2022 GF | PREMIERS - Penrith 28-12 Parramatta @ Accor

[Smug Panther]

I’m seriously on cloud 9. Already cracked a breaky Capital Brewing XPA to celebrate. I am hopeful but doubt I will see the Pennies do this again in my lifetime. Definitely one to be savoured.

Excellent beer

 

[Eelementary]

I’m seriously on cloud 9. Already cracked a breaky Capital Brewing XPA to celebrate. I am hopeful but doubt I will see the Pennies do this again in my lifetime. Definitely one to be savoured.

Enjoy it, mate.

Your club is freaking unreal.

I would have liked us to put up more of a fight, but we were always going to be up against it, playing such a great side.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

I'm also on cloud 9, enjoying a Diet Coke and KFC Zinger Burger whilst wearing my Nike tracksuit and driving my Audi.

Valvoline, you know what I mean.

 

[Blues Riff]

The real winners are Peter Wynn and St Vinnies.

 

[Frankus]

Enjoy it, mate.

Your club is freaking unreal.

I would have liked us to put up more of a fight, but we were always going to be up against it, playing such a great side.

Thanks mate. Most of my life I’ve seen the panthers get thrashed more often than not. So glad we are having our day in the sun. It won’t last.

 

[Eelementary]

Thanks mate. Most of my life I’ve seen the panthers get thrashed more often than not. So glad we are having our day in the sun. It won’t last.

Absolutely - it makes it even sweeter, after witnessing all the hard times.

I'm not even upset, tbh - I knew it was going to be a huge ask to beat Penrith, and two months ago, I thought our season was done.

We surpassed all expectations to even make it this far, and we came up against an incredible side - a side which no other team in the NRL would have beaten last night, imo.

 

[Reflector]

Showing my age, but this team is doing what the 90-91 team might have done

Good season for the Eels, but everyone is a fair way behind atm

It always felt like a matter of time. For decades the Panthers were referred to as the sleeping giant of the game. You could argue that had Ben Alexander let somebody else drive that night in June 1992, Penrith might have kicked on and stayed up there for the next 5 years challenging Brisbane, Canberra and Manly for the Premiership.

2003 felt more like lightning in a bottle, not that the Premiership wasn't fully deserved, but (similar to Wests Tigers 2 seasons later) everything just lined up for them. They picked up the spoon just 4 years later.

That the club would (sooner or later) enjoy the kind of success they have built up over the last 3 seasons doesn't come as much of a surprise, all things considering.

Only question now is how long until other clubs catch up in regards to organising their clubs the same way and seeing the benefits?

 

[Colk]

It always felt like a matter of time. For decades the Panthers were referred to as the sleeping giant of the game. You could argue that had Ben Alexander let somebody else drive that night in June 1992, Penrith might have kicked on and stayed up there for the next 5 years challenging Brisbane, Canberra and Manly for the Premiership.

2003 felt more like lightning in a bottle, not that the Premiership wasn't fully deserved, but (similar to Wests Tigers 2 seasons later) everything just lined up for them. They picked up the spoon just 4 years later.

That the club would (sooner or later) enjoy the kind of success they have built up over the last 3 seasons doesn't come as much of a surprise, all things considering.

Only question now is how long until other clubs catch up in regards to organising their clubs the same way and seeing the benefits?

To be fair only certain clubs could do this in terms of having the junior area at their disposal (Newcastle, GC, Brisbane, Dolphins, Warriors and maybe the Dragons and Canberra) and only a few of them also have the money to replicate what they have done (without the same money you’d then scratch out Newcastle, GC and the Warriors)

There is no other club wholly based in Sydney who could do what they have done.

 

[Reflector]

To be fair only certain clubs could do this in terms of having the junior area at their disposal (Newcastle, GC, Brisbane, Dolphins, Warriors and maybe the Dragons and Canberra) and only a few of them also have the money to replicate what they have done (without the same money you’d then scratch out Newcastle, GC and the Warriors)

There is no other club wholly based in Sydney who could do what they have done.

Parra have the junior RL area and the backing to compete with Penrith, their biggest problem over the years has been mismanagement. I look at the Broncos and I feel like they're a younger version of Parra in that regard.

Knights feel like they're what PENRITH!!! were in the old days before they started turning things around. They've got the juniors and (via Wests Group) now have the money to back them up. Their biggest problem appears to be recruitment at NRL level and finding a coach who is the right fit. Would love to have seen a sliding doors moment where the club offered Brian Smith a 3 year extension back in 2009 instead of letting Easts snap him up.

 

[Parra! *Clap Clap Clap*]

Last night just wasn't our night. But it's pretty standard these days that you have to lose one before you win one so I consider this part one of our journey. We'll come back bigger and stronger next year while Penrith will be on the decline. We will be there again next year and they won't be. Our last 10 minutes where we dominated gives us something to work with heading in to 2023.

 

[Colk]

Parra have the junior RL area and the backing to compete with Penrith, their biggest problem over the years has been mismanagement. I look at the Broncos and I feel like they're a younger version of Parra in that regard.

Knights feel like they're what PENRITH!!! were in the old days before they started turning things around. They've got the juniors and (via Wests Group) now have the money to back them up. Their biggest problem appears to be recruitment at NRL level and finding a coach who is the right fit. Would love to have seen a sliding doors moment where the club offered Brian Smith a 3 year extension back in 2009 instead of letting Easts snap him up.

The Wests Group have saved them but they are not very likely at all to spend the same amount of money as Penrith have.

The other QLD teams and the Warriors (definitely) would have the same capacity (and more) than Penrith. Whether they (outside of the Broncos and possibly the Dolphins) have the money to do what they have done is another story.

 

[Captain Apollo]

 

[Captain Apollo]

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

Rugby League has been the loser since 2017. Dominated by the three scummiest clubs in the game.

Because drug and cap scandals before then were good for the game?

 

[Iamback]

Absolutely - it makes it even sweeter, after witnessing all the hard times.

I'm not even upset, tbh - I knew it was going to be a huge ask to beat Penrith, and two months ago, I thought our season was done.

We surpassed all expectations to even make it this far, and we came up against an incredible side - a side which no other team in the NRL would have beaten last night, imo.

That 1st half we put in the perfect performance, From that it is hard to get momentum back. No one beats us in that mood

 

[Munky]

View attachment 66981

Could be worse.

Kevvie Walters is not only somehow an NRL coach but also let's his talentless son take the field.

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

I’d still say the Roosters are more unlikeable.

Its not much but I’ll take it

 

[Colk]

Its not much but I’ll take it

Take it as a compliment mate.

 

[Dodgy]

In hindsight, I thought Parra was good for the first 15min or whatever. They matched the intensity but didn't get a score to continue to give the spur, whereas Penrith did score.

 

[horrie hastings]

We definitely were poosters that day

Morris was in.