Panthers prowling along nicely
May 18th 2008 10:59
Penrith forward Frank Pritchard was a standout against the Warriors
If there was ever one team that you would hate tipping for or against, it is the Penrith Panthers.
One day they are capitulating to teams, on the other they are putting them to bed such is their inconsistency.
With seven internationals running out for the Panthers every week, this team should be fair dinkum of not only making the top eight, but possibly be relishing a top four finish.
Their roster is full of depth and talent to say the least and the fans at the foot of the mountains really should warrent finals football at the end of each season.
Players such as Luke Lewis, Frank Pritchard, Rhys Wesser and Petero Civoniceva are all immensely talented players that have tasted success at all levels of the game with great aplomb.
Throw in the likes of hard workers such as Luke Priddis and Tony Puletua and you have yourself a fairly threatning squad.
So why the failures these past couple of years?
When the Panthers won the premiership in 2003, it was seen as a fairytale ride for all involved. Scott Sattler became a Penrith icon that day by making one of the greatest try saving tackles you would ever see on Rugby league's biggest night.
His legacy looked to have sparked a presence of passion and belief in the black jumper. Something that was lacking for so long since the glory days of 1991.
That aura looked to have kicked in during 2004 when the Panthers gallantly defended their position as premiers until their preliminary final loss to eventual champions the Bulldogs.
But yet after such a solid season, Penrith finally had the right mentality to start mixing it with the big guns year in year out.
Unfortunetly for them, the wheels started to fall off.
2005 saw the Penrith side miss the finals for the first time since their premiership victory and eventually finished a very disappointing tenth.
2006 didn't get too bright either for the Panthers as they slipped down to 12th, which eventually saw Penrith coach John Lang depart from the club.
In came former Raiders coach Matthew Elliott who seemed to be hailed the savior after guiding the green machine so well, despite having such a limited roster.
Elliott was expected to work wonders for the Panthers in 2007 due to his respected persona and uncanny ability to achieve the best from his players.
After what looked a promising start to the year with wins over the Bulldogs and Broncos, things fell apart miserably.
In an otherwise forgettable year, the Panthers finished last in what was arguably the club's most disappointing season in many moons.
The only shining light in what was a dark period in the club's history was the emergence of boom centre Michael Jennings, who's reputation as a future international was going north very quickly.
But the beauty of an NRL competition is the fact that teams only have to wait months, not years, to finally make amends on past failures.
And the Panthers are starting to benefit immensely.
Despite a rough start to season 2008, Penrith are now clawing their way back to the form that made them such feared opponents five years ago.
Although they have been acustomed to letting games slip in recent times, the Panthers are slowly finding their way back to the winners circle.
Their win over the New Zealand Warriors today demonstrated a team that looks destined for promise this season.
The Panthers attacked without mercy with the likes of Pritchard and Puletua laying the platform for the likes of Jennings and Wesser to weave their destructive capabilities.
Jennings in particular was very impressive, scoring 2 tries, one of which was a dazzling
solo effort, and carried the ball for 151 metres to keep his reputation as a future superstar alive.
Matthew Elliott would be pleased to see his side finally scoring some points against rivals that offer alot of opportunities to do so.
The acid test for the Panthers will come soon enough, but for now they must look to enjoy their football and dominate their opponents wherever possible.
They really are a side that play on confidence, and with wins over the Bulldogs and Warriors in consecutive weeks, the signs are there for the Panthers to repeat their fairytale rise up the premiership ladder.
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