If you’re still waiting for the Penrith Panthers to curl up on a couch and sleep through the cold months, you really should lay off the catnip. Spring is here, and the Panthers are very much finals-bound.
The crowds might not reflect it, but there hasn’t been this much excitement in the air out Penrith way since Harry’s Cafe de Wheels put a kiosk outside Panthers leagues club.
The excitement is justified. Three years into a Phil Gould five-year plan that even Baldrick himself would describe as ‘cunning’ – a plan that saw ‘deadwood’ such as internationals Michael Jennings and Luke Lewis cut adrift – coach Ivan Cleary somehow has a bunch of journeymen, rookies and nuffies one win away from sealing an unlikely top-four finish.
My pre-season soothsaying had the Panthers troubling the bottom half of the top eight, and I think that’s where they’ll end up after facing the Warriors this Sunday night.
The thing about this side, though, is that they hang around like a household cat at dinner time – always there or thereabouts, and seemingly never satisfied.
Take last weekend’s epic at Brookvale for example. Sunday afternoon football, winter sunshine, a packed suburban ground, a monumental cock-up involving referees and timekeepers – Gus Gould himself couldn’t have scripted it better.
Sure, he might have conspired to give Penrith that vital 15 seconds they were robbed of to score an unlikely match-winner, but going down swinging in a 26-25 thriller to Manly – the competition heavyweights who I don’t hate anywhere near as much as I want to – is another fine chapter in the redemption tale.
Especially when you consider how many of their lead characters are missing. Buy-of-the-year candidates Elijah Taylor and Tyrone Peachey are on the long-term injured list, as are rookie-of-the-year candidates Bryce Cartwright and Isaah Yeo, and prodigal son Peter Wallace.
Matt Moylan and James Segeyaro are still there, playing the roles of enigmatic sidekicks to perfection. Josh Mansour’s beard is consistently impressive. Will Smith’s late cameo is keeping small-minded pop-culture buffs amused.
But the centrepiece of the Penrith rebirth is an individual tale of redemption.
Jamie Soward is what one might tactfully call a divisive figure. Mothers take one look at those cheeks and want to give them a good squeeze before sending him back outside to play; less forgiving, blokier types might best describe that very same face as ‘punchable’.
Whether you consider Soward a lovable scamp or pantomime villain, you can’t deny he’s an entertainer. Sometimes unwittingly, especially when it comes to post-try celebrations which have their origins in cocky strutting but come across as kinda ridiculous. Like when he collected an unlikely try assist from Jamie Lyon on Sunday.
No matter. His legions of knockers have either lost their voice or retired as Soward rediscovers the mojo that had slowly seeped out of him after he was sacrificed to the NSW No.6 jersey post-Dragons 2010 grand final glory.
And rather than feel weighed down by the burden of carrying his side’s playmaking hopes when halves partner Wallace’s knee buckled, Soward has lifted.
There’s a spontaneity in his play – and by extension Penrith’s – which teams whose halves remain anchored to their respective left or right channels lack. The side of the ruck he calls the ball from isn’t necessarily where he catches it, or where it’s ultimately going.
Unpredictable, off-the-cuff football. There really isn’t enough of it. But there should be plenty of it out at Penrith Park this weekend. Sunday night football in the Golden West, to paraphrase Gus.
The Harry’s kiosk won’t know what hit it.
Knightblues
Guest
Amazing team, so many players out and they still nearly beat Manly at Brookvale.
john badseed
Guest
Too pessimistic Shadow, I reckon they'll want to stay at the club for the same reason as the players from the 90-91 and 02-03 teams. They know that the Pennies now have the makings of a dominant club at which the players will be able to reach their full potential. Don't underrate how important this is to many players. While some will believe the hype and go the way of players like Jennings, those you want to keep will, like Manly, choose career satisfaction ahead of the bucks, (then they'll sell out to the white shoe brigade0.
dubblebubble
Guest
I think it was because their colours were originally brown and white.
Parrafan
Guest
Yeah Jennings is brilliant, but my point was in 2012 there was a big difference between what he was capable of producing and what he actually was producing.
The eye
Guest
youre letting the scoreboard deceive you horrifically
Shadow
Roar Rookie
Too bad most of them will end up excelling at bigger clubs. Penrith will always blood juniors but they will never be a successful club that wins games consistently and regularly. Same with newcastle and north qld and canberra. We can always rely on the doggies and roosters and the like to poach the cream of the crop and take glory.
astro
Guest
Thought the Panthers were great on Sunday at Brookie, but still believe they have a point to prove in the finals. Their draw this year has been kind...They played the Raiders, Knights, Titans, Dragons and Sharks twice. They've lost to the Eagles, Bunnies, Storm (twice) and Roosters. I'm not saying they haven't improved dramatically this year, and have some great young players, but its hard to say that they still don't have something to prove. The finals will give us a better indication of where the club is at.
Cowboys
Guest
I believe this was more to do with their sponsor, rather than not winning a GF...
Cowboys
Guest
Beat the Cows by 1 and they 'smacked' Them.. Lose to Manly by one and they are mixing it up with the best. Your comment has not got any logical point.
Muzz
Guest
I know mate. However the point i was trying to make is that the bar is high.If you want to win a comp, you will need a number of top tier/marquee players.Jennings is one of the best strike-centres in the comp.These players win you big games. imo Gus was mad letting him go.
Parrafan
Guest
Muzz Penrith made a decision that they wanted to build a certain style of team that wasn't focused on the individual. Yes Jennings is individually brilliant but he didn't fit in the team that Cleary and Gus wanted. It happens all the time with players. How many discards have gone to the Storm and played good footy. Look at Ben Roberts this year. He went from probably the worst 5/8th in the league to a passable half. Considering Penrith only won 8 games in 2012 and have performed much better in the last 2 years I hardly rate it a failure of Gus and his 'big fate ego'.
Don
Roar Rookie
To be fair Girdler, Gower, Clinton, Lewis and Waterhouse were all Australian players that year and Priddis was outstanding. Rhys Wesser, Presto and the "hair bear bunch" Joe Gulavao and Tony Puletua were also unreal. A mate who is a Panthers fan thinks this year is similar to 2003 when Penrith had zero State of Origin players selected and ended up minor premiers and premiers. I hope not...
Don
Roar Rookie
I meant Cleary - sorry. No where near as angry a man as Ivan Henjak.
Muzz
Guest
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Gus : ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIWni6G6yBU
john badseed
Guest
I believe the young Pennies, more so than the Tiger cubs, will be the future stars of the NRL. They have been brought into the top grade at the right time and are learning from players like Kite and Sowie how to be winners. Manly went about things the same way as Penrith and built a great team around some established champions. Their exposure to top level footy during this year's finals series will only help in the future. Unfortunately, the Tele Tigers have exposed their young guns to a losing experience that could well scar them for life. Meanwhile, Penrith have allowed their youngsters to develop at their own pace. More power to them.
Matthew Skellett
Guest
They used to be called the "chocolate soldiers" before they won their first premiership -so Penrith have been no strangers to scorn and ridicule
Parrafan
Guest
I still love watching that Sattler try saver. One of the best tackles I've ever seen.
Clark
Guest
I hope people continue to doubt Penrith, because it seems every week they are doubted, they step up and prove them wrong. I reckon they should of definitely won on the weekend but a great effort nonetheless. As a Warriors I want them to make the 8 so obviously I want us to win on Sunday but it would also be good to see Penrith go into the finals on a decent win.
Luke M
Guest
Henjak?
Luke M
Guest
Muzz, I think you missed that the "deadwood" comment was tongue in cheek. This was made obvious by the apostrophes either side of the word 'deadwood' and inserting the word 'internationals' into the sentence. And trust me, Penrith are in the middle of producing the next wave of these brilliant players. Matt Moylan, DWZ, George and Robert Jennings, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Isaah Yeo, Bryce Cartwright.