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Why do we ever doubt them?
The Panthers went to the Shire as outsiders and walked back to the sheds for half time 28 points to the good.
It was a devastating display of what this team is capable of, a 42-0 slap down of the upstart Sharks that will not be quickly forgotten. If you come for the king, you best not miss.
They then lost Nicho Hynes, with the prospective Blues halfback failing to emerge for the second half following a reoccurrence of his calf complaint.
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He had initially departed for a HIA – a spot of Blues friendly fire as Isaah Yeo caught him with a knee as Hynes sought to regain his feet – and while he passed the concussion test, the Sharks did not risk Hynes given they were already defeated at the break.
With squads due to be selected tomorrow, Michael Maguire must now make a call – and has been clear throughout the build-up that he will not select players who cannot fully participate in training.
“With the 15 minute time off it cooled down and tightened up, but I think he’s okay, I’ve got to check because I haven’t spoken to the medical guys,” said Craig Fitzgibbon.
“I just got the message that with cooling down, it tightened up… even if he got through he’d still have to be modified for (training).
“But it was more to do with cooling down and tightening up than anything.”
Of the prospects on display, Maguire might be also worried about Liam Martin, who left with a suspected hamstring injury, and Izack Tago, who was put on report late for a high shot.
Ivan Cleary will have few gripes, but might worry about Moses Leota, who ended the game in the sin bin and rookie five eighth Jack Cole, who was also troubled with a hamstring.
“Marto went off at halftime,” said the Panthers coach. “I don’t know. I don’t like talking about hamstrings.
“Coley was a bit the same. Usually it’s bad news but I’m not prepared to make a call on that.”
Hynes might have wanted to put on a show with Michael Maguire watching from the grandstand, but was put off his game by relentless kick pressure from the Panthers.
He sent two out on the full in the first half and was then caught out by Jarome Luai defending one out from the scrum for Paul Alamoti’s try, Penrith’s third.
Instead, the new frontrunner for the NSW halfback role is likely Luai, who was the best on ground for Penrith and orchestrated every inch of this ultra-impressive win.
Wearing the 7 jumper in Nathan Cleary’s absence, he kicked superbly and assumed the central creative role, calling plays and putting teammates through holes.
The Samoa international might have thought himself in a competition with Matt Burton for the five eighth role – Cody Walker is also out with a calf complaint – but given the injury situation, the pair might resume their combination from the now-Bulldog’s time at the foot of the mountains.
This kind of performance has always been in his locker.
Often the second fiddle to Cleary and sometimes a third to Yeo, Luai has been the main man at international level and has impressed when asked to lead the attack for his club.
Now, ahead of a move to the Wests Tigers that will likely see him take the main playmaking duties full time, he might well get to do it for his state first.
On this evidence, it won’t be the worst idea.
Cronulla had lost just once all year and were returning home following a victory in Melbourne and a Magic Round statement against the Roosters.
Penrith, conversely, were off a surprising defeat to the Warriors and, for just the eighth time in their Premiership dynasty, underdogs at the start.
Though they had men out, the system again prevailed.
Luai and Yeo were the stars, with Edwards showing his usual consistent brilliance, but this was all about the collective.
The Panthers suffocated Cronulla, ruthlessly punishing errors to gain a lead early and then never letting the chokehold go.
In the opening 20 minutes of the second half, Penrith accumulated 15 sets to the Sharks’ four without a single tackle in their own half, let along 20m zone.
If anything, the biggest positive for the night that Craig Fitzgibbon can take is how well his side competed while put under such unerring pressure.
It will be cold comfort given how badly the Sharks were shown up here. Much as they have improved in 2024, this showed just how far they have to go.
Penrith beat them 28-0 last year and were up by that much at half time today. Since the Sharks raced into a 10 lead against the Panthers in July 2023, they have conceded 90 unanswered points to the Premiers. The gap remains massive.