The Panthers team reminds me of the Parra team in the ‘80s in the sense that the Parra team had some youth and rising players, but not superstars. As a team, they just played so well and the superstars emerged in time – Sterling, Kenny, Cronin, Growth, etc – all went on to play for Australia.
I agree Nathan Cleary is playing terrific football, I’m not sure I’d call him the Prince of Penrith just yet. He needs to get the Panthers a premiership or two, help the Blues win more than one State Of Origin series and show what he can do wearing the green & gold before I’d be willing to concede that accolade.
THE outstanding halfback in the minor premiership at present – for sure, but he needs a few trophies in the cabinet before adding labels like Prince.
Another form number 7 is Jahrome Hughes, or as call him, the Maharishi of Melbourne
According to figures from the TAB, there have been just 21 upsets in 80 NRL games this year.
Favourites have won 73.75 per cent of games, after also being successful 74.26 per cent of the time in 2020.
That is well up on a strike-rate of 61.69 per cent from 2018.
Worryingly for the NRL, the AFL is now the far more unpredictable of the two codes.
Underdogs are winning more often with the AFL favourites’ striking at 69.44 per cent, well down on 77.54 at the introduction of an 18th team in 2012.