for Australia or for New Zealand.
The Panthers had the ‘Hair Bears’ Tony Puletua and Joe Galuvao, aged 24 and 25, at their devastating best.
They had some old hard heads and seasoned pros to provide experience – Ryan Girdler, Martin Lang and Scott Sattler. They had an impressive spine with Luke Priddis at hooker, Gower and Preston Campbell in the halves, and a young Wesser at fullback. Penrith had a balanced squad and were well-coached.
There are definitely some similarities with the 2014 edition.
Jamie Soward is their Gower – in form, talented and with a great kicking game. James Segeyaro is their Campbell – fast, freaky and criminally underrated. You never know what he is going to do with the footy but it will be entertaining.
The Panthers have a host of young kids playing well and with bright futures – Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Tyrone Peachey, Matt Moylan, Josh Mansour and Bryce Cartwright. It won’t surprise if they go to represent their state or country in years to come.
They have some backline players like Jamal Idris and Dean Whare who have already tasted rep football and have been around for a while, but are just 24 years old. They also had some gnarled veterans who have seen it all before like Brent Kite, Nigel Plum, Sika Manu, David Simmons and Kevin Kingston.
Ivan Cleary is undoubtedly a top coach, leading the New Zealand Warriors to the 2011 grand final, and seems to be getting better.
One of the best things about this unit from the foot of the mountains is the way they have battled on despite a horrible injury count. Peter Wallace has played just 14 games this season, Kite 18, Kingston 9, Elijah Taylor 17, Cartwright 2, Peachey 6 and Isaac John 3.
Penrith have had to deal with a horrific number of injuries but they have still produced, showed they are more than the sum of their parts.
Against the odds they are just one game from the grand final. Their semi-final opponents, the Bulldogs, have more cash and a higher profile roster. The same could be said of the Roosters and Rabbitohs. All possess better facilities and bigger star names with a greater pedigree in Greg Inglis, Sonny Bill Williams, Sam Burgess, James Graham, Tony Minichiello etc.
In 2012 the Panthers were one spot and four points off the wooden spoon. Last season they finished 10th. They came from nowhere to finish fourth and two points off the minor premiership in 2014.
Now they have the opportunity to make history again.
Are we going to have a repeat of 2003 this year? It would be lovely if we did.
Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson
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