We Are Now Contenders (As of Round 11)

[Fangs]

I hate the title of this thread BTW. It sets as up for a fall and seems arrogant. I know the posts have been quite reserved but it is just tempting fate and getting other fanse ready to dust off their best schadenfreude quotes.

I completely disagree the title is apt.

 

[herbert henry1908]

I hate the title of this thread BTW. It sets as up for a fall and seems arrogant. I know the posts have been quite reserved but it is just tempting fate and getting other fanse ready to dust off their best schadenfreude quotes.

Tbh I love it.

About time more panthers fans felt confident. The club needs to aim higher.

 

[Fangs]

Agree 100%.

"The proof of the puddin',is in the eating" as the old saying goes,and there is no sign of arrogance anywhere in this or any thread I've read at this time of writing. Hopefully this trend continues as historically,we have been pretty much level-headed about our position on the ladder.

And most importanly,we are around the half way mark in the comp. Such a long road yet to travel.

Such a long wait until we win the premiership yes.

We should just play the grand final now and be done with it.

 

[Fangs]

Tbh I love it.

About time more panthers fans felt confident. The club needs to aim higher.

Toot thou horn Herbert.

 

[mxlegend99]

.

Tbh I love it.

About time more panthers fans felt confident. The club needs to aim higher.

Are any of us actually confident though? Or just optimistic?

I think top 4 is a great chance. But we're only at the halfway point. There are going to be a few twists before the finals come. I think most of us are just glad the team proved they can play a great 80 minutes against a good team. That means we are a chance.

 

[betcats]

It’s to far out to be confident. If the finals started next week I’d be confident but we have a lot to get through before then.

 

[tripster]

.

Are any of us actually confident though? Or just optimistic?

I think top 4 is a great chance. But we're only at the halfway point. There are going to be a few twists before the finals come. I think most of us are just glad the team proved they can play a great 80 minutes against a good team. That means we are a chance.

The top 4, particularly with our remaining draw, is extremely likely now. The minor premiership is also a realistic chance. That’s just what the maths shows.

The biggest risk I see to us finishing top 4 is disruption to our team from Origin and an Origin hangover, causing us to sputter out in the latter part of the season. Injuries obviously also remain an ever present risk.

Hopefully we manage Origin without too many issues. The way we were able to keep winning even with our massive injury toll gives me confidence we can also win during Origin. Hopefully Hook and the staff also show themselves to be good in the area of avoiding our key players being overworked.

I also guess it depends on what the Origin is like. If we flogg QLD by 50 points and have 75% of the ball it shouldn’t be too bad.

 

[The Realist]

This year is the year to strike. Our Roster is OVER STACKED and will be decimated when all the Highly talented juniors (like Cleary) start demanding anything close to market value. This is sort of similar to 2010 where we had a relatively stacked roster but fell down when a few players we over-relied upon got injured just before the finals (we also had an abysmal coach).

We look a whole lot better and much more well rounded this year then back then, whilst I consider the overall competition to be weaker as well. If we don't strike this year, next year will be a little harder. When Cleary ETC get the big coin and gut our roster (2020) onwards we will likely have a few years where we will fall from the very top to be a 5-9 team before we have another kick on with a new injection of talented juniors being paid peanuts playing along side grizzled star veterans.

 

[Westernised Panther]

.

Are any of us actually confident though? Or just optimistic?

I think top 4 is a great chance. But we're only at the halfway point. There are going to be a few twists before the finals come. I think most of us are just glad the team proved they can play a great 80 minutes against a good team. That means we are a chance.

Balance is tipped towards optimism at this stage. But then again, how long has been since we've collectively felt so positive about our premiership chances?

 

[herbert henry1908]

.

Are any of us actually confident though? Or just optimistic?

I think top 4 is a great chance. But we're only at the halfway point. There are going to be a few twists before the finals come. I think most of us are just glad the team proved they can play a great 80 minutes against a good team. That means we are a chance.

Whatever it is, I hope more fans start demanding and expecting top 4 finishes regularly. We need higher standards long term.

 

[franklin2323]

It’s to far out to be confident. If the finals started next week I’d be confident but we have a lot to get through before then.

Both halves in Origin too. Both get through that then I will be confident

 

[The Realist]

I felt that at the back end of 2016 everything clicked with the Panthers and we seemed to be bending destiny itself to our will. Then 2 referees denied us the ball for the last 15 minutes against Canberra...and that was that. What a brutal and sickening way to end a (fairy tale?) season. The NRL is just like that most of the time so one can never be truly confident of winning a Premiership or even making a GF but I am fairly confident we will be firmly in the top 3 and at be playing in a preliminary final.

However 1 or 2 key injuries may come across and cruel us. I will be watching SOO with nervous eyes on our players.

 

[TheFrog]

Then 2 referees denied us the ball for the last 15 minutes against Canberra...and that was that.

Could have been overcome by not getting behind 18-0 in the first place.

. But then again, how long has been since we've collectively felt so positive about our premiership chances?

For me, 1991. I always felt we were going to win it that year.

This is sort of similar to 2010 where we had a relatively stacked roster but fell down when a few players we over-relied upon got injured just before the finals (we also had an abysmal coach).

From what I can gather from listening to Gus podcasts, and also what Elliott said at the time, 2010 was our window for a premiership. Player contracts were backended accordingly similarly to what has happened at the Bulldogs. This is why Gould upon returning to the club in 2011 found the salary cap mess he did, which he predicted would take half a decade to sort out, hence the "five year plan". It just so happens that was precisely when we became finals regulars, ie half a decade after he returned..

 

[franklin2323]

demanding Top 4 is all it takes to be top 4... Forget all the millions on the academy. Just demand everyone

 

[Munted]

I'm going to soak up this ladder position while I can.
Not often us panthers fans get to enjoy the view from up here!
Hopefully cool heads prevail and we can kick on and enjoy some success beyond September.
Have thoroughly enjoyed watching the team run out, very different attitudes across the park.

 

[OldPanther]

demanding Top 4 is all it takes to be top 4... Forget all the millions on the academy. Just demand everyone

Expectations are important. If you don't want better you won't achieve better. Of course it's not all it takes though.

 

[franklin2323]

Expectations are important. If you don't want better you won't achieve better. Of course it's not all it takes though.

You don't think everyone the sponsors, supports or works for the club doesn't want to be the best?

We had Brandy we were good. We had Gowie and were good. Our other top 4 years we had Burns/Walsh halves and Will Smith at 5/8th.

In 91. Ben Alexander's death culled what could of been a dynasty. SL war killed off having Freddy here. In 03 our spine players were aging.

What other years have we had a good 7 and failed?

The current board have as going bush and developing instead of trying to compete with the more attractive coastal clubs.

Cleary is 20 every year he plays now he is an origin player you'd expect we'd push for the comp win.

Should he get injured or fall away. Our ex Australian schoolboy Flegg half re-signed for 3 more seasons. The Ball half is playing in NSW u18's before Origin 1.

Safe to say we are better positioned than the days of having Lewis and Maurice Blair in the halves while lower grades run last

 

[YoungPanther]

I think the biggest thing to be excited about is how well the team share the workload.

We aren't relying solely on 1 or 2 players, Agree Maloney and Cleary steer us around, but every player has their 10-15 minute blast, which adds to the total effort. There is no onus on a couple of players to perform or we lose, like a lot of other teams. For many years, we have had 2-3 players that we have all thought, why do we continue to pick him, but now, everyone contributes. The bench guys come on and add their 15 minute spark, again just sharing it around.

I do feel more confident than previous years for this reason. There is no responsibility on our depth guys to be stars, just do their job.

 

[OldPanther]

You don't think everyone the sponsors, supports or works for the club doesn't want to be the best?

We had Brandy we were good. We had Gowie and were good. Our other top 4 years we had Burns/Walsh halves and Will Smith at 5/8th.

In 91. Ben Alexander's death culled what could of been a dynasty. SL war killed off having Freddy here. In 03 our spine players were aging.

What other years have we had a good 7 and failed?

The current board have as going bush and developing instead of trying to compete with the more attractive coastal clubs.

Cleary is 20 every year he plays now he is an origin player you'd expect we'd push for the comp win.

Should he get injured or fall away. Our ex Australian schoolboy Flegg half re-signed for 3 more seasons. The Ball half is playing in NSW u18's before Origin 1.

Safe to say we are better positioned than the days of having Lewis and Maurice Blair in the halves while lower grades run last

I'm not arguing any of that. I was just making a comment on the philosophy of what you were saying.

 

[franklin2323]

I'm not arguing any of that. I was just making a comment on the philosophy of what you were saying.

Expectations need to be realistic though. There were just some years we had an ordinary roster expecting to be top 4 with that just leads to disappointment.

Having a 20 yo Origin half means we can expect to be in Top contention for atleast the next 10 years. Injuries and the emergence of other players across the comp will see how it pans out