2020 season

[Panfa]

With the 9s on the week before our 2 home trials I can see another weak penrith team sent out for the 9s,even though we nearly won it last time out after the nrl kicked up a stink that we fielded a weak team.

 

[Blues Riff]

Not this year but I recall a trial match against Parramatta in the last 2 -3 years where we got a crowd @ Penrith in the 12,000- 15,000 range.
It was 2 weeks before round 1.

Yep, the quality of footy was a bit rough around the edges, but the atmosphere was there. It felt like round 1.

 

[Thirsty Panther]

Interesting interview with Matt Cameron about salary cap and junior player retention.
https://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/...ses-recruitment-retention-and-the-salary-cap/

Media unit is doing a good job lately. This interview and the pre-season training videos are good stuff.

 

[Kilkenny]

Interesting interview with Matt Cameron about salary cap and junior player retention.
https://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/...ses-recruitment-retention-and-the-salary-cap/

Media unit is doing a good job lately. This interview and the pre-season training videos are good stuff.

The video was an interesting listen. Cameron speaks well, a few cliches here and there but otherwise informative. One thing I took out of his interview was it still makes you wonder how certain clubs can carry so many superstars and still be cap compliant.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

A few injuries. Some not available for the first month or two of the season.

https://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/news/2019/12/16/westfund-injury-update-christmas-break/

 

[Kilkenny]

A few injuries. Some not available for the first month or two of the season.

https://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/news/2019/12/16/westfund-injury-update-christmas-break/

Quite a few.

 

[franklin2323]

Fox Sports ranked the spines. We came in 11th hard to argue. I know everyone thinks we are an outside back or 2 short but the spine for me is more a concern

 

[franklin2323]

On the new in the air rule. Look at Burns 1st try v Knights. How will that not be legal now? Lino actually beat him to the ball jumped higher but Burns came down with it

 

[Thirsty Panther]

NRL has selected our starting team for next season.

NRL.com's predicted Panthers round 1 team

1. Dylan Edwards
2. Josh Mansour
3. Dean Whare
4. Brent Naden
5. Brian To'o
6. Jarome Luai
7. Nathan Cleary
8. James Tamou
9. Apisai Koroisau
10. Zane Tetevano
11. Viliame Kikau
12. Isaah Yeo
13. James Fisher-Harris
    
    
14. Kurt Capewell
15. Liam Martin
16. Spencer Leniu
17. Moses Leota

Seems pretty close to me.
Maybe Kenny on the bench ( instead of Leniu) as Api hasn't played 80 min games for a while.

 

[franklin2323]

NRL has selected our starting team for next season.

NRL.com's predicted Panthers round 1 team

1. Dylan Edwards
2. Josh Mansour
3. Dean Whare
4. Brent Naden
5. Brian To'o
6. Jarome Luai
7. Nathan Cleary
8. James Tamou
9. Apisai Koroisau
10. Zane Tetevano
11. Viliame Kikau
12. Isaah Yeo
13. James Fisher-Harris
    
    
14. Kurt Capewell
15. Liam Martin
16. Spencer Leniu
17. Moses Leota

Seems pretty close to me.
Maybe Kenny on the bench ( instead of Leniu) as Api hasn't played 80 min games for a while.

I think Kenny plays for that reason. Not sure who for

 

[Dave's mate]

Fox Sports ranked the spines. We came in 11th hard to argue. I know everyone thinks we are an outside back or 2 short but the spine for me is more a concern

Our spine is better than last year

 

[franklin2323]

Our spine is better than last year

Maybe so but you have a FB that is safe not creative.
Luai played a handful of games. Burton 1 can’t say how they will handle a whole year.
Cleary that up into now hasn’t been the dominate creative half we need.
Api is a huge upgrade on the hookers from this year

I don’t think we see a consistent performance from the spine until later in the year. Contract year for Edwards is the great hope

 

[Abacus]

NRL has selected our starting team for next season.

NRL.com's predicted Panthers round 1 team

1. Dylan Edwards
2. Josh Mansour
3. Dean Whare
4. Brent Naden
5. Brian To'o
6. Jarome Luai
7. Nathan Cleary
8. James Tamou
9. Apisai Koroisau
10. Zane Tetevano
11. Viliame Kikau
12. Isaah Yeo
13. James Fisher-Harris
    
    
14. Kurt Capewell
15. Liam Martin
16. Spencer Leniu
17. Moses Leota

Seems pretty close to me.
Maybe Kenny on the bench ( instead of Leniu) as Api hasn't played 80 min games for a while.

I don't think Tetevano is a starter. Leota at prop or Martin at lock (with JFH to prop) seems more balanced.

Agree Kenny should be on the bench for the early rounds while Api gets conditioning and with the typically warmer weather. Leniu likely to miss out.

 

[franklin2323]

I don't think Tetevano is a starter. Leota at prop or Martin at lock (with JFH to prop) seems more balanced.

Agree Kenny should be on the bench for the early rounds while Api gets conditioning and with the typically warmer weather. Leniu likely to miss out.

I would mix the 4th bench spot up. Given they would get not much gametime every few weeks should mix it up

 

[Abacus]

I would mix the 4th bench spot up. Given they would get not much gametime every few weeks should mix it up

I think there's room for Latrell in that side. The way other clubs are dropping off him $650k-$700k for 3 years might get him.

 

[franklin2323]

I think there's room for Latrell in that side. The way other clubs are dropping off him $650k-$700k for 3 years might get him.

At that price yep. At $1m no chance

 

[TheFrog]

Fox Sports ranked the spines. We came in 11th hard to argue. I know everyone thinks we are an outside back or 2 short but the spine for me is more a concern

Ran 10th last year. 11 wins 13 losses. That's all anyone has to go on. Rugby League journos won't stick their necks out even one millimetre.

 

[franklin2323]

Ran 10th last year. 11 wins 13 losses. That's all anyone has to go on. Rugby League journos won't stick their necks out even one millimetre.

I asked this question before though. Where would you rate Edwards? I’d go around 10th.

Luai/Burton probably bottom few all things considered.

Cleary would be top 8 half. Api the top 5 hookers

So overall 11th seems fair

 

[Kilkenny]

I asked this question before though. Where would you rate Edwards? I’d go around 10th.

Luai/Burton probably bottom few all things considered.

Cleary would be top 8 half. Api the top 5 hookers

So overall 11th seems fair

Franklin you have been most vocal on here promoting this new ‘structure’ ‘system’ or what ever you want to call it post Gus Gould and you are acknowledging we have a spine approximately the 11th best in the competition which doesn’t exactly promote confidence in our ability to make the top 8 in 2020.

As it stands we’ve gone from the one man show in Gus Gould to a 10 man recruitment and retention committee and you think that is the way going forward.

Maybe I am naive or just plain stupid but this new structure has chosen fit to recruit three players in Api, Tetevano and Capewell and sadly I suspect before a ball is kicked we have recruited very poorly. Egan for mine is the equal of Api going forward and probably cheaper and the other two are no better than the youngsters we already have.

My 16 year old nephew who basically knows shit about the game and would much prefer to play PlayStation anyway expressed the view on Xmas Day why he couldn’t understand why we didn’t bring at least one quality outside back.

I couldn’t provide him with an honest answer and I am not sure many can.

Blind Freddie can see what our new and improved retention and recruitment committee apparently cannot.

Whatever money we did have to bring in new players should surely have been spent on two outside backs and perhaps another half/five eighth for depth purposes.

 

[franklin2323]

Franklin you have been most vocal on here promoting this new ‘structure’ ‘system’ or what ever you want to call it post Gus Gould and you are acknowledging we have a spine approximately the 11th best in the competition which doesn’t exactly promote confidence in our ability to make the top 8 in 2020.

As it stands we’ve gone from the one man show in Gus Gould to a 10 man recruitment and retention committee and you think that is the way going forward.

Maybe I am naive or just plain stupid but this new structure has chosen fit to recruit three players in Api, Tetevano and Capewell and sadly I suspect before a ball is kicked we have recruited very poorly. Egan for mine is the equal of Api going forward and probably cheaper and the other two are no better than the youngsters we already have.

My 16 year old nephew who basically knows shit about the game and would much prefer to play PlayStation anyway expressed the view on Xmas Day why he couldn’t understand why we didn’t bring at least one quality outside back.

I couldn’t provide him with an honest answer and I am not sure many can.

Blind Freddie can see what our new and improved retention and recruitment committee apparently cannot.

Whatever money we did have to bring in new players should surely have been spent on two outside backs and perhaps another half/five eighth for depth purposes.

The decision to practically promise Luai the 6 so not to lose him was done under the previous management. He has the talent but is very raw so on paper looks weak. Doesn’t always play that way he could be as good as everyone says Gus included.

What outside back did we miss out on? I agree we look light but so do many other sides. Naden or Crichton may lift and be the star we are after.

The thing that gives me confidence is this. 24 of our 30 man squad is off contract over the next 2 seasons.. when have we had flexibility like that? So should we struggle to fill the percieved holes then we can go to the market and get the talent.

Plan A would be this squad developing to be the best. Cap flexibility allows for Plan B, C etc to be put into action if need be. IMO that was where we failed under Gus. There was no room to cover if the likes of CHN etc didn’t keep improving