2007....Are we really looking at a long year?

[pantherz9103]

Then we continued to lose players, and sign absolute duds like Gillard, Freeman, Gillmeister,
quote]

These guys weren't absolute duds. Freeman was one of our best players in 1994-1995. Gilly only had the 1994 season with us and helped out our young forwards. We came 8th out of 16 in 1994 and it was internal turmoil with Gould that played a role in our failure to do better. It was our lack of quality and depth in the forwards that was more telling, plus consistently high injury tolls.

No wonder we weren't much chop back then. We had Steve Waddell and Fa'osa Afoa as our prop combination in one stage in 1995 :lol:

 

[flash]

Flash, cant argue with you about most of the above but geez I thought the two years Gary Freeman was with the club he was worth every cent. I didn't rate Freeman before he came to the Panthers but watching him week in week out in the flesh he was one of the most determined and committed footballers I've ever seen. (Gowie and Mick Stephenson aside) Sure he didn't have Greg Alexander's natural talent but he more than made up more it in commitment. Freeman gave 110% every time he ran out on the football field for the Panthers. Our lack of success in those two years were not due to a lack of effort of Freeman's part.

yeh true, i didnt mean to lump him into that group as a dud, I only starting supporting Penrith because of meeting Brandy at school, and I just remember being so disapointed when he left, and then replaced by Freeman. But Whizz wasnt that bad, and i think he played with Brandy at fullback for a season, when we put Xureab out to pasture.

But glad to see you get my point. Hopefully we can have some juniors pull through and get us back up there again. Its no surprise our most successful seasons were when our team was predominantly made up of local juniors.

 

[flash]

No wonder we weren't much chop back then. We had Steve Waddell and Fa'osa Afoa as our prop combination in one stage in 1995 :lol:

Afoa!!

I remember him in that fri night game against Wests when there were fights nearly every set, he got sent off by memory.

 

[Kilkenny]

For the record Gary Freeman I think he was an ever present who played every game during these two seasons he was with us. If I remember correctly he was voted our Clubman of the Year, Players Player of the Year and won the coaches award in either 94 or 95. He also scored over 20 tries in his two seasons with us which was as a result of one of his best attributes, backing up. He only left the club because of the Super League war. I think from memory he aligned himself with the ARL and joined either the Roosters or the Eels for a couple of seasons before retiring.

 

[Kilkenny]

yeh true, i didnt mean to lump him into that group as a dud, I only starting supporting Penrith because of meeting Brandy at school, and I just remember being so disapointed when he left, and then replaced by Freeman. But Whizz wasnt that bad, and i think he played with Brandy at fullback for a season, when we put Xureab out to pasture.

But glad to see you get my point. Hopefully we can have some juniors pull through and get us back up there again. Its no surprise our most successful seasons were when our team was predominantly made up of local juniors.

Not having a go at you mate. Agree we were all devastated when Brandy left. I just remember with fondness how committed Freeman was because I didn't rate him until you watched him in the flesh week in week out. I can still remember a particular game at home when he put in a kick down field and followed his own kick thru. He made the tackle on the opposing full back a few metres out from there line. He proceed to make or be involved in the next four tackles. He then charged the kick down on the last and scored under the posts from his own charge down. He was that short of inspirational player.

 

[pantherz9103]

I think from memory he aligned himself with the ARL and joined either the Roosters or the Eels for a couple of seasons before retiring.

Gary Freeman joined Parramatta for one last season. He was part of the 'nine million dollar' team that finished a disappointing 13th out of 20 teams. Ron Hilditch was sacked as Parra coached and then they employed Brian Smith, who improved them alot but only to 'nearly men' status.

 

[pantherz9103]

A really lame joke someone once told me.

What did Gary Freeman say when he walked out of prison?

"I'm a Free-Man!" :sarcasm:

 

[Kilkenny]

Gary Freeman joined Parramatta for one last season. He was part of the 'nine million dollar' team that finished a disappointing 13th out of 20 teams. Ron Hilditch was sacked as Parra coached and then they employed Brian Smith, who improved them alot but only to 'nearly men' status.

I thought he player for us prior to the Super League. If he played for Parra in a 20 team competition that must have been the first season back after the ARL and Super League war came to an end? I must be getting old and my memory is starting to desert me?

 

[pantherz9103]

I thought he player for us prior to the Super League. If he played for Parra in a 20 team competition that must have been the first season back after the ARL and Super League war came to an end? I must be getting old and my memory is starting to desert me?

The facts go like this:

Gary Freeman played for Penrith in 1994-1995. He left us due to his refusal to sign with Super League, which was supposed to begin in 1996 but did not until 1997.

Gary Freeman played for Parramatta in 1996 in the LAST 20 team competition the ARL had.

Super League was not allowed to go ahead in 1996 because of a court decision made in February.

The Super League Competition was played in 1997. The ONLY year it was played.

Then in 1998 the NRL was founded as a compromise between the ARL and News Limited.

 

[Kilkenny]

The facts go like this:

Gary Freeman played for Penrith in 1994-1995. He left us due to his refusal to sign with Super League, which was supposed to begin in 1996 but did not until 1997.

Gary Freeman played for Parramatta in 1996 in the LAST 20 team competition the ARL had.

Super League was not allowed to go ahead in 1996 because of a court decision made in February.

The Super League Competition was played in 1997. The ONLY year it was played.

Then in 1998 the NRL was founded as a compromise between the ARL and News Limited.

Geez, I wish I had your memory. Like Fibroman too many beers and too many brain cells lost as a result.

 

[Kilkenny]

Excuse my ignorance, but in relation to the salary cap does a club have the abiliity to carry over, from one season to another, any unspent portion of there cap.

In other words, as it is looking increasingly likely we will probably not fully expend our cap for 2007, does the unspent portion carry over to 2008 or is it simply bad luck?

I'm sure I've heard this issue discussed previously in various forums but cannot recall the definitive answer to the question.

 

[pantherz9103]

Geez, I wish I had your memory. Like Fibroman too many beers and too many brain cells lost as a result.

That's alright I'm a RL history nerd.

 

[cainen]

In other words, as it is looking increasingly likely we will probably not fully expend our cap for 2007, does the unspent portion carry over to 2008 or is it simply bad luck?

Bad luck.

 

[anjado]

I was thinking the other day this year reminds me of the years 1993/94 for Penrith. Coming off a recent GF win, we had lost some key personell from that win, bought some useless 'quality' centres in McGaw, and my namesake Ash the Flash Gordon, (Hookey, O'Halloran), unearthed a fine goalkicking centre/winger in Girdler, Sing (M.Gordon/???), and had a champion Halfback struggling for form through injury. Then we continued to lose players, and sign absolute duds like Gillard, Freeman, Gillmeister, Gaffey to replace the likes of Alexander, Geyer, Dunn and Co.

Hopefully 2007 and beyond end up better than mid 90's, at least we changed coach earlier this time.

Sorry but Mark McGaw was a former international and NSW player whilst Mark O'Halloran played reserve grade for the Tigers and London Broncos. And at the time was quite a decent signing and big name signing whilst he did'nt do anything for Penrith except knock Robert Muchmore out of Parramatta Stadium with a Shoulder Charge.At least he was a big name Ashley Gordon was say the early 90's equivalent of Amos Roberts in 1990 he had an awesome season being Dally M Winger of the year over loads of conteders and always looked good for Newcastle and is quite possibly Penrith's most dissapointing signing in terms of achievement to potential he is similair to Hookey but Ashley Gordon had one awesome year where he could of made a kangaroo tour Hookey never really showed such promise.Ryan Girdler was'nt really unearthed since he had a great season with Illawarra in 1992 the clubs best season he was top pointscorer but the Rodwell/McGregor centre partnership was one of the best in the league.And forced him out of the club they also had McIndoe and Wishart on the wings.Matt Sing was only really young when we brought him down from Queensland as a half back sent him to Emu Plaines A Grade where they chucked him in the centres and the rest is history so he is similair to Wesser really whereas Gordon was one of the top pointscorers in the QLD Cup. Gary Freeman was also a fantastic player for Penrith but thats already been covered by others. Gillmeister did a good job in 94 he added steel to the defence.And was a big name signing.We Didn't sign Nigel Gaffey until 1999 when he formed a great back row partnership with Satts and John Cross when we became the top defensive team in the comp for about the first 15 rounds.We did also sign some duds in the period you mentioned Like Stan Presdee,Brett Gillard,Matt Donavon,Corey Stewart (although he look talented in the games he played) Butch Fatnowra and Keiran Meyer,Craig O'Dwyer,Troy Cassell,Mark Bell ( we were unlucky with him since he was the top tryscorer in the 92 season and was good for the raiders) all the fijians which were the fad back then after Nadruku scored loads of tries,Ned Flanders
but we did get some solid clubman like Darren Brown and Phil Adamson and Paul Quinn looked good but injury prone.
We also bought in 1993 Matt Adamson and Robbie Beckett
so really 1993/94 was a mixed bag whilst we signed some crap we took risks with certain signings Bell,McGaw and Gordon if they all played to there potential we could of achieved alot. for all the crap we signed we still got Gary Freeman who was awesome
Ryan Girdler who is probably in the top 6 players we've ever had .
Matt Adamson who led our forward pack for years and did it very well
Robbie Beckett who did a good job for us on the wing for years
Matt Sing who is one of the best players of the modern era although we didnt have him during it

compared to this year 2006 Hookey,O'Hallaran,Stapleton,Norrie and the rest 1993/94 really sh*ts all over it
our starting line up on paper in 94 was arguebly the best weve had
1.Alexander
2.Beckett
3.Sing
4.Girdler
5.Mackay
6.Carter
7.Freeman
13.Fittler
12.Matt Adamson i know he was a fullback but im saying at his best
11.Gilmeister
10.Cartwight
9.Farrer/Boyd
8.Walker
14.Phil Adamson
15.Van Der Voort
16.Lidden
17.Mark Bell

that team is awesome on paper unfortunetly not everyone was at there best but 94 was a tough competition to win.

 

[Caged Panther]

I always rated phil adamson as a better player than his brother.

 

[Kilkenny]

Perhaps the naming of this thread may prove to be master stroke?

Long year could equally mean top 8 - top 4 finish meaning elimination finals, preliminary finals and who knows maybe Grand Final.

 

[Big Mick]

Could be!

I got a feeling a signing is coming either tomorrow or Monday. Just a feeling I have....I also got a feeling it'll be a five-eight.

 

[Kilkenny]

Could be!

I got a feeling a signing is coming either tomorrow or Monday. Just a feeling I have....I also got a feeling it'll be a five-eight.

Let's assume your right Mick! Who are the potential candidates?

Scott Hill - Jason Smith - Craig Wing - Michael Monaghan - Brett Firman. Who else do we know for sure is on the market and availabler? The list of candidates is not a long one? There are significant hurdles with each of the above taking into account Hill/Smith are at the end of their careers and Wing/Monaghan/Firman are still under contract with there present clubs and bettern known as halves.

Lesser lights include perhaps Brett Kearney or Terry Campese.

There are plenty of lists around with players on the market but there are very very few 5/8's.

If our first signing is a 5/8 and announced in the next couple of days it could only be Jason Smith. The Elliot factor and the fact it would be a short time fix, one year deal?

In reality I don't really have a clue and it will probably be none of the above?

 

[Panthers_God]

We'll apparently Hill is already commited to going overseas just hasnt decided on the club, so I guess we wont sign him.

 

[King Panther]

A running 5/8 would be best i.e wing. also a solid defensive centre like hannay would also be perfect...he can kick goals too.