Extra Time August 30

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LIFE OF BRIAN

TO’O REFLECTS ON HIGHS AND LOWS OF DEBUT SEASON PANTHERS V ROOSTERS > P33 Penrith’s season goes on the line against defending Premiers

FULL NRL LADDER > P38 See who’s on the verge of making the Finals and who will miss out

CLINTON MAYNARD > P39 The subtle art of sacking a coach: How it all goes wrong

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Friday, August 30, 2019 « the western weekender

THE FINAL WORD

v

SATURDAY, AUGUST 31 • 7.35PM | SCG | REFEREES: HENRY PERENARA & JON STONE Ruled out: Isaah Yeo won’t be playing this weekend Photo: Megan Dunn

PANTHERS 1

Dylan Edwards

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Stephen Crichton Dean Whare Brent Naden Brian To’o James Maloney Nathan Cleary James Tamou (c) Mitchell Kenny Moses Leota Viliame Kikau Liam Martin James Fisher-Harris Jarome Luai Spencer Leniu William Burns Reagan Campbell-Gillard Wayde Egan 19 Sione Katoa

the western weekender • extra time » Friday, August 30, 2019

MATCH PREVIEW

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ROOSTERS

FOX LEAGUE CHANNEL 9

2GB 873 ABC 702

TROY

DODDS There is not a single bone in my body that can feel a Penrith victory against the Sydney Roosters this weekend.

With their season on the line two weeks in a row, the Panthers have produced lazy, fumbling, ill- disciplined performances that have shattered fans and left no evidence as to why it’ll suddenly be any different against better opposition in the Roosters.

Whatever hope that was left in Penrith’s season disappeared in an instant with Kyle Feldt’s embarrassing 58th minute try last Friday, with the Cowboys exposing Penrith’s poor attitude by taking a simple 20 metre tap and racing away to score. It was amateur-hour stuff.

Penrith still have an outside chance of

making the Finals – but it would have to start with a miracle the equivalent of turning water into wine this Saturday night at the SCG. It’s unfamiliar territory for the Panthers – to the best of my reckoning they haven’t played at this venue since the 1980s – while the Roosters have settled well into their temporary home, only losing one match there this season (back in round one). In fact, and it’s no comfort to Penrith fans, consider some of the points they’ve piled on at home this season: 36 against Brisbane, 42 against the Tigers, 38 against the Bulldogs, 48 against the Knights, 58 against the Titans and 42 against the Warriors.

Coach Trent Robinson has named a strong squad for Saturday night’s game, resisting any temptation to rest players given it now seems certain his side will finish in second place.

The Roosters tore the Dragons apart last Saturday night, with Cooper Cronk leaving everyone to question why he’s hanging up the boots after a five star performance that just screamed game management.

Wherever you look, the Roosters are dangerous. Penrith on the other hand look out of ideas in attack, even when opportunities close to the line do present themselves.

For the Panthers to win, everything will need to go right from the outset and a number of players will need to produce their best performances of the season.

Viliame Kikau has had a stop- start year through injuries and suspension but hasn’t looked as dangerous as we know he can be in recent weeks, but a standout performance here could change Penrith’s fortunes dramatically.

James Maloney’s form has really slipped since returning from the State of Origin

1

James Tedesco

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Daniel Tupou Latrell Mitchell Joseph Manu Brett Morris Luke Keary Cooper Cronk Jared Waerea-Hargreaves Sam Verrills Isaac Liu Angus Crichton Mitchell Aubusson Victor Radley Lindsay Collins Zane Tetevano Nat Butcher Siosiua Taukeiaho

series and announcing his exit from the NRL, but we know what he’s capable of – one of those ‘Jimmy wins’ performances could come in really handy about now.

If both of those guys can fire, I might start to believe in that miracle, but one gets the feeling it’s all a little too late.

Penrith will debut William Burns off the bench with Isaah Yeo out injured, a terrific opportunity for the kid but a further weakening of the Panthers’ much-needed experience against a far superior Roosters outfit.

Mitch Kenny is in slight doubt for the Panthers after suffering a shoulder problem at training during the week.

Unfortunately, given how well the Roosters are travelling and how ordinary Penrith have looked over the last fortnight, there’s just no way I can see anything but a bloodbath at the SCG on Saturday.

Tip: Roosters by 16.

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Friday, August 30, 2019 « the western weekender • extra time

PANTHER RUMBLINGS

with the Masked Panther

JOSH’S MOVE  There is talk around town that Josh

Mansour’s days as a winger are numbered. An off-season move to the back row could be on the cards as the coaching staff look to maximise his contribution to the team. It’s no secret that Mansour has struggled on the wing this season and his low try scoring tally is a real concern for coach Ivan Cleary. Mansour is on good money and the club wants to get the best return for their investment. Anyone who thinks the idea is crazy need only look at 1996 when Matt Adamson made the successful move from fullback to secondrower. Stranger things have happened.

Josh Mansour at training.

Photo: Megan Dunn

 So who punched a teammate’s car?

That was the big question after an article published by Christian Nicolussi in The Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday revealed an altercation between two Penrith players earlier in the season.

Nicolussi’s report suggested a player caused damage to a teammate’s car when he became angry and threw a punch.

Club insiders have also revealed how a young player was forced to skip an interstate game, much to the anger of his teammates, because his partner refused to let him travel in the wake of the sex tape scandal. It certainly highlights a few of the challenges coach Ivan Cleary has faced off the field this year.

 Centre Brent Naden won’t spend any

time on the sidelines despite being hit with a Careless High Tackle charge out of the Cowboys game last Friday night. He was issued a monetary fine.

aimed at raising much-needed funds for the McGrath Foundation. Cleary and Wallace will be interviewed on stage and take questions from the crowd about Penrith’s 2019 season and the future of the club.

 The Panthers have announced their SG  With the season approaching its Ball, Harold Matthews Cup and Laurie Daley Cup squads for the 2020 season.

There’s a few interesting names in the mix, including young Braith Alexander in the SG Ball squad – son of the legendary Greg Alexander. You can see the full squads on the Panthers’ official website.

 Panthers coach Ivan Cleary and former

skipper Peter Wallace will be appearing at the launch of Pink Up Penrith at Panthers Leagues Club today (Friday, August 30).

Pink Up Penrith is a tremendous initiative

conclusion there is no doubt plenty of recruitment rumours will start to emerge at the Panthers. With James Maloney moving on, Reagan Campbell-Gillard with one foot out the door and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Waqa Blake already gone, the Panthers have plenty of money to spend in the upcoming offseason. The problem is there’s not a lot of talent on the market, meaning club officials will have to be shrewd to lure some big names. I understand that the recruit committee met on Wednesday.

CC TYRES FAMILY-OWNED & OPERATED, WITH OVER 60 YEARS SERVICING THE PENRITH REGION.



Despite Penrith’s poor form this season, I’m told corporate sales for the 2020 season are looking strong. There’s a wait list for corporate boxes and the Chairman’s Lounge is expected to be close to a sell-out for most games next year.



Spotted: Retired Panther Tim Grant and hooker Sione Katoa taking part in a lawn bowls day put on the by Penrith at Glenbrook Panthers last Friday.

 The Panthers have confirmed the

last game at Penrith – there’s sure to be plenty of interest around what could be his farewell NRL match.

 Scoop confirmed: I told you a few

weeks ago that Sione Katoa was unlikely to be at the Panthers next year. I’m told that he’s now been officially informed that his services won’t be required at the foot of the Mountains in 2020.

 There was drama at Panthers training

return of Old Boys Day for next week’s final home game against Newcastle at Panthers Stadium. A host of former Panthers will be there to celebrate the club’s history in front of what’s expected to be a pretty good crowd on a Sunday afternoon. It’ll also be James Maloney’s

on Tuesday when hooker Mitch Kenny went down with what appeared to be a shoulder injury. Physiotherapist Krystal Sharpe rushed to assist Kenny. He is still set to play against the Roosters.

 Heard a rumour? Email maskedpanther@westernweekender.com.au

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Brian To’o at training on Tuesday afternoon.

Photo: Megan Dunn

the western weekender • extra time » Friday, August 30, 2019

FEATURE

TRUE BELIEVER TO’O CONFIDENT PANTHERS CAN STILL MAKE FINALS NATHAN

TAYLOR After scoring eight tries in 13 games dynamite winger Brian To’o is one of the favourites in a strong Panthers Rookie of the Year class, but even he admits his debut season is starting to take its toll.

With Penrith playing for their lives every single week, young players like 21-year-old To’o are feeling the pinch as the pressure of making the post-season starts to mount with every match.

While To’o and the side’s other five rookies have had strong debut seasons, they’ve never had to deal with the weight of a fan base so desperate to see their team play Finals footy.

Speaking with Extra Time on Tuesday, To’o said he’s doing his best to deal with the pressure of first grade footy.

“It’s been tough for the boys, especially

me, at this level. This kind of pressure is hard but I try and stay strong for the boys,” he said.

“It stinks losing, we’re not always going to get the chocolates but we just have to keep working hard as always, keep working on the game plan and what we have to do to get it done.”

Penrith just about gave up their chances of playing Finals footy in September after a lacklustre performance against North Queensland last Friday night.

With nothing but pride left to play for, the Cowboys snapped a five-game losing streak to beat the Panthers quite comfortably.

Brian To’o chatting with Extra Time reporter Nathan Taylor. Photo: Megan Dunn

“We started building momentum over the first few minutes of the game but then lost it and couldn’t hold on to it,” To’o said.

“We kept shooting ourselves in the foot too often and I think that’s something we have to learn from. It’s really disappointing, especially for me, it’s a hard feeling at this level as well. I don’t like losing.”

While Penrith are still a mathematical chance of scraping into the top eight, they’ll need to upset the red-hot Roosters at ‘fortress SCG’ on Saturday evening as well as have other results go their way.

Many believe Penrith don’t deserve to play Finals footy this season but To’o says if you are good enough to make it, you’re good enough to be there.

“Every team deserves to make the top eight, it just all depends on how hard you are willing to work for it,” he said.

“Even if there is just a small chance of us making it we are going to give it everything we’ve got – whatever it takes.”

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Friday, August 30, 2019 « the western weekender • extra time

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the western weekender • extra time » Friday, August 30, 2019

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Friday, August 30, 2019 « the western weekender • extra time

NRL LADDER AND FIXTURES W

D

L

B

F

Storm

22 18

0

4

1

571

278 +293 38

2 Roosters

22 16

0

6

1

595

341

+254 34

3 Raiders

22 14

0

8

1

489

336

+153 30

4 Sea Eagles

22 14

0

8

1

474

378

+96 30

5 Rabbitohs

22 14

0

8

1

474

397

+77

30

6 Eels

22 13

0

9

1

485

440

+45

28

7 Sharks

22

11

0

11

1

475

441

+34

24

8 Broncos

22 10

1

11

1

401

443

-42

23

9 W. Tigers

22 10

0

12

1

425

447

-22

22

CLUB

1

PD

A

+/-

PTS

10 Panthers

22 10

0

12

1

353

442

-89

22

11 Knights

22

9

0

13

1

437

464

-27

20

12 Bulldogs

22

9

0

13

1

288

448 -160 20

13 Warriors

22

8

1

13

1

399

523

-124

19

14 Cowboys

22

8

0

14

1

347

468

-121

18

15 Dragons

22

7

0

15

1

389

517

-128 16

16 Titans

22

4

0

18

1

350

589 -239 10

Round 24

/ / / / / / / /

FACE IN THE CROWD

Thursday, August 29 7.50pm 1300 Smiles Stadium Friday, August 30 6pm Mt Smart Stadium Friday, August 30 7.55pm Suncorp Stadium Saturday, August 31 3pm McDonald Jones Stadium Saturday, August 31 5.30pm Lottoland Saturday, August 31 7.35pm SCG S Sunday, September 1 2pm PointsBet Stadium

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WW38632

Penrith Rams proudly supporting:

Is the coaching merry-go-round worth it?

CLINTON MAYNARD K

alyn Ponga admits he wasn’t sad when he heard Nathan Brown was sacked as Newcastle coach as he was enjoying a strawberry milkshake at the time. That attitude sums up coaching in the NRL in 2019. Coaches are disposable.

Over the last 12 months we’ve witnessed an unprecedented coach movement.

Some coaches have left their clubs of their own free will but more often coaches are sacked.

Why are coaches sacked? Usually because their clubs aren’t performing, so it’s worth examining whether getting rid of a coach results in a team’s performance improving.

Anthony Griffin was sacked as Penrith coach last season when the Panthers were on target for a top four finish. A year later and the Panthers will miss out on the Finals and the club is facing yet another rebuild.

Shane Flanagan was deregistered by the NRL and forced to leave the Sharks, a year later a team that was top four is fighting to scrape into the eight.

Wayne Bennett was effectively sacked

from the Broncos, told his contract wouldn’t be renewed. 12 months down the track the club is fighting for a spot in the top eight after a poor season by their usual high standards.

Souths finished in the top four last year and it appears this season they will just miss out after their coach swap.

Two clubs have improved their performances in 2019 but critically they didn’t sack their coaches, they walked out.

The Tigers are doing better this season under Michael Maguire after Ivan Cleary decided he could be more successful at Penrith.

Trent Barrett left Manly because he was frustrated by the poor resources which forced him to supply plastic garden furniture; that hasn’t worried Des Hasler who has the team on target for a surprise top four finish. Maybe he has an account at Bunnings.

If we dig back into history it’s also clear clubs usually struggle after sacking coaches. The Gold Coast haven’t improved since sacking Neil Henry, in fact they’ve just dismissed their latest coach.

Perhaps there’s a lesson from the expe-

the western weekender • extra time » Friday, August 30, 2019

Brought to you by

Penrith have gone backwards since sacking Anthony Griffin. Photo: Megan Dunn riences of Parramatta and Canterbury.

Eels fans wanted Brad Arthur sacked a year ago, they finished with the wooden spoon, now they are threatening the top

four. Bulldogs fans have been seeking the head of Dean Pay for months, again the club has stuck solid and the Dogs are ending the year on a high.

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Friday, August 30, 2019 « the western weekender • extra time

Brought to you by

It’s all on the line this weekend

ANDY RAYMOND L

ast week I predicted a horrid round for tipsters and by full- time in the Raiders v Sea Eagles game on Sunday afternoon the nightmare was finally over.

Not even the most staunch Bulldogs fan would have thought a month ago that their side would be in Finals contention with two rounds left to play.

The Bulldogs showed true grit last Thursday night to beat the Eels at Bankwest Stadium and you’d be a brave man to tip against them against the Cowboys this weekend, a win which would keep their Finals dream alive.

For the Bulldogs to make the top eight they’ll need the Eels to bounce back against the Broncos on Friday night and get a victory against Anthony Seibold’s men.

The Broncos missed a golden opportunity against a depleted Rabbitohs side last week and will be desperate to get a victory in their last home game of the year.

If the Broncos are desperate for a win then the Panthers are beyond desperate for the two points.

The Panthers missed a golden oppor-

tunity to climb into the top eight last weekend against the Cowboys and now face an uphill battle against the Roosters on Saturday night.

As favourite after favourite fell by the sword last weekend, the Roosters were at their clinical best against the Dragons and again proved why they’re premiership favourites.

Paul Gallen will bid farewell to PointsBet Stadium on Sunday and you can guarantee that the Sharks will be keen to send out their inspirational skipper on a high note.

A win for the Sharks will all but assure them of a spot in the Finals, but a loss to a Raiders side on the rebound and they’ll be one step closer to Mad Monday.

The Wests Tigers’ season was on life support last weekend, but a resounding 46- 4 win over the Knights has put them right back into the fight.

The Tigers showed last week that when they click they’re able to score points from absolutely anywhere, but they’ll face a Dragons side that will put up a much better fight than the Knights did last week.

If last weekend was a nightmare for

Penrith Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary. Photo: Megan Dunn tipsters then this weekend is likely to be another sleepless affair!

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WW36933

Brandy says goodbye One of the most emotional days at Penrith Stadium in the history of the Penrith Panthers didn’t come in a premiership-winning year.

In fact, it came in a season where the Panthers finished 10th at the end of the regular season.

It was Sunday, August 22, 1999. It was the day perhaps the greatest ever Panther said goodbye to his home fans.

Greg ‘Brandy’ Alexander will be remembered as one of the greatest halfbacks the game has ever seen, and certainly the most memorable number seven in Penrith’s history.

His final home game in round 25 of 1999 was an emotional day, highlighted by an impressive 33- 14 win over Canberra – an ironic opponent given Alexander had led the Panthers to their first premiership win over the Raiders some eight years earlier.

With Scott Sattler next to him in the five- eighth role and his future replacement Craig Gower at hooker, ‘Brandy’ was swamped by fans at full- time, all wanting to congratulate him on a wonderful career and his association with the Panthers.

“My last home game was a terrific experience,” Alexander remembers in the Men In Black book.

“The moment I started running

The crowd at Brandy’s final home game around the oval with all the fans and my family and friends watching and cheer-

the western weekender • extra time » Friday, August 30, 2019

Panther Flashback

SCOREBOARD

ing I just lost all control. I was running around crying my eyes out and couldn’t do a thing about it.”

Alexander didn’t score any points on that day – the try scorers were Brett Atkinson, Shane Elford, Craig Gower, Chris Hicks, Andrew Hinson and Lee Hopkins, while Ryan Girdler kicked four goals and a field goal.

14,184 people showed up to farewell the man who meant so much to Penrith for so long.

Two other things stand out about that day – the emotional embrace between old rivals Alexander and Laurie Daley at the end of the game, and the fact that the Panthers had ruined Canberra’s Finals hopes with the win, proving that emotion plays a big, big role in the game of rugby league.

While Alexander remembers the clash against Canberra as his final match, he actually still had one final game to play against the high flying Cronulla at Shark Park.

The Panthers were thrashed 38- 6 by a side boasting talent such as David Peachey, Andrew Ettingshausen, Mat Rogers and Jason Stevens.

Alexander was hurt in the final game, but received a great ovation from Cronulla fans.

Greg ‘Brandy’ Alexander played 226 matches for the Penrith Panthers.

NRL

COWBOYS 24 PANTHERS 10

NSW CUP

BEARS 42 PANTHERS 24

JERSEY FLEGG PANTHERS 56 BEARS 6

BEHIND THE PANTHERS

Alan Mair

NRL Gear Manager, NRL Trainer

WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT WORKING FOR PANTHERS? Coming to work every day is the best and our lunches are amazing.

WHO IS YOUR FUNNIEST COLLEAGUE AT PANTHERS? Physio Peter Green. He works so hard on his desire to be the best at being a hipster, wine guru, wordsmith, joker, risqué night club patron and of course, a physio.

Offering website hosting, security and maintenance.

If you’re looking at having a website built or improving your current one

call Jim on 0430 101 059

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HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED FOR PANTHERS? Mid-season 1982, but full-time since 1994.

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Friday, August 30, 2019 « the western weekender