Finals Week 2: Sharks vs Panthers

[Pomoz]

The character assassination of Maloney is disappointing. It's a team game and he had a quiet game behind a thrashed pack. He missed 6 tackles, Cleary missed 3 (including ineffective tackles). Peachey missed 4 and he was in the centres. Peachey made the fewest metres of our backs.

He had a line break assist and a tackle break, Cleary had none. The ball that set Kikau on his way was given by Maloney. Before somebody says "that's easy, any fool can do that", if that is true, why didn't somebody else do it?

Cleary run for 75m, Maloney 74m. He gave away two penalties, but there were four other players who gave away one. Crichton had 2 errors, Maloney had 1.

Not everything is measured a statistic. As somebody pointed out, if you were at the game you could see Maloney organising the team. Without that, who would be doing it? Peachey? May? Without Maloney barking instructions at the team, revving them up and directing traffic we wouldn't have made a comeback. We wouldn't have kept the Sharks to 18 points in the first half either.

The most disappointing thing to me was how Blake run with the ball on the last tackle instead of getting it to Cleary or Maloney for the field goal. I thought Maloney would have been in control of that. Maybe Blake, didn't hear the calls. Surely Maloney and Cleary were calling for it?

Next year our team will have another off season and more experience behind them. Our forward pack's inconsistency is where we have struggled. The injuries and SOO were a different challenge, but our forwards really struggled at times. Yeo, RCG, JFH and Katoa and Kikau will be much better for this year's season. A few of them are now edging into "battle hardened" first grader territory and that's what we really need. It's a shame we lose CHN and Peachey, their experience will be missed.

 

[Black Diamond]

The character assassination of Maloney is disappointing. It's a team game and he had a quiet game behind a thrashed pack. He missed 6 tackles, Cleary missed 3 (including ineffective tackles). Peachey missed 4 and he was in the centres. Peachey made the fewest metres of our backs.

He had a line break assist and a tackle break, Cleary had none. The ball that set Kikau on his way was given by Maloney. Before somebody says "that's easy, any fool can do that", if that is true, why didn't somebody else do it?

Cleary run for 75m, Maloney 74m. He gave away two penalties, but there were four other players who gave away one. Crichton had 2 errors, Maloney had 1.

Not everything is measured a statistic. As somebody pointed out, if you were at the game you could see Maloney organising the team. Without that, who would be doing it? Peachey? May? Without Maloney barking instructions at the team, revving them up and directing traffic we wouldn't have made a comeback. We wouldn't have kept the Sharks to 18 points in the first half either.

The most disappointing thing to me was how Blake run with the ball on the last tackle instead of getting it to Cleary or Maloney for the field goal. I thought Maloney would have been in control of that. Maybe Blake, didn't hear the calls. Surely Maloney and Cleary were calling for it?

Next year our team will have another off season and more experience behind them. Our forward pack's inconsistency is where we have struggled. The injuries and SOO were a different challenge, but our forwards really struggled at times. Yeo, RCG, JFH and Katoa and Kikau will be much better for this year's season. A few of them are now edging into "battle hardened" first grader territory and that's what we really need. It's a shame we lose CHN and Peachey, their experience will be missed.

Great post. It was a team effort and without Maloney, that team would not have been in that final.

 

[Kilkenny]

A couple of days ago on a thread the regulars were all confessing to the age and I didn't bother responding given most know I am ancient in the scheme of things.

Most of you will no doubt will be around to enjoy another premiership or more I hope whereas me I hope so but the next one better be sooner rather than later.

I've got less vocal as I have got older but I must admit I thought our fans were terrific on Friday night. For the most part they generated terrific noise and I was really uplifted by that.

I got a real buzz from the roar of our crowd as we clawed our way back in the second half, something I will never forget.

There has been criticism of the fact there were only 20,000 in attendance on Friday night but to the 10.000 of our fans who made the long trek in difficult circumstances with work and everything else I thought it was a terrific effort and I was really proud of the club overall despite the disappointing final outcome.

 

[OldPanther]

A couple of days ago on a thread the regulars were all confessing to the age and I didn't bother responding given most know I am ancient in the scheme of things.

Most of you will no doubt will be around to enjoy another premiership or more I hope whereas me I hope so but the next one better be sooner rather than later.

I've got less vocal as I have got older but I must admit I thought our fans were terrific on Friday night. For the most part they generated terrific noise and I was really uplifted by that.

I got a real buzz from the roar of our crowd as we clawed our way back in the second half, something I will never forget.

There has been criticism of the fact there were only 20,000 in attendance on Friday night but to the 10.000 of our fans who made the long trek in difficult circumstances with work and everything else I thought it was a terrific effort and I was really proud of the club overall despite the disappointing final outcome.

The feeling in the crowd when making that comeback was like nothing I've ever felt. It was amazing.

 

[jane the pain]

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http...xDn3HUuu8Q7TM70moz70WpHcsJydo8l7HYzovxtmPYOug

 

[OldPanther]

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https://bit.ly/2OvwVuf&h=AT0gSMg6dOdqO7Y4DAs55T2iHo7U-iH10yIgpAPUzpXOgpRvA2ldgHX9uGM0xyBz_jfmoXUd6t-Wi_5OYqwvrhjePnUQmWXZA9jMKf3fWmwjojrNAuUQ6z4A3AvXKK8sfbiq6Z0xMGwkAsYa2BuN3oQPdUf-T1-Vu7MaQzBGPsEX7VK1PStpp83sXnID4V8kAQqziOb-VQoOINoHTqz6n9Lf-MCImOri5YSoNC-h9sq_Ad0kOioC6xYp20gNSzLueIaaYlzI8q8A0uP4-zoQTtIyx2FxeShyJzivgOG-5h1kcaKdpuvCwy5zmwdErEdmDMf8RzifQnd9-okUCLPo-Uzv2IgQ8PtIKy3a3DXky1aZy-Nke1pv_6xxjlTHPodvqUK7KCzV6zxDn3HUuu8Q7TM70moz70WpHcsJydo8l7HYzovxtmPYOug

GUS Gould is rarely put under the microscope in his role as general manager of the Penrith Panthers.

He is in a position so powerful that CEO Brian Fletcher and the Panthers board report to him, not the other way around. What he says goes and what he decides happens.

Gus has coached two premierships, been the Blues’ most successful State of Origin leader and carries enormous influence on the back of that record.

He joined the Panthers in 2011 with his infamous five-year-plan but it’s now eight years.

On Friday night, Penrith bowed out in the narrowest of losses to the Cronulla Sharks.

Gus’s decision to sack experienced coach Anthony Griffin is now rightfully being questioned.

Sending a 32-year-old rookie into the finals as the most inexperienced coach in the history of the game didn’t work out. We’ll never know if Griffin would have done better.

We do, however, know the team was running fourth under Griffin’s watch but finished up missing the all-important top four to get two cracks in the finals.

We’re talking about a coach who was considered good enough to earn a two-year contract extension only six months earlier. It cost Penrith $1 million to pay him out.

Three years earlier, they paid out a similar amount to get rid of Ivan Cleary. Now they want him back.

This is managerial madness in any business and shows why the NRL was reluctant to hand out $13 million annual grants to clubs that burn money like the Panthers do.

So where to now? Gus is contracted for another three seasons. In his eight years he has done a fantastic job to build the $25 million player academy and throw millions of poker machine money into junior pathways.

Their grassroots structures are the envy of the NRL. Yet at the same time there have been many, many questionable decisions made, two of which came back to haunt the Panthers on Friday night.

In the 31st minute, when former Panther Matt Moylan so beautifully timed a pass to put another former Panther Luke Lewis over for a magnificent try, I immediately thought of Gus.

What was he thinking?

Why did he let local boy Lewis go in 2012. This is the player who won the Clive Churchill Medal on grand final day in 2016.

This is a player who is not just a wonderful footballer but a fantastic role model.

He could and should have been the face of Gus’s academy.

And then Moylan. Another local boy from the St Clair Comets. As Penrith as you can get.

There he was on Friday night destroying the team he came from. Why, Gus, why?

You look at other recruitment decisions and ask legitimate questions.

Is Trent Merrin worth the $800,000 he’s on?

Is James Tamou worth the same amount as a bench forward when they have had to release Corey Harawira-Naera to the Bulldogs?

Why has the best utility player in the competition, Tyrone Peachey, been allowed to go?

We could go on and on about Gus and his chequebook.

But what happens next year?

Is halfback Nathan Cleary worth the $1 million that Gus will have to give him?

Who is going to coach the side? Do they stick with Cameron Ciraldo until Ivan Cleary can escape from the Wests Tigers? Is Jimmy Maloney happy without Griffin?

These are questions a strong board and CEO should be putting to the general manager.

Whether they have the courage to ask them remains to be seen.

Panthers fans are entitled to get some answers.

 

[unKwn]

GUS Gould is rarely put under the microscope in his role as general manager of the Penrith Panthers.

He is in a position so powerful that CEO Brian Fletcher and the Panthers board report to him, not the other way around. What he says goes and what he decides happens.

Gus has coached two premierships, been the Blues’ most successful State of Origin leader and carries enormous influence on the back of that record.

He joined the Panthers in 2011 with his infamous five-year-plan but it’s now eight years.

On Friday night, Penrith bowed out in the narrowest of losses to the Cronulla Sharks.

Gus’s decision to sack experienced coach Anthony Griffin is now rightfully being questioned.

Sending a 32-year-old rookie into the finals as the most inexperienced coach in the history of the game didn’t work out. We’ll never know if Griffin would have done better.

We do, however, know the team was running fourth under Griffin’s watch but finished up missing the all-important top four to get two cracks in the finals.

We’re talking about a coach who was considered good enough to earn a two-year contract extension only six months earlier. It cost Penrith $1 million to pay him out.

Three years earlier, they paid out a similar amount to get rid of Ivan Cleary. Now they want him back.

This is managerial madness in any business and shows why the NRL was reluctant to hand out $13 million annual grants to clubs that burn money like the Panthers do.

So where to now? Gus is contracted for another three seasons. In his eight years he has done a fantastic job to build the $25 million player academy and throw millions of poker machine money into junior pathways.

Their grassroots structures are the envy of the NRL. Yet at the same time there have been many, many questionable decisions made, two of which came back to haunt the Panthers on Friday night.

In the 31st minute, when former Panther Matt Moylan so beautifully timed a pass to put another former Panther Luke Lewis over for a magnificent try, I immediately thought of Gus.

What was he thinking?

Why did he let local boy Lewis go in 2012. This is the player who won the Clive Churchill Medal on grand final day in 2016.

This is a player who is not just a wonderful footballer but a fantastic role model.

He could and should have been the face of Gus’s academy.

And then Moylan. Another local boy from the St Clair Comets. As Penrith as you can get.

There he was on Friday night destroying the team he came from. Why, Gus, why?

You look at other recruitment decisions and ask legitimate questions.

Is Trent Merrin worth the $800,000 he’s on?

Is James Tamou worth the same amount as a bench forward when they have had to release Corey Harawira-Naera to the Bulldogs?

Why has the best utility player in the competition, Tyrone Peachey, been allowed to go?

We could go on and on about Gus and his chequebook.

But what happens next year?

Is halfback Nathan Cleary worth the $1 million that Gus will have to give him?

Who is going to coach the side? Do they stick with Cameron Ciraldo until Ivan Cleary can escape from the Wests Tigers? Is Jimmy Maloney happy without Griffin?

These are questions a strong board and CEO should be putting to the general manager.

Whether they have the courage to ask them remains to be seen.

Panthers fans are entitled to get some answers.

buzz can f**k off

 

[OldPanther]

buzz can f**k off

He certainly can.

 

[MrBlack]

I was at the game on Friday, and like most, enjoyed the second half a lot more than the first.

The game had potential to derail our 2019 start. If we lost by 30 or 40 points (and that was looking likely) the ramifications would have spilled over into next year. At least the comeback is some sort of momentum and the close loss motivation for the boys next year.

My summation of the year - in it simplest form - we did not recover from State of Origin. Had a lot of representation, which was new for us, and to be frank, the only player to come out of it with any form improvement was Peachy. We should have kicked our season along. Coaching rubbish had nothing to do with it. If we were good enough on Friday we would have won the game.

 

[mxlegend99]

The dickhead needs to gey his facts straight too. We had dropped to 5th when Hook was sacked and we won as many finals matches as Hook ever has in a finals series.

Also there are no second chances after week 1of finals. Ciro improved our form from where we were under Hook.

 

[franklin2323]

Hopefully more than just Buzz says it. Anything he says is ignored for dribble. Questions do need to be asked but not by the drunk

 

[franklin2323]

Here is Vossy's comments on the game. Much better then Girdlers due to the fact it is aimed at the team not individuals

 

[franklin2323]

As for the crowd was always going to draw low given it was a Friday night. It rated well so keeps that side of things happy

 

[OldPanther]

Here is Vossy's comments on the game. Much better then Girdlers due to the fact it is aimed at the team not individuals

"The Panthers probably needed a little more out of their experienced players"

He's softening the blow to be diplomatic. That's the only difference.

 

[franklin2323]

"The Panthers probably needed a little more out of their experienced players"

He's softening the blow to be diplomatic. That's the only difference.

What senior guy stood up? Merrin with his 1 run?
Tamou and RCG being owned by their opposites? Mansour and Peachey being MIA?

So that comment fits how we played

 

[martielang]

Can't see too much wrong with what Buzz said tbh. Asks some valid questions despite his agenda.

Not sure anyone can sit here with a straight face & say sacking Hook with 4 weeks to go was an undeniable success.

 

[CCJohnC]

Can't see too much wrong with what Buzz said tbh. Asks some valid questions despite his agenda.

Not sure anyone can sit here with a straight face & say sacking Hook with 4 weeks to go was an undeniable success.

I have sent Buzz an email pointing out that all his comments have been repeated by him many times and he should give Gould and Penrith a rest. I did say the game itself was of two halves and very watchable even though we lost narrowly at the end.

 

[OldPanther]

What senior guy stood up? Merrin with his 1 run?
Tamou and RCG being owned by their opposites? Mansour and Peachey being MIA?

So that comment fits how we played

I find it fascinating that the issue is we aren't criticizing enough players. Most want Merrin gone after 2 bad years. Mansour is slowly falling from grace. Peachey is leaving. Tamou has been getting shit all year but has been good at the end of this season and I thought he had an ok game. None of them are game managers though.

Can't see too much wrong with what Buzz said tbh. Asks some valid questions despite his agenda.

Not sure anyone can sit here with a straight face & say sacking Hook with 4 weeks to go was an undeniable success.

He joined the Panthers in 2011 with his infamous five-year-plan but it’s now eight years.

The 5 year plan that doesn't exist.

Gus’s decision to sack experienced coach Anthony Griffin is now rightfully being questioned. Sending a 32-year-old rookie into the finals as the most inexperienced coach in the history of the game didn’t work out.

He went 1 point away from a prelim against a team Griffin hasn't beaten in 3 years. It wasn't exactly a downgrade.

The only thing he got right is the part about extending Griffin being a weird decision.

 

[Pomoz]

Can't see too much wrong with what Buzz said tbh. Asks some valid questions despite his agenda.

Not sure anyone can sit here with a straight face & say sacking Hook with 4 weeks to go was an undeniable success.

Ok, answer this question. If Hook had been coach, would we have beaten the Sharks? Or put differently,if Hook had been coach could we have gone further?

If the answer to that question is no, then the decision had no impact, adverse or positive.

My own view is we are not yet ready for the GF because our forward pack isn't good enough yet. We are still too inconsistent. Hook as coach doesn't change that. I think we are exactly in the same place we would have been if Hook was still coach. The only difference is, the slate is clean and the team is ready for a fresh start in the off season. The coaching issue has already been dealt with, we can now focus on next year and choosing a coach to take us to the next level.

 

[martielang]

Do we win against the Sharks under Hook? I don't know, no one knows.

At the end of the day we didn't exceed expectations & our reputation as a club took a huge hit. There's plenty of reasons why people would be questioning the decision.