Rumoured & Confirmed Signings - Part 5

[Iamback]

The way our forwards dominate teams up the middle and the focus teams have on Cleary that should make the 9s job the easiest on the park.. We make Kenny look good. If Kenny went to pretty much any other team he'd flop and be sent to either the bench or cup.

We absolutely roll up the middle, fast play the balls and we leave alot of markers on the ground or offside! How tf isn't our 9 taking full advantage? Api did and he was that successful he played origin and got a massive pay rise. I'd love to play hooker for the Panthers because not only does everyone else do all the work for you but the defence all around you is A+ so all you need to do is make your tackles and pass the ball off the ground (which all hookers should do) then you'll be labelled as a future origin player and be worth 700k.....it's actually laughable! Put any other 9 including Summerton in and they'd do a similar job in this star studded team.

The example I used from the GF.

Someone in the defensive line was out of position.

The hooker sees it and has a run before he passes. That takes time away from the defence

We get in those situations and pass it straight away which gives the slow defence time to get back.

A hooker with the threat to kick or that runs it. Also helps not get the line rushing up

 

[West Nowra Panther]

No. The 2 examples I uses from the GF were from just run of the mill hookers. Neither will be stars but added something when it was needed

We actually look pretty good in attack until we get into the 20. That is where the spark would be handy

Ok. Without being overly critical of hooker skills that we used to have, don't have, currently have or should have, Mitch Kenny is our guy.

We should all be super happy he does his thing, which the club and his team mates openly appreciate.

If people just want to criticise his perceived skills that aren't the same as hookers with "class", so be it.

I'm one that is willing to praise what he brings to the team and look forward to him evolving and improving next year.

 

[Chins get the wins]

Ok. Without being overly critical of hooker skills that we used to have, don't have, currently have or should have, Mitch Kenny is our guy.

We should all be super happy he does his thing, which the club and his team mates openly appreciate.

If people just want to criticise his perceived skills that aren't the same as hookers with "class", so be it.

I'm one that is willing to praise what he brings to the team and look forward to him evolving and improving next year.

And some of us are just footy nerds who like to discuss football all year.
Ivan can't have been completely happy with Mitch because he persisted with Soni Luke on the bench for so much of the year despite offering sweet FA really. Because it's not Ivan's style to carry a hooker at 14 who can't play any other positions.

Kenny is one of the most wholehearted footballers I've ever seen and I love the bloke but at this point he's very limited and would ideally be our 14 because of his ability to defend at lock or even prop if needed.

 

[snickers007]

And some of us are just footy nerds who like to discuss football all year.
Ivan can't have been completely happy with Mitch because he persisted with Soni Luke on the bench for so much of the year despite offering sweet FA really. Because it's not Ivan's style to carry a hooker at 14 who can't play any other positions.

Kenny is one of the most wholehearted footballers I've ever seen and I love the bloke but at this point he's very limited and would ideally be our 14 because of his ability to defend at lock or even prop if needed.

Speaking of Soni Luke...
He is a guy who has been described as 'classy' and has the ability to run, engage the line, kick etc.
And he completely stifled our attack.

None of our forwards knew how to run off him, he took the wrong option repeatedly, and generally failed to get the ball into the hands of our best players when they wanted it.

Not to mention his defensive deficiencies, and his um extra curricular activities.

 

[Chins get the wins]

Speaking of Soni Luke...
He is a guy who has been described as 'classy' and has the ability to run, engage the line, kick etc.
And he completely stifled our attack.

None of our forwards knew how to run off him, he took the wrong option repeatedly, and generally failed to get the ball into the hands of our best players when the wanted it.

Not to mention his defensive deficiencies, and his um extra curricular activities.

Shows the genius of Api. He has all the skills but played within himself until nothing was working for us and bang he'd take it upon himself to make things happen.

 

[Iamback]

And some of us are just footy nerds who like to discuss football all year.
Ivan can't have been completely happy with Mitch because he persisted with Soni Luke on the bench for so much of the year despite offering sweet FA really. Because it's not Ivan's style to carry a hooker at 14 who can't play any other positions.

Kenny is one of the most wholehearted footballers I've ever seen and I love the bloke but at this point he's very limited and would ideally be our 14 because of his ability to defend at lock or even prop if needed.

In our 36 players

We have 4 hookers, That isn't counting IF hooker was a position Schneider was training in.

That is a high number and would show to me that Ivan is looking at hooker as part the side evolving

 

[Whino]

Completely agree with this, but what has been amazing about Kenny’s journey is his improvement year on year; defends, market engagement etc. I have no doubt that next year he will add elements of running to his game, because he is a smart footballer.

His passing game at the start of the year was poor. That game against Canberra? where he threw a pass leading up to Cleary's try was a shocker.
As the year got longer, he got better with his passing. It was smoother. He also knew when not to overplay his hand and get out of the way.
If he makes the same improvement next year with a running game. Get his timing right and a little craftiness. That is all we need from him attack wise. No one is asking for Cameron Smith or a playmaking hooker.

 

[Bred not Bought]

That is what a $700k hooker does. For some reason the halves weren't working so he stepped up

Kenny started that match with Api on the bench. The whole start was poor. I watched that game a month ago. Michael Ennis mentioned Kenny's lack of ruck awareness made us look clunky in attack. When Api came on. The match changed.

 

[Bred not Bought]

Going forward could we realistically see Sommerton as 9 with Kenny as 14 in a year or two?

 

[ColdWetPanther]

The way our forwards dominate teams up the middle and the focus teams have on Cleary that should make the 9s job the easiest on the park.. We make Kenny look good. If Kenny went to pretty much any other team he'd flop and be sent to either the bench or cup.

We absolutely roll up the middle, fast play the balls and we leave alot of markers on the ground or offside! How tf isn't our 9 taking full advantage? Api did and he was that successful he played origin and got a massive pay rise. I'd love to play hooker for the Panthers because not only does everyone else do all the work for you but the defence all around you is A+ so all you need to do is make your tackles and pass the ball off the ground (which all hookers should do) then you'll be labelled as a future origin player and be worth 700k.....it's actually laughable! Put any other 9 including Summerton in and they'd do a similar job in this star studded team.

Are you suggesting Soni Luke is a future Origin player?

 

[ColdWetPanther]

Kenny started that match with Api on the bench. The whole start was poor. I watched that game a month ago. Michael Ennis mentioned Kenny's lack of ruck awareness made us look clunky in attack. When Api came on. The match changed.

Ivan hadn’t trusted Api to start for about 6 weeks before then in the big games. In the Prelim, Api came on and played really well and provided a spark, but his role had ‘evolved’ already to maximise his effectiveness.

 

[BossleyPanther]

Was a terribly reffed game. Idiots think ignoring rules makes a good performance for some odd reason

I thought the Ref was awesome, Game flowed, it suited us well. Things can always be dealt with after a game.

 

[Munky]

Are you suggesting Soni Luke is a future Origin player?

He's a current orifice player.

Captains the team with Hoppa as coach.

 

[BossleyPanther]

I definitely disagree with most of this.

I won’t be at all surprised if Kenny is in the picture for SOO in the next few years. Especially with Nat at 7.

I understand why you think he has no attacking game, but he is actually very smart and a lot of his work goes unnoticed.

Nathan’s try in the GF doesn’t happen without Kenny’s excellent work.

I agree.

 

[Bred not Bought]

Ivan hadn’t trusted Api to start for about 6 weeks before then in the big games. In the Prelim, Api came on and played really well and provided a spark, but his role had ‘evolved’ already to maximise his effectiveness.

Had nothing to do with trust. Api had an injury in the late part of 2022.

 

[ColdWetPanther]

Had nothing to do with trust. Api had an injury in the late part of 2022.

I’ve heard this before but never seen any evidence; genuine question but have you seen anything written about this?

It always seemed to me a bit of a smokescreen to make API’s demotion less of a story, particularly given 3 weeks after the GF was in Leeds to watch Api go around with Fiji versus Oz. Api then started off the bench for a few games for WTs too to start the season. But I could be wrong and happy for someone to point me towards something that suggests as much.

 

[Blade23]

I’ve heard this before but never seen any evidence; genuine question but have you seen anything written about this?

It always seemed to me a bit of a smokescreen to make API’s demotion less of a story, particularly given 3 weeks after the GF was in Leeds to watch Api go around with Fiji versus Oz. Api then started off the bench for a few games for WTs too to start the season. But I could be wrong and happy for someone to point me towards something that suggests as much.

He had a rib injury. Then picked up an ankle injury against the Warriors.
Api on the bench was all about protecting him from the opening sting. Had it happened mid-year he would have been rested for a couple of weeks.

 

[ColdWetPanther]

He had a rib injury. Then picked up an ankle injury against the Warriors.
Api on the bench was all about protecting him from the opening sting. Had it happened mid-year he would have been rested for a couple of weeks.

Thanks Blade. Interesting that the Fijians played him on that opening match then.

 

[Bred not Bought]

I’ve heard this before but never seen any evidence; genuine question but have you seen anything written about this?

It always seemed to me a bit of a smokescreen to make API’s demotion less of a story, particularly given 3 weeks after the GF was in Leeds to watch Api go around with Fiji versus Oz. Api then started off the bench for a few games for WTs too to start the season. But I could be wrong and happy for someone to point me towards something that suggests as much.

Blade answered for me!
I either read it somewhere or it was on channel 9 doc All the Way.

 

[Iamback]

I’ve heard this before but never seen any evidence; genuine question but have you seen anything written about this?

It always seemed to me a bit of a smokescreen to make API’s demotion less of a story, particularly given 3 weeks after the GF was in Leeds to watch Api go around with Fiji versus Oz. Api then started off the bench for a few games for WTs too to start the season. But I could be wrong and happy for someone to point me towards something that suggests as much.

There was a doco. We saw on 9 now here but not sure if it went your way and it was mentioned in that