On the back of the biggest recruitment drive of all clubs, the Penrith Panthers were expected to improve on their 2013 10th position finish and make the finals for the first time since 2010.
The men from the mountain netted the likes of Jamal Idris, Jamie Soward, Peter Wallace, Elijah Taylor, Brent Kite, Tyrone Peachey and Kevin Naiqama.
However no pundits would have scripted the season that was for the Penrith Panthers. Despite failing to make the grand final, the Panthers were the success story of 2014.
The cultural revolution, along with the emergence of junior talent, saw the club achieve success across all grades, with the exception of the defending Holden Cup premiers – missing the finals after a heart-breaking after-the-siren conversion from the sideline in the final round of the regular season to the New Zealand Warriors.
This club is poised to become an NRL powerhouse within the next five years, such is the talent coming through. There were grand final appearances in both Harold Matthews and SG Ball, while the Panthers’ were NSW Cup premiers, setting new standards in a second-tier competition that is fast regaining its prominence as the proper pathway to the NRL.
No less than eight of last year’s Holden Cup side played significant roles in the success of the NSW Cup side, with Isaah Yeo, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Bryce Cartwright and Kierran Moseley going on to make their debuts in the NRL. Penrith claimed the NSWRL Flowers Memorial Pennant, which acknowledges the club champions in the NSWRL competitions.
Then there is the NRL team, a team who many thought reached the top of the table midway through the season on the back of a soft draw, as well as avoiding the player drain that engulfs most clubs during Origin.
They were then written off as just making up the numbers in the top eight, as a plethora of significant injuries hit the roster just as the club entered its toughest part of the draw.
Unlike previous Penrith teams which made a habit of falling away under a crisis, Ivan Cleary’s boys not only coped with the pressures, they rewrote the rules on how to survive an injury toll that saw up to 11 players unavailable, with amazing wins over Brisbane, Canterbury, North Queensland, New Zealand and the week one finals win over the defending premiers, the Sydney Roosters.
Along the way, the never-say-die Panthers captured the imagination of the public, culminating in an unlikely preliminary final appearance that had Panther fans daring to dream for the first team since 2003.
The media described the Panthers as being a team of misfits, a team of rejects, a team built on the principles of ‘Moneyball’, and it was all part of a five-year plan.
Matt Moylan has emerged as possibly the next Darren Lockyer such is his coolness to come up with the clutch play. Watene-Zelezniak, still eligible for the Holden Cup, debuted in both the NSW Cup and the NRL within a matter of five rounds and held his position ahead of last year’s equal leading try-scorer, David Simmons.
Josh Mansour, perhaps the hard luck story of NSW successful Origin campaign, emerged as the powerhouse winger of the competitions with more tackle busts and metres per game than any other NRL player, scoring a handy 15 tries along the way.
Jamal Idris overcame personal issues to earn the respect of teammates and management.
Jamie Soward emerged from his slumber to lead the Panthers from the front in the closing rounds in arguably the best form of his career. A once prickly relationship with the media thawed considerably in the process, providing some of the best insights into an NRL player in 2014.
Arguably no player made a greater contribution than James Segeyaro, in a break-through season for the hooker who took over fulltime from Kevin Kingston in Round 9. Although Moylan was awarded Panthers player of the year award, Segeyaro provided go-forward in attack and high-work rate in defence, along the way becoming the first hooker to score 10 or more tries in consecutive seasons.
He also took out the Dally M Hooker of the Year prize, a worthy acknowledgement for a player who for the second year in a row suffered tragedy at a personal level with the sudden death of his father.
The success story masked one of the worst injury and suspension tolls in 2014. The Panthers were missing throughout the season David Simmons, Josh Mansour, Jamal Idris, Lewis Brown, Peter Wallace, Tyrone Peachey, Bryce Cartwright, Elijah Taylor, Brent Kite, James Segeyaro, Adam Docker, Jeremy Latimore and Tim Grant. Yet the team finished the regular season fourth, seeing Cleary awarded the Dally M Coach of the Year.
Strengths
The NRL draw – Penrith only played top-eight opposition eleven times during the season, including two games played in the finals series. Also the rep season aided Penrith by not having a single representative in the Origin series.
Weaknesses
The allocation of home games – Penrith were denied equal allocation of Sydney teams for home games, no Saturday night or Sunday afternoon football, four Monday night home games (the most in Sydney) and 7 of 12 home games, including the Bathurst game, were rain-affected.
All these factors impeded the ability of the club to grow crowds significantly, with the end result being a likely second home game in New Zealand in 2015 as the club continues to rank as Sydney’s lowest drawing club in the NRL.
Highs
The emergence of Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Isaah Yeo, Bryce Cartwright, Kierran Moseley and Will Smith. Also the improvement in Matt Moylan, James Segeyaro and Tyrone Peachey.
Lows
The demise of Tim Grant and Kevin Kingston, both playing the majority of their season in the NSW Cup. The form of Sika Manu as a back row option after a stellar 2013 is also a concern.
Next big thing
Waqa Blake’s form and development in the NSW Cup means it won’t be long before he is given a chance in the NRL. It could very well speed up Jamal Idris’ move into the back row, which would further complicate matters at the selection table.
Under the pump
David Simmons and Sika Manu – both players are in positions that are well covered.
Best game
In week one of the finals the Panthers were not given a chance against the defending premiers on their home turf. Missing many of their star players, the Panthers turned on an amazing seven-point comeback inside the final five minutes to secure an unlikely spot in the preliminary finals.
Worst games
Two losses to Cronulla in Round 8 and Round 20 saw the Panthers give up leads late in the second half, ultimately costing them the minor premiership.
Where to in 2015
If they can keep the core squad on the field, a top-four finish is on the cards.
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