2021 season

[GongPanther]

Angus Crichton gets called Gus.

There is only one Gus.

 

[WestyLife]

There is only one Gus.

Agreed. Gus Gus from Cinderella if no one gets the reference

 

[GongPanther]

Agreed. Gus Gus from Cinderella if no one gets the reference

View attachment 46355

Looks like Mickey has let himself go.

 

[WestyLife]

Looks like Mickey has let himself go.

He went on the Fifita diet now that Vlandys has announced Disney is the new expansion team.

 

[BxTom]

He went on the Fifita diet now that Vlandys has announced Disney is the new expansion team.

Funny that you should mention 'fifita diet' and expansion in the same sentence!

 

[Girds89]

Forced myself to re watch the 2020 gf for the first time today. Had a few beers the night of the gf and the game was a bit of a blur so was painful rewatching today.

One thing I really took away from the game was the impact Naden had when he came on. He was absolutely fantastic and looked incredibly dangerous. The same, if not moreso than Critta.

I think everyone, IC included, probably acknowledges he stuffed up and Nado should have been starting centre.

From the trials Nada looked in the best shape he has ever been.

I really hope Brent can hit the ground running in NSW cup, have a big 4 games and then come back up.

For mine, Brent was definitely one of our underrated stars of last season. You could see throughout the year how much he loves playing with this group of boys. Watch his reaction after he sets up Staines for his (I think, from memory, it was the) 4th try on debut. That try was all him.

He has a never give up attitude and is a real competitor. Some might disagree with me, but, I see a bit of GI in Naden. He is as quick as GI, is strong,has a good offload. Defence is not up to GI level but that can improve.

He obviously has his mental health issues, hopefully they are behind him. I hope Brent can really put it all together this year, because, if he can, I think the best is yet to come and he will be great for the Panthers.

 

[Girds89]

I also think for a lot of the opposed ball work sessions this year, IC should let the b side, nsw, 20s, etc, purposely stand 3m offside.

This will put more pressure on Nathan, Jerome and co.

Storm were up in our face the first 60mins of the gf and it was obvious that it affected Nathan and Jerome. All structures went out the window. They really struggled, drop ball obviously didn't help but that comes from pressure.

We can expect a lot more of it this season. Teams will be gunning for us.

We know the boys can play and have plenty of points in them when the forwards are dominating and are on a roll.

Nathan and Jerome need to develop there game when we are under immense pressure, forwards are getting smashed and we are going no where.

The great sides over the last 5-7 years where all great at it. Look at Cronulla.. they were incredible at grinding out the tough sides.

I think if IC really got the boys training when under pressure, players up in there face etc during opposed sessions, it will bring out the best in Nathan and Jerome and will pay off in the long run, hopefully October again!

 

[franklin2323]

Forced myself to re watch the 2020 gf for the first time today. Had a few beers the night of the gf and the game was a bit of a blur so was painful rewatching today.

One thing I really took away from the game was the impact Naden had when he came on. He was absolutely fantastic and looked incredibly dangerous. The same, if not moreso than Critta.

I think everyone, IC included, probably acknowledges he stuffed up and Nado should have been starting centre.

From the trials Nada looked in the best shape he has ever been.

I really hope Brent can hit the ground running in NSW cup, have a big 4 games and then come back up.

For mine, Brent was definitely one of our underrated stars of last season. You could see throughout the year how much he loves playing with this group of boys. Watch his reaction after he sets up Staines for his (I think, from memory, it was the) 4th try on debut. That try was all him.

He has a never give up attitude and is a real competitor. Some might disagree with me, but, I see a bit of GI in Naden. He is as quick as GI, is strong,has a good offload. Defence is not up to GI level but that can improve.

He obviously has his mental health issues, hopefully they are behind him. I hope Brent can really put it all together this year, because, if he can, I think the best is yet to come and he will be great for the Panthers.

On the flip side watch the Sharks game when we flogged them. Some horrible reads by him in defence.

I don't think dropping him was an error. Not having Burton or Whare come in was the error.

He was one guys who struggled in the bubble. I am looking forward to seeing how he bounces back

 

[Girds89]

On the flip side watch the Sharks game when we flogged them. Some horrible reads by him in defence.

I don't think dropping him was an error. Not having Burton or Whare come in was the error.

He was one guys who struggled in the bubble. I am looking forward to seeing how he bounces back

Whare offered nothing in attack and burton was untested at centre. Putting him there in a gf against the storm is brain-dead.

Nado should have been centre. Yes he had a poor read in him but he was undoubtedly our best option. Burton and may aren't centres. The only option would have been whare but he had no match fitness and was past it.

 

[franklin2323]

Whare offered nothing in attack and burton was untested at centre. Putting him there in a gf against the storm is brain-dead.

Nado should have been centre. Yes he had a poor read in him but he was undoubtedly our best option. Burton and may aren't centres. The only option would have been whare but he had no match fitness and was past it.

That is why Burton should of play atleast v Bulldogs.

The poor reads are only part of it.

He was dropped after covid break for being unfit.

Clearly had off field issues.

Then against Roosters was poor in finals

 

[Girds89]

That is why Burton should of play atleast v Bulldogs.

The poor reads are only part of it.

He was dropped after covid break for being unfit.

Clearly had off field issues.

Then against Roosters was poor in finals

One average game doesn't mean he deserves to get dropped. He had a few poor reads against the chooks but defensive reads is something that can be coached.

MJ wasn't the greatest defensive centre when he first broke into grade... look how he's career panned out. He's defensive got better and better and was arguably one of the best defensive centres in the game.

If you think playing burton at centre, an untested position for him, is enough to throw him in there in a gf you've lost me.

Nado might’ve come back unfit but he played the whole season after working his way back in and he was very very good. Was basically he's first full season of fg so an odd mistake here or there in defence is expected. That's on the coaches to address and coach him!!

Cleary dropped him and it backfired. Imo he needs to be in the team asap.

 

[Jane Murray]

One average game doesn't mean he deserves to get dropped. He had a few poor reads against the chooks but defensive reads is something that can be coached.

MJ wasn't the greatest defensive centre when he first broke into grade... look how he's career panned out. He's defensive got better and better and was arguably one of the best defensive centres in the game.

If you think playing burton at centre, an untested position for him, is enough to throw him in there in a gf you've lost me.

Nado might’ve come back unfit but he played the whole season after working his way back in and he was very very good. Was basically he's first full season of fg so an odd mistake here or there in defence is expected. That's on the coaches to address and coach him!!

Cleary dropped him and it backfired. Imo he needs to be in the team asap.

There was more to that story that what was revealed.

 

[Smug Panther]

Ivan got us to the GF but he also lost it with the awful call. Is what it is

 

[franklin2323]

One average game doesn't mean he deserves to get dropped. He had a few poor reads against the chooks but defensive reads is something that can be coached.

MJ wasn't the greatest defensive centre when he first broke into grade... look how he's career panned out. He's defensive got better and better and was arguably one of the best defensive centres in the game.

If you think playing burton at centre, an untested position for him, is enough to throw him in there in a gf you've lost me.

Nado might’ve come back unfit but he played the whole season after working his way back in and he was very very good. Was basically he's first full season of fg so an odd mistake here or there in defence is expected. That's on the coaches to address and coach him!!

Cleary dropped him and it backfired. Imo he needs to be in the team asap.

Naden plays doesn't change the result though. Too much dropped ball

He played the whole season mostly on the wing though.

How do you fix the issues with no lower grades? The coaches didn't make him take coke before the GF. So it is more than just the onfield

 

[WestyLife]

That is why Burton should of play atleast v Bulldogs.

The poor reads are only part of it.

He was dropped after covid break for being unfit.

Clearly had off field issues.

Then against Roosters was poor in finals

Burton played during the last round game against the dogs and scored a try.

 

[Original Name]

Forced myself to re watch the 2020 gf for the first time today. Had a few beers the night of the gf and the game was a bit of a blur so was painful rewatching today.

One thing I really took away from the game was the impact Naden had when he came on. He was absolutely fantastic and looked incredibly dangerous. The same, if not moreso than Critta.

I think everyone, IC included, probably acknowledges he stuffed up and Nado should have been starting centre.

From the trials Nada looked in the best shape he has ever been.

I really hope Brent can hit the ground running in NSW cup, have a big 4 games and then come back up.

For mine, Brent was defintely one of our underrated stars of last season. You could see throughout the year how much he loves playing with this group of boys. Watch his reaction after he sets up Staines for his (I think, from memory, it was the) 4th try on debut. That try was all him.

He has a never give up attitude and is a real competitor. Some might disagree with me, but, I see a bit of GI in Naden. He is as quick as GI, is strong,has a good offload. Defence is not up to GI level but that can improve.

He obviously has his mental health issues, hopefully they are behind him. I hope Brent can really put it all together this year, because, if he can, I think the best is yet to come and he will be great for the Panthers.

Storm put the cue in the rack around 55 minutes in. Naden played well but he had plenty of space him before he touched the ball. It's like everyone in NSW backline killed it in game 2 when the team easily won the battle up the middle off plenty of quick play the balls. I like the guy and think he has plenty more to offer that he hasn't shown but he was running downhill in that gf. You can't compare it to the guys starting defending against the Storm when they had momentum.

If Naden starts and faces the Storm backline off the back of them winning the ruck and having momentum would his defence be worse than May's? Probably in all honesty. Would he have made up for it in other ways? Maybe. I think in retrospect the best move we could have made was not playing Tetevano who was busted and didn't play well and gambling on Hetherington or Leniu to turn momentum with something big way before Naden got on.

Maybe then Naden would had been running downhill after we scored and kept them to one try less and we could have really done something.

 

[martielang]

Going around in circles but if you’re dropping Naden, Whare had to come in regardless of his attacking limitations. Our right centre sees no ball anyway. Should’ve played in Rnd 26 to get some miles in his legs but it is what it is.

 

[Fangs]

Wasn't the call that lost us the grand final but it certainly didn't help. If you didn't play Naden then Whare was made for the moment. It should have been Naden from the start with May playing his usual role off the bench which he excelled at in 2020.

I thought the whole final series was poor from Penrith. We played well below our best football in all 3 games. Cleary has to take a lesson from that.

f**k this talk anyway. 7 sleeps left. Feels like Christmas.

 

[franklin2323]

Burton played during the last round game against the dogs and scored a try.

He did but 20 mins odd wasn't going to be enough to be a viable option

 

[franklin2323]

Wasn't the call that lost us the grand final but it certainly didn't help. If you didn't play Naden then Whare was made for the moment. It should have been Naden from the start with May playing his usual role off the bench which he excelled at in 2020.

I thought the whole final series was poor from Penrith. We played well below our best football in all 3 games. Cleary has to take a lesson from that.

f**k this talk anyway. 7 sleeps left. Feels like Christmas.

Kikau made 6 or so errors
Cleary fails to find touch
Throws an intercept
We complete 60%

the whole game was poor. Changing a centre alone doesn't help