The Panthers have gone to a 1-3 record after going down to the Dragons by just two points in Wollongong yesterday.
It was another close loss for the chocolate soldiers, capping off a disappointing first month of a football. They had a set to win it in Canberra in Round 1, a kick after the siren that felled them against the Dogs and now a missed conversion by Soward ultimately the difference against the Dragons.
Their average losing margin out of those three games is just four points. The win that they did jag was against the Broncos, one that they were fortunate to get away with after Soward missed two goals for the lead.
The Panthers can’t get Matt Moylan back soon enough. Anthony Griffin has stated that Moylan is all but a certainty to return next week from a back injury that has kept him out of the season to date.
Moylan is the key to the Panthers’ attack. It will take a few games for him to find his groove after months out, but last year he has a try assist and line-break assist per game as well as a couple of tries. That in itself is the difference for Panthers in games to date, that extra try or opportunity that gives them the go ahead try.
While Soward has kicked duly at times, his confidence under pressure isn’t quite their and maybe if he had Moylan to take conversions under pressure he would be using him, he has had the clutch plays in the past in the form of goals and field goals and as skipper may want that responsibility too.
The Panthers will take away from a first month of football their potential. They have Moylan, James Segeyaro and Dean Whare to come back and those players can give them both steel in defence and a dimension in attack. They have been very close in each game without two members of their spine and a rep centre for three matches.
It has been disappointing to see the Panthers get the one win to start the season. But get Moylan back and get some confidence and other sides should underestimate them at their peril.
The RiffMarn Stew Moses
Roar Guru
So Peta Hiku dropping the ball ten metres out on the attack vs Canberra was Soward's fault? So Trent Merrin missing the kickoff vs St George was the result of Soward's poor general kicking game? Puhlease
MAX
Guest
Hi Jack, Yesterday the courage of Penrith was put to the test. I was most impressed. Had Bryce Cartwright remained on the paddock, Penrith wins. I rate him as the most important Panther. When the 3 injured return the team is still top 8 material in 2016. Of the 16 teams in the NRL, the tom- toms are saying Penrith. I think it will be in the time frame envisaged by Gus. Hope BC is ok. Sorry, gotta go. Church starts in 10'.
Tom Rock
Expert
The way I see it, Griffin has two choices. 1.) He could try and salvage something out of this season, keep Soward in the halves and partner him with Moylan. I think the Panthers win more games with Soward in the halves than Martin, but this is the short-sighted approach. 2.) Accept that the Panthers are in a building phase, and will not make the 8 this season. Stick with Moylan and Martin in the halves, and endure the growing pains. I hope, for the Panthers sake, that Griffin is more concerned with the future of the club than his present job security.
Albo
Guest
Moylan will surely make a big difference to the Panthers, but far more needs to be done by the coach and selectors here with this team. Surely it must be obvious to any Penrith supporter that as the team's nominated playmaker, Jamie Soward's form has been atrocious for these past 4 matches and his lack of game management along with his poor defence and terrible kicking options at the crucial times have been the main reason the Panthers have handed over 3 wins in the dying seconds of the matches against Canberra, Canterbury & St George. His failure to run with the ball or bring runners onto the ball makes the Panthers sitting ducks and generally going nowhere once inside the opposition quarter. He must go. Time for Griffin to bite the bullet and bring in the youngsters they had bought for the future, into the team right now. Docker - Clay to half and Martin to 6 now to run the show. Sure it might take a few games to gel but they cannot afford any more of Soward's incompetence or the season will be over for the Panthers next month. The other pathetic selections that need to be addressed are the heart attack material Griffin keeps persisting with in Will Smith and Waqa Blake (and to a lesser extent DWZ) . All three of these players are rife with mistakes in their games and need more time in reserves or park footy before they should step foot into this NRL team. What is the coach thinking here ? Hasn't he seen the dropped balls ? The missed tackles ? The poor positioning ? Doesn't he see how all opposition players target their poor ball handling ? JT laughs every time one of them brings the ball back at him ! The Panther forward pack must be pulling their hair out watching these clowns continually placing them all under pressure. Time for the coach to make some tough decisions and believe his own eyes ! There are guys in that team who should not be there !