One of Ivan Cleary’s finest achievements as a coach came during the 2014 NRL season. He took a Penrith team mixed with youth and experience to a preliminary final, a game away from competing in the decider.
It was a side that some people didn’t give much of a chance, especially when a few key players had their season cut short due to injury, but Ivan was able to continue to have them go out each week, giving their best and finding success. He coached them to their strengths and it showed on the field.
Over the past four seasons, I keep hearing people talk about the potential the Panthers have. They have a side that could potentially win a premiership, a halfback that could potentially be one of the greats, a coach that could potentially lead them to the grandest heights.
This season has been a disappointment for the Panthers. It feels like they’ve taken a step back. One of the shinning lights is the nine debutants, the future is looking bright, right?
But could the future of Penrith – the next generation of players – be where the issue lies? Penrith should be commended for the development and pathways of their junior systems. It’s a factory that produces talent after talent which is not only beneficial to the club but also the game itself.
To have a team filled with young talent is positive and a step in the right direction, but ultimately what does it mean if you don’t keep them around long enough to reap the benefits of that potential.
Some of the players that Penrith have let go over the past four years include Matt Moylan, Bryce Cartwright, Tyrone Peachy, Waqa Blake, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Corey Harawira-Naera, Leilani Latu and now possibly Reagan Campbell-Gillard being shopped around to other teams.
They were all players at one point that Penrith fans fell in love with. Yes, there are factors as to why they were released by club, but is the solution to simply release them because you can fall back on the next crop of players coming through the system?
(Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
Brent Naden, Liam Martin, Brian To’o and Mitch Kenny have all brought youthful exuberance to the team and are all showing their potential, but what happens when the lustre wears off and they find themselves down on form, or having off-field issues?
Is the cycle of removing what’s not working and bringing in another rookie because he has the potential to be great really the answer?
Or should a stronger attempt be made to solve whatever the problem is with the player, coach to their strengths and motivate them to regain the form that made fans fall in love with them in the first place.
Maybe some players need a new start and there are deeper issues that can’t be mended, but I look at what Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Corey Harawira-Naera has given the Bulldogs. When Matt Moylan is fully fit, he is a great asset to the Sharks.
Penrith have a good roster heading into the 2020 season. The signing of Api Koroisau back to his former club brings experience and should add some attacking spark out of dummy half.
The halves pairing of Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai might be what Penrith need to get themselves back to playing finals footy, but are they a roster capable of being a threat to the premiership? Or do we find ourselves saying they could potentially win in a few years once this team of young talented players become a bit more experienced? This is essentially the same spot they were in at the end of 2016.
When Ivan Cleary coached that Penrith side in 2014, on paper they might’ve not looked like a top-four side. The youth they had were only beginning their careers and the veterans they brought in weren’t met with a great deal of fanfare. Jamie Soward, Peter Wallace and an ageing Brent Kite all had questions marks over them.
But the experience and leadership they brought to the club was invaluable. With James Maloney set to depart and head to France at the end of the season, Penrith lose one of their most influential players. They enter the 2020 season with one of the youngest squads in the competition. The balance of youth, established players and veterans reaching their end is missing.
They potentially have a team that could win a premiership. They potentially could unearth the next generation of superstars. But you need proven players, match-winners and leaders that are influential not just on the field but off the field, too.
And the only way you’re going to achieve that is sticking to a team and coaching them. Resist the urge to let go of a player because you believe we’ve got one of the best junior systems in the game, so we can easily replace them.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
After today's effort,I think the only problem is ,where the hell was today's form when they needed it earlier in the year.
Zavjalova
Roar Rookie
Penrith have a cleary problem, both Ivan and nathan
Jaydem Martin
Roar Rookie
What’s your thoughts on Penrith trying to get Jared Waerea-Hardgreaves to the club? Don’t know how true it is, but there was speculation about it earlier in the year and it has resurfaced again.
Jaydem Martin
Roar Rookie
I think it was Matthew Johns that was saying how with Nathan Cleary his career is almost the opposite to other younger halves. Other halves come in with that natural attack and creativity, but it takes time to develop that game management side. Nathan knows how to control a game well but lacks in other departments and that’s probably why he got compared to JT and Cronk because of his composure and control of a game. But yeah I hate when players get compared to the greats. I agree that he might not reach the level of a JT, but he doesn’t have to. I think next year will be good for him though. It’s his side to run and the combination with Jerome Luai should work well.
Jacko
Guest
I dont think its potential that is their problem.....Its their coach...
WA DRAGON
Roar Rookie
Does this whole Nathan Cleary talk sound a lot like Mitchell Pearce revisited? Only difference is Cleary was fortunate to come into a stronger NSW team and one playing QLD without the big 3 or 4 or whatever it is. And let’s face it, it was literally a team that Pearce could win with too. Like Pearce, Cleary Is a very good first grader but no superstar. He has matured early (like Pearce) but he will have his limitations like Pearce. IMO he will never rise to the level of Cronk or Thurston yet the talk in many areas places him on that trajectory. Of course I could be wrong and am happy for that to be the case but history has that uncanny knack of repeating itself.
Doug Graves
Guest
Agreed. Expect him to begin white-anting immediately.
RoryStorm
Guest
Albo I'm expecting next year to be Nathan Cleary's breakout year not only in his halves play but also in a leadership role. There needs to be a younger player for all these kids coming through to top grade, to listen to. He's an experienced player in relative terms to these kids after being in the top team for his third? year and he's not much older than them. I've seen enough of Nathan's club football this year to believe both he and his dad are ready for him to step up now that Maloney will no longer be there. IMO Nathan's best football this year was when Maloney wasn't on the field. He's developed as a player and some of the things he's done on the field have been close to brilliant. If I was a Penrith supporter I'd be quietly confident next year is going to be a top 8 finish, minimum.
Larry1950
Guest
That's what you get from Maloney, rocks and diamonds, but I'd suggest Penrith have got a lot more rocks since they bought Jimmy. He's just one of those irritating players who's always whinging to the ref at the same time as he's giving away dumb penalties for a guy who is supposed to show the kids leadership. What is the sum total of Maloney's Penrith experiment, we heard so much talk that "he's a winner" and that's what he brings, so where are they after next weekend- on holidays! James Tamou is another dud buy, the Cowboys got his best season & Penrith got his semi- retirement pension period with a crook neck. Is the Panthers junior nursery area full of wild kids who just can't be polished? Tyrone May's behaviour suggests so. I remember the Ben Alexander matter destroying a number of careers & that was sad for everyone involved, kids will be kids but they need strong guidance which seems to be lacking at that club.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Yep ! Lack of strong management has plagued this Club for a long time, IMHO. Despite winning a premiership in 2003 out of the blue and against most odds ( after being 12th in 2002) , they really have only had the one solid consistent era from the late 80's to their first GF's in 1990 & 1991. This was the era based around a great bunch of local products developing together ( Alexander, Izzard, Fittler, Geyer, Cartwright, VanDerVoort, Walker, Royce Simmons and others) and this group was brought to their peak via Ron Willey's smart addition in the late 80's of few tough experienced winners from the Bulldogs in Chris Mortimer, Peter Kelly & Paul Dunn. They made the semi finals in 88 & 89 under Willey and their first GF in 1990 under Gus Gould but were short of experience to beat the great Raiders side. But in 1991 ( with Mortimer & Kelly now retired but the youngsters now an experienced team ) they were always going to win the premiership that year, despite the efforts of a great Raiders team and Bill Harrigan on GF day. Unfortunately , the death of Ben Alexander in '92 destroyed any chance of the Panthers continuing its golden era . And they haven't got near that period again despite lots of hope in recent years. The right ingredients just have not been there and poor management has been the main highlight of their past decade.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Thanks kk !
kk
Roar Pro
Albo, your lucidity is a pleasure to read.
Superspud
Roar Rookie
Penrith under achievement is not a new problem. In 1966 when they were accepted into the NSWRL competition I am sure that the administration at the time would be thinking the area would develop into a league powerhouse. 2 premierships in 50 years is not the worst but their win percentage of 44 is ahead of only Wests Tigers, Gold Coast and North QLD. Throughout there existence they have had gun lower grade teams but little of that success has flowed through to first grade. Been happening for 50 years.
Big Daddy
Guest
Don't think there is a potential problem but there may be a coaching problem. Word is Barrett is new assistant coach.
Albo
Roar Rookie
The Panthers hierarchy have been making plenty of errors. But a lot of it is due to the need to run their player roster as a business. It is the same for all clubs. The best Clubs recruit & retain the best. The Storm have a proven system , but have been helped plenty by having a bunch of immortals on the park for a decade to guide any number of reserve graders into targets for sale the following season. The Roosters are the next best, probably aided by the advantages of a good Third Party payments network. They can buy whoever they need to be a premiership force. In both these cases they have managed their rosters well with lots of good players moved on as required and refurnishing their squads with new talent or cap fixing solutions. But access to TPA's is a massive advantage to some Clubs in this day of highly inflated player values, player agent manipulations and Clubs' desperation for success. And the Storm & Chooks & Broncos appear to have a distinct advantage here ? The Panthers have had a stream of junior potential as their main advantage , but they have not had the management with the nous to best identify, recruit, develop and retain the right players to mould a successful premiership squad. They need a new recruitment & retention team for a start. Someone who can actually identify what it takes to become an NRL premiership winning player. Like a lot of Clubs the Panthers have been fixated on the new age of big, powerful forwards, and they continue to churn through plenty of these types from their vast nursery, and have gotten carried away with long term contracts for some of these forwards over the years like RCG, Tim Grant & Sam McKendry ? In the meantime, they have not produced a decent outside back since Michael Jennings appeared in 2007 , and they lost him when just reaching his prime ( to a Club that can manage a roster and premiership chances). They had not produced a decent halfback and game manager since the days of Greg Alexander in the 80's. So the appearance of Nathan Cleary a couple of years ago, had them determined that he was finally the player they needed and had to be retained at all cost ( including employing his dad as the coach). Time will tell if this has been worth it . As Nathan is still only a kid who has been left carrying massive responsibility and criticism on his shoulders to date. But it shows just how rarely the really good ones come along and that's why you need the right people in the management team to identify them , develop them and retain them to the point of cashing in with premiership or two for all that effort.
Nat
Roar Guru
The perennial potential of the Panthers. Their turnover is extraordinary, even this year - 33 players? All the potential in the world doesn't buy experience and that's why Jimmy is so influential at the club. Where the best young fellas are playing the game in front of them, a good experienced half is controlling a game with an instinct that youth cannot offer. I think they need to go to market for an experienced hooker and let Cleary run the team. IMO, they lost a lot when Wallace retired and a player Hodgson (or Luke, I hear he's on the outer in NZ) would add some invaluable experience around the ruck for all their young players to play off.
Rob
Guest
Cleary will need to step up next year and I'm pretty certain he will. Always seems to go well when Maloney isn't there. The Panthers will miss Maloney's experience but they won't miss his 3 penalties and 5 miss tackles per game. If their forwards can be a bit more consistent they should find themselves in the top 8 next year.
Soda
Roar Rookie
RCG has just not been the same player this year. Unfortunately he has been softer since coming back from injury. Panthers needed him to lay the platform of aggression. I think that is a big reason for the drop in form this year.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I read a comment the other day which was new to me. '' The Panthers look like releasing Cambell-Gillard form the last 5 YEARS of his contract'' Forwards who play a few SOO games for NSW and settle back in to the NRL without excelling are a dime a dozen , it's a big call to pay them big dollars and lock them up for years. Given all the hype about the talent emerging at the Pennies over the years you would expect by now the NSW SOO team would be dominated by Penny players but it's one player only who will most likely be challenged for his spot very soon.