By Stewart Moses @TheRiffMarn
SEPTEMBER 17, 2016. Deep within the walls of Canberra Stadium, the sinking reality that Penrith’s thrilling hunt for premiership glory was over, was beginning to set in, as Penrith’s last post-game press conference for 2016 was underway. In amongst the disappointment of losing 2212 and being eliminated from the finals, Panthers skipper Matt Moylan still managed to find plenty of positives; positives that have fuelled the hopes and dreams of many a Panther fan over the summer months. “I think we definitely developed from the start of the year. A lot of the guys matured from the start of the season and I think that’s a good thing to take into next season,” Moylan said. “We’re heading in the right direction. The players coming through, everyone’s confident. “We’ve had some good experiences and we’ve got good experience coming to the club next year as well. “It’s a step forward but we’re going to have work hard in the off-season and use this as motivation to
get back to the finals.” The playing roster is certainly starting to mature now. Watene-Zelezniak, Peachey, Yeo, Cartwright have all reached the 50 NRL game milestone. A milestone in the sense that the likes of Phil Gould say that you haven’t proven yourself as a firstgrader until you have played at least 50 games. Blake, Campbell-Gillard and possibly Latu are all set to break into the “fifty plus” club at some point this year. Then there is the talent that is coming through. Fisher-Harris, Martin, both Kiwi internationals in their rookie year, plus Nathan Cleary already has enough superlatives and famous-dad comparisons to last a lifetime. Plus the emergence of Edwards and Leota, who emerged on the first grade scene in 2016, are set to press their claims, with both being amongst the best in pre-season training, nines football and trials. Some experience has left the club over the past twelve months; Soward, Taylor, Segeyaro and Latimore. But there’s plenty of experience coming in too to compliment the likes of Merrin, Moylan, Whare, Mansour and Wallace, with Tamou, Rein and
Browne all key signings. The return of Whare and Hiku from long-term injuries are almost like signings too, further bolstering that depth. 168 days after those words from the Panther skipper and in just two sleeps time, our 2017 campaign kicks off with two consecutive day-time games away to St George-Illawarra (Kogarah) and Wests Tigers (Campbelltown). Penrith may have flown underneath the radar in 2016 but they enter 2017 as the joint premiership favourites alongside their nemesis from the South, Melbourne. The media can’t get enough of the Mountain Men and can’t stop talking up the premiership chances. And the fans have spent the summer soaking this up and then some as the wave of expectation continues to roll in for the Panthers. In bringing you this 2017 season preview, Nepean News has spoken to many a Panther to get their perspective on what lies ahead this season. So sit back, strap yourself and enjoy what should be a spectacular ride through the 2017 NRL season where hopefully our journey happily terminates at last stop ANZ Stadium on that first weekend in October.
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PANTHERS RL CEO, Brian Fletcher says fans have every right to be excited about the upcoming season, adding that the team by enlarge barring a few injuries, is ready and raring to go for what promises to be one the most exciting seasons in recent memory. “I think everyone is just keen to get started now. All the hype been around for about a month now and all the players are ready to go,” Fletcher said. “You only got to see by the turnout here tonight at Westfields the amount of people that has turned up. “They’ve all got a positive feeling and the players won’t let them down I can assure you.” Fletcher says the much-hyped Phil Gould fiveyear plan might have pushed over into a sixth year but adds that the extra year will be worth it in the long run given the side is poised to challenge for the premiership not just this year but in years to come, given the number of locally developed
very well,” Fletcher explained. “Gus said we can’t win a comp unless we start to breed them. “He said that will take five years, well we’ve done that and we go through the team there now there’s 30 top players averaging 23.5 years in age. “It’s not unrealistic to think that we might win three comps in six years because everything is in place.” With all the excitement about the team’s prospects, Fletcher hopes it transpires to bums on seats in 2017 and with a strong start and with a favourable draw Credit: 77 Media (Parramatta not at home aside), the club can average over 15,000 at home in 2017. “Our last game we played Manly who were players now finding or set to find their way into the running second last and we got 15,000 people here NRL squad. “I think it was always Gus’ five-year plan, but because we had won six out of seven,” Fletcher said. “Now if we can kick the year off and start winning we’ve probably added about a year to make it six but it’s all there now, we have no excuses and the a few games I would be disappointed if we didn’t coaches and the players are confident they can go get at least 15,000 to every game.”
between them. PANTHERS legend and current deputy But the premiership-winning halfback chairman, Greg Alexander believes that says the fact they haven’t played isn’t he hasn’t seen this much hype about the issue, rather pinpointing that their the team’s chances of winning the individual form will be the key to the premiership, since 1991, the year his side Panthers chances in 2017. won Penrith’s maiden title. “I’m not concerned about the fact they Alexander says plenty must go right haven’t played together. The way halves this year for Penrith to win it but adds play these days it’s not so much their they are definitely a contender. combination rather it’s the individual “Not for a while. It’s one of the few form of each player,” Alexander said. times in our club’s history where there’s “The fact that Nathan was in terrific been this level of expectation,” the former from in his rookie season has led to halfback said. plenty of expectations on him to “It’s the equal of any apart from 1991 continue that form. after losing the 1990 grand final. “But he looks like the sort of character “There’s plenty of people who think we that can handle whatever’s thrown at can win the comp but there’s a lot that Can such an inexperienced halves pairing of Nathan Cleary and Te Maire Martin him. needs to happen and you need to take (pictured) win a title for Penrith in 2017? Credit 77 Media. “Te Maire is a bit of a forgotten one into account all the variables that need to in all this but he will be crucial to our happen to win a competition. we can fil just about any hole that there is. chances this year and from what I saw of “I think they are one of a few sides that The big question that most are asking about him last year he looks like he can handle it. can win the comp. “The halves are so important that a lot hinges “The strength of the Penrith side is the depth of the Panthers’ credentials centres around the inexperienced halves pairing of Nathan Cleary and on Nathan playing at least as well as last year and the overall squad. “The list that Gus has been able to put together Te Maire Martin, who have yet to play a NRL game Te Maire quickly developing into a player that can gives them great flexibility to cover most positions, together and have just 21 NRL games experience make an impact.”
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A LOT has happened in Anthony Griffin’s twelve months as the NRL coach of the Panthers. A new captain, the odd season-ending injury, the moving on of senior players like Elijah Taylor, James Segeyaro and Jamie Soward and of course that finals appearance that now has every Panther fan asking for more in 2017. But while Griffin is more settled in the role twelve months on, he is still far from satisfied from where the team is at, not that he is surprised by that either. “It’s different. This time last year I didn’t really know any of the players well,” Griffin said. “The trials were purely a getting to know you time and seeing what we had. “But now it’s a little bit more structured in terms of what we’re doing. “I’m happy we’re getting ourselves into some sort of shape. “But approaching Round One I’m not overly
happy but you never are at this time of year.” While Penrith are heavily favoured to commence the season with a win over St George-Illawarra, Griffin is giving plenty of respect to his opponents despite their inconsistent start to the season in the trials. And he has good reason to be cautious about Penrith’s chances this Saturday given the Dragons defeated the Panthers early last season as well. One gets the feeling Griffin will be simply happy to get the two points this Saturday afternoon at Kogarah. “St George at Kogarah are very hard to beat and I’m sure they’ve had a big off-season too with some new people there,” Griffin declared. “It (trial form) doesn’t really matter anymore. The early rounds of the season is all about getting in there and trying to kick and scratch and find a couple of points every week.” After enjoying a relatively injury-free pre-season,
HE’S been touted as the missing piece in Penrith’s premiership puzzle. A premiership-winning prop with the North Queensland Cowboys with 170 NRL games to his name and a swag of NSW and Australian test jerseys to boot. Tamou could have picked any team in Sydney to join but the prized recruit freely admits he only had eyes for Penrith. “Whilst it was all about coming back down to NSW, it wasn’t just any team I would join,” Tamou declared. “It was Penrith and if it wasn’t Penrith I would have stayed at the Cowboys. “Penrith have a great side, a great culture. “I knew a few of the boys going through rep footy and growing up playing footy against them and it was just too enticing to pass down. “Obviously doing so well last year, has me more excited to see what we can do this year.” The move south didn’t go without its disappointments with Tamou missing out on the
Four Nations tournament. Despite missing selection, Tamou is hoping to emulate Trent Merrin, who went through a similar moment in his career before moving to Penrith last season. “Absolutely, he did so well to get back,” Tamou said. “Obviously at the start of the year his name was kind of forgotten there but he fought his way into that side and did so well which gives me hope having seen Mez go through all that.” There was a silver lining for Tamou. He recently married his long-time partner Brittney, and ensured the big move went smoothly and managed to get in a full pre-season which Tamou admits was different to what he was used to in Townsville. “Obviously disappointing to miss out but it would have been hard to fly off and leave my wife with the kids with all the moving and that,” Tamou admits. “Plus it’s given me a full pre-season which is going to be helpful for my year ahead.
TWELVE months ago it was a bitter sweet time in the footballing life of Matt Moylan. The surprise elevation to skipper of the NRL side was more than tempered by a delayed start to the season brought about a back injury suffered in the trials, just as Moylan was working his way back from a season-ending ankle injury suffered in 2015. But what a difference the next twelve months made with a State of Origin and Australian debut, and leading a young Panthers side into the second week of the NRL finals series. Not only are experts and fans alike excited by his team’s possibilities in 2017 but Moylan is the early favourite to win the Dally M Player of the Year award. Moylan though isn’t buying into the pre-season accolades and is under no illusion that it is his responsibility to ensure his players don’t get swept into all the media and fan-generated hype. “That sort of external stuff is always going to be there but we’ve just got to not take any notice of it,” Moylan said. “We know all the stuff we need to be looking at
and track that internally inside the club.” But Moylan admits that the somewhat unexpected success of the Panthers in going deep into the finals, means that the bar needs to be raised by his players in 2017, although he stops short of declaring his team can win the premiership. “I think so. It’s obviously good to playing finals and that’s a goal this year to get out and be playing finals and play some good footy in the finals,” Moylan stated. “To do that we need to start the year off well and build our season off the back of that. “But the way the squad has come together, there hasn’t been too much turnover and we’ve got some real experienced players that have joined the club that’s only going to add to our strength.” Moylan is excited by the development of the fringe players as they push for first grade spots and nominates two players fans should particularly keep an eye on in 2017. “There’s a few guys (to watch). I think a guy like Moses Leota who got a taste of first grade last year
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Credit: 77 Media
Griffin laments that his side will have to make the trek to Kogarah minus Sam McKendry and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (both knee). “It’s just unfortunate (these injuries), but that’s rugby league, sometimes that’s what happens,” Griffin explained. “Everyone’s fit and well one day and the next day you have a couple of injuries but that’s the game and that’s the challenge at this level.”
Credit: 77 Media
“It’s been a different type of pre-season, with a different side. “There’s been a lot more run put into us this year which is good to get the kilometres in the legs. “I’ll be working very hard to hopefully get back into that mix and get back into those rep teams. “But first things first I need to stay injury-free and hopefully be playing good footy and everything else will come after that.”
Credit: 77 Media
and we saw that in the Nines how well he went making the team of the tournament,” Moylan said. “Also a guy like Dylan Edwards has been training the house down in the off-season. “He played some good footy last year and also did well in the Nines and I’m looking forward to seeing him go when he gets a chance.”
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IN Penrith’s lower coaching ranks, it’s a case of what’s old is new again with the mid-2013 coaching structure of Garth Brennan (Intrust Super Premiership (ISP)) and David Tangata-Toa (Holden Cup (NYC)) back for 2017. As part of the coaching merry-go-round at Penrith, 2016 NRL assistant coach, Brennan replaces Steve Georgallis (Bulldogs ISP) while former ISP assistant coach Tangata-Toa takes over from two-time Holden Cup coach of the year, Cameron Ciraldo, who has been elevated to become Anthony Griffin’s NRL assistant coach. For Brennan, who is on a year-by-year arrangement with Phil Gould in what is his sixth season at the club, the move back to the role where he won a title back in 2014, represents an opportunity to have control of a side and develop as many of the successful players coming out of the Holden Cup and prepare them for the rigours of the NRL. “Gus wanted me to bring through a really good crop of young kids coming thorough out of the last two years of 20s and obviously with the top 25 increasing to 30 next year, we need to develop some more kids into full time NRL players,” Brennan explained. “The way the salary cap is these days you can’t go and fill those spots buying players so you’ve got to develop them.” Whilst Brennan has enjoyed considerable success as a coach at both NYC and ISP levels, winning competitions although nice, is not as important as developing players. “I’m not making any predictions we are going to win the comp but hopefully we’ll make the eight,”
Intrust Super Premiership coach Garth Brennan (left). Holden Cup coach David Tangata-Toa (right). Credit 77 Media.
Brennan declared. “I’m more concerned about developing these kids and getting ready for the next step. “For this crop of kids I hope we do have a few who will progress but it is going to take a lot of work for them. “I noticed how raw they are in our trials. A few of them struggled with the physicality in defence. “They’re good kids but it going to take some time for them to get used to it.” For Tangata-Toa, the Holden Cup coaching role represents his first senior head-coaching appointment in Australia, having being parachuted into the role temporarily back in 2013. But the new Holden Cup coach says his time under Brennan and Georgallis as ISP assistant coach has allowed him to come back into the role as a better coach and is also excited by the prospect of taking on a new-look Holden Cup squad that features just
Would like to wish the Penrith Panthers all the best in the 2017 season
five players from last year’s grand final side. “I’m definitely more experienced, a little bit older and a little bit wiser,” Tangata-Toa said. “I’m definitely more confident in my ability as a coach and this time next year I’ll be an even better coach than I am now. “The big difference for me this time in the role is being able to plan a pre-season, plan a squad and so on which has been really enjoyable.” Having a new-look squad comprised mainly of players from the National Championship-winning SG Ball team, Tangata-Toa says it’s important to have simplistic goals for now. “To be tough to beat. That’s sort of been our motto all pre-season. Making sure that we don’t lose games,” Tangata-Toa said. “Teams will have to beat us and we obviously want to start the season strong so they’re the two areas that I’m looking for out of the boys at the moment.”
Go the mighty Panthers, Penrith is behind you
Stuart Ayres MP
Member for Penrith
www.wsnewsgroup.com
Phone: 4722 8660 Email: penrith@parliament.nsw.gov.au Shop 23, Tattersalls Centre, 510-534 High Street, Penrith
HE’S a TV actor. He has a travel show. He even been on stage, rocking it up as the late Stevie Wright. But to Panther fans, he is Scott McRae, the loveable ground announcer that Panther fans adore and the opposition and often some sections of the media loath. Just as Penrith celebrated fifty seasons last year, McRae has a celebration of his own in 2017 with this season representing the 20th of a career that was almost ended a few years ago. McRae admits he didn’t think he would make it to the milestone but having seen off some interesting challenges, the popular GA now has his sights set on 25 years. “A few years ago when they wanted me to move on I didn’t but that’s’ all in jest of course,” McRae said. “I didn’t really think it would be a 20-year journey but I’ve definitely enjoyed all of it and who knows I might get 25 years up. McRae says the secret to his longevity in the role comes back to being passionate about the team and the fans. “It’s a combination of I love what I do and I’m passionate about what I do,” McRae declares. “The first couple of years, I was still a Manly fan because that’s where I grew up and so it was tough the first few seasons. “But I can’t do anything unless I’m passionate about it so I ditched Manly and really took on the love of Penrith, the people and the players.” “While a number of the players that have gone
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Credit 77 Media
through the place have become life-long friends, it’s the fans that makes the place what it is.” McRae is doubly excited that his 20th year could just coincide with another Penrith premiership, admitting the playing style of the current squad is amongst the most exciting he has seen in his time in the role. “I think it is exciting times. We’ve had a couple of new boys come in this year and I think the mixture of young exciting guys that could possibly do anything and a few of the older heads, I think it’s a great combination that is starting to gel with the coach’s style,” McRae said. “I love the fact that they are playing an expansive game instead of using the same sort of block plays and second man runs which was boring as hell.
“It’s almost like going back to how footy was played in the late eighties, where you played what was in front of you, it’s more exciting. “I would love to see a few more halfbacks do a chip and chase, bring it back. I might even do one pre-game.” With so much at stake, McRae is hoping that the fans can turn out in force at home this year and make Pepper Stadium a difficult place for opposing teams to visit. “If we all go together in just pumps the boys on,” McRae said. “I don’t know if people realise how much that sort of support pumps up the boys. “When the place is buzzing they love it, the team fire up to new levels.”
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WITH STEW MOSES
@THERIFFMARN
MCKENDRY’S SEASON IN THE BALANCE AFTER REINJURING KNEE A potentially second successive back-end of last year heading into the season-ending knee injury to Kiwi finals and their support again tonight, international prop Sam McKendry it’s definitely noticed by the playing has soured an otherwise strong group.” performance by an Tyrone Peacheyinspired Penrith in defeating local A recent media story came out rivals Parramatta, 18-6 in the Battle trumpeting that Parramatta are the of the West trial at Pepper Stadium. biggest NRL club in Western Sydney. In a cruel twist of fate, McKendry However as Brian Fletcher points out, who had tweeted earlier during that tune changed quickly when CEO the day how much he looking Bernie Gurr and Chairman Max Donnelly forward to his first game back since paid the Academy a recent visit. rupturing the ACL in his left knee in “We had the Parramatta CEO Burnie last year’s Round 17 clash against Gurr and the Chairman Max Donnelly the Tigers, had only been on the out here and they couldn’t believe the field for a matter of minutes, when Sam McKendry’s first game back from injury ended cruelly a few minutes later facilities we’ve got and the conditions of partially re-tearing the ACL in the same knee. Credit: 77 Media. an attempted tackle late in the first the players they were in,” Fletcher said. half all went wrong for the prop “Bernie did admit to me after we had forward. lunch that “we were the top but now we’re not”. Post-match scans revealed some good news in Both Trent Merrin and James Fisher-Harris “When they saw the academy they realised their that the prop had only partially torn the ACL with were side-lined for the Eels trial but both players facilities are light years behind us.” the knee’s structure still sound and will be given have been named to play in the Round One clash every chance in rehab over the next six-eight against St-George-Illawarra, while Sitaleki Akauola Brian Fletcher also confirmed a Daily Telegraph weeks before a call is made on McKendry’s season. who came from the field (concussion) will also be report that suggested Penrith lost $6-8 million After the game, a somewhat sombre Panthers available for Round One. dollars in 2016, was way off the mark, with the coach Anthony Griffin, who having already lost Group in fact reporting a loss of $1.8 million Dallin Watene-Zelezniak to a MCL knee injury that Two players, who over six months later will still dollars which includes a one-off $2.7 million will keep him side-lined until Round Two-Three, be on the side-lines come Round One, courtesy loss for discontinued operations. Continued was at least pleased that Dean Whare and Peta of their hefty suspensions stemming from a operations actually showed an improved result Hiku got through their second game back from nasty incident in a Holden Cup match against of $1.8 million pre-tax ($0.9 million profit after injury unscathed and all but confirmed the pair will the Wests Tigers, are Jarome Luai and Jack tax). play in Round One. Hetherington, with the pair not even being able “It’s terrible (for Sam) but that’s the game we’re to play in the trials. All the pre-season speculation surrounding the in,” Griffin lamented. composition of the seventeen-man squad for the “Everyone’s fit and well one day then next day Penrith are set to enter the season as joint opening NRL clash against St George-Illawarra is you’ve got a couple of injuries but that’s rugby premiership-favourites with Melbourne to take over after coach Anthony Griffin named a 21-man league.” out this year’s NRL premiership, the first time since squad in accordance with new NRL guidelines. “(But) I was really happy with how Dean and Peta 2004 that the Panthers have started the season as The changes now allow clubs to name a 21-man went tonight. premiership favourites. squad on Tuesday before being trimmed to 19 a day “After last week, I think tonight they both looked before the match and the final 17 to be announced a little bit more comfortable and a little bit stronger The Panthers have curtailed or toned down a hour before kick-off. Players from outside the 21 and they’ve both got through the game really well many of their pre-season functions with no civic originally cannot be named to play unless under (especially) Peta, who has had the worse one (knee reception with the Penrith City Council and a exceptional circumstances approved by the NRL. injury). low-key daytime season launch held last week. The squad in numeric order is as follows: “He blew his whole knee out. MCL, PCL and ACL But the players were out in force recently Matt Moylan, Dean Whare, Waqa Blake, Tyrone and he’s comes back well.” at Westfields Penrith Plaza and the response Peachey, Peta Hiku, Te Maire Martin, Nathan Cleary, “Losing Dallin and having Josh on the side-lines, from fans was overwhelming, with club officials James Tamou, Peter Wallace, Reagan Campbellobviously we need both those guys.” saying it was one of the largest turnouts in recent Gillard, Isaah Yeo, Bryce Cartwright, Trent Merrin, memory and was appreciated by the skipper, James Fisher-Harris, Leilani Latu, Tim Browne, Moses In better news for Sam McKendry, his wife Matt Moylan. Leota, Sitaleki Akauola, Dylan Edwards, Mitch Rein, Kirsten took to Instagram to announce the pair “It’s good to have all the fans down here,” Sione Katoa. are expecting their second child later this year. Moylan declared. Congratulations from all at Nepean News. “The fans’ support we felt that a lot at the See you at a game. #PantherPride