If ever the stuttering Panthers needed their spirits lifted, it was the Monday morning after their second straight defeat, when they were paid a visit by Penrith locals and Paris Olympic golden girls Jess and Noemie Fox.
Just as she has overcome adversity during a brilliant canoe slalom career, Jess backed her favourite NRL team to snap out of their funk and win a fourth straight NRL title.
“If they believe they can, they can,” Fox told this masthead.
The Panthers were stunned by Canberra on the weekend, a defeat which saw them drop to fourth on the ladder with two regular-season rounds remaining, and likely blows any hope of hosting a week-one qualifying final. But Fox isn’t writing them off yet.
“This team is special – what they’ve done the last few years has inspired so many of us,” Fox said. “They’re in a different position this year, but that’s an exciting challenge for them to take on, and from challenge comes growth.
“It was great to hang out with the team and share our experience from Paris. We spoke about mental prep, confidence, pressure, and how good Penrith is.
Isaah Yeo and Nathan Cleary with Noemie and Jess Fox on Monday morning.Credit: Penrith Panthers
“It was really cool to share this with the guys and wish them the best for the rest of the season – hopefully it gives them some good energy and inspiration for the next game.”
The Panthers will be expected to defeat a depleted South Sydney side at BlueBet Stadium on Friday night, then the Gold Coast Titans the following week at home. Melbourne and the Sydney Roosters occupy the top two spots, with Cronulla in third place.
Coach Ivan Cleary praised the Fox sisters for spending time with his playing group, who need to find their will to win – and quickly.
“Jess and Noemie are proud Penrith girls,” Cleary said. “It was so good for them to give up their time to come along and speak to our boys and share their experiences – not just through the most recent Olympics, but also before that.
“Adversity is always in and around what we do as sportspeople, and we are definitely in that little phase at the moment where we’re probably not playing as well as we like.
“I totally believe we can [still] win it, but we have to make a decision on whether we’re prepared to pay that price to win it.
“At the moment, there is probably a question mark around that. Right now, we’re not playing as well as we’d like, and not as well as we need to.
“On the weekend, we didn’t play anywhere near our best. We were out-willed by the opposition, which can happen from time to time. I know we have enough body of work behind us this season to be able to challenge.
“But there were periods in the Storm game [last Thursday week], and the games before that, and particularly on the weekend. I think it’s faire to question whether we’re prepared to pay that price.
“If you want to go the whole way, it’s not easy, and you have to pay a pretty hefty price along the way.”
Cleary said the Panthers dropped a game against Parramatta at a similar late stage of the season last year, and that it had proved a good “wake-up call”.
Nathan Cleary was spotted completing some passing drills early Monday with the rehab group, and remains on track for a return from a shoulder injury in week one of the finals, but back-up half Jack Cole’s season is all but over after falling victim to a nasty hip-drop tackle in the NSW Cup on Saturday evening.
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