2014 Team

[kiwipete]

Why would i mention Sam Anderson when my focus was our second row quality and depth? We will have a front row of Kite, Grant, McKendry and Plum. Anderson would top off the depth list most likely. But i don't think there's any doubt or competition to our full strength front row. Not like there is in the second row.

Sorry mate, my mistake.Didn't mean to be quoting you, fat fingers!!

 

[maple_69]

Whare showing again last night he is one of the top centres playing at the moment. A couple more years like this and playing in what will be a more high profile team next year he will be a top 5 centre. Definitely Gus' most astute signing.

 

[maple_69]

http://m.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/kevin-kingston-backs-tim-grant-for-penrith-panthers-captaincy-20131114-2xjcz.html

Sounds promising on the Segs front. Kingston sounds like a really top guy.

 

[franklin2323]

Yeah he's a great guy most of our guys are...

The problem with Grant is when he's off & no guarantee he will start. I would have him club captain do the off-field stuff & when he's on. Though need some while he's off I would go Soward for that.

 

[soc123_au]

Kingston is a class act. Some of the dipshits in the game could learn a lot from him.

 

[Degranged panther]

Totally agree. He was like a breath of fresh air against that moron Lewis and his inane carrying on.
want 80 minute player to be next captain, maybe Wallace don't like the bloke so good chance to get rid of him real fast. Red haired git.

 

[mxlegend99]

Not sure why people hate Wallace so much. Everyone was gutted when we let him go, although personally I wasn't that upset as he would never have been more then an average player for us. He is just a solid player that can do a decent job under a good coach. (ie. not for us given we had Matt Elliott)

He was very good for the Broncos when Wayne Bennett was the coach. He got worse once he left, but so have many other players. Including his halves partner Jamie Soward. Ivan Cleary might not be at the Wayne Bennett level as a coach, but he has a pretty good record at developing players and getting the most out of them. I don't think he would have signed either of those players if they weren't capable of performing the task that he wants them to for the team.

But then again he did sign Wes Naiqama AND pick him for far too long. Although once injury forced him out of the side, atleast he was willing to admit he was wrong and only ever brought him back into first grade when he wasn't allowed to select other players.

 

[mxlegend99]

That said... if he plays like shit or is as wildly inconsistent as Luke Walsh I'll be calling for him to be axed. Hopefully he doesn't get the same breezy ride in first that Walsh did. With Isaac John available though, I don't think Soward or Wallace would be guaranteed their spots. Isaac John has proven himself to be a solid player and we have seen how he performs, so if either or both of those guys are doing worse I can't see the coach accepting that for very long.

I would also like to see Moylan given a crack in the halves. He won't have a very long first grade career with us if he stays at fullback. Too many bigger, stronger and faster players who could come in and be far more damaging then him. His strongest asset was the way he could chime into the attack from fullback and deliver well timed passes, in very quick and fluid motions. He made the guys around him more dangerous. Would be easier for him to gain the size/muscle to play in the halves then it would to find the pace for fullback IMO.

 

[franklin2323]

Aside from Whare John has been the best performed Panther at the World Cup. 5 or 6 try assists with a terrible side.

 

[franklin2323]

:lol::lol: Wallace was disgraceful this morning. Words can't describe how bad

 

[umina panther]

Walsh bad?

 

[mxlegend99]

So far he has one good game and 2 or 3 terrible ones in the world cup. Based on that he would be on par with Walsh. But i havent seen any of his games yet. Will watch the NZ game tonight before the Australia game.

 

[PinkPanther]

Wallace doesn't mind throwing a long pass, even when it's not necessary.

 

[franklin2323]

Walsh bad?

Worse. Walsh couldn't pass so would just do useless kicks. Wallace did that & threw long passes into the grandstand. The USA halfback has shown more then him.

Walsh in next years team we would make the 8. We didn't piss off Walsh to just make the 8. John must partner Soward to be a chance.

 

[Randy81]

Lets give him a pre season in Penrith colours hey? We have options there, obviously the two in best form should form the halves combo. This will likely change during the year at different times.

There is no use death riding him before he has even had a days training in panther colours. This time last season Isaac John was struggling in reserve grade in England and look how quickly he turned it around.
Competition for spots is the key to success and this is something we have built significantly in recent times I am sure Wallace will improve during the year under this environment (back to how he used to play)

 

[Luke Bowden]

Lets give him a pre season in Penrith colours hey? We have options there, obviously the two in best form should form the halves combo. This will likely change during the year at different times.

There is no use death riding him before he has even had a days training in panther colours. This time last season Isaac John was struggling in reserve grade in England and look how quickly he turned it around.
Competition for spots is the key to success and this is something we have built significantly in recent times I am sure Wallace will improve during the year under this environment (back to how he used to play)

Exactly!! Great post!!

John was terrible in the Super League before he got into our System. IC wanted both Soward and Wallace for a reason. Let's see what he produces before we start with the complaints.

 

[Puntastic]

I've found Wallace's performances in the Cup to be more promising than anything I've seen at Brisbane. That said, he is almost entirely dependant on his halves partner.

In 2014, Wallace's style of game will be almost entirely reliant on Soward. If Soward finds the feet he used to possess, Wallace will get a bit of space to work with as second receiver. If Soward doesn't, Wallace will be giving Soward safe ball from first reciever (Wallace), to give him (Soward) time to think.

It's all dependent on the off season.

From what I've seen from Scotland, he has the short passing game to be somewhat potent in attack if given some space. But, at the same time, he hasn't shown anything like this at Brisbane.

Because he hasn't had a dominant half pairing whilst at Brisbane, we could see more of this style of play if Soward takes control, a possibility that was foreign to me until watching Scotland play. That said, he can't be a creative/thinking half. That will rely on Soward.

Wallace performed similarly in strength to how Brough performed in the RLWC.

If that continues, Wallace will be playing like he was at Brisbane unless Soward really kicks on. He certainly won't be a game-breaking player, but could still prove more dimensional than many (including myself) thought.

I do think Soward is capable of quality performances (and those that could compliment Wallace), but how consistently he performs is really anybody's guess.

It seems that Gus and Cleary have placed the entire attacking structure in the hands of Soward which, given his last inconsistent performances in the NRL, is still very concerning.

I'll reserve judgement for 2014 (out of uncertainty if nothing else).

The bottom line for now is that Soward and Wallace are really still better halves than we've seen in a long time, and they still deserve a chance in Penrith colours. They do come from long careers with certain expectations, but let's reserve criticism until they've earned it.

 

[Tone83]

1. k Naiqama
2. Mansour
3. Whare
4. Roberts
5. W Naiqama/Nabuli
6. Soward
7. Wallace
8. Kite
9. Segeyaro
10. Grant
11. Manu
12. Taylor
13. Plum

14. Peachey
15. Docker
16. Mckendry
17. Brown

Pretty solid side, might jump on the bandwagon. I see a lot of opportunities being created by K Naiqama, Segs and Peachey. Panthers to average more points than they have in a long time.
Just hope soward and wallace know to pass the ball to someone with talent as quickly as possible and get out of their way, and then on top of that have solid kicking games. If they manage that the team will succeed in spite of them.

 

[umina panther]

We have 15 + better wingers than Wes

 

[franklin2323]

John was terrible in the Super League before he got into our System. IC wanted both Soward and Wallace for a reason.

John had injuries & imo the best half Johnson over take him. Showed glimpses then.

Wallace had one of the best to learn from. When it was his time to stand up had nothing


Like he said Walsh & Coote were our long best halves?

both now gone.. We will make the 8 no matter who is Soward's half partner.

To be more then making up the numbers in the 8. We need atleast 1 that can break the line. Wallace nor Soward can do that.