In tomorrow's Battle Of the West, Vincent Lombardi almost foreshadowed the Panthers sixty years ago when he said, “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence."
The Panthers seemed to have forgotten they're not perfect. Matty Johns is right, they're playing with a "chip on their shoulders" after missing the grand final last year.
It's worse than David and Goliath. Almost no-one gives us a sliver of a chance.
Teams
Panthers (2nd) vs Eels (9th) | Saturday, 5:30pm AEDT | 28 March | CommBank Stadium, Parramatta
Sportsbet: Panthers $1.18, Eels $4.95. A Panthers win is the most expected result in the known galaxy, up there with death and taxes.
The Panthers remain firm premiership favourites. The Eels have stabilized to 11th in the market at $34, after being bottom four at $51 at round two following the massacre.
Weather: Expected to be sunny, 21°C, after Friday's severe weather warning. A steady SSE breeze that could affect kicks, potential for gusts 22-37 km/h. Bombs could be a weapon.
Referees: Todd Smith (met his restart quote for the year in round 1 vs Storm), Drew Oultram (touchie, fair-minded), Liam Kennedy (bunker, pray)
Panthers: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Thomas Jenkins (L) 3. Paul Alamoti (R) 4. Casey McLean (L) 5. Brian To’o 6. Blaize Talagi (L) 7. Nathan Cleary (R) 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. Lindsay Smith 11. Isaiah Papali’i (L) 12. Liam Martin (R) 13. Isaah Yeo
Bench: 15. Billy Phillips 16. Scott Sorensen 17. Luke Garner 18. Izack Tago 19. Freddy Lussick 21. Jack Cole
Cut: 14. Jack Cogger 20. Kalani Going 22. Jaxen Edgar
Ins: Jack Cogger (back from concussIon), Jaxen Edgar, Kalani Going
Outs: None significant
Head Coach: Ivan Cleary
Eels: Isaiah Iongi 2. Bailey Simonsson (R) 3. Brian Kelly (L) 4. Sean Russell (L) 5. Josh Addo-Carr (L) 6. Jonah Pezet (L) 7. Mitchell Moses (R) 8. Jack Williams 9. Ryley Smith 10. Junior Paulo 11. Kelma Tuilagi (R) 12. Kitione Kautoga (L) 13. Dylan Walker
Bench: 14. Tallyn Da Silva 15. Sam Tuivaiti 16. Matt Doorey 17. Luca Moretti 18. Charlie Guymer 19. Joash Papalii (not named in reggies this week)
Cut: 20. Jack De Belin 21. Teancum Brown 22. Araz Nanva
Ins: Araz Nanva, Brian Kelly, Jack De Belin (named at lock in NSW Cup this week), Luca Moretti, Teancum Brown (named at prop in NSW Cup this week)
Outs: J'maine Hopgood (ACL, season), Jordan Samrani (knee)
Head Coach: Jason Ryles (HQ, nrl.com, finally have him on the team sheet after the ghost of Brad Arthur made a special appearance in earlier rounds)
Panthers team: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Thomas Jenkins 3. Paul Alamoti 4. Casey McLean 5. Brian To’o 6. Blaize Talagi 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. Lindsay Smith 11. Isaiah Papali’i 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 15. Billy Phillips 16. Scott Sorensen 17. Luke Garner 18. Izack Tago 19. Freddy Lussick 21. Jack Cole
Eels team: 1. Isaiah Iongi 2. Bailey Simonsson 3. Brian Kelly 4. Sean Russell 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Jonah Pezet 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Jack Williams 9. Ryley Smith 10. Junior Paulo 11. Kelma Tuilagi 12. Kitione Kautoga 13. Dylan Walker 14. Tallyn Da Silva 15. Sam Tuivaiti 16. Matt Doorey 17. Luca Moretti 18. Charlie Guymer 19. Joash Papali’i
Image (Getty): Our left-edge has been under seige, but our right edge almost lost us the game last week.
Stats
■ Todd Smith was our round one ref who met his yearly quota for restarts in that game, and ref in our 2022 Panthers game that was our biggest win over them since 2009.
■ The Panthers have won their last four games against the Eels.
■ The Eels have won their last four games at CommBank Stadium.
■ The Panthers are aiming for a 4-0 start for the third time since 2021.
■ Eels winger Josh Addo-Carr has scored nine tries in his last five games at CommBank Stadium.
■ Panthers winger Brian To’o has scored 10 tries in his last 10 games against the Eels.
Image (Getty): Ryley Smith and Jack Williams made 50 tackles in the middle last week in 60 minutes spells.
Form
Panthers. Best Defence 92-10. Basically, perfect.
26–0 vs Bronco, the reigning premiers. Strangulation.
26–6 vs Shark, perennial contenders. Strangulation.
40–4 vs Rooster, one of the premiership favourites. Domination.
Middles dominate, edges with options.
Goliath strangling boa-constrictor-style, surgically. Add a Chainsaw. C4.
Eels. Worst Defence 74-104. Supremely imperfect.
4-52 vs Storm. Bashed up. 408 tackles. 128 more.
40-32 vs Bronco. Burnt early. Staying alive.
30-20 vs Dragon. Bashed up. Staying alive.
Middle under seige, edges leaking.
David, under pressure on the ropes, on the canvas. But keeps getting up, with counter-attack jabs.
Bragging Rights On The Line: Captain Moses vs Cleary (nrl.com)
Last Five Years
Won 4 of last 14
2020 L2-20 (-18) | Panthers | Gerard Sutton
2021 L12-13 (-1) | Panthers | Ashley Klein
2021 L6-40 (-34) | Cbus | Adam Gee
2021 L6-8 (-2) | BB Print | Ashley Klein
2022 W22-20 (+2) | Panthers | Gerard Sutton
2022 W34-10(+24) | CommBank | Todd Smith
2022 L8-27 (-19) | Panthers | Gerard Sutton
2022 L12-28 (-16) | Accor | Ashley Klein
2023 W17-16 (+1) | CommBank | Ashley Klein
2023 W32-18 (+14) | Panthers | Ben Cummins
2024 L18-26 (-8) | Panthers | Ashley Klein
2024 L34-36 (-2) | CommBank | Peter Gough
2025 L10-18 (-8) | CommBank | Peter Gough
2025 L10-32 (-22) | CommBank | Peter Gough
Image (Getty): Bench impact. Taylln Da Silva changed the game with 2 tries in 20 minutes. Big Sam ran for 174m in around 40 minutes.
Bottom Line
The Panthers are chasing perfection. The Eels are chasing themselves. Possibly the ball. Possibly each other. New edges. New combinations. Fans already throwing tomatoes at R&R, Pezet and the front office after only winning two from three on the back foot, barely surviving.
If we’re getting bashed up the middle making 60 more tackles in the first 25 minutes like the last two weeks (down 20–6 vs Bronco, 14–6 vs Dragon), it could be game over early. And if we’re stuck making 400 tackles again like round one, we won’t be chasing the game, we’ll be drowning in it. Fatigue doesn't just make cowards. It's a vicious cycle that kills.
But if Lombardi got one thing right: perfection isn’t attainable. That’s one for the fans too.
To stand a chance, we’ll need every ounce of "Reel Grit" Gus Gould praised us for and Jason Ryles commended. Not just to hold the middle and our edges, but hold our nerve and do something outside our structures. Because structure, even perfected, won't be enough.
The Panthers don’t just beat you. They suffocate you. Slowly. Methodically. Surgically dismantling you before your eyes.
We’ve been in survival mode. It's Order versus Disorder. Perfect Structures versus Barely there. And sometimes, that’s where chaos thrives.
Replies
Its ok guys, we're the Parramatta 'there's always next year' Eels.
Id love to know if the club would be asking a 'please explain' for why Sorensen wasnt sin binned. Worse than Hopgoods in rnd one and only a penalty?
Ok am i the only one who is not losing my mind? Yeah i said we could win it early in the week, glad it was not 50 though close, but this team put 40 on Sydney who i reckon would beat us. They kept Brisbane to 0 and Cronulla would have had more put on them. It is the best team, and i mean best by a long way, in the competition. At this stage nobody is going to match them and 16 teams are making up the numbers.
Defence was poor but Penrith makes the majority of defences poor. Not saying we shouldn't strive to be better, bloody oath we should be but also we just aren't good enough. At least they didn't give up, one thing that is a cardinal sin in sports is giving up.
I know someone will abuse me for this post but so be it.
It's not that we look poorly coached. It's that we lack the class we need to compete. Personally I've had enough of sort of competing.
Its not the coaching but its the recruits. When kearney was here we struggled to attract a top line player we signed a heap of has beens. We went ok last year but have these other players reached there ceiling and won't get any better? As a club we continue to make the wrong decisions . Lose mahoney sign hodgson lol
Lose brown get pezet for one year. The front office have no fucking idea i reckon ryles will leave once his contract is up he looks dejected
I reckon he's made of tougher stuff. Not everyone wants to dip when things are tough / The next month will tell us a lot about where we are actually at. 2-2 after this scheduling isnt all bad.
You realise Ryles was behind Pezet deal right?
Didn't say poorly coaches, said simply not good enough. Ryles before the season started pushed desperately for a middle and now we see why, though we need two middles to come in. If i was MON and Ryles work the phones and look for chances to get someone over.
Fotuaika out of favour and GC wanting cap space. Mariota not getting minutes for Canberra who have middles in lower grades. Luron Patea at Penrith being shopped by his management. Cronulla have cap issues, is there a forward there to do a job of some sorts for this year at least.
One thing is clear, Walker starting is not working, and wont work. So we need to either play Guymer there, put De Belin back there or bite the bullet starting someone like Moretti for a better start.
There are some defensive issues Mutts we are getting manhandled in the middle we can't control the ruck and we aren't starting games well.There are some coaching issues there like EA mentioned we've not seen JR look so down trodden in a after match presser than last nights efforts.
I mean when does it come time for Mitchell to pull pin id suggest money isn't an issue for him when does he say hey I can't win here will you grant me a release.Wild I know but he's given nie on 10 years here and it's not looking anytime soon we are winning anything do we do the right thing and grant him that release I don't know but if we don't turn this in the next 12 months I can see it happening our best player agitating for a release.
I got critiqued during the week and got told I was over exaggerating for saying I'd put the line through us this year for having any shot at winning the comp.
What disappoints me I watch for indicators during the off season pre season especially that the team must meet to be competitive and we've come up short yet again.The roster is one of those problems but I mentioned Sam Moa and his defensive contact first up months ago and yet here we are in the same situation talking about the same issue.
We've just been through the murderers row and we understand where we are vs the best.JR has some big issues to fix.Defense and starts to games teams no exactly where we are weak and there's no getting a way from it the best have exposed it the Dragons ripped the bandage off for all to see and Riff stuck the knife in and twisted it and we rolled over in the flour and the wetspot was exposed.
Its upto the team and the coach to respond will they respond or is it really season over a month in.
Well his choices at Lock now present a big problem. Walker should not be starting, his first contact in defence is not what we need. de Belin was signed to be that and seems to not be what Ryles wants.
We are lacking a leader in the forwards and have for some time. Ryles has noticed that from start and recruiting wise we have not been able to get that player.
But Ryles sees defence is a problem, first and foremost as seen from Brisbane attitude is where it starts. BA did say chase the collision and we knocked it but it is right, look for the hits early and knock them around.
What i will say about Ryles is in the presser he looks more and more frustrated compared to last year where he looked calm. Is it he feels this group should be better? Fear of injuries piling up?
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