The baby Panthers have done it again, overcoming a raft of Origin outs to record a vital win in their quest for the minor Premiership.
They went the long way around: after taking a 12-0 lead, they were hauled in by a resilient Dolphins side, but rebounded to win 24-14.
Izack Tago was again the star, scoring twice and setting up two more for his winger, Thomas Jenkins. The centre’s elevation from bit part player to one of the form players in the NRL over this Origin period has been astounding.
Without Nathan Cleary, Liam Martin, Stephen Crichton and Brian To’o, therre could have been an excuse for Ivan Cleary’s men to slack. There wasn’t an inch of it.
“To get five out of six in that (Origin) period and just lose in golden point in the other one, I am stoked with that. Really happy,” said the coach. “It’s good for us to kick into the run into the finals.”
Wayne Bennett can also reflect on a good performance, even without the result. The manner in which his side stayed in the contest and then fought back speaks to their culture, even if the polish in attack wasn’t always there to make the most of opportunities.
“I could find fault with a lot of things we did today, but I don’t want to,” he said. “I want to recognise the effort that we did put into that game and how we stayed in it.
“Everything we got out there, we had to earn and they don’t make it easy.”
Felise Kaufusi found himself on report again, while Jarrod Wallace may also have a case to answer after inexplicably avoiding the bin in the first half. He caught Spencer Leniu with a high shoulder charge, but referee Todd Smith saw it as reportable but nothing more.
Penrith also had a man sent to the bin, with Jack Cogger sat down for a professional foul, opening the door for the Dolphins comeback. With the halfback missing, Kodi Nikorima scored to close the gap before the break.
Sometimes, we focus too much on who is not playing rather than who is. While this was a Panthers side with more than a few outs, there was still of whole heap of talent in there, way better than even a peak Dolphins side.
Jarome Luai, Dylan Edwards, James Fisher-Harris and Izack Tago would be the best players in the Dolphins side – alright, maybe Tabuai-Fidow – and with them comes not only elite talent, but a supremely honed system that, as has been proven over multiple Origin periods, goes well deeper than the first 17.
Sunia Turuva came in this time last year and has barely left since, and it’s easy to see a similar trajectory for Tom Jenkins when Stephen Crichton, rested today, leaves. Lindsay Smith is in a similar boat should anyone depart the pack.
There’s also the more intangible stuff that comes from winning a lot of football games. Much as there were a few key match-ups that the Panthers’ identified as weak spots – Valynce Te Whare on the wing, for one – the first three tries were more about a team taking a mile when an inch was offered.
Moses Leota got a lucky one off a charge down – the adage of making your own luck was never truer – but the ability to turn Tago’s break into four points, then to do that again when Jenkins outjumped Te Whare, is what the best teams do and others don’t.
Last night, a failing Roosters side had eight line breaks but only scored three, whereas in the first half today, the Panthers had two and scored three.
There’s an element of The Expendables about the Dolphins: the old boys club, always gearing up for one last charge,
There’s plenty of things that will ensure they don’t play the Finals, but it bears repeating how impressive it is that this side has such a concrete identity after such a short period of time.
Penrith can draw upon years of development across multiple grades to give them the understanding of Cleary’s system, and while Redcliffe don’t have that, we they do have are smart, committed players who play for each other.
The expendables metaphor goes further, because almost everyone on their list is someone else’s cast-off.
Blokes like Connolly Lemuelu, Herman Ese’ese and Jamayne Isaako were on their last legs as first graders, staring down a life of reggies or Super League. It’s their last chance saloon.
It’s as if they were born with a siege mentality, and at some point in almost every game, that kicks in.
Today was a bit of a strange example of that. They weren’t really ever behind in the game, but found themselves having conceded three avoidable tries.
In now time-honoured Dolphins fashion, they kept going, accumulated pressure and eventually found their openings.
Ultimately, they lacked the polish to take out the Panthers, and might lament moving Te Whare to a wing, where he was ruthlessly exposed. But, beyond the results, the building blocks of what has made them so good in 2023 were still there.
Full Credit to the Boys
Roar Rookie
I only saw McLean in the pre-season game but he looked extremely fast with great football IQ. Tiny May probably goes to the centres with Tago next year. Then To'o on one wing with Jenkins, Mclean and Turuva competing for the other. Suddenly Critta's loss is not as devastating as I feared.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
McLean is one of the next players in line for a first grade spot. Not sure if that’s before or after Jenkins ? Tall & very fast , he was considered early this year as a possible May replacement. After May had his knee damaged. Then McLean ( who is only 18 . ) , suffered some early season injuries.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Tiny May has been working hard at putting bulk on. Working out while he’s not been able to play. Interesting to see if he comes back a much bigger player? Tago & May have been teammates coming through the grades. They’ll be able to perhaps renew that league partnership next year.
Full Credit to the Boys
Roar Rookie
Yes, and we have Tiny May to come back.
matth
Roar Guru
He's another gem from the production line. Crichton who?
Albo
Roar Rookie
He's a beauty, Isaak Tago. Since he has returned from his pec injury, he has been on fire. That's 3 x man of the match performances in a row, playing on his less familiar right side, so as to accommodate Peachey on his favoured left side. He buried Bradman Best first off, then the Storm in Melbourne last week, and yesterday the Hammer, in a three week demolition of the opposition. In a season full of many nominated "best centres " in the NRL, Tago has to be right up there.
matth
Roar Guru
Of course they are buying players, they are a new franchise. They couldn’t just play their QCup side and in any case a number of them would have been signed by other clubs. So far they have bought a few Redcliffe/Northside players back but mostly they are buying. Just like the Panthers in 1967 by the way. I wrote an article on it earlier in the year. They had maybe 4-6 locals in their first team in a less competitive market. Anyway I’m not sure we are really at odds. The Panthers currently have the best depth, pathways and structures in the comp, which is why they e won 5 from 6 during Origin and is a credit to them
matth
Roar Guru
Hammer had played once for a depleted QLD in 2020. As for the rest: Isaako (could make the Titans first grade squad), Gilbert (didn’t play this week and was a bench player for the Cowboys), Wallace (in and out of the Titans side as a bench player), Lee (which one? Brenko was not in first grade regularly, Edrick made the Knights first grade towards the end of the season - neither played on the weekend), Stone (alternated between NSW Cup and bench), Aitken (yes he was playing first grade in the 2nd row for the Warriors), Milford (droppe by Newcastle and before that Souths), Nicholls (yep), Marshall-King (did not play on the weekend and in any case was let go by the Bulldogs to upgrade to Mahoney) So yes, veterans, cast offs, bench players and rookies
Panthers
Roar Rookie
I didn’t say that the Dolphins bought virtually the whole side from the Storm or Penrith. I said that they took advantage of the Storm & Penrith club’s coaching systems, with players they bought, as an example. I did say that the Dolphins bought virtually the whole side. That they did. Then look to next season, where they are continuing to buy players. None of this is knocking the club, it’s just stating facts.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
O'Sullivan looked well out of his depth attempting tat sort of cover defending tackle. Mitchell Moses has been unreal in defence in a few games I've seen on the other side of the equation. It helps if you've got some speed. The ''little O'' is a bit of a plodder in that department.
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
Isaiya Katoa from Panthers SG Ball and Mason Teague from Panthers Jersey Flegg. Plus Sean O’Sullivan from the Roosters/Broncos/Warriors/Panthers 3 Panthers players, two from outside their top 30. Bromwich, Bromwich & Kaufusi from the Storm, Hardly "the whole side"
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I was claiming the Dolphins roster was a bit on the pedestrian side before kick off and they did much better than I thought they would. I was told they had a strong team with the NZ captain and other international and SOO players. Their performances now are going close to matching their roster and there's no shame in that but it shows that in general coaches are only as good as their rosters. The exceptions this year are the Warriors in particular but also the Pennies. The Raiders also? I'm not sure if either coach minds the lack of attention but imagine if Super coaches Robbo or Wayne were guiding clubs like the Warriors (who were tipped to win the spoon) or the Pennies (who have lost so may top players) into the top four? You'd never hear the end of it. Robbo made the 8 a couple of years back after copping a lot of injuries but he still had a stellar lineup and it was talked about as some sort of miracle.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Fidow is a Queensland rep player. Only came off the bench at the Cowboys , as they had too many good players. Isaako, Gilbert, Wallace, Lee, Stone, Aitken, Milford, Nicholls, Marshall-King. All regular first graders at their previous clubs. That’s besides all the Storm premiership winners that you didn’t wish to mention. The Dolphins team that played Penrith had lots of experienced first graders . Far more than 7 of the team Penrith fielded. Including Soni Luke. The Dolphins still bought players that were coached in systems that worked recently. Name me any player that they bought from Penrith, that didn’t come from a ‘winning team’ from last season. So I think Penrith did pretty well to go to Queensland with half a NSW Cup team & win against a Dolphins side, that is capable of beating Cronulla 36-16.
matth
Roar Guru
Penrith always looked the more likely, plus The Dolphins have never been able to solve their left wing issue. Bostock, Edrick Lee, Nui, Jennings, McGrady And now Te Whare. Starting to wonder if the defensive problem starts further in.
matth
Roar Guru
Three Storm veterans and three Panthers reserve graders. But that’s rather the point. They have a series of veterans, cast offs, bench players and rookies and have forged a decent team. They had 18 months to buy a team and create something. Aside from the Melbourne trio name me a regular first grader from last year in that team. Maybe Nikorima over at the Warriors and Nichols. That’s it. That makes even getting close to a team with a system, pathways and talent set up like the three time grand finalists a pretty long shot. I was surprised they got as close as they did.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
If O'Sullivan could tackle.... Might be heading the list for the 2023 'Dufty'...
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Which other club beats the Phins at home without 5 of their best players. ?
Full Credit to the Boys
Roar Rookie
I thought it would be a whitewash early on but the Dolphins are a serious football team. Started to doubt the Panthers when they lost the lead - oh ye of little faith.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Didn’t the Dolphins take advantage of the coaching from the Storm, Penrith etc? They bought virtually the whole side .