It’s time to take Jamie Soward seriously. For years it’s seemed there’s nothing he could do to avoid being the laughing stock, the scape goat.
A premiership with St George Illawarra, steering NSW to victory in a State of Origin match.
Nothing was good enough in the eyes of critics who have long taunted him as a pretender.
But if those achievements aren’t genuine enough – it’s hard to poke holes in his match-winning performance on Saturday night against the Sydney Roosters – the club that sacked him all those years ago.
Soward master-minded one of the most memorable finals’ finishes in years to show why underrated rather than overrated is the more accurate description of his playmaking achievements.
The 29-year-old, who has stepped up to the Panthers captaincy in the absence of Peter Wallace, potted a sideline conversion to make it 18-18.
As usual, he did it to a chorus of “w*****” chants from the fans.
Then with seven seconds on the clock, one of the most clinical field goal exponents in NRL history, slotted a one-pointer from 35 metres out to catapult Penrith into the preliminary finals.
It was pure class from Soward.
A clutch play which should earn him some of the respect that’s for so long alluded him.
Soward described it as the most profound personal moment of his career.
“I’d say so,” said Soward.
“It was the most cool head (I’ve had).
“I’m grateful I got the chance.”
Soward has kicked more than 30 field goals in his first-grade career, but this year he has unselfishly used himself as a decoy to allow whiz kid fullback Matt Moylan to be the hero.
But on Saturday night it was his turn.
“Usually Moylan is the Superman. But it’s nice to get one tonight,” he said.
However, Soward said post-match that the conversion was what he was most proud of.
After punching a kick into the corner to set up a second try for Dean Whare, Soward then nailed one from the sideline to square up and ensure Penrith could be composed for the final minutes rather than in a mad rush to score a try.
“It allows you to close out the set rather than throw the footy around,” he said.
Making Soward’s efforts even more meritorious was the fact he was put under huge pressure by Sonny Bill Williams and the Roosters kick-chasers in the first half.
There was a kick out on the full and some poorly executed last-tackle options.
Critics might have summed up those errors as Jamie Soward in a nutshell.
But in Penrith’s biggest match in 10 years, the real Soward stood up to be counted.
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