TheRam
Coach
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Who are these great benefactor fans the Panthers have that are so game changing compared to ours then?
I argue that Cameron and the two Cleary's are the main reason the Panthers have had such a stellar rise the last five years. Also the weakness of the comp having such a leveling out across the board has allowed the one team that got it so right at the right time to flourish while all the others are trying to catch up or rebuild.
There are no more real quality halves coming through at the moment that I can see that are even in the Moses/DCE level of player. Add to that the new rules that if you cough in the direction of a playmaker or kicker you get sent to the bin and we have set up the team with the best line speed and half that can play in a dinner suit should mostly always win.
Now one could argue what is wrong with that? Well I guess each to their own, but I'm a bit more old school and want to see my halves do it on the back foot and when they know that they are going to get a shot put on them when they go to the line or setting up for a bomb.
This is why so far Cleary has done sweet fu*k all at Origin level, because the QLD'ers aren't silly enough to allow him such a free saloon ride to do what he likes best. They cut down his time and the players around him beautifully. So he has way less options. He isn't in the same class as Thurston or Johns when it comes to adjusting and taking a hit with consequences.
Will the QLDers always get it right and stop him thus stopping NSW every time? Probably not and as soon as he wins a series all the Cleary acolytes will come out of the wood work and hail him as the new GOAT, but I for one don't buy it. He has been blessed he is playing in an era or weak playmakers and sanitized footy.
P.S. Some may point to last years GF as his defining moment of greatness. I don't think so. For starters other players like Creighton got the ball rolling on that, but more to the point, the Broncos did a total Parra and clocked off with 20 to go and that's all you need with a team as well drilled at the Panthers. Till then the Panthers were gone and out, but that little bit of space and timing that was then available quickly moved the momentum towards the Panthers and then it was impossible to stop.
The one thing the Panthers are better at as an organization then anyone else at present is their ability to stay focused and play with purpose and to their systems every week. I put that down to their back 3 which allow all their forwards to play fresh and then their halves have alert and ready players always hitting their marks each and every time they put a play on. Which is totally unlike ours who are knackered and don't show up on time or don't even make an effort. The same can be said defensively. Their forwards have a hell of a lot of juice in the tank when it's time to defend due to not having to make hit ups each and every set with the ball the way ours do.
Anyway lets hope with whoever the new coach is he knows what is needed and fixed all our issues quickly or we will lose this very rare opportunity of having two great halves in our roster together and squandering it completely.
