Penrith Panthers’ amazing response to sex tape scandal

This time last year, the Panthers were reflecting on a horror season derailed by a sex tape scandal. Their recovery has been remarkable.

Tyrone May has fought back from rock bottom.

A year ago, the Panthers were looking back on a season where they played like household kittens rather than predators going in for the kill.

After 10 rounds in 2019, the team many expected to challenge for the premiership was bottom of the ladder, before a brief revival saved face somewhat and resulted in a 10th-place finish.

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Here was a side that, in 2018, came fifth and progressed to the second week of the finals but whose then-coach Anthony Griffin was punted before the elimination rounds because powerbrokers didn’t believe he could take them all the way.

Ivan Cleary was supposed to fix that in his first season back in charge of the club he was sacked from in 2015, but instead a sex tape scandal in the pre-season killed the Panthers campaign before it’d even begun.

Utility Tyrone May avoided jail but was slammed by a magistrate for his “reprehensible” behaviour when sentenced to 300 hours community service earlier this year after being found guilty of filming four sex tapes without the consent of the women involved.

The Panthers tried to convince everyone in rugby league — themselves included — the scandal wouldn’t be a distraction. But mid-season Cleary conceded defeat, admitting the external pressure took “an enormous toll on our team” and “we pretty much went off a cliff at the start of the year”.

Reflecting on the season from hell last November, halfback Nathan Cleary — Ivan’s son — said: “It did affect us a bit, as much as we never really spoke about it, which was probably the worst thing to do looking back.”

Then this year Nathan was caught in a scandal of his own, suspended for two matches and fined $30,000 for breaching COVID-19 restrictions — and lying about it to the NRL — when a TikTok video emerged of him dancing with a group of females at his home.

The Panthers were heading towards that cliff again.

Tyrone May’s career was in serious jeopardy.

But fast forward to now and the recovery has been incredible. The Panthers finished top of the table, are on a sizzling streak of 17 consecutive wins and have qualified for the grand final after beating Souths on Saturday night. They’ll face Melbourne for bragging rights over the most unusual premiership in NRL history.

It’s the Panthers’ first decider since winning the title in 2003, when a Scott Sattler sideline tackle on Roosters winger Todd Byrne went down in grand final folklore.

So how did they get here?

For one, Nathan Cleary — previously accused of lacking flair and creativity — has added to his attacking arsenal and matured into the NRL’s dominant halfback. Still only 22, the playmaker is the Dally M Medal favourite and an automatic selection in the NSW Origin side.

His halves partner Jarome Luai, 23, has also been a standout — the yin to Cleary’s yang. Both young guns grew up playing juniors together and the chemistry built up over years of sharing the field has been obvious as they direct Penrith’s much-improved attack.

Back-rower Viliame Kikau has been an absolute weapon on the left edge, Dylan Edwards is silencing the doubters who questioned whether he was the best option at fullback, hooker Api Koroisau keeps proving he’s the best buy of the season, 20-year-old centre Stephen Crichton has emerged as a genuine superstar, veteran captain James Tamou is playing with the energy of a younger man in the front row and second-rower Liam Martin is enjoying a breakout year.

Even May has had his moments in 15 appearances this year after missing the entirety of last season.

Another major factor in Penrith’s success is it’s a young team full of stars — not just Nathan and Luai — who spent their childhoods playing and winning together before graduating to the top grade.

Newcastle legend Matty Johns said on his podcast this week the club is benefiting from investment in youth and the work being done in its pathways system, saying “these brilliant young players have matured”.

“The fact they’ve all come through together — they like each other, they love each other,” Johns added.

NRL 360 co-host Paul Kent elaborated and praised Ivan for listening to his players and devising a game plan built around their strengths.

“They are enthusiastic, they are willing to learn, they are highly talented and they have a history of winning,” Kent said of the Panthers’ young brigade.

“They’ve come all through their junior football and have done nothing but win premierships.

“All those little things you try to learn with your teammates — a lot of that’s already ingrained.

“Luai and Nathan Cleary, they’ve played so much footy together, they complement each other.”

Whatever the result next Sunday night against the Storm, the Panthers’ recovery from cellar dwellers in May 2019 to grand finalists in October 2020 is nothing short of remarkable. But if they can scrounge one more win to keep their record unbeaten streak alive, then they’ll be partying like it’s 2003 at the foot of the mountains.

The Panthers have loved every minute of this season.