NRL 2017 Draw Released

[Fangs]

Bump.

Round 15 - BYE

Round 16 - Panthers v Cowboys @ 1300SMILES Stadium
3pm Saturday 24 June

Round 17 - Panthers v Rabbitohs @ ANZ Stadium
4pm Sunday 2 July

Round 18 - Panthers v Manly @ Pepper Stadium
5.30pm Saturday 8 July

Round 19 - Panthers v Warriors @ Mt Smart Stadium
8pm Friday 14 July

Round 20 - Panthers v Titans @ Pepper Stadium
3pm Saturday 22 July

Round 21 - Panthers v Bulldogs @ Pepper Stadium

Round 22 - Panthers v Wests Tigers @ Pepper Stadium

Round 23 - Panthers v Cowboys @ Pepper Stadium

Round 24 - Panthers v Raiders @ GIO Stadium

Round 25 - Panthers v Dragons @ Pepper Stadium

Round 26 - Panthers v Manly @ Brookvale Oval

 

[Fangs]

4 home games in a row? I totally forgot about this.

We only get to play the Storm, Sharks and Roosters once this season. Those are the 3 real contenders for mine. So if we do make the 8 we won't get a real test until the finals begin.

 

[PenrithPanther45]

4 home games in a row? I totally forgot about this.

We only get to play the Storm, Sharks and Roosters once this season. Those are the 3 real contenders for mine. So if we do make the 8 we won't get a real test until the finals begin.

If the Dragons and Manly don't fall away NQL, RAI (away), STG and MAN last 4 games is a fair test.

 

[Fangs]

I do agree. But believe it or not I'm am viewing 2017 as if we can win the premiership.

Its funny how quickly this comp can swing. We aren't playing like a team that can win the comp but there are only 2-3 genuine contenders. Catch them on a bad day and you can steal it.

Gould said the comp was soft in 2016? Its way softer this year.

 

[PenrithPanther45]

I do agree. But believe it or not I'm am viewing 2017 as if we can win the premiership.

Its funny how quickly this comp can swing. We aren't playing like a team that can win the comp but there are only 2-3 genuine contenders. Catch them on a bad day and you can steal it.

Gould said the comp was soft in 2016? Its way softer this year.

I do agree partly but this year it is Melbourne's premiership to lose without a doubt.

 

[billypilgrimnz]

I think the Sharks are a big chance of going back to back personally.

 

[PenrithPanther45]

I think the Sharks are a big chance of going back to back personally.

I still can't believe that they are winning so many games given the amount of errors and missed tackles they're making. It is scary how good they can be seeing how average they have played and still won on countless occasions this year. Still, I think Billy Slater's addition at fullback has lifted Melbourne another level. A Melb v Cro GF looks highly likely unless they come up against each other before the GF.

 

[billypilgrimnz]

I still can't believe that they are winning so many games given the amount of errors and missed tackles they're making. It is scary how good they can be seeing how average they have played and still won on countless occasions this year. Still, I think Billy Slater's addition at fullback has lifted Melbourne another level. A Melb v Cro GF looks highly likely unless they come up against each other before the GF.

They are just insanely hard to beat when it matters. Whether it is the coaching or just rock-solid self-belief or just having enough talent in the right places, they are never out of a game.

I mean, I hope I'm wrong, because the last thing I want is them catching up to us.

 

[billypilgrimnz]

They are just insanely hard to beat when it matters. Whether it is the coaching or just rock-solid self-belief or just having enough talent in the right places, they are never out of a game.

I mean, I hope I'm wrong, because the last thing I want is them catching up to us.

Hopefully I have jinxed them!

Anyway, at the moment, we sit 9th on the ladder.

Our record against the seven below us: W6 L1 (haven't played the Titans yet)
Our record against the eight above us: W0 L7 (haven't played Manly yet)

Guess what: It's not the refs.

And we have 6 games against the bottom 8 left, and only 4 against the top 8. We have had a piss easy draw this year, really.

 

[TheFrog]

If we win the 6 against the bottom 8 clubs and that's all, we will reach 28 points and probably scrape into the 8 so long as we don't get flogged by the top 8 sides. However, I do feel we are entitled to feel fairly confident of accounting for the Dragons and Cows at home, and probably Manly too, as they'll be missing Jake T, maybe Tom and probably DCE.

 

[GongPanther]

I do agree. But believe it or not I'm am viewing 2017 as if we can win the premiership.

Its funny how quickly this comp can swing. We aren't playing like a team that can win the comp but there are only 2-3 genuine contenders. Catch them on a bad day and you can steal it.

Gould said the comp was soft in 2016? Its way softer this year.

We are an outside chance of getting 4th spot.I've gone through our,and the teams directly above us draws....and it's a real and valid possibility that we could make the 4 with a constant ease providing we keep winning.

 

[OldPanther]

We are an outside chance of getting 4th spot.I've gone through our,and the teams directly above us draws....and it's a real and valid possibility that we could make the 4 with a constant ease providing we keep winning.

Look what happened to Manly. There was talk of getting rid of the coach, they win a few and get some confidence and go on a run to the top 4. Momentum is huge in this comp.

 

[Panther_Daz]

We have one of the softest draws in the NRL. Surely we can't miss the 8?!

 

[umina panther]

We have one of the softest draws in the NRL. Surely we can't miss the 8?!

Need to win 7 from 10 I think. We are cooked

 

[herbert henry1908]

Need to win 7 from 10 I think. We are cooked

28 points typically gets you 8th spot. Only once in the last 5 years it hasn't (3 teams were on 28)

What's really amazing is we could make the 8 without beating a top 8 team.

 

[Fangs]

This is how we ended last season:

Round 17: L
Round 18: L
Round 19: W
Round 20: W
Round 21: L (Golden Point, Warriors)
Round 22: W
Round 23: W
Round 24: W
Round 25: W
Round 26: W

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_NRL_season

We beat Manly, Tigers, Knights and Roosters all by over 20 points or more during that period.

Our 5 game winning streak to end the 2016 season was against teams who missed the top 8.

The draw isn't as favourable as last year, but its still very good.

 

[billypilgrimnz]

We are exceptional flat-track bullies. We need to learn how to play smart and consistently though. Both players and coach.

 

[GongPanther]

Look what happened to Manly. There was talk of getting rid of the coach, they win a few and get some confidence and go on a run to the top 4. Momentum is huge in this comp.

I liked the Manly squad from the start of this season.They reminded so much of the 2014 Panthers.

 

[mxlegend99]

I liked the Manly squad from the start of this season.They reminded so much of the 2014 Panthers.

The squad was good. Just hard to believe Barrett can get them to win games.

He was terrible as our U20s coach. He was terrible last year.

 

[GongPanther]

The squad was good. Just hard to believe Barrett can get them to win games.

He was terrible as our U20s coach. He was terrible last year.

I may think its what he learned from Cleary,Gus and Tony Griffin. Barrett comes across as a bit of a dim-wit,but that is far from the truth.