How Ivan Cleary’s Bathurst blast finally inspired underachieving Panthers in 2025

The mighty Panthers had plummeted to last place on the NRL table after a shock Round 12 loss to Newcastle. It prompted an uncharacteristic spray from the usually unflappable Ivan Cleary. Penrith haven’t lost since.

Do you have the hunger?

This was the cranky five word taunt an unusually fired-up Panthers coach Ivan Cleary flung at his underachieving team inside a small dressing room at Carrington Park, Bathurst.

It was May 24 this year and the mighty Penrith had plummeted to last place on the NRL table after a shock 25-6 loss to Newcastle, who led 24-0 during the first half.

Moments after the round 12 loss, Cleary took aim at his side, who were, to be fair, without the club’s six State of Origin stars.

It wasn’t a Des Hasler-like spray but this was as animated as the usually unflappable Cleary has ever become.

Those in a stunned dressing room post-game claimed an irritated Cleary said: “We can’t just expect to win anymore.

“We have to turn up to every training session ready to put in. We have to start from scratch. Do you have the hunger?”

Ivan Cleary turned his side's season around for five words.

One Panthers player said: “Everyone suddenly had their game faces on (after Bathurst). Everyone was switched on and the energy levels rose.”

On the Tuesday after Bathurst, when the players returned to training, there was a revived intensity and steel.

Every player turned up ready and focused – it was the honesty session that doubled as the club’s turning point.

And with the Origin players absent, it was left at the time to senior players like Mitch Kenny and Scott Sorensen to recapture the standards that had been missing.

After the Knights loss, TAB bookies pushed Penrith out to $23 in premiership betting. The Panthers have now won seven straight games and have amazed punters by tightening dramatically into $5.

TAB betting markets have seen Penrith tighten every weekend over the past nine weeks.

After 12 rounds, Penrith was leaking 24.6 points a game. Since then, the Panthers are conceding only 10 points a match.

Can the Panthers miraculously win five successive premierships? Why not?

“We can still get better,” said Ivan Cleary.

Some players also talked about the time it takes, perhaps up to six months, for new recruits to learn and understand the Panthers system.

New buys Isaiah Papali’i and Blaize Talagi appear comfortable now after unsettled starts to their tenure at the club.

Penrith’s seventh consecutive win came on Saturday with a 36-2 win over Wests Tigers.

The Panthers now sit just three points behind the fourth-placed Warriors.

Penrith’s run into the finals includes games against Gold Coast (a), Newcastle (a), Melbourne (h), Canberra (Mudgee), Bulldogs (a) and St George Illawarra (a).

Penrith started the season as $4.50 second favourites, behind Melbourne at $3.75, before the club’s horror opening three months.

Originally published as How Ivan Cleary’s Bathurst blast finally inspired underachieving Panthers in 2025