Round 14 v Dragons (preview, spoilers, post match discussion...)

[cainen]

Not even JL could possibly select Hookey this week.

IMO it's an ideal opportunity to blood either Bob Blair or Chris Newton. Give one of them an opportunity as they certainly couldn't do any worse.

I thought Newton was probably in front of the pecking order but prior to Gower's withdrawal last week the selected PL side had Blair/Hookey in the cenres. Newton was name on the six man bench with two to be ommitted.

Fortune favours the brave. Assuming Gower is going to be ruled out give Blair a go.

I hope you're right but how many times have we seen Hookey stuff up before and then still be in first grade the next week?

 

[Big Mick]

Blair should be given a shot. Matty Bell thinks so.

 

[Caged Panther]

Lang was in today's tele saying gower looks pretty solid to play or something to that effect anyway.

 

[choc_soldier]

Wesser and Cross are OUT.

Youngquest and Swain are the replacements.

Gower has been cleared.

http://www.panthers.com.au/default.aspx?id=3&ArticleID=178

 

[pantherz9103]

We really need to win this whether it be by 1 or 10 or 20.

If we don't win this there isn't much chance of the 8, but if we do then we've got some pretty winnable games coming up and might turn the season around. The boys need to lift and start with better intensity and don't doze off at the back end of halves. Dragons will still be hard to beat even with personnel out but I think we can win by 4-8 points. Here's hoping.

 

[cainen]

For some reason we're pretty short favourites at $1.52. Hope the punters are correct!

 

[Big Mick]

WE HAVE A DEBUTANT!

Paul Aiton is our...replaced by Keith Peters!

Who would have thought Keithy would make his debut before Junior Moors...ah well, only Luke Swain is keeping Junior Moors out LMAO

 

[Big Mick]

KEITH PETERS
...
Date of birth: 25/01/1986 Place of birth:

Position: Five-eighth / Utility

Height: 178cm Weight: 89kgs

Junior club: Cambridge Park
Previous clubs: none
Rep Honours: PNG

Other interests:
Life after footy: Engineer - studying Civil Engineering fulltime at Sydney University

 

[Big Artie]

They will find the line Big Artie, don't you worry about that!

Babe ur wrong again

 

[Big Artie]

Well that was woeful, Gowie shouldnt of played he wasnt fit and in the wet conditions with a knee like that, dont get me wrong he's our best player by a mile however we would have faired better without him 2nite and PC half Lewis 5/8, they got us while gowie was finding his feet. with a bye next week he was mad to return. I know a lot of people on this site dont think much of Swain but it was good to see him get a run.

 

[Kilkenny]

Lang said in his post match interview he was pleased with the effort!

Unfortunately everything else was woeful. Other than Gowie getting through the 80 minutes albeit 60% fit there were no other positives to come out of this performance.

 

[Caged Panther]

Fair dinkum we've overtaken the warriors as the most frustrating team in the competition to watch.

We lose or are less competitive in games then we should be because we play dumb footy and tonight it wasn't just one or two instances it was the entire gameplan, well the gameplan as the guys put it into action on the field anyway. We were playing dry weather footy on the wettest track I've seen at Penrith in yonks.

But dumb footy is only a symptom of the larger problem if you ask me. Our attack is non existant. We won the premiership in 2003 on the back of our attack but for the most part over the past two years we've had nothing. And for mine it comes back to our lack of penetration out wide.

To me our attack won us the Premiership in 2003 and was built on bending back teams out wide with the likes of Girdler, T, Gualvau, Whatuira etc. This year we have an out of form T, Galea who whilst solid defensively since the removal of hookey is still offering not much in attack, Pritchard who goes missing in matches and Rodeny who is a great player is much better suited to lock. While the one guys who looks likely out wide is playing lock.

It's quite obvious John Lang won't change the gameplan, which revolves around this now, so IMO this season is lost. That being the case the first thing Matt Elliot should do is take apart our attack and start again.

The next thing he should do is reinstate gowie as capatin. How many times have I seen Priddo or Gower up in the refs face questioning decision WHILST T IS ON. It's not necessarily losing us games but it's indicative of a lack of leadership on the field that certainly can't be helpful.

End Rant.

 

[Kilkenny]

Anyone whose watched the Premier League this season would surely agree the player who deserves a crack in the top grade is David Thompson.

Again this afternoon his performance was tremendous. He gives 110%, two hit ups in every set of six and is a real workaholic.

If you were seriously going to bring up a forward from the reggies, on form, David Thompson deserves the call up.

 

[Fibroman]

Positives out of this game:

Galea's defence. Getsbetter and better. He offers nothing in attack but is a rock in defence. He should be starting at lock and use Waterhouse as an impact player running out wide. Same deal with T. He was running too close to the ruck again. He needs to run out wider.

The side looks better with Lewis at 5/8. I hate to say this, but the former Dally M player of the year PC, needs a spell in Premier League. Same with Rooney. They have both been pretty ordinary this year. Send them back to the lower grade for a couple of games for a reality check, and blood a couple of youngsters.

I agree with a previous poster in that Penrith at times were trying to play 'dry weather' football. They made far too many mistakes throwing long, flat passes that hit the deck.

In our defence, I don't think the ref kept the 10 metres very well, which made it hard for our big forwards to get a roll on.

Also in our defence, a couple of the Dragon's kicks pulled up on a ten cent piece on the dead ball line. Our kicking game was lacking again, but the bouce of the ball certainly didn't go our way.

Neither Priddis or Gower looked 100% fit tonight. When they get back to full fitness and Wesser comes back, we will be more competative.

Hang in there Panther fans. We only got done by 8 points.

 

[Kilkenny]

Fibro, get a grip. It's more enjoyable dropping 5 hundred on the pokies at the paceway that what we endured this evening at CUA Stadium.

 

[*Sandy*]

Babe ur wrong again

Just to be pedantic - they did twice. ;-) And once was Swainy!

There's not much else that can be said about the game, so I will ask - How did Keith Peters go? Bout time he got a go considering he's part of the top 25 on PI. And where did he play?

 

[choc_soldier]

Last night was just plain frustrating. I didn't sit in the rain for the entire match to end up watching that rubbish. We looked very sluggish and dis-organised in attack (but what's new there?)

I would hate to think what our completion rate was - the amount of dropped ball was just amazing. We just did not adapt to the wet weather, and our style of play showed that. The Dragons did all the right things, and got the rewards.

At least we have the bye next week. But if we play like we have against the Tigers, we'll get carved up.

Gower really did look short of match practice, and it showed. Clinton I believe was the only forward all night that was willing to cart up the ball.

Peters had a solid debut. Can't remeber where he played though.

 

[Big Mick]

from what I saw on Fox...Keithy was well out of his depth. He was getting dominated in attack...he tackled alright but. I'd like to see him on a dry field but. To see the true potential of the kid.

Fibro...yeah we got done by 8...but in all honesty, if the Dragons hadn't have clocked off or we played a better team, we would have got absolutely smashed.

My dad told me last night....when we got done by Manly 70-7...at least the boys never gave up and kept trying....he said he's never seen a more pathetic performance as he witnessed last night. Personally i think 2001 against Parramatta was worse, but its hard to disagree...

I don't understand how John Lang could come out with a straight face and say that the effort was there. There was no effort there...it was woaful.

And PK...Swainy may have scored, but he was pathetic all night. Dropped balls, yet again only making 5 metres a hitup...absolutely pathetic. Why he is getting in first grade ahead of Junior Moors is beyond me.

People may say Junior MOors isn't ready, quite frankly I don't give a rats. He's played Premier League for 2 years. I watched him early in the year and he was going great guns. Maybe he is going dodgy now because he knows he aint gonna get in first grade because he thinks...well...Lang's gonna pick Swain and probably McLean ahead of me, I may as well rest up and wait for Elliot.

Some players are born to play first grade. Give Junior his shot. He may not succeed....or then again, he may shine.

Also, start putting some of our young guys in premier league. When Jennings is fit...piss off Hookey all together and put Jennings at centre. Also put Tim Grant in Premier League. Its time to start preparing for the future. The season was on the line last night, and the players showed how much they wanted to win, its time to give back the favour.

 

[Fibroman]

Fittler was playing first grade at age 17. He played the game at the highest level until his early 30's. Get some of these talented 18 year olds into the top grade!

 

[griffo346]

fibroman i agree bro