Take aways - I only saw the replay this morning.
Salmon - much better half player than second row player as far as positional play, does a job there and what underrated cover to have. I thought Ivan was bonkers last week for picking him there but now Salmons game during the bye at 5’8 in reserves a few weeks ago seems like a masterstroke. He has instantly gone from maybe drop him from bench to keep him there, 100% keen to see if Panthers fans who were 50/50 feel the same way.
Cogger - great game, controlled the tempo and line of attack well. Re-sign him, get runs at dummyhalf in his legs on the board and give him a crack at 14 once Cleary returns. Defence to be able to play hooker for 40mins might need cleaning up but I’m sure he can do it. As I’ve said a few times already, awesome squad player.
Leota/Fish/Smith - 1,2,3 punch combo. It’s working a treat and I’ve read a stat that Lindsey Smith is playing more minutes than Moses and James, great reward for a bloke who toils hard and has a go each minute he is on the field. Definitely 3rd choice prop now seeing Spencer is off to Bondi next season. I dare say though him, Garner and Hosking need to change their hair styles to better differentiate them haha.
Hosking - just a machine. He won’t be spoken of as buy of the season but to Panthers and their fans he is exactly that. Does all the shit grit work, just doesn’t stop, absolute workhorse. What a pick up and consistently one of Panthers best when on the field - he is the Panthers most underrated player.
Peach - played well. Give him his props, can’t just bash him when he does something rocks and then go quiet when he does something diamonds. Blokes always had that in his game but he is more diamonds this season than rocks, valuable squad player and I feel like he is good to have around the sheds. Brings that unquantifiable aspect to footy that lifts the lads, call it energy or just being a likeable bloke - whatever it is the Penrith players feed off it and that’s only a positive thing.
Tago - he is playing phenomenal footy since returning from injury and hasn’t yet had a proper consistent run with the top 17 around him. Can’t wait to see them all together again as Panthers push towards finals. Tago just has some skills sets that don’t necessarily make highlight reels week in week out but it’s skills sets that set other players up to have those highlight reels.
Good win - good faith in Ivan to believe this 17 could take that close game loss last week and get it done this week. Those lads would’ve been burning, now coupled with the Origin lads burning from the SOO loss last week - this is eerily similar to last season. Hope that burns the flame like last season to show the rest of the comp and keyboard warriors just what this sides about.
