There is no question Penrith Panthers’ star five-eighth Jamie Soward polarises opinion. It seems the premiership-winning pivot is always only one bad game away from public scrutiny.
Like him or loathe him, Soward has been at his resurgent best in 2014. He had a forgettable end to his tenure at St George Illawarra and a less than memorable stint at English Super League cellar dwellers the London Broncos.
But in 2014 he is sitting atop the table with the Panthers.
Chest pounding, obscure post-try celebrations and low fives to the trainer after sideline conversions. Yep, Soward is back alright. The team from the foot of the mountains now have the world at their feet.
The Panthers have been a breath of fresh air this year and continue to silence the critics.
While they’ve done all they can through the first half of the season, a new challenge awaits them and that challenge is the gauntlet of the championship rounds leading into the playoffs.
Penrith, the people’s team from out west, built on the dream of a few continuing to defy the odds of a public eye that hasn’t been trained to take the Panthers seriously, not for a long time anyway. Still with the real battle ahead, they come to the towering gates where only legitimate heavyweights dare trek.
Beyond the gates are rugby league’s best. Defending premiers Sydney, the sheer mass of the Canterbury Bulldogs, the Rabbitohs of South Sydney and the brilliance and tenacity of Jamie Lyon’s Sea Eagles. These are the proven few while the rest scratch and scramble at the gates waiting for their shot.
On Monday, Penrith host the Brisbane Broncos before the real test starts.
The following Saturday at Allianz Stadium the Panthers square-off with the Roosters. It’s their chance to make it through the gates, to the next stage. A loss doesn’t mean much on the premiership table but it doesn’t get them the respect they know they deserve.
And the man that could help steer Penrith to victory on that Saturday is Soward who returns to Allianz Stadium once more to quell the masses. He’s seen it all before as a Dragon helping the Saints to premiership glory against you guessed it, the Roosters.
He’s played State of Origin and won a premiership but Soward has yet another point to prove against his former club. He’s not fighting for the Dragons or himself this time, it’s for the Panthers.
Released mid-season by the Roosters in 2007, Soward was just another young playmaker on the fringe, an afterthought whose career could have gone either way. But Soward persevered.
It seems no matter what Soward does, he will always have a point to prove.
So here is the challenge Penrith, it’s laid out ahead of you in black and white and it starts with a clash against the Roosters. Note the day and note the game, the day the Panthers begin their real tilt or fade back into the pack, Saturday the 19th of July, 2014, at the Sydney Football Stadium.
A venue where Soward once sliced and diced opposing Jersey Flegg teams while legendary Roosters and Penrith number six Brad Fittler’s ghost still lurked. Ironically it was Phil Gould, as coaching director of the Roosters, who helped make the decision to let Soward go.
It seems it was never meant to be at the Roosters, who tossed Soward to the curb looking for the next quick fix.
Perhaps the Roosters will flex their muscle and put Soward and the Panthers back in their place.
Or maybe, just maybe Soward proves us all wrong again and the Panthers make it through those gates and take one step closer to an unthinkable premiership title.
The RiffMarn Stew Moses
Roar Guru
I really dont thnk that the Panthers HAVE to win v the Roosters to prove anything - like 2003 when the Panthers came from nowhere to win the title, the Panthers were actually touched up late in the season at home no less by Freddy's Roosters only to reverse the result in the game that counted. Given the Panthers' season thus far they only have to win the games that matter to secure a reaonable shot in the finals series.
Ben Lott
Roar Pro
The Broncs actually have a half of some description? I thought they had a bunch of Fullbacks/Wingers/Centres rotating through. Aside from being a biased Panther Fan, I'd hate to see your prescious Broncs injury list after taking on the likes of Plum, Taylor, Kite, Docker, Latimore et al. Who've you got? Thaiday? Tired from SOO, same for McGuire. Hannat? Oh wait, he's playing park footy... hahaha.
Luke M
Guest
Have you seen Tyrone Peachey play lately? And also, seeing as your team only has one half as well, your theory doesn't hold much water.
eryan
Guest
Broncos to bash soward this monday night - hit him late steer lots of traffic his way, without another designated half this should see us run over the top of them
George
Guest
Saints wouldn't have won their most recent title without him. It's better to be a little weird than being a violent buffoon.
Kaks
Guest
Carlos, Soward is a great player no doubt but he will always be a defensive liability. He would have been ruthlessly targeted had he been in the NSW team this year, and years before, which could have changed the outcome of this years series.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
It's funny though. Some people can do a post try celebration and it's a laugh and funny. But when lil jamie pulls out the smoking guns, he just comes off as a mug lair
Albo
Guest
Spot on Ken ! I am a long term Panther supporter, and I have to say I was a bit dubious about the announcement of him coming to my club this year. My concern too was some query on his defence at a club that already had a huge defensive problem in every department, along with a query on his ability to "mix well with others in the team" ! I had no problem with his attacking ability and his effective kicking game in general, that Penrith had lacked for years. As the year has gone on, thanks to the coach ( and mightily assisted by skipper Peter Wallace and Elijah Taylor) they have turned around the Panthers defensive problems of recent years. So much so that they sit atop the table and have all but sealed a finals birth this far out from the end of season. Soward too, has played his part in the defensive make up now in place out at Penrith. I cant recall a missed tackle this year despite plenty of traffic being directed at him. The problem for Soward and the Panthers now however, is that they have just lost for some weeks, their key general in both attack, and more importantly in defence, in Peter Wallace ! He continually marshals the defence and covers up for mistakes of others. Not sure Soward or any other replacement will be able to replace Wallace's important role within the Panthers so far successful patterns of both attack & defence. I will be counting down the days for Wallace's return, and hope that Soward can till then, maintain some degree of organisational control of the team on the park.
Lion Down Under
Guest
I'm a Penrith fan and think he's been brilliant this year. My dad is primarily a union fan but the London Broncos now play a 20 minute walk (probably longer for the old codger, he's in his 70s) from my parent's house so he wanders over to a few of their games. He asked me who Soward was as apparently he's never seen such a bad player. He couldn't believe that he'd come from the Dragons, reckoned there were better players for the Walgett Dragons!! I get the feeling he was very much "dialling in" his performances for London. I think that some of the antipathy towards him is that he's a player who needs to be "in the right space" to perform. Those of us who either just missed out on being professional sportsmen or were never good enough feel that we'd be so happy to be payed to play sport that we'd give it 100% no matter what. We're probably wrong in that thinking.
Ken
Guest
He actually was pretty good the last couple of years at Saints too. With that frame he's never going to pull off too many bone-rattlers but he's become positionally astute and good at herding bigger players back into the meat of the defence. As I think Charles alluded to below, he's also got a habit of popping up as a second fullback when defending the line, often fielding in-goal kicks.
Ken
Guest
Seems like grasping at straws. Plenty of players strike silly poses 'addressing the ball', lots of grumps and swearing by players when things don't go their way, heaps of players I can think of (i.e. Jarryd Hayne) that leaves Soward in the shade when it comes to celebrating alone (his run into the crowd in a 'love me' pose at the end of Origin 2 is probably the biggest of all time!). Boyd is a different matter, the petulant interviews, off-field indiscretions, and the mercenary attitude are clear reasons why he stands out, I would argue Soward still gets a worse run though.
Milz
Guest
Funny I used to say that about Rudd and Gillard.
parrafan
Guest
Yep could never understand the high level of scrutiny leveled at Soward. They way his team mates treated him last year was deplorable and their standing this year prove that he wasn't the problem. Good to see the bloke proving critics wrong and good luck to him.
Charles NSW
Guest
Well said Ken! I regard him as potentially one of the best 5/8ths ever to put on the boot. It has not turned out that way but he really does have all the skills there to be one of the best. In regards to his tackling if you watch he has stopped many a try just by reading the play and being there at the right time. He could run and tackle more however he does make it up in other ways.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Exactly like young Darius some people are born with a head that even non violent people such as myself have this unexplained desire just to slap a tentacle right across their face. Such other examples include that Sheldon fella from Big Bang theory, our prime minister, the bieber, Kirsten Stewart from twilight Also with jamie, it's the little dances, the sour look like he's sucked on a lemon for a week, talking in 3rd person, celebrating by himself after tries while his teammates watch on. Just so slappable
Carlos
Guest
I've long been a fan of Soward, and still believe he's the best option for NSW at no6. He and Hodgkinson could be a better option for the blues next year. How many times does this guy have to prove the armchair haters wrong.
SuperEel22
Roar Guru
Like Darius Boyd, he has a face you'd love to punch. The main criticism I've seen leveled at him is due to the dance he does lining up his conversions. They even changed the time allowed to take a conversion because of him.
Benedict Arnold
Guest
He was the scapegoat for St. George's demise after 2010 while still being one of their best players. I can understand why he got pissed off at the media. He never deserved it. It's good to see him enjoying his footy again proving all the naysayers wrong.
Pomoz
Roar Rookie
Ken, I share your confusion. You mention his tackling, but this year he has even improved his defence, much to the shock of Penrith fans. He has a red hot go every game. I don't get it. There are many more controversial figures in the NRL more deserving of ridicule than Soward.
Ken
Guest
What is it that you don't like? I'm not really sure why he became everyone's whipping boy. Great skills - speed, passing, kicking - never been in trouble that I can think of, stood on the biggest stages and acquitted himself well. He's not exactly feared for his tackling but if you watch him he's always having a go and there's plenty worse in the comp. He can be a bit defensive in the media sometimes I suppose but geez, can you blame him?