This was supposed to be the season that the Penrith Panthers would finally establish themselves as a competition heavyweight and entrench themselves in the top four.
They finished tenth.
Off-the-field issues at the start of the season have been well documented but that’s no excuse for what was served up on the pitch. Sacking Anthony Griffin and controversially replacing him with Ivan Cleary was a decision that was puzzling to say the least.
Did they hire him to ensure that Nathan Cleary would remain with the Panthers? Did they think that a coach they sacked only a few years prior would be the messiah that they needed?
Whatever the logic was behind the decision, Cleary walked into a club that on paper looked every bit a top-four outfit plus had one of the greatest academies/nurseries in the country.
Comparing the 17 who took the field in Round 1 to the team that thumped the Knights in Round 25 paints a picture as to how this team has been turned completely on its head.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
That side against Parramatta in the opening round was Dylan Edwards , Josh Mansour (rumoured to be leaving), Dean Whare (rumoured to be leaving) , Waqa Blake (left mid-season to Parramatta) , Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (left mid-season to Canterbury), James Maloney (signed with Catalans Dragons), Nathan Cleary , James Tamou , Wayde Egan (rumoured to be leaving) , Moses Leota , Hame Sele (ended the season in the Canterbury Cup), Isaah Yeo , James Fisher-Harris, Reagan Campbell-Gillard (rumoured to be leaving) , Jack Hetherington (rumoured to be leaving), Tyrell Fuimaono (ended the season in the Canterbury Cup) , and Jarome Luai .
In Round 25 against Knights, Penrith lined up with Dylan Edwards , Stephen Crichton , Dean Whare (rumoured to be leaving) , Jarome Luai , Brian To’o , James Maloney (signed with Catalans Dragons) , Nathan Cleary , James Tamou , Wayde Egan (rumoured to be leaving), Moses Leota , Viliame Kikau, Liam Martin , James Fisher-Harris , Sione Katoa (rumoured to be leaving) , Spencer Leniu , Billy Burns , and Reagan Campbell-Gillard (rumoured to be leaving).
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Waqa Blake, James Maloney, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Josh Mansour, Dean Whare and Wayde Egan all leaving or potentially leaving has a lot of Panthers fans questioning the management of the club.
While it’s refreshing to see the club utilising their home grown talent – 14 of the 17 to take the field against the Knights came through the lower grades at Penrith – the fans are becoming restless and are thirsty for success.
By parting ways with so much talent, it now looks like the Panthers are entering another rebuilding phase with no realistic chance of success for a few years at least.
Clearly the academy players are talented – they debuted a league-high nine players this season – but they still require experienced players around them in order to realise their potential.
Api Koroisau is a shrewd signing at hooker to possibly replace Egan or Katoa, with the impressive Mitch Kenny providing back-up, but there is yet to be any other potential incomings. Rumours persist of Jared Waerea-Hargreaves joining the mountain men to add some grunt and experience up front but for now they remain rumours without too much substance.
Even though the Panthers finished the season on a high, they have to consider 2019 to be a disappointment based on pre-season expectations.
Coastyboi
Guest
You’re right, Adam. The Panthers just win the 2021 NRL Grand Final. Isn’t hindsight great?
Micko
Roar Rookie
Sure? :silly:
Jockstar
Guest
2050
Albo
Roar Rookie
Yep ! It will always be a challenge for the Panthers . That's why they really need the best scouts / recruiters and management that can identify early on, that talent they need to nurture & keep, and which ones to move one. Much negativity has been made of the commitment to the Clearys, but having a key game manager on the park on which to build a successful Club ( eg Cam Smith) doesn't come along very often, and young Nathan has been identified as such a potential key player. The Panthers haven't had one of these since Brandy retired. They were even willing to give the old man Ivan Cleary a coaching job to ensure that Nathan was retained long term. Whilst 2019 was a disappointing year in many ways , I think this strategy will eventually pay off. I am not a great believer in over hyping the importance of a coach to success , seeing much more value in having an on field game manager. But only time will tell if the Panthers have pulled the right rein here.
Dutski
Roar Guru
Burton did look good. Producing week in week out is the new challenge but he seemed pretty calm.
Hutcho
Roar Rookie
Facts are facts and you’re spot on. Was he hired purely to keep Nathan?
Hutcho
Roar Rookie
Well said Albo and I think that speaks to a deep rooted problem in the NRL. The Storm and Roosters are headband shoulders above all the other teams when it comes to roster management. They enter a season looking to win as opposed to the Panthers who were seemingly intent on developing. Ultimately the Panthers are a club that will forever be a feeder club for the Storm/Roosters etc. Jennings, Sivo, DWZ, CHN, Blake, Cook (was on the books for a while!), Koroisau (he’s coming home thankfully), Graham, Austin, Moylan...the list goes on. Salary cap constraints will always mean that the Panthers will never be able to hold on to all of their talented juniors unfortunately.
Hutcho
Roar Rookie
Kikau is a great weapon to have on the edge but for much of the season of that option didn’t work there didn’t seem to be a plan b in place. Maloney leaving is a huge void and it looks like they’re hoping that Luai will be able to fill that void although he is a long way off the quality of Maloney. Young Matt Burton impressed on debut against the Sharks and could come into contention.
elvis
Roar Rookie
The trick is to keep the right ones. But it is an enormously hard trick to do. Brisbane seems to be getting back to picking the right junior stars to hang onto.
Big Daddy
Guest
Comparing Penrith to Broncos is a good example. Both sides have very good young packs. Penrith had the luxury of having SOO halves so their performance is very disappointing. Also Penrith Canterbury Cup side a bit disappointing this year. In saying that both sides on their day can beat anybody. Consistency is the big thing in this comp and sides like storm and roosters have proved that over the years.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
I think Guru Gus meant to say it's a 50 year plan. Anyhow he's off to the Dragons to "help". Will be of similar assistance to that of Mal at the Titans.
Doug Graves
Guest
"they have to consider 2019 to be a disappointment based on pre-season expectations." Understatement of the year. The main problem for the Panthers was the signing of Ivan "super coach" Cleary. Clearly this guy just doesn't cut the mustard. Just look at his record, a 47% win record after about 13 seasons of first grade coaching just isn't up to scratch, especially when he has no minor premierships and no premierships to show for it. Anyway good luck Panthers, you're stuck with this mediocrity for at least the next 4 seasons.
Adam
Roar Guru
Be patient it's a 5 year plan! You can't expect results withing 10 years...
Albo
Roar Rookie
I'm not so sure the current NRL structure with its salary cap & third party payments regime will ever see a Club like Penrith being too successful, unless it cheats the salary cap, or accidently gets a group of low paid star juniors to emerge at the one time, before being disseminated to other clubs due to their new found values within the cap. As a nursery Club for the game's future talent, the Panthers Club is continually turning over young players of potential, developing them, but then due to market and salary cap pressures , they will struggle to retain a lot of them, before they get to the stage of being a premiership winning outfit. How frustrating is it for Panther fans to see former Panthers like Michael Jennings, Waqa Blake & Maika Sivo lining up for the Eels in finals matches this weekend whilst their own current backline has been so ineffectual this year ? Or seeing other moved-on locals like DWZ and CHN basically knock the Panthers out of the finals race a couple of weeks ago with strong performances for the Dogs ? I think that success in the NRL is now more suited to those Clubs that can recruit the right players from outside their boundaries, and with the advantage of access to plenty of third party payments. The Storm & Roosters have the modern NRL model sorted out. No wasting time and money on junior development. Just need a smart recruitment team and access to third party payments to attract the game's stars developed elsewhere. The Broncos should probably be in the same boat in a one club large city environment , but currently seem to lack the recruitment smarts, or they too like Penrith are relying more on their large junior base to bring success.
Dutski
Roar Guru
There’s been some real finds this year. To’o, Naden, Kikau, Martin and Burns all look good. Kikau is too good - it took until the last game to develop a game plan beyond “throw it to Kikau”. Maloney is a massive loss. Not sure if they have a clear cut replacement. I agree that they’re a few years away yet. The never ending rebuild. Sounds suspiciously like a 5 year plan that goes for many more than 5 years...