The Penrith Panthers’ season has been on life support for the last couple of weeks.
But after the Panthers slumped to a 30-4 loss at the hands of the Wests Tigers on Friday night, I’ve drawn a line through them and my advice to coach Ivan Cleary is to start preparing for next year, because he has plenty of work to do.
So where did it all go wrong for the Panthers?
This was a team that was meant to fighting for a title this season. Instead they are now languishing at the bottom of the ladder with four points and will be very lucky to finish without the wooden spoon.
Of course, the players must bear some of the responsibility given that they are the ones on the field.
The Panther playing better this year than last is James Tamou. The rest are struggling.
Consider Dylan Edwards, who was an exciting attacking prospect last year. He is now playing reserve grade.
Reagan Campbell-Gillard’s confidence seems to have been impacted following his broken jaw in 2018, and on current form, Nathan Cleary and James Maloney are making it hard for Brad Fittler to select them as his Origin halves.
Reports have also emerged this weekend that Dallin Watene-Zelezniak may have the opportunity to consider an immediate mid-season switch to the Parramatta Eels.
But rather than focus on the players, the responsibility for the train wreck that is the Panthers’ season must be carried by those running the club.
‘Culture problem’ is a phrase often used in rugby league.
Penrith’s culture was on display last year when they showed then-coach Anthony Griffin the door with eight weeks left in the season.
Penrith had every right to make this decision. What I take issue with is their decision to make an offer to Ivan Cleary, who was then contracted with the Wests Tigers.
It demonstrated tremendous arrogance for the Panthers to disrupt the season of another NRL club, particularly when that side was still a chance of playing finals football at that point.
Everyone knows why the Panthers went so hard after Cleary.
They wanted to make sure that their star prospect Nathan Cleary stayed at the club.
Nathan and Ivan had both made it clear at different points through the 2018 season that they wanted an opportunity to work together. The Panthers board made that vision a reality by offering Ivan a five-year deal at the end of last season.
Keeping Nathan must have driven Penrith to make the decision, because they certainly couldn’t have been swayed by Ivan’s coaching record.
Ivan is one of only two coaches in the NRL who has coached more than 300 games and still has a negative win-loss record. The other is Ricky Stuart from the Canberra Raiders.
When people speak about Ivan, it sometimes sounds like he is a beginner coach at the start of his career. Maybe it’s because he had some time away from the NRL and was forgotten about.
But it is certainly not the case that he is a newbie coach.
Additionally, five years is too long for most contracts in the NRL, given how much can change in that space of time.
It’s not just about a leadership that would wheel-and-deal to get a coach – it’s also about an organisation that faces the challenges around its playing group that the Panthers did at the start of the year.
(Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)
Tyrone May’s behaviour was well documented at the beginning of 2019, when he was charged with two counts of recording intimate images without consent, and two counts of distributing images without consent.
May is not the only NRL player to have featured in such a video, and this issue affects more clubs than just Penrith.
But you question a culture where such behaviour is occurring.
You also question what impact that had on player preparation heading into the season, given it was widely reported that other players were on edge because they knew more videos were out there.
It was a sub-optimal start for Ivan Cleary, who would have wanted to start his time at the Panthers with a focus on the pre-season rather than the impact of a sex-tape scandal on his players.
For the Panthers, they have some challenging teams to play in the weeks ahead, including the Sydney Roosters.
However, there are some winnable games there too, such as the injury-ravaged Manly Sea Eagles and the New Zealand Warriors.
But deeper issues need to be considered before Penrith begin working their way out of this mess.
Phil Gould was criticised for not delivering a premiership in his five-year plan.
But post-Gus, my question is: is there a plan at all?
At work
Roar Rookie
True, but he basically forced the Tiger hand.
Pomoz
Roar Rookie
As a Panthers fan for 32 years, I wish they hadn't signed either Cleary to the deals they have. Neither deserve the deals because they just aren't good enough. In fact the signing of coach Cleary given his record, is criminal incompetence by the board of the Panthers even more so when one considers Gus had Bennett lined up.
Pomoz
Roar Rookie
Mary, they offered Cleary a contract for when his deal with the Tiger’s expired. There is nothing wrong with that. The Tiger’s board chose to end Cleary’s contract. Please don’t let facts stop you kicking the Panthers. Do South’s have a culture problem and the Bronco’s? They did the same. You failed to mention that. Are they arrogant too? I think highlighting May’s issues as a cultural issue is blatantly ignoring the high profile cases in the news at other clubs. Alleged domestic violence and alleged sexual assault and yet you focus on the videos. Drink driving by one of the highest profile players in the game, an offence which has the risk of leading to the death of innocent bystanders, is that a cultural issue at Souths? You are showing no balance whatsoever. The De Belin case, also yet unproven, is far worse than anything May has allegedly done and yet you ignore this. No cultural problems at the Dragons, nothing to see here. Remember the texts from Gasnier “fire up”? The Panther’s aren’t squeaky clean, but come on, show some balance before you start accusing an entire team of a cultural issue and all that implies. Rather than look at some deep seated issue in the culture, maybe just consider that this team made the semi finals three years in a row and the only major change is the coach. A coach you have already identified that has an ordinary record. It begs the question, given his resume, why was he hired?
Pomoz
Roar Rookie
Just a factual correction. Cleary didn't break his contract. He signed for the Panthers for when his then current contract with the Tiger's expired. The Tigers board decided to let him go early and signed Maguire. The exact same situation of South's and the Broncos.
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Mary, do they look like a team that wants to play for their coach or their club ? Seriously, the natural captain of that side is Maloney, and even he is lacklustre at best. you do not make a bloke captain to make him improve his game as Cleary did with Tamou, you motivate him or punt him if you reckon he is not doing the job. Then again not many are doing their job There is no co-operation in the halves and you can see the frustration in Maloney. This time last year they were heading for the top 8 and blitzing second halves, now look at them> Campbell- Gillard has some excuse after having 2 busted jaws, you cannot blame him for bring gun shy...but as for the rest it's like we are here because we have to be, otherwise we would rather be up the pub.
Mary Konstantopoulos
Expert
Scary though, I think he has been one of the Panthers best this year!
Mary Konstantopoulos
Expert
Some really interesting info in there - thanks for sharing!!
Mary Konstantopoulos
Expert
What I don't get is why you would return to a club that had previously sacked you?
Mary Konstantopoulos
Expert
At work, I completely agree with the above. In fact, I've been sitting on this article for a few weeks now because I didn't want to come across as spiteful. To me, it is incredible that Ivan, who had such goodwill last year when he was coaching the Tigers, has now destroyed his reputation with this move to Penrith. The fallout from this has been fascinating to watch.
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
Despite their struggles, i read their halves are still in line for Origin. If they get in over South's halves, Fittler should be immediately sacked. No one in the right mind could select the penrith halves. IMO, there is too much importance to players playing together at club level. It makes little difference if there is a weak link among them.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Well??? I wouldn't say that Seibs left us with anything, he didnt have the record that Bennet has (after 9 rounds) yes there is a long way to go but, Bennett for me, is a much better manager and coach and if anything the Bunnies have no excuses, its all up to the playing group. The Bunnies have to improve another 30% IMO as they say that they are only 70% there. For me, we need a top centre combination and that 30% intensity to have any chance of beating either the Chooks or the Storm at their best but, It wouldn't surprised me if the boys get there this year!
Chris Love
Roar Guru
I thought Gus had explained that perfectly.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
To be fair Griffin wasn’t going well at Brisbane. He did much better at Penrith but was always going to get the sack at Brisbane regardless of if Bennet became available.
Superspud
Roar Rookie
I actually think that some of the Penrith players are not as good as people think they are. They over achieved for a short period of time and got a reputation and were thought of a superstars.
Superspud
Roar Rookie
I am assuming that you meant Ivan not Nathan?? Either way I don't think Ivan could ever have been described as a "great" player.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Seems they finally made a start to try to improve this team for the next match against the Warriors. Not sure they went far enough, but its a start. Mansour , RCG, Aekins and Egan dropped. Good kid Liam Martin back from suspension, and youngster Brian Too gets his chance up against Fusitua ( who would have slaughtered Mansour in the air again ), Edwards is given another chance at fullback and Luai gets a chance to show some pace off the interchange.
Albo
Roar Rookie
As a Panther fan, I never thought the Cleary father & son arrangement was ever a good idea. It simply opens the team up to personality fractures, disputes and places massive pressure on both Cleary's, especially if things don't go well , and so far they haven't. But I can't wear all this faux outrage at Ivan Cleary backing out of his Tiger's contract to take up the Panthers job. The Tigers have done well out of the deal. They have premiership winning coach instead. The Panthers are picking up the financial debt over it all. Lets face it, NRL contracts aren't worth the paper they are written on these days. There is no loyalty of Clubs to players & coaches, and no loyalty of players & coaches to the Clubs. Contracts these days are only base employment & payment guarantees until such time as the Club wants to move you on, or as a player/ coach, your ever scheming agent / manager screws out a better deal for you somewhere else. Until the NRL takes back some control of its game and tightens all contractual conditions, it will remain a circus of player & coach movements controlled by the Clubs & player agents. Just what really happened at the Panthers with the coaching fiasco, no one really knows for sure , as there have been plenty of accusations thrown around , but little direct evidence provided. Has Bennett confirmed he was approached by Gould and was coming to Penrith ? And O'neil is denying he had anything to do with getting Cleary back to Penrith ? Who knows what has gone down ? But Ivan Cleary not completing his Tigers contract is just another typical daily player / coach / Club agreed movement in the NRL.
Larry1950
Guest
Steveng, you've gone the early crow there. Anything short of a GF slot for the bunnies has to be a failure on Bennett's head, he got a ready made team from seibs so surely he has to improve them over what a rookie did to claim success. I like what they're doing for now but it's a long season.
farkurnell
Guest
Penrith now hold "The Melodrama Club Award" relinquished by Parra ,Manly & Sharks from previous years. I've got one word for you "Gus'.Although previously a great coach he is a failed administrator. No one has yet to explain sufficiently why Griffen had to be sacked mid season last year. Thank goodness the Sharks rejected his overtures for a job
steveng
Roar Rookie
HaHaaa good one but, you should be glad that IvanC has left (just like we are at the Bunnies with Seibs lol) as far as coaches are concerned, you now have ‘The Great Madge’ (ex Bunnies legend) surely he’s better than IvanC ever was, how many GF’s has IvanC won? lol not letting Gus get Bennett was the biggest mistake that the Panthers ever made but, it was a genius move by our management at the Bunnies! I wonder where Madge will fit into the Tigers fans ethos and/or their hostility rankings this year and if things don’t improve at the Tigers in coming years? Will it be the same as Ivan Cleary?