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Phil Gould is back at it again, sacking Anthony Griffin just five weeks out of the NRL finals. However, if the Panthers want to win the title this year, this decision had to be made.
Griffin was set to become just the second coach in Penrith’s history to lead the club to three-straight finals series and had overcome a crippling injury toll in 2018, with stars Nathan Cleary, Dylan Edwards and Reagan Campbell-Gillard all suffering extended layoffs.
Despite this, the club enter Round 22 in fifth position on the ladder, with a genuine shot of claiming an all-important spot in the top four.
It is a massive gamble by Gould, with the experienced Griffin replaced by rookie coach Cameron Ciraldo for the remainder of 2018. But it is the right one.
The 60-year-old hasn’t been afraid to make big calls in the past, letting go local juniors Bryce Cartwright and Matt Moylan just last year.
Both decisions appear to have been the right ones, given Moylan’s replacement, James Maloney, has transformed the Panthers into genuine premiership contenders.
Meanwhile, Cartwright has endured a year to forget on the Glitter Strip and, despite his enormous potential, still appears hampered by off-field issues.
The Mountain Men have arguably the best roster in the competition when it comes to sheer talent. Getting the most out of their potential, however, has been a tough task for Griffin.
Anthony Griffin (AAP Image/Dan Peled)
The former Brisbane coach has guided them to back-to-back semi-finals, which is all well and good, but it’s not premierships.
After storming to top of the ladder halfway through 2018, the Panthers stumbled through the Origin period. At this rate, another premature elimination seems likely. With Maloney set to move on in the coming years, their premiership window potentially closes soon.
And, clearly, Griffin isn’t seen as the man to lead the club to their first title since 2003.
It’s completely understandable too. In the past fortnight, the Panthers found themselves trailing the Sea Eagles and Raiders by 18 and 14 points, before storming home to win.
Both comebacks coincided with Penrith adapting a less structured, more free-flowing style of footy. Griffin, however, has a more conservative personality.
Former Panther Jamie Soward said it himself, claiming in an article for the Western Weekender that Griffin’s conventional approach conflicted with that of the playing group.
“When I first arrived at Penrith in 2014, the team loved playing what was in front of them – adlib, second phase footy – but I believe that’s been coached out of them in recent years,” he wrote.
Ciraldo has a long relationship with Penrith’s junior system, having coached their under 20s side to two minor premierships and one premiership in 2015.
From that premiership-winning squad, Dylan Edwards, James Fisher-Harris, Corey Harawira-Narea, Sione Katoa, Moses Leota, Tyrone May and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak have progressed through to be regular first-graders.
Given the squad’s youth and Ciraldo’s deep connections with the current side, he looks like the man who could finally bring the full potential out of one of the competition’s most exciting teams.
Another important factor to consider is the future of boom halfback Nathan Cleary.
Nathan Cleary (Photo by Robert Prezioso/Getty Images)
The 20-year-old’s signature has been one of the most hotly contested topics of the year, with his father Ivan’s Wests Tigers deemed the greatest threat to Penrith’s hopes of keeping him.
Ciraldo is understood to have a close relationship with the young halfback, which could be a massive boost to the club’s chances of extending his contract beyond 2019.
If he re-signs, Cleary could play alongside the fleetfooted Jarome Luai to form the league’s most potent halves pairing. Cleary’s game management skills are undeniable and would be the perfect complement to Luai’s footwork and unpredictability.
Wayne Bennett, Trent Barrett, Ivan Cleary and Michael McGuire have all been brought up as other alternatives as coach for next year.
Bennett’s experience and knowledge of the game certainly makes him a more than capable replacement, while bringing back Cleary would secure the signature of son Nathan.
One name that hasn’t been as widely considered is the most suitable of the lot – Brad Fittler.
Of course, his availability is dependent on whether he would be willing to step down from leading New South Wales. In leading the Blues to a series victory, Fittler proved he could inspire a young and relatively inexperienced team to play for each other.
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Having begun his career at Penrith as a teenager, Fittler can relate to the Panther cubs. He was an ill-disciplined larrikin who eventually matured and was rewarded with 69 games for Australia and NSW.
Ironically enough, Gould played a massive role in transforming Fittler into the player he became.
Fittler rocked up to training one morning late, hungover and dressed in a singlet, shorts and thongs.
“How you goin’, Gussy?!” he said.
“I’ll give you f**ken Gussy. Come with me. Coach’s room,” a fed-up Gould replied.
Fittler described that moment as the turning point in his career.
This Penrith team doesn’t have the same issues. But they are still young. They are still searching for a mentor who they can actually look up to, someone they can see themselves in.
Griffin wasn’t that person.
While Gould has suggested that the Panthers are after a more experienced coach, which effectively rules out both Ciraldo and Fittler’s chances, their passion for both the club and its players still make them strong choices.
Ciraldo has been given a well-deserved opportunity to prove that he has what it takes.
If he isn’t ready though, there’s no need to panic.
Fittler is primed to inspire the next generation of stars to premiership glory – like Gussy did back in 1991.
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