NRL Penrith Panthers

[Cces]

Interested in everyone’s thoughts about what’s gone wrong at the Panthers 2025?

If a few key players leaving can derail things so much, is there style, which we are copying, the best process? Or was it a golden era with a few generational players (JFH!).

Real test for Cleary’s coaching. Nothing lasts forever but, man, last place is a hell of a fall from grace!

No home games in Penrith will be playing a factor but more importantly there is daylight defensively between Luai-Talagi and JFH-Lindsay Smith.
Losing pathway players like Ryley Smith, Isaiya Katoa and even someone like Luke Hanson dilutes their depth a whole heap too

 

[snake77]

To me it will be a number of things that have compounded.


They have been slowly losing players over the years. They have been able to replace them with players coming through. At some point even the best development systems will struggle to keep up.

That is compounded by other clubs coming in and signing guys from their development systems.

The two players that they lost coming into 2025 that are getting a lot of the focus now as the final pieces that pushed it over the edge. Yes, they were key components of their success. Help maintain their standards. One helping their engine room and the other their attack. If they lost those two first would they have fallen back down to the pack earlier or would it have been when a few others left?

Luai did complement Cleary well.
Fisher-Harris as we know is consistent and does a lot of little things.

The players coming through might not be ready. They may end up getting valuable experience and be able to turn things around quickly.

Losing their first-grade players and having to blood new players not quite ready means injuries are harder to cover.

There might be issues with their style of play that may need to be freshened up with the change in personnel.

One other thing and it could be a stretch seeing as both left a few years ago now missing the last two premierships. They lost two assistants that were first grade ready. Two experienced assistants that could challenge Cleary.

 

[Inruin]

The move away from their home ground this year is a big one but I think they have a few selection issues.

While JFH is a big out for them, they have struggled to find a replacement at 6 that takes a bit of pressure off Cleary being the main guy. At the moment he is the oppositions sole target to shut down and he isn't having the same amount of space he enjoyed previously. They are still well represented in a lot of stats with the ball ie possession, runs, running meters, support runs, line engagements, line breaks etc. Dylan Edwards and Mitch Kenny being out hasn't helped in that regard. Once they can get the 3 of the 4 spine from last year back on the park and Blaize to lift a bit (who is a development project at 6) then I think they will be a better off.

The other thing is they had Tago and Alamoti in the centers in their Grand Final win last year. This year they have pushed Alamoti to the wing and tried to have Maclean or Garner or someone else at center and replace the loss of Turuva. Its ended up weakening their backline in both attack and defense. I'd have thought keeping Tago and Alamoti at center and then slotting in Maclean, Jenkins, To'o when he is back would have been less disruptive and a better fit for the team.

I think that there are just enough little changes and mistakes being made to throw the team off. A think a few tweaks and a couple of players back will mean a different Panthers team and results. I don't think it wont be enough to get them to the finals again but will be an obstacle for those teams trying to push for one.

 

[3rdstriker]

How do the Storm have new players coming through and they stay in the top 4, year in, year out but the Panthers fall so far?

Good question, do the Storm Lose as many as the Panthers have done if you count numbers though?

 

[snake77]

I know they got a lot of stick from some journalists when Gould said it would take 5 years. It may have taken a while but seeing a club invest like they have and develop players instead of recruiting has been refreshing. But even though it took longer than five years the eventual success was worth it.

Their success was on the back of a special group of players and a champion half. Development does not equal premierships, it is the best way to maximise your cap and keep you less reliant on recruitment. Recruitment which a lot of clubs or coaches come in get reliant on means you go into a competitive market and pay overs.

We have a lot of junior talent if we can make staying home and being a Warrior appealing it would be great to be competitive every year and nab our first premiership (we can get greedy after the first one). For us players coming through the age groups will get used to the travel instead of in the past coming into the club and having to deal with the travel.

Development is our best path to success, similar to the Panthers.

It would be great to have similar success and trying to figure out how we get through it.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Good question, do the Storm Lose as many as the Panthers have done if you count numbers though?

My take is the Storm system is fitness based and very well rounded. They have a plan A, B and C via attack or defence, led by senior players they don’t lose.

The Panthers can be one dimensional, built off defence and they haven’t been able to keep their key players as well over the years.

To put it another way, the Storm is the multitalented guy that’s good at everything, can easily maintain it but doesn’t peak as high, whereas the Panthers are specialists, exceptional in key areas, peak very highly but is harder to maintain.

 

[peewee]

Good question, do the Storm Lose as many as the Panthers have done if you count numbers though?

1 arseh... lost covered by another 1 coming through.
All coached by another 1

 

[sup42]

Craig Bellamy would never coach a team that is at the bottom of the ladder no matter the challenges of the club.

Cleary needs a superstar roster to win.

Warriors fans have a fondness for Cleary that will not allow criticism of the coach, which I find ironic since they are the biggest coach critics in the NRL verse.

 

[roguei]

Craig Bellamy would never coach a team that is at the bottom of the ladder no matter the challenges of the club.

Cleary needs a superstar roster to win.

Warriors fans have a fondness for Cleary that will not allow criticism of the coach, which I find ironic since they are the biggest coach critics in the NRL verse.

I mean Bellamy also needed a suprtstar roster to win... There is a reason they got the spoon 2010. Looks like the days of the double book have changed and he is a better coach now. But fuck i'd happly take 4 rings and spoon from a coach any day of the week. I don't think "any" coach could get 4 rings in row otherwise the roosters would be on an unstoppable streak with the money they use to buy superstars. If Ivan coaches for another 10 years i'd say he could pretty easily trump bellamy.

 

[Beastmode]

this is pretty much the same team that won the premiership last year

It goes to show

All is takes is one or two decent players to go from hero to zero real quick

That gives me hope it’s our time to shine with one or two more twinks to the roster

Penrith have had their share of fame. I feel absolutely no sympathy for them. Move aside Ivan…

 

[Wah's Up]

Interested in everyone’s thoughts about what’s gone wrong at the Panthers 2025?

If a few key players leaving can derail things so much, is there style, which we are copying, the best process? Or was it a golden era with a few generational players (JFH!).

Real test for Cleary’s coaching. Nothing lasts forever but, man, last place is a hell of a fall from grace!

In two words, "Salary Cap"
As the Panthers can not afford to keep players when their market value becomes too high they must let them go and replace with juniors that they have developed. Won't be long before they bounce back but it goes to show that the salary cap is working (with exception of "Storm" and Rorters who seem to be exempt)

 

[Damo]

Interested in everyone’s thoughts about what’s gone wrong at the Panthers 2025?

If a few key players leaving can derail things so much, is there style, which we are copying, the best process? Or was it a golden era with a few generational players (JFH!).

Real test for Cleary’s coaching. Nothing lasts forever but, man, last place is a hell of a fall from grace!

They’ve been hit hard by the salary cap, and on top of that, they've lost some of their best juniors — including Isaiya Katoa, Isaiah Iongi, and J’maine Hopgood. When you combine those departures with the losses of James Fisher-Harris and Jarome Luai, along with injuries to Dylan Edwards and Brian To’o this year, it’s simply been a bridge too far

 

[run_it_str8_again]

How do the Storm have new players coming through and they stay in the top 4, year in, year out but the Panthers fall so far?

Four premierships in a row makes you a target. Their cupboards have been raided and that's both a shame for them and opportunities for others.

We have heaps of guys taken from our ranks by poaching.

 

[Beastmode]

Just realised penrith arent playing at bluebet stadium this year

I think its getting renovated.

Instead i see their temp home ground is Commbank - sharing it with Parra?

0-3 playing there currently

This has to be a large contributing factor to their slow start this season.

They were unbeatable at Bluebet stadium.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Just realised penrith arent playing at bluebet stadium this year

I think its getting renovated.

Instead i see their temp home ground is Commbank - sharing it with Parra?

0-3 playing there currently

This has to be a large contributing factor to their slow start this season.

They were unbeatable at Bluebet stadium.

Shows you how big the mental game is in victory

 

[JustLikeStartingOver]

My take is the Storm system is fitness based and very well rounded. They have a plan A, B and C via attack or defence, led by senior players they don’t lose.

My take is rep players leave the panthers every year for more money, while no one leaves the storm as they are true blue rorters.

 

[Beastmode]

My take is rep players leave the panthers every year for more money, while no one leaves the storm as they are true blue rorters.

Has anyone who left the Storm lived up to their hype? Other than Inglis and maybe Cronk most have been flops - at least with the Warriors… sorry Tohu

Ex-Penrith players however continue to excel ..

 

[Damo]

Has anyone who left the Storm lived up to their hype? Other than Inglis and maybe Cronk most have been flops - at least with the Warriors… sorry Tohu

Ex-Penrith players however continue to excel ..

How was Tohu a flop? He was arguably better with us than the Storm barring his final injury riddled year.

 

[Beastmode]

How was Tohu a flop? He was arguably better with us than the Storm barring his final injury riddled year.

He wasn’t a flop
I just remembered after posting

 

[Naumaifooty]

Has anyone who left the Storm lived up to their hype? Other than Inglis and maybe Cronk most have been flops - at least with the Warriors… sorry Tohu

Ex-Penrith players however continue to excel ..

Drinkwater?