Do Penrith need Jarome?

[ColdWetPanther]

As for should they have kept Nathan or Jarome, well that’s still to be decided but with Ivan there was never going to be question that needed asking. Maybe it should have been Jarome or Dylan?

I think we can put that first one to bed pretty quickly; every coach in the land is going to choose Nathan over Jarome. In fact, there are some of the more hysterical Penrith fans who only think Ivan gets a gig to keep Ivan happy.

But I do think the Jarome versus Dyl (or Yeo, or Martin, or To’o etc etc) is an interesting question. Specifically looking at Dyl (and it is interesting that Dyl was awful for the first two rounds (seemingly carrying a niggle, which is in itself a concern) and then hasn’t been there since). So it is difficult to say our struggles are due to Jarome not being there without recognising Dyl’s importance, not just as a metre eater but the on-field communicator. Has Penrith looked flat or disorganised versus normal. Are they lacking energy or direction? I think the answer to that is yes.

The important thing to add though when questioning whether Luai more important than those other players is the salary cap. I obviously don’t know for sure, but I believe that Dyl is on 800-900k (and the others mentioned are lower than that), while it is pretty well accepted that Jarome is on $1.2m. So it is not just keep Luai or Dyl, but Dyl plus a high quality depth player (ie $300k). For some of the others listed above it is probably closer to a $500k difference, which is a high quality first grader.

Most Penrith fans are frustrated at losing great players and clubmen like Jarome, but recognise the realities of being successful and what that means for the salary cap and are proud that we are doing it the right way.

 

[Canard]

JFH is the real loss

 

[Trifili13]

May
Turuva
Naden
Crighton
Staines
Burton
Luai
Leniu
Api
Fisher-Harris
Kikau
Capewell
Hopgood

starting 13 of players who have left Penrith in the past 5 seasons. Name a club that doesn’t immediately start at least 5 of those players. Probably missed about half a dozen other players.

That's a top 8 if not a top 4 roster. Given the huge success the club has had, you can't keep them all as these players values increased and other clubs can offer larger sums and Penrith could not match to keep them all.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

JFH is the real loss

This

 

[soc123_au]

Luai was the CEO, Chief Energy Officer. We look flat as f**k this year, so yeah, we miss him.

He is a chirpy f**ker so with Dylan out and not organising the defense, missing Luai could be playing a role there too, especially on that edge. He was also very underrated as defender in his own right as well, so there is that. Cole tackles fine, but he isn't at Luai's level.

Thats the price of success though. As a fan you just have to be satisfied that we were going to come back to the pack eventually. I'd be interested to hear from fans of other clubs how they coped when their team regressed after winning 4 straight. Might be waiting a while unless there are any geriatric Dragons fans here that still have the cognitive ability to construct a response.

 

[Munky]

The team went through the 2023 finals series without Jarome contributing when he was on the field.

A big props to Kevvie and ARey not being able to do anything on that side of the defence.

Last year it looked like a team full of stars was coming back to the pack after four years of spectacular results. Martin and Leota were pretty poor during the season and the sting looked gone from JFH's hand. The quality of the squad allowed them to finish top two without getting out of second gear and then just turn it on and bully lesser players in the finals.

Jarome is probably in the second tier of game managers and playmakers. However his defence and organising on his side of the field is top notch. I can't think of many tries being scored going down that side in important games.

In the 2022 through 2024 finals the only time another team even fired a shot was Brisbane's fifteen minute blitz.

The team looks tired and lacks intensity. Luai would add energy but I don't think it would help.

Additionally half an decade of Pantherball looks to finally be showing on Edwards and To'o in both their play and availability.

 

[Trifili13]

Luai was the CEO, Chief Energy Officer. We look flat as f**k this year, so yeah, we miss him.

He is a chirpy f**ker so with Dylan out and not organising the defense, missing Luai could be playing a role there too, especially on that edge. He was also very underrated as defender in his own right as well, so there is that. Cole tackles fine, but he isn't at Luai's level.

Thats the price of success though. As a fan you just have to be satisfied that we were going to come back to the pack eventually. I'd be interested to hear from fans of other clubs how they coped when their team regressed after winning 4 straight. Might be waiting a while unless there are any geriatric Dragons fans here that still have the cognitive ability to construct a response.

I still watch those grainy 50s and 60s clips of the mighty Dragon's and hold onto the hope that those days will return (well we have no other hope given the state of the club over the last decade and a half).

ps I dictated this and had someone type it given my current cognitive ability

 

[Marshall_magic]

There is a little bit of smug from me in this, mainly because when we signed Luai 90% of panthers fans told us we were idiots,he’d be a miserable failure and they’d be business as usual. The media also continually ran ‘Luai under the most pressure in the game’ during the pre season, yet didn’t once mention if Nathan may be under pressure without Jarome.

its an extremely small sample size but so far it ain’t great viewing for Penrith. Of course come the end of the year there’s every chance Penrith are well entrenched in the 8 and were deciding between Bali or Fiji

As for should they have kept Nathan or Jarome, well that’s still to be decided but with Ivan there was never going to be question that needed asking. Maybe it should have been Jarome or Dylan?

To me, Edwards is a more important part of what they do than Luai. They’re pretty maxed out on the cap at the minute but you can find a 5/8 who has some flair like Jarome more easily than a fullback with the motor of Edwards. The yardage game is a huge part of what the Panthers do, and they lost 2 big parts of that along with Luai this season. They’ve also been without Edward for several games who is also a huge part of it.

 

[flippikat]

The thought struck me recently - are we actually NOW in a transition away from the Panthers era - and in fact the Panthers/Storm/Roosters era we've had since 2017 - and going into a "power vacuum" where we could see the premiership change hands a few times until a new dynasty emerges?

 

[Chins]

The thought struck me recently - are we actually NOW in a transition away from the Panthers era - and in fact the Panthers/Storm/Roosters era we've had since 2017 - and going into a "power vacuum" where we could see the premiership change hands a few times until a new dynasty emerges?

Melbourne is going to romp the 2025 comp unless we get our shit together. No one else can stop the purple merkins

 

[Chins]

I think we can put that first one to bed pretty quickly; every coach in the land is going to choose Nathan over Jarome. In fact, there are some of the more hysterical Penrith fans who only think Ivan gets a gig to keep Ivan happy.

But I do think the Jarome versus Dyl (or Yeo, or Martin, or To’o etc etc) is an interesting question. Specifically looking at Dyl (and it is interesting that Dyl was awful for the first two rounds (seemingly carrying a niggle, which is in itself a concern) and then hasn’t been there since). So it is difficult to say our struggles are due to Jarome not being there without recognising Dyl’s importance, not just as a metre eater but the on-field communicator. Has Penrith looked flat or disorganised versus normal. Are they lacking energy or direction? I think the answer to that is yes.

The important thing to add though when questioning whether Luai more important than those other players is the salary cap. I obviously don’t know for sure, but I believe that Dyl is on 800-900k (and the others mentioned are lower than that), while it is pretty well accepted that Jarome is on $1.2m. So it is not just keep Luai or Dyl, but Dyl plus a high quality depth player (ie $300k). For some of the others listed above it is probably closer to a $500k difference, which is a high quality first grader.

Most Penrith fans are frustrated at losing great players and clubmen like Jarome, but recognise the realities of being successful and what that means for the salary cap and are proud that we are doing it the right way.

Ivan 100% got his job back to keep Nathan. To think otherwise is delusional, it's just lucky it all worked out.

 

[ColdWetPanther]

Ivan 100% got his job back to keep Nathan. To think otherwise is delusional, it's just lucky it all worked out.

Exhibit A folks.

 

[Chins]

Exhibit A folks.

The delusion is real people

 

[Captain Apollo]

JFH is the real loss

Yep. Add in losing Spencer Lenui the season before and Penrith's front row stocks look a bit lighter by comparison. They lose a lot of go forward grunt when Leota is off the field.

 

[Fangs]

Melbourne is going to romp the 2025 comp unless we get our shit together. No one else can stop the purple merkins

Melbourne look crap.

 

[Chins]

Yep. Add in losing Spencer Lenui the season before and Penrith's front row stocks look a bit lighter by comparison. They lose a lot of go forward grunt when Leota is off the field.

Playing prop for Penrith has been one of the easiest gigs in the NRL with To'o/ Edwards and the other backs making all the meters. Our props have been able to walk back to halfway and not even be involved until tackle 4

 

[flippikat]

Melbourne look crap.

It's still very early days, and the table IS pretty congested, so there's gonna be some big - and effectively 4-point - games for the Storm in the next few weeks (you know, where denying the other team 2 competition points is as important as getting the 2 for themselves - like the Warriors game this weekend)

The Storm have a knack of winning. Even if their performance is a bit crap.. they still find a way to be ahead at full time. That gets them to a decent table position for the playoffs, then they go up a gear.

Bringing this back on topic, that's something the Panthers have lacked this year SO FAR - performing pretty average but still finding the win somehow.

 

[dogslife]

Melbourne look crap.

They do?

 

[Bazal]

Ivan 100% got his job back to keep Nathan. To think otherwise is delusional, it's just lucky it all worked out.

I wouldn't say 100% because if a top coach had been interested I don't know if they still would have gone that way, but it's definitely the reason they went for Ivan over another equally middle of the road (at the time) coach.

It surprises me that's even controversial? Like, they had faith in N Cleary and the players they had at the time, they signed a coach they knew would keep the lynchpin of that bunch at the club. That's just good management

 

[Captain Apollo]

They do?

Yeah, if the Storm are crap, then I wish my team were playing like them instead.