Most Underrated Panthers Players

Penrith Panthers NRL
1

Hi all, with the season in hiatus, and to create a bit of fun and discussion, who would you list as the Most Underrated Panther Players (since ‘67)?

You know the ones, hard workers, great clubmen, possibly lower grades who rarely made firsts but when they did gave it their all.

Different from the best and greatest, no Alexander’s, Priddis, Gower, Cleary, Geyer or Sattler. The guys who never made the spotlight, but when the team needed them they gave their all.

After a period of nominations, intent will be to collate and run a poll. Maybe the most underrated and /or the underrated team of all time (position based).

Nominate as many as you wish.

1 Like
2

I’ll kick of with my nominations;

Paul Whateira (spelt wrong I know!)
Paul Clarke
Shannon Donato
Robbie Beckett
Shane Elford
David Simmons
David Greene
Joe Vitanza
Barry Walker

1 Like
3

I would agree with most of those. To that I would add;
Matt Goodwin
Col Bentley
Col van de Voort
Matt Sing

2 Likes
4

I certainly agree with Goodwin (how did I forget that mullet!), and good pick with Matt Sing (shame he left in the Super League war).

Not sure I would consider Gently Bentley and van De Voort as underrated, didn’t both get picket for SOO? (From memory Van De Voort pulled our injured).

Certainly great players, I will let the jury decide on their eligibility :joy:

1 Like
5

A lot of my choices have already been named, but I’ll add a few others:

I always thought Brad Drew & Jody Gall deserved more recognition. Greg Barwick was also an unheralded player in our first premiership team, as was Shane Rodney in our second premiership team.

2 Likes
6

Nigel Plum. I still whince at the thought of some of his hits !

2 Likes
7

Isaah yeo of the current players is very much underrated…solid reliable player

2 Likes
8

Complete agree with Yeo, I reckon he’s captain material for sure, and would have a great crack at SOO.

Plummy - one of the harder hitting defensive players we’ve seen.

9

My booze hound mate of many a reactor1 departure in day light…The 1…The only… Premiership winning winger Paul Smith.

2 Likes
10

Yep Smithy is definitely a good candidate

11

‘good candidate’ :scream:

What about Captain of the Wingers, the old days of winger in, he was always first hit up and rarely went backwards. :star_struck:

12

Off tge top of my head:
Phil Kleindienst
Reg Walton
Dave Applebee
Ron Mason
Terry Geary
Graham Moran
Lew Zivanovic
Graham West
Noel Sing
Zac Olejarnik

Jeez, that list shows how old I am!

13

Great list there,

I may be wrong, but didn’t Moran, West and Applebee all make the clubs best team of all time list? If not they are certainly fine candidates.

14

I googled the Panthers Greatest Team of All Time selected in 2006 & yes, Graham Moran was in the team. West & Applebee didn’t make te team I googled, but Terry Geary did! That surprised me, as he was always very under-rated, even by the club.

I remember an article saying that, one year back in the 70’s, the club didn’t renew his contract. A delegation from the Panthers made an end-of-year trip to the U.S. to one of the NFL clubs & they took a whole bunch of player stats with them. The guys at the NFL Club crunched the numbers and found Geary was one of the club’s most valuable players. They reckoned Penrith would be mad to let him go.

He was back on contract shortly after.

One or two others:

Kevin Dann - I know he played one game for NSW, but had a shocker & was never sighted again in rep footy. If you play S.O.O can you still be under-rated?

Ross Gigg
Peter ‘5 Tries’ Langmack
Ray Steele