Panthers look to get even with former teammate Reagan Campbell-Gillard
6 hours ago
Penrith hasn't forgotten comments made by former Panthers forward Reagan Campbell Gillard ahead Friday night's clash against western Sydney rivals Parramatta.
Campbell-Gillard was dropped at Penrith before moving on from the club last year.
Before the season began, the in-form Parramatta front-rower told Nine: "When you're in the position I was in, coming off the bench and playing 25 to 30 minutes, you tend to think, 'Stuff it, I'll start doing this and that and not caring about it'."
When his former teammates heard about the comments, Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary said the Panthers were "pissed off".
"Reggie is just like that, people want to take his head off, he's a chirpy bloke," Cleary told the Sydney Morning Herald.
"He makes some silly comments sometimes. It's just how it is. When he said that he stopped trying last year, a few of the boys were quite pissed off about that. It might have been frustrating for him, but it was frustrating for everyone else, too.\
Regan Campbell-Gillard will be a marked man against Penrith.
"Last year was a pretty weird year. I didn't notice too much at the time, but he obviously wasn't too happy. I am happy for him now that he's moved on to Parra and he's happy again and playing some good footy. So good luck to him."
Penrith coach Ivan Cleary, who was behind the decision to drop Campbell-Gillard, said he understood why his players were offended by the comments.
"Anyone would take offence to that," Ivan said. "I don't think that's the way to handle it. I wasn't at my best or feeling the best last year either. I didn't give up."
Coach Cleary has been at the centre of some of the front-rower's complaints about his time at the club. He said playing under Brad Arthur at the Eels was totally different in another swipe at his former club.
"I'm not a bench player. It's plain and simple. I don't like coming off the bench," Campbell-Gillard said before the season. "I feel comfortable with this team. The coaching staff, it's chalk and cheese from what I've been under from last year.
"Ivan has his ways of how he coaches and Brad has another one. I feel comfortable with the way Brad wants to coach. There's that sense of being wanted to be in the team. When Parra came knocking, it was a no-brainer. I had to bite the bullet to get out of the comfort zone."
Penrith is still contributing money to the forward's salary as well as centre Waqa Blake.
Blake had a field day against his old club the last time the two teams met back in round five, embarrassing young centre Stephen Crichton to seal the win for the Eels.
Replies
probably a bit more arrogant than stupid
He runs into huge blokes built like brickwalls for a living, you should be comparing him to Mike Tyson more than David Attenborough. And on the Mike Tyson scale of eloquence I think Reg does okay, he speaks pretty well.
As told by the Clearys
Mirror mirror.
This is how you play mind games - get the mainstream media on board to exagerate the situation into something that does not exist.
Who gives a flying Fruit Bat what the Pennies think about us.
Its a wonder they haven't dug up Jenko's old comments on how much he hates the Eels as well.
Penrith is still contributing money to the forward's salary as well as centre Waqa Blake.
THIS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ is where we are really hurting them.
C'mon lads smack their arzez - PLEASE, pretty please.
Anyone have a source on how long they are paying RCG for?
They're paying him for the length of his 5 year contract which adds up to about $1m.
Thanks Super, any source? I've seen panthers fans saying we are paying full freight towards the end of the contract.
So it is more heavily front ended for this year, but they are paying us every year of his contract according to a couple of my sources at the club.
LOL - THAT has to be the Feel Good story of the year Super.
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