Panthers 2021 NRL season preview: The rising stars central to Penrith’s success
How do you improve after taking one of the competition’s youngest rosters to within a converted try of the NRL premiership? Nick Walshaw takes a look.
Panthers
Don't miss out on the headlines from Panthers. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The old adage you need to lose one to win one may not hold up in the modern game which won’t be welcome news for the Panthers.
In the NRL era (1998-2020) the defeated grand finalists have won the following year on just four occasions (Manly 2008 and Storm 2007, 2009 and 2017).
So, who needs to step up in order for the team to go the one final step this season?
Let’s take a look.
LIST CHANGES
Penrith
2020 ladder position: 1st, beaten in the NRL grand final by Melbourne.
Ins: Robert Jennings (Tigers), Matt Eisenhuth (Tigers), Jaeman Salmon (Eels)
Outs: Jack Hetherington (Bulldogs), Caleb Aekins (Raiders), James Tamou (Tigers), Zane Tetevano (Leeds), Malakai Watene-Zelezniak, Pat Hollis, Brayden McGrady, Dean Blore (released)
Players in the 2020 Rich 100: 3 — 6. Nathan Cleary ($1 million), 37. James Tamou ($750,000), 55. Viliame Kikau ($675,000), 93. Apisai Koroisau ($500,000)
COACH STATUS
Safer than son Nathan’s goalkicking. Or close enough. Now coming into his third year of a five-season deal, Ivan Cleary brings a minor premiership trophy, TAB favouritism and a close relationship with many of the team’s key players.
Despite a tough first year with the club, which opened with that sex tape scandal from which the team never really recovered, Cleary proved his worth in the second, taking one of the competition’s youngest rosters to within a converted try of the NRL premiership.
WHAT IS THEIR GAME PLAN?
When you finish the regular season first, and then come within six points of an NRL premiership, there isn’t a lot needs changing.
Obviously some of the younger players must now adopt a more mature, or senior, approach in 2021 following the departure of captain James Tamou and, potentially, veteran winger Josh Mansour.
Will also be interesting to see what tweaks coach Cleary makes to the side’s attack following the departure of assistant coach Trent Barrett. Shifting to the new role of Canterbury head coach, Barrett had a major say in how Penrith attacked and scored its points.
He will be replaced by Andrew Webster, who joins from Wests Tigers.
THE SIGNINGS
As usual with Penrith, the big issue isn’t so much signing talent as retaining it. While not making a big play in the open market, Robert Jennings, Matt Eisenhuth and Jaeman Salmon add depth to the Panthers’ top 30 NRL roster.
Better, they still have a couple of spots to fill. While Moses Leota is the obvious option to replace Tamou at prop, it’s likely the club will look to sign another bookend.
Elsewhere, the club is also looking closely at its next wave of talent, the pick of whom appear to be in last year’s SG Ball side. While still a couple of years off first grade, there are big raps on young halves Jake Hay and Jack Cole, who hail from Gundagai and Orange respectively.
Another rising star is centre Sunia Turuva, who won Patrician Brothers Blacktown this year’s NRL Schoolboy Cup final with an outstanding solo try late in the game.
THE KIDS
St Marys prop Lindsay Smith moves off a development contract and into the top squad for 2021.
A rising star throughout his teens, Collins’ progress was temporarily stalled for a year over the little matter of a double shoulder reconstruction. Was brought inside the Panthers Bubble for the 2020 premiership campaign.
Elsewhere, 21-year-old fullback Daine Laurie was also tipped to join the NRL roster this season, however that is now less likely to happen given his signing a two-year deal with the Wests Tigers from 2022.
THE REINVENTIONS
Interesting to see how the club uses Matt Burton, who coach Ivan Cleary had hoped to transform into a centre long-term. Unlikely to happen now given his signing with the Bulldogs from 2022, with the playmaker instead to stay a handy back-up for the halves and, potentially, earn himself a utility role off the bench.
If he can put his off-field dramas behind him, rising centre Brent Naden will be looking to regain top form.
There have also been whispers of coach Cleary eventually look to make a middle out of workaholic backrower Liam Martin.
THE NEXT STEP
Charlie Staines. Still only 20, the Forbes product has already been earmarked for a massive upcoming season, as confirmed by the Panthers giving club favourite Josh Mansour permission to look elsewhere.
While Mansour’s contract will be honoured if he sees out the final year, the club has made it clear Staines is their Generation Next. Along with Brian To’o, the pair give Penrith a couple of exciting young finishers on the edges.
Of course, given they boast one of the competition’s youngest rosters, Penrith will also be hoping a number of other rising stars go to a new level in 2021 -- among them Nathan Cleary, Stephen Crichton and Jarome Luai.
After years of continually churning through local juniors, the club’s success in the next five years will be determined by this current crop growing old together. Will also be interesting to watch Kurt Capewell’s push for a starting spot, especially given his heroics for Queensland in this year’s State of Origin series.
The best 17 for 2021:
1 Dylan Edwards
2 Charlie Staines
3 Stephen Crichton
4 Brent Naden
5 Brian To’o
6 Jarome Luai
7 Nathan Cleary
8 Moses Leota
9 Api Koroisau
10 James Fisher-Harris
11 Viliame Kikau
12 Liam Martin
13 Isaah Yeo
14 Kurt Capewell
15 Matt Eisenhuth
16 Spencer Leniu
17 Tyrone May
2021 squad: Billy Burns, Matt Burton, Kurt Capewell, Nathan Cleary, Stephen Crichton, Dylan Edwards, James Fisher-Harris, Robert Jennings, Matt Eisenhuth, Mitch Kenny, Viliame Kikau, Apisai Koroisau, Spencer Leniu, Moses Leota, Jarome Luai, Josh Mansour, Liam Martin, Tyrone May, Brent Naden, Jaeman Salmon, Charlie Staines, Brian To’o, Dean Whare, Isaah Yeo
Fox Sports Lab’s Aaron Wallace says: If the Panthers can maintain their efforts in defence next season they will certainly be in with another shot at the title. Their 13.4 points conceded per game was the best for the Panthers in almost 30 years. Their attack was also very good finishing at just over 26 points per game - their best since the early 2000s.
The old adage you need to lose one to win one may not hold up in the modern game however. In the NRL era (1998-2020) the defeated grand finalists have won the following year on just four occasions (Manly 2008 and Storm 2007, 2009 and 2017)
Finish the last five years: 1st, 10th, 5th, 7th, 6th
Odds are: Premiership $4.50, Top-four $1.65, Top-8 $1.10, Most losses $101
More Coverage
Originally published as Panthers 2021 NRL season preview: The rising stars central to Penrith’s success
NRL Xmas wish list: Clause curses, Nelson off the naughty list
Some clubs just want a season without any off-field distractions, others need their players to find some focus inside the lines. We take a look at what’s on every NRL club’s wish list this Christmas.
Reed Mahoney vs everyone: Bitter NRL feuds that will define 2025
Bulldogs rake Reed Mahoney will have a bounty on his head heading into 2025 after accruing an array of victims in 2024. We reveal the best, and worst, feuds of the year and who won’t be exchanging Christmas cards.