Wayward Panthers can’t deliver win for new coach Ivan Cleary

After a drama-filled off-season the last thing Penrith’s new coach needed was to go out in round one and lose to the reigning wooden spooners, a team rated a good chance at finishing last again.

Nathan Cleary and Panthers players look on after a Parramatta try. Picture: Brett Costello

Ivan Cleary needed a win as much as Brad Arthur did.

After all the drama that followed his exit from the Wests Tigers.

And all the recent ugly headlines surrounding the sex video scandal that has engulfed the Panthers.

For the fact is Penrith are one of the competition heavyweights and a side many believe should challenge the Sydney Roosters for this year’s NRL title.

The last thing they needed was to go out in round one and lose to the reigning wooden spooners, a team rated a good chance at finishing last again.

But if you didn’t know better, you would have walked away thinking Cleary was the bloke with all the work ahead of him.

Because when it mattered most, when the game was in the balance at 14-12 and it was open for the kill, the Eels outlasted the Panthers through discipline.

Nathan Cleary and Panthers players look on after a Parramatta try. Picture: Brett Costello

That was their downfall last year. But on Sunday it sent the Panthers home with nothing to celebrate.

And while there were reports of a series of explosions going off in the pubs around Balmain Sunday night, it was later revealed it was only Tigers fans celebrating.

In all seriousness, Cleary would have been desperate to get his return to the club off to a winning start but ultimately his players had only themselves to blame for the loss.

“It was definitely part of that. There was some discipline (issues),” Cleary said.

“A couple of poor penalties we gave away in the second half.

“We needed to play with more control. I thought the clock was on our side. I felt the game was turning our way.

“I really thought we had every right to get that game finished. But I think we only had one completed set in the last 15 minutes when it was 14-12. That was disappointing.”

Panthers prop James Tamou is wrapped up by the Eels defence. Picture: Getty Images

All in all, the Eels deserved their 20-12 victory.

While it is hardly crisis time after one round, it was sure a clear message for where Penrith need to improve.

Current NSW halves James Maloney and Nathan Cleary were outplayed by their rivals, teenager Dylan Brown playing his first game and Mitchell Moses.

Coach Cleary refused to blame the recent off-field scandals for the performance but there is no doubt discipline will be the key to their season.

“It is disappointing obviously to lose round one,” Nathan Cleary said.

“But we definitely know where we went wrong.

“There were some good patches there but we just didn’t sustain it for long enough and we were just letting ourselves down with penalties at bad times in the game.

“It is a maturing process and we are all trying to get better in that aspect.

“It is a work in progress.

“We just weren’t good enough in that area.”

Originally published as Wayward Panthers can’t deliver win for new coach Ivan Cleary