Penrith's draw this year...

[TheFrog]

Why, because people have woken up that no draw is "easy"? We are still top 4 as of the end of this round. I can live with that. I must admit next week is a worry against the Sharks. After all they beat the defending premiers, what hope do we have..

Plenty. The playing field will be level out at Bathurst.

 

[billypilgrimnz]

The silence is deafening.

Yes, we lost one of our remaining 8 games. As no team in history has ever lost a game before, most of us Panther's fans have offed ourselves, thus the silence in a thread that was started by the fan of another club.

Pity your smugness at managing to not throw away another 24 point lead wasn't so absent.

 

[soc123_au]

Plenty. The playing field will be level out at Bathurst.

I was being sarcastic.

 

[The Pelican]

 

[TheFrog]

Tough draw leading into the finals... I think the Panthers are going to be really tested. I can't see them holding top 4. At this stage top 8 isn't even certain. With the compressed table, 30 points might be required.

Should pick up the 2 next week against the Sharks. But then face:
Dogs A
Dragons A
Cowboys H
Storm H
Sea Eagles A
Warriors H

We will start favourite in 4 of those games. Five more wins gives us 36 points. That will most likely mean we retain second spot. The Dragons will be tough. If we drop that one we'll have 34 which is still good for 4th.

Our main threats are Souths and Easts, who play each other in the final round, and each have a couple of tough games besides. The loser of Souths and Easts would have to win every other game if we drop only Manly and the Dogs, in order to take 4th spot. Yet Souths have Manly and Easts have to go to NZ.

We were always going to lose the Roosters game with the turnaround we had. It's what happens from now on that matters.

It has uncompressed a bit in recent weeks, with the bottom 3 teams having a few wins. It now looks like 28 with a good F/A will get you there, like most years.

 

[RWB]

Yes, we lost one of our remaining 8 games. As no team in history has ever lost a game before, most of us Panther's fans have offed ourselves, thus the silence in a thread that was started by the fan of another club.

Pity your smugness at managing to not throw away another 24 point lead wasn't so absent.

You lost one of your first real tests in a long time. Convincingly so too.

 

[eozsmiles]

Yesterday was only a stumble for the Panthers but a couple more of them on the way to the finals would be a problem. Can't let in 30 points against the Chooks or Manly in September and expect to have any chance of winning.
The final section of Penrith's draw is the most testing for them and they'll need better than yesterday's performance.

 

[billypilgrimnz]

You lost one of your first real tests in a long time. Convincingly so too.

And? I assume that the fact that your blokes had two weeks off, and us 5 days doesn't rate a mention in this gripping narrative you're building regarding the fortunes of another club that is not your own? I'm touched that you are so concerned about how the Panthers are traveling, though. That's sweet of you.

 

[eozsmiles]

Just noticed Penrith have 3 of their last 4 games at home against interstate of overseas teams. That's pretty handy.

 

[billypilgrimnz]

The final section of Penrith's draw is the most testing for them and they'll need better than yesterday's performance.

No shit.

 

[eozsmiles]

No shit.

None at all. I was being kind really. If the Panthers want the same draw again next year, then a few more games like yesterday should see them get it.

 

[RWB]

And?

And... it's a pretty big shot in the arm for those who are labelling them contenders and think they are a top 4 side, not sure if you've been following this thread or not but that's where the bulk of the discussion has lied around.

I assume that the fact that your blokes had two weeks off, and us 5 days doesn't rate a mention in this gripping narrative you're building regarding the fortunes of another club that is not your own? I'm touched that you are so concerned about how the Panthers are traveling, though. That's sweet of you.

It can be mentioned if you want to put that point forward. You seem a bit too worked up to have a rational discussion atm though. Or as Penrith fans would call it, you butthurt.

 

[billypilgrimnz]

You seem a bit too worked up to have a rational discussion atm though. Or as Penrith fans would call it, you butthurt.

Butthurt about what? Losing to the Roosters? We do that regularly.

Butthurt about what you think? Don't flatter yourself.

 

[MaxPower]

Every individual step on the slow trek up the mountain will be seen as inconsequential by the critics, who will only stop to laugh and point at the occasional slips and stumbles that are an inevitable part of any great undertaking.

 

[RWB]

Butthurt about what? Losing to the Roosters? We do that regularly.

Butthurt about what you think? Don't flatter yourself.

Who knows, maybe you're just a highly geared person.

 

[Cockadoodledoo]

We were always going to lose the Roosters game with the turnaround we had. It's what happens from now on that matters.

You could have had a year and not won because you fielded a very average team.

 

[Blues Riff]

We hope to make the 8. THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE GOAL.
Very few Panthers fan are making claims about being contenders.
We're having a bit of success which has come earlier than anyone expected.
This team has been thrown together, with rejects and well recruited mid-priced players, along with some juniors not quite ready for first grade.
After the cleanout of under-performing overpaid players and their toxic culture, this group was assembled as a no-frills team with a new positive attitude. Meanwhile the huge junior comp has been given attention, and we look forward in the near future to having a large percentage of local juniors playing first grade. NSW Cup are also up there on the ladder, most have had their contracts sorted. Penrith's time is coming but .....

WE DON'T EXPECT TO WIN THE PREMIERSHIP (THIS YEAR)

WE DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE BEST TEAM. (YET)

YES, OUR DRAW IS GOOD (but who knew that at the start?)

Should we not be proud of how far we've come?

We have some really hard games coming up and I expect us to finish around 6th.

Why are we being death-ridden by opposition fans?
Why are they mostly Roosters fan?
Are you that insecure?

 

[billypilgrimnz]

Who knows, maybe you're just a highly geared person.

Handsome, too.

 

[mxlegend99]

So if you lose a game against a good team under any circumstances it means you're pretenders. But you lose them to shit teams and people are happy to write it off as no big deal?

I know I worry more about our credentials after losing to easy teams then I do after a game against a side that is supposed to be a benchmark in the NRL. Like it or not, missing our first 3 choices in the halves does effect our performance. As would the 4.5 day turnaround against a team with 14 days.

Panthers clearly weren't good enough. But we know that we will improve when Wallace and Mansour come back into the team. Peachey will remain a huge loss, so it's up to Cartwright to step up and fill that role. Simmons and John are basically just lost depth that hurts when we have other injuries to the same position. At least I think Naiqama deserves to keep his spot when Simmons is fit.

 

[Hutty1986]

Injuries, short-turnaround a fired-up defending premier to deal with. Pennies will still be there at the business end.