Panthers Season Preview Liftout 2024

Let’s go Panthers GO! LET’S

PENRITH PANTHERS SEASON PREVIEW

Yandamonium

You know what time it is…

Well here we are again, the start of a new NRL season.

The time of the year everybody has hope in their heart in anticipation of what’s to come in the next six months.

We aren’t disappointed yet and we look to our team optimistically before becoming misty optically at stages during the year.

So having dusted off the Velcro dartboard because I am not allowed to have sharps in the house, here is some guesses at what’s to come in 2024. A little bit of guessing in rugby league never hurt anybody, did it?

Top eight:

Broncos – on the upswing from the wooden spoon in 2020 and are getting better.

Panthers – seasoned champions rarely skip a beat. Process and perfection.

Sea Eagles – surprise packet. Need luck with injuries and good enough if they can get close enough.

Storm – copy and paste from the last 15 years.

Roosters – hard to beat. Time will tell if they meet their expectation.

Bulldogs – they are due. No other reason.

Cowboys – have been hit and miss in recent years, 2024 will be a hit.

Titans – long names on big money. What can Des Hasler get out of the sleeping giants?

Having said that keep an eye on the Rabbitohs, Raiders, Tigers, Dragons….everybody else really, except Parramatta.

Go the Mighty Panthers!!

WITH GREG YANDA

PNG a No for me.

Papua New Guinea can’t be the 18th NRL franchise. While we hear about the nation’s fanaticism for rugby league and how the kids love the game, the sad truth is there are far more pressing matters on the national agenda including crime and civil unrest.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website smartraveller.gov.au has PNG’s overall advice level at Exercise a high degree of caution. This is currently the same advice as Türkiye, Kenya, Brazil and China.

The website advises urban locations including Port Moresby have common crimes including murder, robbery, assault, sexual assault and gang rape, bag snatching and carjacking.

“Most crime is opportunistic, but foreigners have been targeted at home, at work or while travelling,” the website said. “Robbery is a higher risk while driving (carjacking), walking on the street (particularly after dark), at shopping centres or markets, visiting hotels or restaurants, visiting areas frequented by foreigners…”

Sounds sketchy AF if you ask me, and I have been there! I have PNG heritage and love the Kumuls but let’s just put the Bears in Perth and get on with it.

See ya later!

Penrith and Melbourne resume hostilities in round one.

Photo: NRL.

PENRITH PANTHERS SEASON PREVIEW 2024

PANTHERS PLAYER PROFILES

DYLAN EDWARDS FULLBACK

Height: 183 cm

10/1/96

28

Birthplace: Albury, NSW Nickname: Dyl

Debut Club: Penrith Panthers Date: 10/7/16

SUNIA TURUVA FULLBACK

94 kg

Opposition: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Round: 18

TAYLAN MAY CENTRE

Height: 183 cm

19/8/01

22

Birthplace: Blacktown, NSW Nickname: Tiny

Debut Club: Penrith Panthers Date: 7/8/21

Opposition: Sydney Roosters Round: 21

Height: 181 cm DOB: 4/9/02 Age: 21

Birthplace: Sydney, NSW Nickname: Tito

Debut Club: Penrith Panthers Date: 3/6/22

Opposition: Canberra Raiders Round: 21

BRIAN TO’O WINGER

92 kg

NATHAN CLEARY (C) HALFBACK

Height: 182 cm

14/11/97

16

Birthplace: Sydney, NSW Nickname: Clez

Debut Club: Penrith Panthers Date: 4/6/16

Opposition: Melbourne Storm Round: 13

IVAN CLEARY Coach

Date Of Birth: 1/3/71 Age: 52

Birthplace: Sydney, NSW Joined Club: 2019

Previous Clubs: Warriors (2006-2011), Penrith Panthers (2012-2015), Wests Tigers (2017-2018)

IZACK TAGO CENTRE

88 kg

Height: 184 cm

5/4/02

20

Birthplace: Sydney, NSW Nickname: Tages

Debut Club: Penrith Panthers Date: 29/5/21 Opposition: Wests Tigers Round: 13

JAROME LUAI FIVE-EIGHTH

93 kg

92 kg

Height: 182 cm DOB: 18/8/98 Age: 25 Weight: 97 kg

Birthplace: Sydney, NSW Nickname: Bizza

Debut Club: Penrith Panthers Date: 17/5/19

Opposition: New Zealand Warriors Round: 10

MOSES LEOTA PROP

Height: 182 cm

Birthplace: Auckland, NZ

Debut

Height: 184 cm DOB: 16/1/97

26

Birthplace: Sydney, NSW Nickname: Romey

Debut Club: Penrith Panthers Date: 11/5/18

Opposition: Newcastle Knights Round: 10

MITCH KENNY HOOKER

Height: 183 cm

Birthplace: Sydney, NSW

Opposition: Parramatta Eels Round: 11

90 kg

PENRITH PANTHERS SEASON PREVIEW 2024

JAMES FISHER-HARRIS PROP

Height: 187 cm DOB: 5/1/96 Age: 28 Weight: 103 kg

Birthplace: Rawene, NZ Nickname: Fish

Debut Club: Penrith Panthers Date: 5/3/16

Opposition: Canberra Raiders Round: 1

SCOTT SORENSEN 2ND ROW

Height: 183 cm DOB: 16/3/93 Age: 30

Weight: 100 kg

Birthplace: Sydney, NSW Nickname: Sorro

Debut Club: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Date: 24/8/14

Opposition: Canberra Raiders Round: 24

MATT EISENHUTH LOCK

Height: 197 cm DOB: 20/8/92 Age: 31 Weight: 111 kg

Birthplace: Sydney, NSW Nickname: Eiso

Debut Club: Wests Tigers Date: 17/6/17

Opposition: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Round: 15

Height: 183 cm

22/1/04

20

Birthplace: Sydney, NSW Nickname: -

Debut Club: Bulldogs Date: 4/3/23

LIAM MARTIN 2ND ROW

Height: 183 cm DOB: 5/3/97 Age: 26 Weight: 103 kg

Birthplace: Temora, NSW Nickname: Marto

Debut Club: Penrith Panthers Date: 30/3/19

Opposition: Melbourne Storm Round: 3

LUKE GARNER 2ND ROW

Height: 190 cm DOB: 6/9/95 Age: 28 Weight: 94 kg

Birthplace: - Nickname: -

Debut Club: Wests Tigers Date: 15/7/18

Opposition: - Round: -

SONI LUKE HOOKER

Height: 178 cm DOB: 25/2/96 Age: 28 Weight: 85 kg

Birthplace: Penrith, NSW Nickname: -

Debut Club: Penrith Panthers Date: 24/4/22

Opposition: Canberra Raiders Round: 7

DAINE LAURIE FULLBACK

98 kg

Opposition: Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Round: 1

ISAAH YEO (C) LOCK

Height: 195 cm DOB: 6/11/94 Age: 29 Weight: 106 kg

Birthplace: Dubbo, NSW Nickname: Yo-ee

Debut Club: Penrith Panthers Date: 8/3/14

Opposition: Newcastle Knights Round: 1

TYRONE PEACHEY LOCK

Height: 183 cm DOB: 8/8/91 Age: 32 Weight: 93 kg

Birthplace: Wellington, NSW Nickname: Peach

Debut Club: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Date: 19/5/13

Opposition: Canberra Raiders Round: 10

LINDSAY SMITH PROP

Height: 194 cm DOB: 13/1/00 Age: 24 Weight: 106 kg

Birthplace: Sydney, NSW Nickname: Larry

Debut Club: Penrith Panthers Date: 4/6/21

Opposition: Wests Tigers Round: 13

LIAM HENRY PROP

Height: 181 cm DOB: 20/7/99 Age: 24

Birthplace: Sydney, NSW Nickname: Daino

Debut Club: Penrith Panthers Date: 8/8/20

Opposition: Canberra Raiders Round: 13

83 kg

Height: 190 cm

22

Birthplace: Orange, NSW Nickname: Horse

Debut Club: Penrith Panthers Date: 3/9/22

105 kg

Opposition: North Queensland Cowboys Round: 25

PAUL ALAMOTI CENTRE

PANTHERS GETTING TO KNOW YOUR

WITH MARK GEYER

Panthers mugged in Wigan!

THE Panthers efforts at trying to obtain the club’s first ever World club Championship last Sunday morning Sydney time fell agonisingly short. But it was the way in which they lost that sent the Rugby League World into meltdown.

Its hard enough travelling to the North of England, playing in freezing 3 degree weather, on a slippery surface, against 17 players and their fanatical 24,000 strong home crowd, only to be robbed of a chance to win because of not 1, not 2, but 3 howlers from the referee (who should have been wearing a balaclava) and his man upstairs in the video box.

I’m always loathe to blame the man with the whistle on the results of a contest but unfortunately this time he simply cannot escape the unwanted spotlight.

Leading 12-10 at halftime the Panthers and Wigan were going blow for blow in what was a physically entertaining contest. But it was after the break where things began to go pear-shaped if you’re a Panther fan.

The first BLOOPER was when Wigan centre Jake Wardle had a try allowed in the 52nd minute when everyone watching could see he fell way short of the try line. Even if he was tackled closer to the line he still had to perform an illegal double movement to get the ball over the line for 4 points.

Controversially the referee Liam

Moore declared ‘I’ve got a try’ to his ol mate upstairs, who then found ‘insufficient evidence’ to overturn Moore’s original decision.

Panther great Greg Alexander has said since “its the worst video ref call of all time!” And most of the League world agreed, even non-Panther fans.

But it didn’t stop there.

Ten minutes later with Wigan running the ball out from their own try line, the Panthers Liam Martin performed a ‘one-on-one’ strip of the ball which our mate Moore ruled a penalty because he thought there were more than one player in the tackle. Again, poor decision which could have lead to another Penrith try.

And the 3rd and final CLANGER came right on full-time when Penrith’s Taylan May got the ball and headed

for the try line right in the corner of the Wigan line. Referee Moore’s first ruling was “NO TRY” which, you guessed it, his upstairs comrade couldn’t find “sufficient evidence” this time to award the Panthers a game levelling four pointer.

Unfortunately for the Panthers that’s now 4 from 4 that we’ve lost to the poms in our quest to snatch the World Club Challenge Trophy.

In 1991 we lost to Wigan 21-4. In 2004 we lost to Bradford 22-4. Last year it was a 13-12 loss to St Helens and then this years result.

Overall as I stated earlier it was a willing contest if you throw out the three glaring mistakes from the officials. Wigan’s Aussie connection were good, with ex Eel Bevan French being awarded man of the match.

Fullback Jai Field pulled off a couple of stunning tackles, and ex Panther Kaide Ellis never stopped trying.

As for the Panthers their 3 best on ground were Edwards, Yeo, and Marto. Whilst Brian To’o was again strong and Taylan May’s return from a 12 month lay-off proved promising after the loss of Stephen Chrichton.

Now the Panthers can concentrate on round 1 of the NRL where the Storm await them in Melbourne, doesn’t get much harder.

Next column I’ll run my eye over the competition and try and predict the Grand Finalists, top 8, Wooden Spooners, and teams and players to watch out for this season.

See you at the game…

MG (random Westie) OAM

MARK ON THE

WITH MARK GEYER

This week’s Panther who we are getting to know is flamboyant outside back...

SUNIA TURUVA

1. What age did you start playing footy? 6

2. Favourite Song? Too many to choose from

3. Apart from Bluebet Stadium what is your favourite other ground to play at? Suncorp Stadium

4. Favourite Movie? Fast and Furious

5. If not footy what would you be doing? Personal Trainer

6. Favourite TV Series? Prison Break

7. What 3 famous people would you’d love to have a night out with? Chunkz, Filly, Darcus

8. Favourite Video Game? FIFA

9. Favourite other Sport and Athlete? Damian Lillard NBA

10. What is your death row meal? Chicken and Rice

Date of Birth: 4 September 2002

Birthplace: Sydney, NSW

Age: 21

Nickname: Tito

Height: 181cm

Weight: 88kg

Debut Club: Penrith Panthers

Date: 6 August 2022

Opposition: Canberra Raiders

Round: 21

Previous Club: -

Junior Club: Berala Bears