One of the real highlights was Blaize Talagi’s try in the 45th minute. On the last play, he ignored his far more experienced halves partner on the right and darted to the left himself, showing plenty of confidence as he crossed the line and the gamble played off.
Equally, I enjoyed the performance of Luke Sommerton – who I think probably had his best game in first grade, and should have got himself a try in the second half if we’re going to back the referee’s on-field call.
Despite the bright sides, there is no doubt that things are pretty dire for Penrith at the moment.
And while Ivan Cleary said after the game that the ladder doesn’t really matter until July, no team running last after eight rounds has gone on to make the Finals since the NRL was formed in 1998. Make of that what you will, but it probably suggests the ladder does indeed matter in late April.
It’s hard to be angry at this Penrith side though given what they have achieved over the past five years.
Unlike supporting the Panthers through the rough period that preceded the Premiership run, the feeling is one of frustration more than it is total despair.
At the end of the day the side probably needs this type of season.
The likes of Dylan Edwards, Isaah Yeo and Moses Leota need a proper off-season that starts in September, not closer to when the Christmas Tree is up in Memory Park.
And it’s clear players like Casey McLean, Blaize Talagi and Lindsay Smith need more time to find their proper place in the Penrith system and what’s required to stay up every single week.
But of course, giving up on the season is not what elite athletes are about and certainly not what fans expect – so Penrith will keep turning up every week looking to dig themselves out of the hole.
The question must now be asked around whether the thing that has worked for Penrith so well over the past five years is now its downfall.
You constantly hear the Panthers talk about “the system”. How this system has laid the stones of success, how it has enabled the ‘next man up’ philosophy to flourish, and how it has soaked through to the lower grades.
But every system needs tweaking every now and again.
Perhaps other clubs have worked out the system and how to beat it. We certainly know that every team is ‘up’ when they play Penrith – Ivan Cleary’s side has been so dominant in recent years that the opposition they’re facing has tasted defeat after defeat in most cases. You could see last Saturday just how much the win meant to Manly, and it’s been evident in other teams’ reactions as well.
Penrith head to Suncorp Stadium this Sunday for a Magic Round showdown with Brisbane, ironically a home game for the Panthers.
As much as I’d like to still have the confidence I’d turned up with for the last eight weeks, I have real fears this scoreline could blow out against the Panthers on Sunday.
Penrith’s left-side defence is concerning, and Brisbane’s backline even without Reece Walsh has the potency to take advantage of it.
The loss of Scott Sorensen adds to Penrith’s constant headaches in terms of losing experience each week. As much as a Penrith win wouldn’t surprise me given we know what this side has in them, it’s one of those weeks you have to let the head overrule the heart.