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Panthers make history in 2017

Buzzard Breath

Buzzard Breath

Bench
Messages
3,903
A message from Panthers Executive General Manager Phil Gould AM...

Please take a look at the list of impressive achievements pulled off by the Panthers this season so far.

- In 2017 the Panthers are the only NRL club to finish in the top eight in all three grades - NRL, ISP and NYC. The club had only managed to achieve this three times before this season (1990, 2004, 2016). This is the first time in the club's history the Panthers have qualified for finals in all three grades in consecutive seasons.

- Our NRL team finished in 7th position. They will play Manly in an Elimination Final on Saturday. Our ISP team today defeated the Warriors in a Qualifying Final to advance to Preliminary Final in two weeks' time. Our NYC team defied the odds to finish the regular season in second position. They will play the Dragons in a Qualifying Final next weekend.

- Nathan Cleary became the youngest player in the history of the premiership to score 200 points in a season. He passed the mark in the Round 24 win over Canberra at GIO Stadium.

- Nathan Cleary was the youngest player since Harold Horder in 1913 (for South Sydney) to finish as the season's leading pointscorer. Cleary finished the regular season with 216 points, 26 points more than his nearest rival.

- The Panthers NRL side have qualified for consecutive finals series for the first time since 2003-04. It is only the third time in the club's 51-year history that they have qualified for consecutive finals series (following 1989-90-91 and 2003-04).

- Anthony Griffin becomes only the second Penrith coach to steer the Panthers to the finals in his first two seasons with the club.

- The Panthers have become only the fourth team to qualify for the finals after starting the season with two wins (or fewer) after nine rounds. (Following St George 1930, Brisbane 1999 and Canberra 2002).

- Kiwi international Dean Whare played his 100th NRL game in the clash with Newcastle at McDonald Jones Stadium in Round 11.

- Prop James Tamou scored the 2,000th try for Penrith at Pepper Stadium in the 60th minute of the Round 23 clash with North Queensland.

- Anthony Griffin reached the milestone of 150 NRL games as coach in the Round 25 clash with St George Illawarra.

- Winger Josh Mansour played his 100th game for the club in the Round 26 clash with Manly at Lottoland.

- Three players made their NRL debuts in 2017 – Viliame Kikau (Rd 2), Corey Harawira-Naera (Rd 4) and Tyrone May (Rd 19).

Congratulations to all our players, coaches and staff. Wonderful effort. You all deserve to be playing finals football. Well done!
http://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/news/2017/09/03/panthers_make_histor..html
 
B

betcats

Referee
Messages
23,474
That stinks of desperation lol WTF.

We've been incredibly disappointing all year and are now trying offload our captain if you believe the media. But hey at least james Tamou managed to score Penriths 2000th try ever! I will always remember that piece of history.
 
TheFrog

TheFrog

Coach
Messages
14,300
We are a genuine mid-table side. Given our history this is something of an achievement.
 
Tronald Crump

Tronald Crump

Juniors
Messages
1,083
Copperhead said:
Yep.........revel in the mediocrity.
Click to expand...

amadeus.gif
 
pantherz9103

pantherz9103

First Grade
Messages
9,617
"The Panthers have become only the fourth team to qualify for the finals after starting the season with two wins (or fewer) after nine rounds. (Following St George 1930, Brisbane 1999 and Canberra 2002)."

Despite the pessimism and negativity around, I still think this is a good effort which is far too easily dismissed just because we had a friendly draw and had a lot of wins that weren't particularly convincing. I certainly didn't expect them to get anywhere near finals when they were 6-28 down to the Warriors at halftime back in Round 11. Regardless of the draw they weren't playing in a way back then that would have got them anywhere near finals, so there must have been some improvements and positives.

The big indicator will be next year. There is the potential to really slide well out of the 8 if Moylan leaves and there's another slow start.
 
billypilgrimnz

billypilgrimnz

First Grade
Messages
5,164
pantherz9103 said:
The big indicator will be next year. There is the potential to really slide well out of the 8 if Moylan leaves and there's another slow start.
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That's the thing - the big indicator was supposed to be THIS year after finishing sixth. Are we just going to kick the can down the line year on year?
 
B

betcats

Referee
Messages
23,474
billypilgrimnz said:
That's the thing - the big indicator was supposed to be THIS year after finishing sixth. Are we just going to kick the can down the line year on year?
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Yes, this is spot on.

People keep talking about building but what are we building exactly? What areas has the team actually improved in this season? There has been some individual development from some players for sure but there have been others who have gone backwards for various reasons, Moylan, merrin, Carty, Latu to name a few. Our standard of play has not improved. Has our attitude and commitment improved? A quick look at round 1 and round 26 says no. We have the pieces for a long term spine in place, but we were saying that last year and those pieces have changed once again.

We aren't building, we have gone backwards. When people say we are building they really mean we super young and SHOULD improve as we get older, but we got older this year and we did not improve. We've been building for "six seasons". In that time Parra have won more than one spoon, had a salary cap drama and had points stripped and have left that all behind them and are being called the biggest threat to the storm for a premiership. It does not take six years to build a mediocre side like we are right now.
 
TheFrog

TheFrog

Coach
Messages
14,300
betcats said:
People keep talking about building but what are we building exactly?
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I thought we'd do a bit better than 7th as well, but probably not that much better, and it was a good comeback from the position we were in early. They are all a year older and hopefully a year smarter and tougher. Moylan leaving the club would certainly set us back seriously, though.

betcats said:
Parra .... are being called the biggest threat to the storm for a premiership.
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...this week.
 
B

betcats

Referee
Messages
23,474
TheFrog said:
I thought we'd do a bit better than 7th as well, but probably not that much better, and it was a good comeback from the position we were in early. They are all a year older and hopefully a year smarter and tougher. Moylan leaving the club would certainly set us back seriously, though.



...this week.
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In your opinion is the outlook more positive after this season than it was after last season?

A top four finish doesn't happen in a week mate, they might of just snuck in but its a solid effort and brilliant turn around by the club considering the last few years, that a what quality coach can do. You only have to look at Moses to see how good BA is.
 
TheFrog

TheFrog

Coach
Messages
14,300
betcats said:
In your opinion is the outlook more positive after this season than it was after last season?
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At this point it depends if Moylan remains at the club and is committed. And of course the season is not yet over.

If Moylan is lost, most likely Cleary will be too, and we'll be back to the start of rebuilding.
 
The yak

The yak

Juniors
Messages
689
The way we finished last year, the roster and all the pre season expectations we had this year. We underachieved.
However, given all the off field issues and the changing of the spine and being 2 - 7 to start the year .Its an achievement just to make the eight.
 
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