https://www.zerotackle.com/penriths-annual-rebuild-fails-once-again-48254
Following a disappointing 24-6 loss to the ever-consistent Sydney Roosters which has slammed the door shut on the Panthers’ finals hopes for 2019, the annual player dump and a lack of consistent thinking from the top-down has proven to be the undoing of the mountain men.
While the beginning of Phil Gould’s five-year planning is widely regarded as the last time the Penrith Panthers were in the dreaded rebuilding phase, the consistent roster and salary cap overhaul at the foot of the mountains in the past few seasons seems to fall more in line with a bottom four club looking for a quick fix rather than the consistent top eight powerhouse they are trying to become.
Following comments made by Knights legend Andrew Johns this week that Newcastle’s administration had “sabotaged” their season, a look into Penrith’s recent dealing has shown that the higher-ups in the Hunter Valley have got nothing on the consistent chaos that the Panthers have been dishing out.
Since the 2014 season, the Panthers have released 17 genuine first-graders from long-term contracts, including the likes of Waqa Blake, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Apisai Koroisau, Corey Harawira-Naera, Trent Merrin, Te Maire Martin, and Matt Moylan, who’s replacement James Maloney was ironically just released from the remainder of his contract. This does not even take into account the releases of local juniors and favourite sons Michael Jennings and Luke Lewis in the 2012 offseason, not to mention the four coaching changes they have gone through in the same time period.
While the end game of Gould’s five-year plan was no doubt a premiership, it placed greater emphasis on “overhauling a system that failed to take advantage of the biggest rugby league nursery in the country” and “rebuilding a club that had no money, no direction, no plans and no intention of executing anything but a stop-gap solution for short term success”, Gould told the Sydney Morning Herald.
This led to a complete overhaul of Penrith’s junior pathways, with only 20% of their roster being homegrown in 2012, as opposed to 80% being homegrown in their 2018 roster, the final full year Gould had at Penrith. While this new emphasis on promoting the best of their local youth is positive in terms of ensuring competition for places was high and keeping the senior players honest, it has forced the Panthers into a less than desirable cycle that they have been repeating since Gould took over the reins at Penrith.
Since Gould began, Penrith seems to have been un-consciously rolling through the same pattern that has ultimately led them to a bottom eight finish in 2019. That is, the Panthers consistently promote youth, which is often followed by success and good performances, resulting in an upgraded and extended contract with the club.
However, typically after a run of lean games or injury this player is released to ease salary cap pressure after the Panthers have once again promoted some of their youngsters who then need to be locked down to new deals. Then the cycle starts all over again. This has been seen in numerous players coming through the Panthers system in previous seasons, including Matt Moylan, Waqa Blake, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Bryce Cartwright, Corey Harawira-Naera, Te Maire Martin and Lachlan Coote.
On paper, this cycle is promising, if it is let to run its course. However, therein lies the problem, the Panthers never let it complete. Instead, they opt to chop and change looking for the next young quick fix, failing to let the current crop mature and become accustomed to each others style of play.
The last time the Panthers had a relatively stable roster with minimal pre-, and mid-season changes, was the beginning in 2014, with only under-performing stars Tim Grant and Lachlan Coote on the outer. The Panthers would go onto finish that season in fourth, go figure.
With new world-class facilities and largest junior catchment area in rugby league, the Panthers should have more to show for than two top-four finishes in 10 years, and if they are to improve on those results it would be wise to get out of the dreaded cycle they have found themselves in.
But with rumours of Reagen Campbell-Gillard, Dean Whare and promising youngster Jack Hetherington being shopped around to rival clubs following the releases of Waqa Blake, James Maloney, and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, I would not bet on Penrith changing tact anytime soon.
Replies
Parra should take some lessons here. We probably won't have the conveyor of young players that Penrith have, but this could still be problematic. The way around this for Parra is to have a plan, and to have a roster with both youth and experience, so that you get natural attrition and turnover.
There was an in depth study of the most successful sporting teams over a period of time and the thing most had in common was stability and core group of people involved over a long period. That didn't only include players but coaching staff as well.
It isn't a suprise that Penrith have struggled when look at turnover of players and coaches alike. Also after getting rid of Maloney for next year I don't see them improving. If results don't pick up as predicted the player group will get uneasy with the coach however won't be able to communicate that to their key player in Nathan Cleary. This will cause division in the team similar to what has ripped Newcastle apart. I see another poor year ahead for the Panthers until they part ways with Ivan but then will probably suffer for another year or 2 to repair the relationships between players and Nathan Cleary.
Sorry 66. Cut the crap. Pennies HUGH NURSERY Is less than half of what was our Past and Current junior nursery. When they entered the league they had to take a PORTION of what is still Our region.
People forget this FACT
Very good article Colin. This is something that the Eels coaching staff need to absorb and learn what not to do.
The big critical skill required when being a Development club is to have people who can identify the best players on a long term basis. This may seem obvious but in the recent past the Eels have been guilty of hanging onto players who were flat track bullies.
With some of the more recent juniors that has not been so obvious. One of the practices adopted recently is to promote juniors beyond the protection of age limited competitions and this seems to be working when you look at juniors like Mahoney and Dylan Brown
Good reply John and I agree. If we look at our run on team against Manly we have one local, and that is Jnr but where does MM fit in? did he come through the eels arena and went to wests now at the eels. We really only have a couple of others who are legitmately from our junio base, Tim Mannah, Tepai, and Stefano the others have come to the club as young players and one could say they have become defacto eels players. We have 32 players on the ledger for this year, and around 10 off contract, who stays and who goes out of that list and who do we get that will boltser our teams?
The lesson from Penrith especially with their huge nursery along with what appears to be a quality list of players that are in effect players with short wicks, or ones that burn out before reaching to the end of it and igniting what the wick is intended to cause. Other aspect is that the Riff as a club have possibly tried to become a type of replica of the dogs, that being the family club, something that worked, then failed when a foriegner took over as coach and another as CEO from over the ditch but after those failures they are being rebirthed in certain areas. These are areas the eels have not really carried on with in recent years regarding the CEO's, coaches and the like, in fact keeping quality eels players on as coaches have been in general abject failures and with one exception as CEO as HRH.
Our set up I believe is showin results but I am concerned regarding the holding back of some players who seem to be performing in reserves and not getting a look in with the top team as we have seen the bench filled with computer wizardry by hacks. To me the article is good and raises a lot of questions and worth a real good hard look at from our coaches and club, certainly I don't beleive having a son in the top grade with dad as coach is an ideal as that in itself can cause dissention especially if the son is captain.