We Are Now Contenders (As of Round 11)

[superpanther]

Having a 20 yo Origin half means we can expect to be in Top contention for atleast the next 10 years. Injuries and the emergence of other players across the comp will see how it pans out[/QUOTE]

Provided he stays... may end up at the roosters!!!!

 

[MrBlack]

Expectations need to be realistic though. There were just some years we had an ordinary roster expecting to be top 4 with that just leads to disappointment.

Having a 20 yo Origin half means we can expect to be in Top contention for atleast the next 10 years. Injuries and the emergence of other players across the comp will see how it pans out

My expectation is that if we win 3 more games we will play semi final footy for the 3rd year in a row.....

 

[martielang]

Be interesting to see which of our reserves get picked off first by other clubs. You've got to think guys like Leota, Katoa, Hetherington etc. will get thrown some really good money when they come off contract.

 

[The Realist]

demanding Top 4 is all it takes to be top 4... Forget all the millions on the academy. Just demand everyone

Expectations are a critical part of culture. Storm culture almost demands and expects success and they are always up there as a result. Everyone from the bottom up understands this.

For too long Panthers have been a very low expectation club where it is virtually celebrated when we make a Top 8 appearance...and typically the team performs to those low expectations.

It has a cascading effect where players and staff put in just enough to keep their jobs...not excel.

Young/prime star players who are competitive don't want to come to us unless we offer ridiculous money (and even then not) and Fading stars come to us (on overs!) to take an easy ride heading into retirement.

Local star juniors act up knowing that we are desperate to keep them as nobody else wants to come here, and those with true competitive fire....play well to increase their asking price only to bail on us when the opportunity to play for a wining team presents itself.

I don't agree with many decisions Gus has made since he has been with us, but the one and most important thing he has done right is completely change the culture and expectations at the Panthers. Good players want to come here, and juniors/star players we got early in their careers want to stay with us (even on slight unders) despite better offers elsewhere. The star juniors no long feel 'safe' like little Demi God's because they know if you stuff us around they will be shipped out...and replaced. Everyone is putting in and now it shows on the field.

I applaud Gus for that if nothing else.

 

[TheFrog]

The star juniors no long feel 'safe' like little Demi God's because they know if you stuff us around they will be shipped out...and replaced. Everyone is putting in and now it shows on the field.

Suspending 3 star players, including the captain, for breaking curfew last year has sent a similar message. It cost us 2 competition points. It is noted that in a very similar situation this year, the Manly club did not suspend its players or its captain.

 

[franklin2323]

My expectation is that if we win 3 more games we will play semi final footy for the 3rd year in a row.....

That will be an achievement. 4 in last 5 years

 

[franklin2323]

Be interesting to see which of our reserves get picked off first by other clubs. You've got to think guys like Leota, Katoa, Hetherington etc. will get thrown some really good money when they come off contract.

Given we signed Blore. I think Luai will go for next season probably Hetherington too

 

[franklin2323]

Expectations are a critical part of culture. Storm culture almost demands and expects success and they are always up there as a result. Everyone from the bottom up understands this.

For too long Panthers have been a very low expectation club where it is virtually celebrated when we make a Top 8 appearance...and typically the team performs to those low expectations.

It has a cascading effect where players and staff put in just enough to keep their jobs...not excel.

Young/prime star players who are competitive don't want to come to us unless we offer ridiculous money (and even then not) and Fading stars come to us (on overs!) to take an easy ride heading into retirement.

Local star juniors act up knowing that we are desperate to keep them as nobody else wants to come here, and those with true competitive fire....play well to increase their asking price only to bail on us when the opportunity to play for a wining team presents itself.

I don't agree with many decisions Gus has made since he has been with us, but the one and most important thing he has done right is completely change the culture and expectations at the Panthers. Good players want to come here, and juniors/star players we got early in their careers want to stay with us (even on slight unders) despite better offers elsewhere. The star juniors no long feel 'safe' like little Demi God's because they know if you stuff us around they will be shipped out...and replaced. Everyone is putting in and now it shows on the field.

I applaud Gus for that if nothing else.

I think often though fans talk up the players too much which creates disappointment when x player become average instead of elite.

Everyone agrees Elliott was hopeless. Though he had a decent hitlist of players he wanted here. The late 00's would of been so different had we signed Craig Wing, Jamie Lyon etc.

The current board seems to get what we need to make it run smoothly. How much is Gus I guess we know once he goes

 

[Pomoz]

Expectations are a critical part of culture. Storm culture almost demands and expects success and they are always up there as a result. Everyone from the bottom up understands this.

For too long Panthers have been a very low expectation club where it is virtually celebrated when we make a Top 8 appearance...and typically the team performs to those low expectations.

It has a cascading effect where players and staff put in just enough to keep their jobs...not excel.

Young/prime star players who are competitive don't want to come to us unless we offer ridiculous money (and even then not) and Fading stars come to us (on overs!) to take an easy ride heading into retirement.

Local star juniors act up knowing that we are desperate to keep them as nobody else wants to come here, and those with true competitive fire....play well to increase their asking price only to bail on us when the opportunity to play for a wining team presents itself.

I don't agree with many decisions Gus has made since he has been with us, but the one and most important thing he has done right is completely change the culture and expectations at the Panthers. Good players want to come here, and juniors/star players we got early in their careers want to stay with us (even on slight unders) despite better offers elsewhere. The star juniors no long feel 'safe' like little Demi God's because they know if you stuff us around they will be shipped out...and replaced. Everyone is putting in and now it shows on the field.

I applaud Gus for that if nothing else.

Great summation. I would add that having a great culture by itself is not enough. You still have to be able to recruit and develop players. Gus was smart enough to know what to do to change our development pathways. The changes he has made to development has meant that not only is the culture good, there is a stream of juniors starting to appear that can challenge for places. Juniors that not only look good (just like they have in the past, might I add) but that come into first grade with the right attitude and physical development (not what has happened in the past) so they can turn their potential into a successful career.

It boggles the mind to think how we have wasted our junior resources in the past. Farming out NSW cup to St Mary's, failing to bring through players when we have the largest junior pool in the NRL. Resorting to signing the likes of Burns and Walsh because we failed to produce any players ourselves. We should never forget that. It would be so easy to hire the wrong people and slip back into our old incompetent ways.

 

[MrBlack]

Be interesting to see which of our reserves get picked off first by other clubs. You've got to think guys like Leota, Katoa, Hetherington etc. will get thrown some really good money when they come off contract.

We had a clean out of lower grades and fringe first graders recently. Guys like Latimore, Latu. Rein etc and yet here we are at the top of Reserved grade again. With a team that has been decimated by players having to step up to first grade.

From your list, I like Hetherington, he is a keeper. The others could be easily replaced.

 

[GongPanther]

Why do you say that?

Self explanitory I thought.

 

[GongPanther]

.

Are any of us actually confident though? Or just optimistic?

I think top 4 is a great chance. But we're only at the halfway point. There are going to be a few twists before the finals come. I think most of us are just glad the team proved they can play a great 80 minutes against a good team. That means we are a chance.

Just a couple of rungs above cautiously optimistic. We are solidifying our presence and the respect is growing. But I like to stay grounded.Thats just me. Fans should have poetic licence to shout out loud about their side for all it's worth. You don't know how long until the side gets this great agsin. So strike whilst the iron is hot.

 

[MrBlack]

Suspending 3 star players, including the captain, for breaking curfew last year has sent a similar message. It cost us 2 competition points. It is noted that in a very similar situation this year, the Manly club did not suspend its players or its captain.

Very good stand to make. Paying dividends now.

This is why I respect Canberra, they don't put up with it either - Carney, Ferguson, Dugan all shown the door.

Conversely Cronulla - Take all and sundry.

 

[mxlegend99]

Very good stand to make. Paying dividends now.

This is why I respect Canberra, they don't put up with it either - Carney, Ferguson, Dugan all shown the door.

Conversely Cronulla - Take all and sundry.

They put up with it until it gets out of hand. And then put up with it until it gets out of hznd another 20 more times.

Those guys should all have been gone alot quicker than they were.

Sharks are no different. Treated Carney like Raiders did. Sacked Greg Bird. They gsve them a hell of a lot of chances slso. But eventually caved like Raiders.

 

[tripster]

Sharks are no different. Treated Carney like Raiders did. Sacked Greg Bird. They gsve them a hell of a lot of chances slso. But eventually caved like Raiders.

I honestly have no idea how Flanagan manages that team and keeps them committed to the task. Can you imagine how hard it would be to have authority over a team that has the egos and difficult personalities in it that the Sharks do. Gallen, Dugan, Fifita, Lewis, now Moylan. Previously Barba. It is a miracle frankly.

 

[Pomoz]

I honestly have no idea how Flanagan manages that team and keeps them committed to the task. Can you imagine how hard it would be to have authority over a team that has the egos and difficult personalities in it that the Sharks do. Gallen, Dugan, Fifita, Lewis, now Moylan. Previously Barba. It is a miracle frankly.

They are probably shit scared of him. He looks nails hard.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Self explanitory I thought.

I’m still at a loss

 

[mxlegend99]

They are probably shit scared of him. He looks nails hard.

Yeah he seems pretty well respected by his team. Lots of ego maniacs there but they do their jobs on game day well.

 

[Fangs]

Rooters and Storm certainly look beatable. Though not sure we can defend as well as them. Need to score a lot more points

 

[mxlegend99]

Rooters and Storm certainly look beatable. Though not sure we can defend as well as them. Need to score a lot more points

If we didnt play our worst gameof the yearsgainst Roosters it would've been a tight game.

We can beat them. I just hope it was a oneoff bad gsme snf not ghe start of a form slump