NRL 2023: Stephen Crichton breaks silence on Panthers exit, Bulldogs move
An emotional Stephen Crichton has promised to do everything in his power to lead the Panthers to a premiership three-peat, as he enters his final season with the club.
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Penrith centre Stephen Crichton has hit out at suggestions he left Penrith for money and the chance to play fullback - and vowed to honour the Panthers jersey with his performances as he prepares to launch his final season at the club.
Crichton, speaking for the first time about his decision to accept a lucrative four year deal with the Bulldogs from 2024, insists his only motivation was the desire for a fresh start and the opportunity to work once again with Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo.
A vital cog in Penrith’s premiership success over the past two seasons, an emotional Crichton said he would do everything in his power to ensure he left the club with a threepeat to his name.
“It definitely was a difficult decision,” Crichton said.
“I have been a Penrith junior and I grew up coming through the ranks with the boys - a couple of them are my best mates.
“It was the hardest decision I have ever made with my career. It was definitely hard just knowing that my time at Penrith will be coming to an end.
“I get emotional every time I think about it being my last year. Every time I wear the Penrith jersey, I am going to leave it in a better place and play my hardest like it is my last game.
“I won’t take for granted the times I get to put this beautiful jersey on.”
THE BULLDOGS
Crichton gave Penrith every chance to keep him but once it became clear there was no room left for him at the Panthers, there was only once place he was going to go.
Crichton has a long-standing relationship with Ciraldo stretching back to their time at Penrith together. He also kept an eye on the club’s rebuild, watching from afar as they signed Viliame Kikau, Reed Mahoney and Ryan Sutton.
He bristles at suggestions he was motivated by money. So too the suggestion that he only went to the Bulldogs because it would allow him to wear the No.1 jersey - his path was blocked at the Panthers by Dylan Edwards.
“I just want to make it clear it was nothing to do with money, it was nothing to do with position,” Crichton said.
“I kind of never wanted to leave Penrith. My only option I wanted was to stay no matter what happened. I got back from my time at the World Cup and was looking for an answer.
“I had to go to Samoa and wanted to get it done, but just couldn’t get an answer.
“So once I got my head around that I couldn’t stay with Penrith, I spoke to a few people I trust, then I made a decision to move on.
“The opportunity at the Bulldogs came up and just looking at the club, that is where my decision went. My agent (Liam Ayoub) had said there were other clubs talking to him but I had told him if I wasn’t staying that I wanted to go with Ciro.
“I looked at the (Bulldogs) and saw they were going the right way as well. That kind of persuaded me. Having Cam Ciraldo there, having worked with him in the first five years of my career, he can get the best out of me on the field and off the field as well.”
TELLING IVAN AND HIS MATES
Crichton has only ever known Penrith. He came through the ranks with Spencer Leniu and became best mates with Jarome Luai and Brian To’o on their journey to first grade.
Crichton kept them informed about his talks with the Panthers and Bulldogs. The toughest conversation, however, was with coach Ivan Cleary and the other members of the Panthers squad.
“I had made my decision and then I spoke with Ivan,” Crichton said.
“We just didn’t want any tension between me and him, as a player and coach going into this year. We wanted to be clear minded.
“The conversation was hard to have with the head coach.”
It was no easier with his teammates.
“It was hard to have it with the boys as well, as I said, knowing Penrith has been the only thing I have known,” Crichton said.
“To tell those boys, it was pretty hard. I met Jarome and Bizza (To’o) probably when I hit under 20s. Ever since then they have been close mates.
“Spencer has been with me ever since the start - same school, started the same time.
“I kept my closest mates in the loop. When I made my decision and told them - he (Leniu) was happy for me.
“In this short career of rugby league you have to make the most of it and make decisions that will help me and my future and my family.”
THE REACTION
Crichton has been overwhelmed by the reaction in the Penrith community. The Panthers have an ardent group of fans and they have only had nice things to say to him.
A handful have broken down in tears while wishing him the best.
“The reaction has been real positive and they just say good luck for the future,” Crichton said.
“I actually bumped into three (fans) who started crying in front of me. It just shows how much love they have for the club and how much love they have for us players.
“The first time it happened it hit me that this is more than just a game.
“It means a lot to those diehard fans. That is the whole reason I won’t take this jersey for granted this year because I know a lot of people out there honour this jersey so much.
“I don’t want to look back and have regrets on how I played or my performance. At the fan day, a few of them told me they lined up just so they could get a photo with me.
“It really touched me how much love I get from those type of fans.”
THE THREE-PEAT
While excited at the opportunity at the Bulldogs, Crichton still has work to do.
The Panthers are coming off successive premierships and if they can make it a third, they will achieve a feat unheard of in the NRL era.
The task won’t be any easier given the departure of Api Koroisau and Kikau.
Crichton insists he will put aside his plans for next year and do everything in his power to ensure the Panthers make it a three-peat.
“I want to worry about that (the Bulldogs) when that times comes,” he said.
“I have more important things to worry about this year - that is the Panthers and winning another premiership for the club.
“I don’t want to worry about the future, I want to stay present, do my job and play my hardest for Penrith right now.
“I didn’t want it hanging over my head going into the footy season, and worrying what my future was going to look like - whether I would be here or there.
“I wanted to get it done before the season started. That is exactly what I did and I am happy everything is done now. Full steam ahead for the 2023 season.”
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Originally published as NRL 2023: Stephen Crichton breaks silence on Panthers exit, Bulldogs move
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