Luke Lewis asking the Panthers for a release! Wow!

[ek999]

Do you know what is happeniong at the club?

All I can tell that is happening is that they have pushed out their best and most experienced player. How can you rebuild a club like Gus is trying to do when there is no experienced players in the side to guide and help develop the younger players? Who is going to guide all the players coming through? Clint Newton? As it stands, Penrith aren't going to rebuild and they will continue to be average.

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

This will all be forgotten should the Panthers get on the up next year.

Tough decisions need to be made.

 

[M2D2]

Ive always hated Gus. But the way hes treated Lewis is disgusting.
I feel for panthers fans at the moment.

 

[BunniesMan]

I don't know why you'd get rid of Lewis and keep Jennings. Both origin stars but IMO Lewis is much more important to Penrith.

 

[chrisD]

Knowing how shit a CEO Dousty is, the Sharks are almost dead-certs to get Lewis from next season. Smith & maybe another starting player would have to go to accomodate him though...

Smith has been playing better football than Lewis this season.

 

[pantherz9103]

Nice spin-doctoring at this press conference. We thought Elliott leaving would be a big boost for the club but things haven't got better. All just talk and hype with Gould being involved, but we're yet to see things improve for the First Grade team, and the signing of the likes of Manu, Brown etc are offset by the loss of Gordon and Lewis. We're stuck with nuffies like Walsh yet we're happy enough to just let our current most capped rep player walk out the door. Soft. We'll be lucky to avoid the spoon this year and next year we'll be giving it a good shot again at this rate. Manu, Brown, Whare etc won't help much when our key players aren't good enough.

 

[carlosthedwarf]

I don't know why you'd get rid of Lewis and keep Jennings. Both origin stars but IMO Lewis is much more important to Penrith.

I'm guessing no one wanted to take Jennings but there would be no shortage of offers for Lewis.

 

[azsportza]

PRESS CONFERENCE AUDIO

PHIL GOULD STATEMENT: http://snd.sc/MbItRu

LUKE LEWIS COMMENTS: http://snd.sc/NAQwn5

QUESTION TIME: http://snd.sc/NARijU

 

[age.s]

Those quotes from Gould are absolutely piss poor. I doubt this is easy for anyone, so why not get your point that this is not a management decision across without being a dickhead and throwing a club legend under a bus.

 

[saint pebba]

Sharks can have lewis, we will take smith and townsend..

 

[Red Bear]

Nice spin-doctoring at this press conference. We thought Elliott leaving would be a big boost for the club but things haven't got better. All just talk and hype with Gould being involved, but we're yet to see things improve for the First Grade team, and the signing of the likes of Manu, Brown etc are offset by the loss of Gordon and Lewis. We're stuck with nuffies like Walsh yet we're happy enough to just let our current most capped rep player walk out the door. Soft.

Gordons near 30 aqnd has barely played the past two seasons. A loss, sure, but an over stated one.

 

[BunniesMan]

Whens the last time an Origin incumbent was released two years early (GI doesn't count obviously). The Gould-Cleary regime was meant to be two geniuses to fix all the consequences of the Elliott era. While they've signed some solid players for next year those have been at least matched if not outweighed by their losses.

How do you keep Coote ahead of Gordon. Lewis ahead of all the mediocre players that are still there?

It's now tough to see them making the 8 next year, before today I'd have penciled them in for the 8.

 

[DJShaksta]

I'm guessing no one wanted to take Jennings but there would be no shortage of offers for Lewis.

Sharks were all over Jennings.
I don't think that situation is fully resolved yet either.

 

[gronkathon]

I really like Lewis as a player and he seems like a nice person but lets be realitic.

a) NRL is a business and in th end the heads of any business need to make a call with regard to whats best for that business. If they screw up they will lose their tenure (past looks at Penrith tend to suggest it takes longer than most places)

b) There would be a myriad of reasons behind the move.

c) Lewis has been a loyal servant to the Panters but he is no saint. He was out the door to Souff$ until he remembered how rubbish they were

 

[DJShaksta]

Sharks can have lewis, we will take smith and townsend..

Townsend isn't going anywhere.

 

[carlosthedwarf]

I really like Lewis as a player and he seems like a nice person but lets be realitic.

a) NRL is a business and in th end the heads of any business need to make a call with regard to whats best for that business. If they screw up they will lose their tenure (past looks at Penrith tend to suggest it takes longer than most places)

b) There would be a myriad of reasons behind the move.

c) Lewis has been a loyal servant to the Panters but he is no saint. He was out the door to Souff$ until he realised how rubbish they were

All valid reasons, but no excuse for Gould to piss on him on the way out.

 

[Frailty]

Here is food for thought - Since Gus has said Lewis can't handle being at a struggling club... Every season since Lewis' 2001 Debut:

2001 - Wooden Spoon
2002- 12th
2003 - Premiership
2004 - 4th
2005 - 10th
2006 - 12th
2007 - Wooden Spoon
2008 - 12th
2009 - 11th
2010 - 2nd
2011 - 12th
2012 - 15th (Currently)

Yep... Definitely a player who can't handle being in a struggling club.

 

[MSIH]

Maybe he should honour that contract he signed with Souths a few years ago.

 

[Apey]

All valid reasons, but no excuse for Gould to piss on him on the way out.

Did you watch the press conference or just read the Twitter quotes?

 

[BunniesMan]

Here is food for thought - Since Gus has said Lewis can't handle being at a struggling club... Every season since Lewis' 2001 Debut:

2001 - Wooden Spoon
2002- 12th
2003 - Premiership
2004 - 4th
2005 - 10th
2006 - 12th
2007 - Wooden Spoon
2008 - 12th
2009 - 11th
2010 - 2nd
2011 - 12th
2012 - 15th (Currently)

Yep... Definitely a player who can't handle being in a struggling club.

Wow. Had no idea they played finals footy so rarely this last decade. Their average since 2007 is worse than ours!