Monday Bunker: Wayne Bennett could be the answer for Panthers

ACTING head coach Cameron Ciraldo isn’t the answer for Penrith says senior Daily Telegraph NRL writer Paul Crawley - but a certain gent from Brisbane just might be.

WITH the Penrith Panthers’ premiership aspirations having shockingly evaporated in the short few weeks since their coach was sacked the Monday Bunker believes the answer could come from a most unlikely saviour.

Wayne Bennett.

The inconsistent Panthers have gone into free fall since coach Anthony Griffin was shown the door by Phil Gould and nothing so far has suggested that interim coach Cameron Ciraldo is the answer.

“Cameron Ciraldo is too young and too inexperienced to be the coach of an NRL team,” declared senior Daily Telegraph NRL writer Paul Crawley.

Wayne Bennett has been having problems of his own in Brisbane. Picture: AAP

The question then became if not Ciraldo then who and Crawley pointed to a Jamie Soward tweet as offering a potential solution — embattled Brisbane Broncos coach Wayne Bennett.

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“Jamie Soward put out a tweet on the weekend where he said if the Panthers want to win a premiership with this young crop in the next couple of years they need Wayne Bennett.”

Fatima Kdouh agreed.

“Maybe to save a bit of face (because of) how poorly this is beginning to reflect on Gus Gould he might just bring Wayne Bennett over he’s probably the guy that can win them a premiership,” she said.

Inexperienced Penrith duo Nathan Cleary and Cameron Ciraldo. Picture: AAP

Crawley said the problem of inexperience extended beyond Ciraldo to that Panthers’ star playmaker Nathan Cleary.

“He’s 20 years of age, extremely calm and a composed playmaker with a huge future but he looks tired,” said Crawley.

“Down the track he’s going to be a great halfback but for now he’s missing James Maloney.”

The Monday Bunker crew also covered the dramas at St George Illawarra and Manly, the Dylan Napa tackle and the hottest NRL teams that have been eliminated from finals contention.

What did you make of round 24? Have your say in the comments below. You can also leave your questions or comments on Facebook OR Twitter on the hashtag #BunkedOff. We’ll get them live during the show.

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Originally published as Monday Bunker: Wayne Bennett could be the answer for Panthers