NRL 2020: How the Panthers are mirroring the success of greatest Manchester United side
A young group of Panthers is hoping its journey delivers the special kind of success enjoyed by a famous crop of Manchester United kids headlined by a certain superstar almost 30 years ago.
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Nathan Cleary is walking the same path as a young David Beckham.
In cheaper shoes, maybe.
Yet still in lockstep.
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Which is why his Penrith Panthers are, right now, such an NRL premiership threat.
Chasing history?
No, these youngsters from western Sydney are looking to repeat it.
Not that any of them know.
Or didn’t until only a few months back, when the entire Panthers squad was called into a meeting to discuss, of all things, a famous British sports documentary — The Class of ‘92.
Released in 2013, the popular UK film examines the incredible rise of six young Manchester United players who – led by Beckham – went from an FA Youth Cup title to Champions League triumph.
Did it in seven years, too.
Apart from Becks, the group of youngsters also included future superstars like Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt, Gary Neville, Phil Neville and Paul Scholes.
Together, forming the most dominant side anywhere in English Premier League.
“Which is a story I knew nothing about,” Cleary concedes.
“But now, we talk about it all the time.”
Again, because history is repeating.
In scenes eerily similar to what occurred among those Manchester mates, the current Panthers side boasts seven players who, together, have risen up from its 2015 NYC premiership team.
A roll call which includes not only Cleary, but Dylan Edwards, Brent Naden, Jarome Luai, Tyrone May, Moses Leota and James Fisher-Harris.
“Which I’d never considered special,” Cleary continues.
“All us boys playing together, it’s all we’ve ever known.
“But then, once we started talking about that film, you realise how lucky we are.
“I know personally, I’ve never felt a bond like I do in this team.”
While Cleary may have given little thought to what’s happening out west, retired Wallabies prop Ben Darwin can quantify it all with one acronym – TWI, or the Teamwork Index.
Now working as a data analyst, Darwin has produced several papers explaining how his Teamwork Index can predict the success of a sporting franchise by measuring the “cohesion” among players — created by shared experiences over time.
Or put another way, the 2020 Panthers.
A team whose bond, Cleary reveals, was first born as a whisper.
“Back when I was 14,” he says. “Before a junior game against St Marys.
“It was my first year in the local competition and, one afternoon at training, all the boys started talking about this gun in the opposition.
“Skinny kid, they said. But a freak.
“Awesome footwork.
“They were all saying how we would get pumped.”
So what happened?
“We got pumped,” Cleary laughs. “And Jarome Luai played like a gun.”
Which is how these NRL halves partners first meet.
Within months, not only playing together in Harold Matthews, but part of a Panthers Playmaker Academy that also involved a youngster named Tyrone May.
“Although T-May wouldn’t talk to me,” Cleary laughs of the Panthers utility.
“Apparently because dad was in charge of first grade, he’d told people he wasn’t hanging out with the coach’s son.
“But now, we’re best mates. Live together.
“It’s funny how things work out.”
Again, Class of ‘92.
Which is why, only this week, one of Darwin’s papers was circulated among Penrith staff.
With Panthers GM Matt Cameron confirming how this current side — which hasn’t been pieced together by accident — is now taking a keen interest in not only Beckham, or Darwin’s TWI, but harnessing that value in those six closest of mates.
“Which is interesting,” Cameron says.
“And definitely, we think, part of what is going on here.
“Currently in first grade, we’ve assembled a group of players who have grown up together, played with and against each another, even lived in houses close together.
“So there’s a lot of love there.
“A connection.
“And that’s something (coach) Ivan Cleary is focusing on this year.
“We want our players connected to one another.
“Because in sport, you know how easy it is for a playing group to become disconnected, and then disconnected from staff simultaneously.”
Which is why from his large office window at Panthers HQ, Cameron not only watches out over team field sessions, but also how long it takes players to leave afterwards.
“Because you can almost sense the group’s mood by how long it takes them to walk off,” he says. “And this year, I’ve seen them still there after 45 minutes.
“Just sitting around in the sun, talking, laughing, maybe throwing an NFL football around.
“The cohesion within our group is through the roof.”
Which isn’t the only upside, either.
“For a lot of our young guys, they’ve come through programs where winning is the norm,” Cameron continues.
“Which brings with it a swagger, and confidence.
“You talk to our younger guys about having now won 10 in a row and they’ll just go ‘yeah?’. They’re used to it.”
But still, the real work is coming.
Especially when you understand how the knock on Penrith has always been them staying forever young.
The result, undeniably, of having so many incredible kids coming through.
Almost like before one gets settles, another is pushing him out again.
“So that’s now the focus for this lot,” Cameron says.
“Having grown up together, they now have to grow old together, too.”
Originally published as NRL 2020: How the Panthers are mirroring the success of greatest Manchester United side