Tne of our so called easy games we lost. Sharks last win was against the Panthers. With a try at the death disallowed that would have won us the game, and another potential try not even sent upstairs. If there was anything close to match fixing going on, the guys who f**ked up Panthers draw here would be sacked. We also faced a much closer to full strength Sharks team then most other sides have faced.
The Knights were tipped to be a top 4 side.. but for whatever reason have been terrible. Kurt Gidley usually has godlike performances against us, and these are one of the worst teams for the Panthers to face.
The Eels were tipped to be wooden spooners again, but have so far played like a top 4 team and facing them twice with the attack they have certainly isn't an advantage to any team.
We played the Storm in Melbourne, Naiqama was racing away for his hat trick which would have ended up being enough for the win only for it to be called back for a forward pass. Replay shows the ball clearly going backwards. We also had a chance to win the game on the siren but Wallace missed the kick. We also had to play them with the big 3 playing, meanwhile the Sea Eagles in round 1 played them without Cronk, and all the teams facing them around the Origin period are getting easy wins against them with the big 3 out through origin and/or injury.
We played the Bulldogs as they were hitting form and scraped away with a 2 point win, before they went on to hold the longest winning streak we will likely see all of this season.
Titans were also leading the competition when we first faced them, and last night we had to face them when they had gotten back a number of injured and suspended players.
You could argue Panthers have been unlucky to face stronger versions of these teams then other clubs have faced. You can only play what is infront of you, and you can't expect any game to be an easy win or you will have already lost it. I don't expect any easy win over the Dragons next week, even though it really should be.
Also this doesn't take into account that Panthers have been held back by injuries and with so many new faces in the team, has held back the time it has taken the likes of Moylan, Soward and Wallace to develop a combination in the spine. Aswell as having wasted the opening 8 rounds with Kingston hogging the hooking role, and are only just finally getting to see Segeyaro fit into our full strength spine.
