2019 Discussion

[Kilkenny]

We so need the likes of Spencer Leniu, Stephen Chrichton, Shaun Blore and a couple of others from the Flegg side to be special talents. No more solid, decent, good I mean match winners.

We’ve had a great run with our juniors coming through but still haven’t unearthed the special talent or talents that take us from being a top 8 side to a top four and beyond.

Brian Too is the first of our next generation and there are certainly others on the horizon.

We all had high hopes for the likes of DWZ, Edwards, Cleary, Yeo, JFH, Leota and so on and so but at the end of the day none to date has really stepped up into that ‘one of the best players in the NRL category’. All good, all solid just not quite a Brandy or Freddy or Tony P or Rhys or Girds.

It is somewhat sad our two biggest potential gamebreakers in Blake and Kikau are basically hamstrung by our total lack of any constructive game plan or attacking structure. They have the potential to be amongst the top ranked players in the game if playing for the likes of the Roosters, Storm etc etc where there talents would be fully utilised.

 

[Thirsty Panther]

Some of our players should checkout this article.
https://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/news/2019/05/14/long-road-for-Penriths-country-kids/
Hours of travelling just to play for Penrith.
Maybe our future is in good hands despite what we are going thru now.

 

[Crashtest]

I think Zero Tackle has been reading this forum for story ideas on the Panthers!

https://www.nospam21.com/is-the-promise-of-the-penrith-panthers-their-problem-44048/

EDIT: The spam filter changes the link address! You can read it on the zero tackle website.

 

[Panther_Daz]

We so need the likes of Spencer Leniu, Stephen Chrichton, Shaun Blore and a couple of others from the Flegg side to be special talents. No more solid, decent, good I mean match winners.

We’ve had a great run with our juniors coming through but still haven’t unearthed the special talent or talents that take us from being a top 8 side to a top four and beyond.

Brian Too is the first of our next generation and there are certainly others on the horizon.

We all had high hopes for the likes of DWZ, Edwards, Cleary, Yeo, JFH, Leota and so on and so but at the end of the day none to date has really stepped up into that ‘one of the best players in the NRL category’. All good, all solid just not quite a Brandy or Freddy or Tony P or Rhys or Girds.

It is somewhat sad our two biggest potential gamebreakers in Blake and Kikau are basically hamstrung by our total lack of any constructive game plan or attacking structure. They have the potential to be amongst the top ranked players in the game if playing for the likes of the Roosters, Storm etc etc where there talents would be fully utilised.

Great post.

We need a superstar to develop from our systems.

A geniune matchwinner.

 

[Crashtest]

Great post.

We need a superstar to develop from our systems.

A geniune matchwinner.

And then manage to sign them up long term, and not release them early

 

[Panther_Daz]

And then manage to sign them up long term, and not release them early

Moylan was the one.

 

[Fangs]

Moylan was the one.

Was just gonna post that. Best talent we have had since Gould arrived.

I've got high hopes for Luai as well.

 

[Panther_Daz]

Was just gonna post that. Best talent we have had since Gould arrived.

I've got high hopes for Luai as well.

Moylan can count numbers, run short side plays and throw the money ball.

 

[betcats]

Moylan can count numbers, run short side plays and throw the money ball.

He was always clutch too and if the game was close in the dying minutes Moylan desperately wanted the ball in his hands, he thrived in those moments.

 

[Panther_Daz]

He was always clutch too and if the game was close in the dying minutes Moylan desperately wanted the ball in his hands, he thrived in those moments.

You need that brilliance.

Look at the last 5 premiership winning spines.

2014 - Inglis, Keary, Reynolds, Luke/Koroisau
2015 - Coote, Morgan, Thurston, Granville
2016 - Barba, Maloney, Townsend, Ennis
2017 - Slater, Munster, Cronk, Smith
2018 - Tedesco, Keary, Cronk, Friend

I don't think Aekins/Edwards, Luai, Cleary and Egan/Katoa can match the quality of the above next year (I have written us off for the title this year)

 

[Westernised Panther]

How long until Moylan’s contract at the Sharks runs out?

 

[unKwn]

How long until Moylan’s contract at the Sharks runs out?

He played some of his best footy under Ivan. And this time if he comes back there’s no Gus or Griffin. So maybe there’s a chance he could come back

 

[betcats]

You need that brilliance.

Look at the last 5 premiership winning spines.

2014 - Inglis, Keary, Reynolds, Luke/Koroisau
2015 - Coote, Morgan, Thurston, Granville
2016 - Barba, Maloney, Townsend, Ennis
2017 - Slater, Munster, Cronk, Smith
2018 - Tedesco, Keary, Cronk, Friend

I don't think Aekins/Edwards, Luai, Cleary and Egan/Katoa can match the quality of the above next year (I have written us off for the title this year)

I cannot recall the halves throwing one nice cut out ball to set up a try or even a linebreak yet. There have been a few looping long passes but they weren't the clean crisp cut out balls the backs need make clean breaks. We definitely need more out of our spine. I don't know if Luai is good enough, I do know that Maloney definitely is not good enough to be our main ball player anymore. And as I stated numerous times last year he isn't a very good leader either, Tamou is the preferred captain over Jimmy.

 

[Panther_Daz]

How long until Moylan’s contract at the Sharks runs out?

End of 2021.

 

[Bob]

This weeks masked panther from the western weekender

Masked Panther: Tough times in Pantherland
By
Masked Panther
-
May 16, 2019, 7:00

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Penrith coach Ivan Cleary will front the club’s Board on May 29 in an attempt to explain the team’s awful start to the season. But it’s unlikely to be a major grilling, with the meeting set to focus on discussions about the plan moving forward – including potential tweaks to the squad as the June 30 deadline approaches. The Board is obviously unhappy with the way the Panthers have played this season but remains staunchly behind Cleary.

Nobody can deny that Pantherland is not a happy place at the moment. Ivan Cleary and his staff are desperately trying to get the bottom of it but I’m told the sex tape scandal in the pre-season is a catalyst for a lot of the issues. Not only did it disrupt the squad and test a number of friendships, but there’s been some uncomfortable issues with wives and girlfriends too. The whole thing has really unsettled the season and made away trips particularly difficult.

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary. Photo: Melinda Jane
Watching the Panthers at the moment is enough to turn anybody to the drink so it was no surprise that Ivan Cleary, Peter Wallace and Cameron Ciraldo headed to a bar last Friday night in an attempt to start an immediate review of what went wrong against the Wests Tigers. When the trio arrived at a Brisbane watering hole, they found it to be full of journalists. Not surprisingly, Cleary, Wallace and Ciraldo didn’t stay long.






Panthers CEO Brian Fletcher was instrumental in convincing the NRL to allow suburban grounds to host matches in week one of the Finals. Fletcher was ruthless on the issue after the Panthers were forced to host the Warriors at the soulless ANZ Stadium in the Finals last year. Last week, the NRL announced that suburban grounds were back on the menu for the Finals with Panthers Stadium now an approved venue to host matches. “This is an extremely positive result for our Club, particularly our fans but also for the game,” Fletcher said.

Be prepared for another home game to be lost from Panthers Stadium next year with the club likely to be forced to host a Magic Round match at Suncorp Stadium. Clubs have been informed that Magic Round will definitely be back in 2020, and it’s likely that ‘away’ teams from last weekend will be forced to move home matches as part of the concept next year. It’ll mean there will be just 10 matches at Panthers Stadium, with one game already shifted to Bathurst.

With another injury to his shoulder and his teammates in Brisbane, Isaah Yeo headed back home to the country last weekend for some fresh air and recharging. Yeo was back in Penrith on Monday and is continuing to get treatment for his shoulder with the hope of being back on the field against the Roosters in Round 13.

Serious questions are being raised about Ivan Cleary’s decision to appoint James Tamou as the team’s sole captain. While plenty of eyebrows were raised when it was first announced a few weeks ago, a number of league experts including Blues coach Brad Fittler are publicly airing concerns over the decision. Tamou is an excellent player and leads by his actions on the field, but he’s hardly the talker and motivator that the Panthers need at the moment.

It’s unlikely that Dallin Watene-Zelezniak will be in a blue and gold jersey any time soon. Reports emerged last weekend suggesting Watene-Zelezniak’s management had been in discussions about a move to Parramatta before June 30. I’m told Penrith officials were filthy when they heard the rumour in the lead-up to last Friday’s clash against the Tigers at Suncorp Stadium. The Panthers have no intention of releasing the 23-year-old and there has been no formal approach by the Eels.

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak at training. Photo: Megan Dunn
Some of Penrith’s most famous names are set to pull the jersey back on for this year’s Legends of League tournament, which now features the Panthers.

 

[Fangs]

Nobody can deny that Pantherland is not a happy place at the moment. Ivan Cleary and his staff are desperately trying to get the bottom of it but I’m told the sex tape scandal in the pre-season is a catalyst for a lot of the issues. Not only did it disrupt the squad and test a number of friendships, but there’s been some uncomfortable issues with wives and girlfriends too. The whole thing has really unsettled the season and made away trips particularly difficult.

2017 pre-season was the start of the hype. We didn't handle it well. Plus the rumours about Merrin/Martin bust up. Sounds very similar to what we are facing now.

 

[Crashtest]

And then manage to sign them up long term, and not release them early

Moylan was the one.

Definitely was. To let him go and back Griffin was bad enough, but to then end up sacking Griffin the following season made it an even worse decision.

 

[Fangs]

Moylan can count numbers, run short side plays and throw the money ball.

Would loved to have seen how our 2018 season panned out with Moylan/Maloney as our dominant player-makers. Probably wouldn't have had room in the salary cap for both.

 

[Bob]

2017 pre-season was the start of the hype. We didn't handle it well. Plus the rumours about Merrin/Martin bust up. Sounds very similar to what we are facing now.

What is the old saying happy wife, happy life

 

[Crashtest]

"Not only did it disrupt the squad and test a number of friendships, but there’s been some uncomfortable issues with wives and girlfriends too. The whole thing has really unsettled the season and made away trips particularly difficult."

I didn't release the internal fallout from the incident between some of the players had gotten that bad.