BRUTAL LOSS
HUMBLED BY THE ROOSTERS, THE PANTHERS MUST NOW FIGHT TO RESTORE RESPECT PANTHERS V STORM MATCH PREVIEW: PAGE 31
Photo: NRL Photos.
the final word
Short-priced favourites one week, rank outsiders the next.
That is the prospect Penrith face heading into Thursday night’s Grand Final re-match against the Storm in Melbourne.
After producing probably their worst performance in five years last Friday night against the Roosters, there’s not a lot of faith in Penrith to turn it around against the competition favourites this week.
But there’s hopefully one positive thing working in Penrith's favour: they surely can't be that bad again.
We all waited last Friday for Penrith to click into gear and run away from the Roosters. It felt like it was simmering for the entire game, or at least the first 50 or 60 minutes.
But it just didn't come. The Roosters kept pushing back and eventually got on top of an mistake-riddled Penrith side that made 13
errors and missed 46 tackles. It was uncharacteristic from Penrith, but take nothing away from the Roosters – they refused to believe all the talk that they were no chance of winning and did their fans proud.
The Panthers head to Melbourne without Dylan Edwards, who succumbed to a groin injury in the second half of the loss to the Roosters, and with plenty of pressure on their backs to turn around last week's result.
But I will say this – I think the 38-32 defeat at the hands of the Roosters will worry the fans more than it will the players. Fickle supporters were last Friday ready to rip into a side that has brought them so much joy over the past five years, forgetting that so often, this team has bounced back from adversity and met every challenge before it.
Which is why Penrith's dreams of a fifth Premiership have hardly been rattled by a
2 defeat at CommBank Stadium. Let’s see how many of us even remember the game come September or October.
Ivan Cleary will of course this week work to rectify some of the things that went wrong last week, but I doubt that would have resulted in thrashing them on the training field or even raising his voice.
Cleary would know much of that loss last week came from an issue between the ears, and I have no doubt he would have done plenty of talking over the past few days – choosing his words carefully, and resisting any temptation to blow up at a squad that knows what it is doing perhaps better than any other team in the NRL.
Penrith would not be fearing this trip to AAMI Park. They have had Melbourne’s measure on more than a few occasions over the past few years, particularly when it’s mattered most. They would be wary of the Storm’s clear
mission this year to reverse the result of last year’s Grand Final, and we saw in the opening game against Parramatta just how much Craig Bellamy's side can tear you apart when they get on a roll.
But just like Cleary wouldn’t have read the riot act too loudly this week, Bellamy would be unlikely to utter the words ‘Grand Final re-match’. Because what does it really matter? You don’t get to hold the trophy just because you reversed a result in Round 3. It doesn’t erase anything, doesn’t change what happened at Accor Stadium six months ago.
The Panthers don't need to re-invent the wheel. Stay calm, stick to the game plan, keep things simple. Hold onto the ball and reduce the error count from last week, and you've got yourself a real shot. I feel this one is going down to the wire – but I’ll keep the faith in Penrith.
Tip: Panthers by 2.
Round
TROY DODDS
ADAM GEE
BUNKER: CHRIS BUTLER
Graphic: Zoe Merrick.
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panther rumblings
FOX CUTS MORE RESOURCES
! More cuts at Fox: The slashing at Fox Sports continues. I can reveal Fox has walked away from a number of contracts with suppliers, breaking agreements to opt for cheaper alternatives. This is on top of axing staff and saving cash by calling some games from the studio. All of this comes ahead of global streaming giant DAZN taking over Foxtel at some point this year. We're told it'll be business as usual. Hard to believe?
! Cowboys crowd concerns: There are serious concerns over the crowd number for Penrith's next home game against North Queensland at CommBank Stadium on April 4. A Friday 6pm kick-off, an out-of-town team and issues associated with the first CommBank experience last week will all play a part in a crowd that would be lucky to top 8,000. Let’s hope the NRL and Panthers are working on ways to encourage fans to get to the game.
! Spotted: Panthers star Daine Laurie dining at popular Italian restaurant BoccaBocca in the Shire.
! Eddy out: Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards will be out for at least a fortnight with a groin strain, and it could have huge ramifications on the New South Wales Origin team. Despite being the incumbent fullback after a winning series, there has already been talk that new Blues coach Laurie Daley is considering going in a different direction at fullback this year. Edwards being out for a few weeks in the early part of the season won’t help his case of retaining the number one jumper.
! Jersey delay: Fans who ordered the alternate 2025 jersey, which the Panthers wore in Las Vegas, in the second pre-order batch won’t see their merch until the middle of May. It seems an extraordinary time lag and many fans are frustrated with the wait.
! Panthers rocked: This is the photo we’ve hardly seen in the last five years – a completely dejected Panthers, out of control of the game and facing an unlikely defeat. Co-captain Isaah Yeo was constantly watching replays of Roosters tries on the big screen, trying to work out where the defensive lapses were unfolding. Coach Ivan Cleary opted to stay calm postmatch, even talking up the joy of a huge upset in sport. But on Tuesday, he remained in a bad mood at his weekly pre-game press conference, the loss clearly still grating on him.
of blood,
sweat and tears into the Panthers, he’s also a Life Member and a highly respected assistant to Ivan Cleary. But he must be camera shy – his profile on the Panthers website is photo-less, with just a shadow accompanying his name and title.
! Panthers trivia: Brisket Boys is hosting a special Penrith Panthers themed trivia event tonight at the Leagues Club. Registration is free and teams of 2-4 are recommended. Get down there from 6pm, and stick around to watch the Panthers v Storm clash on the big screen. ‘'m told Panthers legend Mark Geyer will also be there.
! Kept in the dark: The NRL is clearly on a mission to have everyone talk less about referees this season. Not only has head office axed Graham Annesley’s highly useful and transparent Monday afternoon briefings and demanded coaches not talk about decisions, but they’ve stopped issuing the media with the weekly match official appointments on a Tuesday. Journalists can still track down the officials on the NRL website and on socials, but it’s clear the league is doing everything
possible to keep referees out of the spotlight this season.
! New look for Pantherettes: The Panthers cheerleaders debuted a slightly new-look uniform for 2025 at their first CommBank Stadium appearance last weekend. Atmosphere Fitness remains on board as a sponsor. It was the first Pantherettes performance of the season – the girls didn't make the cut to head to Las Vegas.
! Stuck in the shadows: Poor old Peter Wallace. Not only did he put plenty
! Spotted: Former Panther James Maloney enjoying breakfast at Henri Marc in Penrith on Tuesday. And at a table not too far away? Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards.
The Fox Sports crew. Photo: NRL Photos.
OURS, NO MATTER TONIGHT’S RESULT
Following one of their worst losses in recent memory, Penrith will now encounter one of the toughest road trips in the game when they travel to Melbourne to face the Storm in the first of two Grand Final re-matches this season.
The Panthers are no stranger to Grand Final re-matches, having played several since the 2021 season, when – that year – they went on to beat this Thursday’s opponents at a packed-out Penrith Stadium in thrilling circumstances.
After last week’s shock defeat to the Sydney Roosters at CommBank Stadium, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary understands why his Premiership-winning side go into tonight’s blockbuster at AAMI Park as underdogs.
“I get it this week, I get what people might be thinking, but at the end of the day it’s not my job to worry about that, it’s our job to perform well,” Cleary said on Tuesday.
“We only worry about what we can do. We are confident what we can deliver but we’re also early into a new season, new team and new circumstances and we’re fully focused on putting our best possible performance out there against Melbourne.
“We totally respect the Storm, always have, and we always look forward to this opportunity to play them. It’s a great challenge.”
Panthers forward Liam Henry said he’s looking forward to heading down south and facing Craig Bellamy’s men in what’s become one of
the great rivalries of the modern era.
“Melbourne had a great win in Round 1 and are coming off a bye. They are going really well, and it will be a challenge this week,” he said.
“They’ve been a strong team for years and years and every time we’ve come up against them, it’s been a challenge, and it will be no different this week.
One player who’s never played a game in Melbourne is Paul Alamoti, who scored the match sealing try for Penrith against the Storm in last year’s NRL Grand Final.
“I’ve actually never played down there,” he revealed.
“It will be a good challenge. It’s the toughest road trip playing Melbourne in Melbourne.”
Cleary is tipped to make some late changes to his side to face the unbeaten Storm, with the supercoach determined to see a “team performance” and to right the wrongs from last week.
Alamoti said it’s been a challenge getting used to playing alongside some new faces after several big names, like Jarome Luai, Sunia Turuva and James Fisher-Harris, departed last year.
“We’ve lost some quality players, players that have been here for long periods,” he said.
“It’s obviously a big change, but we’ve got new players that have stepped into the system and now we just have to work around how we play to everyone’s strengths.
“It’s definitely different but a good challenge for us.”
Paul Alamoti and Liam Henry after last year’s Grand Final win. Photo: NRL Photos.
NATHAN TAYLOR
PANTHERS KEEN TO MOVE ON FROM LOSS
Players and coaches were in no mood to talk about Penrith’s shock defeat last week at the hands of the undermanned Sydney Roosters.
Ivan Cleary was prickly with reporters, while Liam Henry and Paul Alamoti – who both scored tries in the 38-32 loss – were determined to move on from the result dubbed by many pundits as “the biggest upset in NRL history”.
Cleary was particularly unhappy some four days post-result, not giving much when asked how he reflected on the performance at their temporary home, CommBank Stadium, last Friday night.
“I’d rather not talk about it,” Cleary said stonyfaced.
“I said what I said after the game, we reviewed it and got what we needed to out of it and we’re looking forward to this week.”
Penrith were simply awful in the humid Round 2 contest, missing a whopping 46 tackles and recording a disastrous 13 errors.
Roosters stars like captain James Tedesco and new recruit Chad Townsend labelled the victory as one of the best of their illustrious careers – proving how much beating the Premiers, when they were $11 outsiders, meant to them.
“Like most weeks you get over it and move on and we’ve got plenty on our
forward Liam Henry said Cleary had been in a positive mood around the group since the loss, which was a stark contrast to what the media experienced early Tuesday afternoon.
“He’s been really good, absolutely,” Henry said.
“We addressed what we needed to. There’s been a lot of lessons and learnings throughout the week, so we’re excited for Thursday night’s game.”
Henry, who missed Penrith’s Round 1 victory in Las Vegas due to
strong in his first outing for 2025 – scoring a try from a kick and not missing a single tackle unlike 14 of his teammates.
The 23-year-old from Blayney in country NSW attempted to put his finger on what went so wrong.
“We had a lot of missed tackles – that was the biggest thing – and just getting our ruck control back,” Henry said.
“Credit to the Roosters, they showed up and they played better and ran harder and tackled harder. They played really well, and you can’t
“As I said before, we took a lot of lessons out of that game and I’m looking forward to this week.”
Panthers Grand Final hero Paul Alamoti, whose already scored two tries to start the year, said it was a tough loss to take because Penrith haven’t done much losing over the past half dozen years.
“No one likes to lose and we haven’t lost much in the past five or six years,” he admitted.
“That loss definitely wasn’t good and the vibe hasn’t been great but we’ve flushed that and we’re looking forward to Thursday night against Melbourne.
“When you do lose, it hits home a little bit more… We understand everything that’s happened, and we’ve flushed that and we’re moving forward.”
In his post-match press conference on Friday night, Cleary said to reporters that he believes his players lost the game before they even arrived at the stadium to face the Roosters. Complacency is a big word in sport and no matter how lopsided two oppositions appear on paper, it can – and often does – creep into games. When Extra Time asked Alamoti if he knew what Cleary meant by his bold statement, the 21-year-old said the message was loud and clear.
“Yes, but that’s something for us to address internally and we’ve definitely sorted that out,” Alamoti said.
For the Panthers, there’s perhaps no better mood-booster than bouncing back in a Grand Final rematch against the red-hot Melbourne Storm.
“The game’s actually come at the right time. We have a chance to bounce back after a loss. It’s come at the right time, it will be good for us,” Alamoti said.
Liam Henry.
Nathan Taylor chatting with Paul Alamoti. Photo: Melinda Jane.
The dejected Panthers during last week’s loss to the Roosters.
Photo: NRL Photos.
NATHAN TAYLOR
Tries: D Tupou 2, C Watson 2, M Nawaqanitawase, S Smith, D Young Goals: S Smith 5/7
Tries: A Kepaoa 3, L Patea, J Edgar, T Jenkins, B Schneider Goals: B Schneider 5/7
Tries: S Faeamani 2, N Murphy, H Armstrong, P Hotere-Papalii, J Tuaoi, J Liddiard, A Leilua
Goals: Z Clarke 5, J Liddiard 2
Tries: P Alamoti, B To’o, L Henry, D Edwards, C McLean Goals: N Cleary 6/7
Tries: B Smith, T Rodwell Goals: J Elliot 1/2
Tries: K Maguire, I Seve, K Maguire Goals: J Durkin 2/3
player of the year
The Western Weekender Penrith Panthers Player of the Year competition runs throughout the season, with our four experts delivering a 3, 2, 1 rating for the best Panthers players from each Penrith game. The player with the most votes at the end of the season is crowned our Player of the Year.
panther memories
Ivan Woolfe)
PANTHERS MUST RE-SIGN LAURIE
With at least 10 players coming off contract at Penrith at the end of the season, I ran my eye over the list and believe the club must re-sign at least four of these players and bring in one from outside the club to help improve it further.
The priority has to be to re-sign Daine Laurie. Laurie is a quality first grader who adds plenty of impact when he’s on the field no matter what position he comes on to play.
Last Friday he provided a wonderful spark of energy when Dylan Edwards came off injured late in the game.
His kamikaze-like charges into the defence when returning the ball from the back of the field were brilliant and it made sure the team started the rest of the set on the front foot.
Laurie can play wing, centre and even five-eighth if required. He is the team’s ‘Mr Fix It’ and what a spark he provides.
Although Edwards is a brilliant generational-type player, I’m sure Laurie will do a fantastic job in his absence over the next few weeks.
He’s currently without a contract for 2026 and unless Penrith want to get into a bidding war for his services, they should offer him a new contract and fast.
Before I name the other two
players, here are the 10 coming off contract at the end of 2025: Mavrik Geyer, Harrison Hassett, Asu Kepaoa, Daine Laurie, Soni Luke, Riley Price, Preston Riki, Brad Schneider, Luke Sommerton and Thomas Jenkins.
The second player I’d re-sign is Mavrik Geyer. I saw enough of him in first grade last
year to see that he deserves an extension. He runs hard, tackles well and has a high work-rate.
I can’t see him as a prop, like the club was hoping he’d become a few years ago, but he’s starting to develop as a backrower. His upside is just too high to let him go.
My third pick is Luke Sommerton. He’s an excellent hooker and a
terrific backup to Mitch Kenny. Sommerton looks like he’s taken a more senior role in the club this year and he has all the skills necessary to take over the dummy half role if Kenny is ever unavailable. He knows the systems and has played enough top grade footy to show he can transition into the NRL line-up without too much disruption.
Finally, and if you read my column last week, you’ll know who my fourth pick is.
Yes, it’s the ‘redemption man’ himself, Thomas Jenkins.
Jenkins has been nothing short of outstanding since his return to the club and he’s already tipped to be in the final 17 against the Storm on Thursday.
It shows how highly coach Ivan Cleary regards him.
OK now the player I’d bring back from outside the club is Sean O’Sullivan. I know he’s not a marquee signing but seriously, I think O’Sullivan is ready to return to Penrith and be the backup half or five-eighth again.
He’s off contract, knows the Panthers system and would replace Brad Schneider who, has had his moments, but not worked out as well as the club had hoped. At 26 years of age, O’Sullivan also has plenty of upside.
Something to think about!
Daine Laurie should be retained beyond this year. Photo: NRL Images.
with Peter Lang
PANTHERS ROOSTERS
STORM WARRIORS
PANTHERS WARRIORS
SHARKS TIGERS TITANS
PANTHERS WARRIORS BRONCOS SHARKS
STORM WARRIORS
PANTHERS ROOSTERS
TITANS BULLDOGS SEA EAGLES
SHARKS DOLPHINS KNIGHTS BULLDOGS RAIDERS
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STORM WARRIORS BRONCOS SHARKS DOLPHINS KNIGHTS BULLDOGS SEA EAGLES
STORM ROOSTERS BRONCOS SHARKS DOLPHINS TITANS BULLDOGS SEA EAGLES
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