It has been nine long years since both the Penrith Panthers and Newcastle Knights made the semi-finals.
Panthers fans will remember 2003 as the year they snared the premiership against the might of Brad Fittler’s Sydney Roosters.
Many believed a golden era was about to follow.
The Knights, who had won the title two years earlier, were still a force and made the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.
That golden era never came for either side.
But while both sides have struggled on and off the field in recent years, at least the Knights can say they are on their way back.
Panthers fans will argue that having Nathan Tinkler looking after your franchise isn’t going to hurt, and that’s definitely true. But how have the Panthers fallen so far?
While other teams find themselves in blockbuster round six encounters, the fifteenth placed Panthers travel to Hunter Stadium to face the fourth placed Knights.
Newcastle are improving on a weekly basis, the same can not be said of the bumbling Panthers. Despite a promising first up performance against the Canberra Raiders, Penrith have been average since.
They haven’t been that bad but they haven’t been that good either. They’ve just been making up the numbers.
Halfback Luke Walsh has polarised opinion in Sydney’s west ever since joining the club from the Knights in 2009. After a poor start to the season he was finally dropped.
Some feel he is still their best option and some feel he has had enough chances in the number seven jersey.
For the second week running, Blake Austin and Tom Humble have been named in the halves despite a 30-0 drubbing at the hands of the North Queensland Cowboys last weekend.
That’s the problem for coach Ivan Cleary.
How many other options does he have?
Panthers legend Mark Geyer has told The Roar that he believes Walsh’s time was up, and the likes of Austin and talented youngster Issac John are the future of the club.
“The sacking of [Luke] Walsh was inevitable,” Geyer said.
“I think Blake Austin has to definitely be in the starting 13 [every week].
“I would like to also see Issac John get a run too.”
Kiwi fans will remember John as yet another teenage sensation that slipped through their fingers. After a recent stint in the English Super League at the Wakefield-Trinity Wildcats, John signed with the Panthers in February.
Whether Humble, Austin or John are long term options in the halves for the Panthers is anyone’s guess. To be brutally fair, they probably aren’t.
But Penrith need to find something and do it in a hurry.
Coach Cleary might have named the same squad that went down to the Cowboys last weekend but expect changes in the lead up to Saturday afternoon’s clash.
John has been named to partner Walsh in the halves for the highflying Windsor Wolves.
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