History says Penrith’s premiership streak will end at four, but a Panthers legend says they can’t be counted out just yet even though there’s “a bit to get right”.
No team since 1908 has won a title after a 1-5 start, which is where Penrith find themselves after six rounds.
After five straight losses, the once premiership favourites have now drifted out to $14 with bookies.
Panthers great and Fox League expert Greg Alexander says the mountain men will have to turn things around rapidly to stay in touch with the eight, detailing what he believes has gone awry so far this season.
“It’ll have to happen pretty quickly,” Alexander said.
“I think what we’ve seen from the Panthers is a whole lot of things that have led to their slow start.
“I think Vegas has even had an effect on them. I don’t like to call it complacency but the fact they weren’t great in Vegas but they scored points in 5-10 minute bunches and enough to win the game.
“The players that have departed, you can throw that into the mix. You can also throw in there have been injuries and suspensions in the early part of the season, and there are individuals that just aren’t playing as well as they have been over the past four years.”
The Panthers have lost a stack of players over the course of their four-year reign because of the salary cap squeeze but have been able to replace those stars within their own system.
This past off-season, gun pivot Jarome Luai and one of the game’s best props in James Fisher-Harris departed as well as try-scoring winger Sunia Turuva.
While most expected the Panthers’ next man up policy to fill the void as it has in years prior, Luai, Fisher-Harris and Turuva have proved tough to replace.
Luai’s replacement Jack Cole has been dropped to reserve grade this week while Blaize Talagi hasn’t come along as quickly as Penrith hoped so far.
“Over the last four years it’s been a next man up mentality but there comes a stage where the next man up is a teenager with little first grade experience,” Alexander said.
“I’m not saying they won’t turn into outstanding players but when you have so many youngsters with so little experience when you’ve got injuries and key problems with key players during that time, it makes it hard.
“I think for a whole bunch of reasons they are where they are. I think a win would solve a lot of problems and get them on their way.”
Alexander went on to outline what the Panthers need to do to get back on track and is confident they have the players to help them out of the slump.
“While periods through these games they have look completely out of sorts and unlike themselves, they still haven’t been far away from getting a win,” he said.
“They’ll need to defend better. They haven’t been able to defend errors and they haven’t been able to stop teams where in the past they have.
“They also have to be better with the ball because they had 50 tackles inside the 20 against the Dolphins but only scored off a kick and a mistake in the Dolphins in goal area.
“There’s a bit to get right but once it clicks it will click.
“Never underestimate and never knock a champion and they have a few of them the Panthers … How could you write them off?”
The Panthers will aim to stop their five-game slide when they take on the hot-and-cold Roosters in a Easter Saturday blockbuster — live and exclusive on Fox League, available on Kayo Sports.
