Some might think it’s too early for a thread like this, but I think most can see the writing on the wall, and already know the problems.
So this will be the home of Season 2020 discussion. What went wrong in 2019 and what do you think should be done in preparation of next year. Once the season is done and dusted for the Panthers, I will start adding some statistics and such for you all.
Pretty simple for mine ATTITUDE
I could change my allegiance and support my local team but I live on the Gold coast 
the first thing we have to do to frame any discussion is to understand what we have to work with and from what i see there are only 2 certainties for next year
Ivan Cleary will be coach and Nathan with be our 7
Thats the unchangeable…but there are others who are not set in stone and we could add in a wishlist of who we could attract and then there are others like May who cannot be even discussed until he has exhausted his legal options.
First we need a world class/high quality centre to play at 3…whats wrong with the kid the Knights let go?
Let RCG go to the Eels
at 6 i would begin with Burton
I think that would be about all we could do with people
the bigger issue is what to do with these people and coming up with both a defensive pattern which works and if you have to copy Roosters and or Storm do it
and the same applies with our attack…it’s been well documented by all posters on this site how we can get downfield…we can even stay in the opposition 20…we just have no creativity or ideas in the red zone.
Lastly i would be working in discipline and if this means we have to bring in a ref to coach, we need to do it and do it every week
Our problems are not beyond fixing, its the commitment by all involved to fix, is where we appear to have the issue.
I’d say Nathan’s progress under (dad) Ivan has been poor.
I expected more from both of them. So Barrett comes in and
Nathan all of a sudden shines? Sayonara Ivan the terrible !
I’d experiment with Luai #6, Burton #3, and Burton #6, Luai #14 to see how the different combinations work.
I think we need to find a speedster to replace either Mansour or Whare.
Another good metre eater would be handy too, especially if RCG is moving on.
I think the club needs some sessions with a sports psychologist to get over last summer, and get them focused on the task at hand.
More fitness sessions wouldn’t go astray either.
As I alluded to in another thread, IC should get the boys back into training straight away, not let them have 2 months to mess around.
if you have a bad year driving the bus, or I have bad sales numbers for the year, do we then not get to have our leave? 
As much as I can see your point to punish them, or keep them busy so they don’t have time to get into trouble, I don’t think that’s the answer. And despite our disappointing season, some of the boys have busted their arse & so you can’t punish them all
I agree. A early start to training is a must, but they do need have a break from footy, even if it just to put this year behind them.
I wasn’t saying they don’t get a break, but they shouldn’t get 2 months off. Get them into training again straight away, then give them their break after the Grand Final.
If we’re stuck with this pathetic excuse of a coach, can we please just skip forward and start discussing the 2024 season?
Hmmm, a five year plan Tom. Haven’t we tried that? 
Free up cash by releasing RCG, Whare, Winterstein, Sele, Hethrington (maybe Ellis too who for some reason seems to have fallen out with the coach).
Make an all out bid for one of the following;
Ponga - 5/8 or
T.Turbo - Centre or
Tedesco - fullback
Yes I may be ridiculously optimistic, but one of these players you could build a team around.
Ponga and Turbo are both reportedly interested in playing elsewhere if the price is right.
I wouldn’t be surprised if we make a play for Josh Reynolds either - depth signing if the price is right
Pretty sure Hethro is already signed elsewhere for next year.
too complicated to cover in a post. Just where are we for all the effort & money invested during the last 10 years? Not far I would say for all the hot air expelled.
Years ago, give the ball to peanuts and say “do your best”
Later, give the ball to Jenko and say “do your best”
2019 give the ball to Billy & say “do your best”
To be fair, we also had the ‘give the ball to Walshy & kick a bomb’ era also.
We need to get the balance between retention of existing players, recruitment of players from other clubs and the introduction of young players from the academy right.
I believe we have failed in two of those…only the introduction of the youngsters has been a success.
With the exception of Tim Grant the other players brought to the club at the end of last season namely Malakai W-Z, Tyrell Fuimaono, Hame Sele and Frank Winterstein haven’t made an impact on our first grade team. Although all have been given opportunity at some stage :during the season. I do note and appreciate the work Frank does off the field…well done Frank.
We are also paying out big bucks on lengthly contracts to some players (I wont name them… but ones a winger the other a centre) who are not performing…yet we released a winger to the slime merchants who has scored 17 tries this season. WTF.
Its been a tough season alright…tonight our season will perhaps end…nevertheless I will cheer the Panthers until the fat lady has sung her last song and will be back again next season regardless.
Finally thanks to the young guns who have performed with merit, determination and enthusiasm leaving us with considerable optimism for the future. LetsgoPanthers.
Apart from obvious issues like 1st in Errors and 1st in Penalties, this table showing 3 stats below is alarming to me regarding this season.
The most tackles in the Opposition 20 by far (125 more than the second placed Sea Eagles), and the second least tries scored this season, just above cellar dwellers Bulldogs. This resulting in the worst Opposition 20 tackles to tries ratio in the league.
We don’t seem to have a problem getting up the field, that part is obvious. But why does that go out of the window the moment we cross into the oppositions red zone? Is it an experience issue?, is it a game plan issue?, is it a coaching issue?
I don’t know, but if they can’t at least sort that out, we are in for a looooong 2020
| Tries | TO20 | 20T/T | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roosters | 106 | 1 | Panthers | 809 | 1 | Roosters | 5.11 | ||
| 2 | Storm | 100 | 2 | Sea Eagles | 684 | 2 | Storm | 6.71 | ||
| 3 | Eels | 85 | 3 | Storm | 671 | 3 | Sharks | 7.00 | ||
| 4 | Sharks | 85 | 4 | Rabbitohs | 668 | 4 | Eels | 7.31 | ||
| 5 | Sea Eagles | 82 | 5 | Titans | 661 | 5 | Raiders | 7.59 | ||
| 6 | Raiders | 82 | 6 | Cowboys | 643 | 6 | Knights | 8.04 | ||
| 7 | Rabbitohs | 80 | 7 | Tigers | 623 | 7 | Broncos | 8.16 | ||
| 8 | Knights | 77 | 8 | Raiders | 622 | 8 | Dragons | 8.22 | ||
| 9 | Tigers | 75 | 9 | Eels | 621 | 9 | Tigers | 8.31 | ||
| 10 | Broncos | 70 | 10 | Bulldogs | 620 | 10 | Sea Eagles | 8.34 | ||
| 11 | Warriors | 68 | 11 | Knights | 619 | 11 | Rabbitohs | 8.35 | ||
| 12 | Dragons | 65 | 12 | Sharks | 595 | 12 | Warriors | 8.60 | ||
| 13 | Titans | 60 | 13 | Warriors | 585 | 13 | Cowboys | 10.72 | ||
| 14 | Cowboys | 60 | 14 | Broncos | 571 | 14 | Titans | 11.02 | ||
| 15 | Panthers | 58 | 15 | Roosters | 542 | 15 | Bulldogs | 12.16 | ||
| 16 | Bulldogs | 51 | 16 | Dragons | 534 | 16 | Panthers | 13.95 |
TO20 Tackles in Opposition 20 metres
20T/T Opposition 20 Tackles Per Try
Going beyond Penrith, I think there are changes needed in the game in general, particularly a few rule/interpretation changes, and changes to how the game is refereed.
The obstruction rule needs to be overhauled & common sense brought into the equation. I’ve seen 2 tries this week called back due to a player stopping in the line. On both occasions the defenders were more interested in appealing to the referee than actually trying to stop the try themselves. We should not be rewarding laziness. It should only be called back if the defender makes a genuine attempt & is impeded.
The one on one strip rule needs to be redefined as only in a one in one tackle, not when there are multiple players involved & some drop off the tackle to create the one on one afterwards.
If we are going to have scrum & dropout clocks, enforce them, or pause them if there is a problem.
As I’ve said before regarding refereeing:
When a try goes to the bunker, remove the on field call. Let the bunker make the decision free of the burden of proof.
Allow the bunker to rule on forward passes when it is obvious.
Stop the practice of referees changing ends mid set.
Another interesting piece of statistics (I got these from a facebook group, but validated the data) was the halves performances. Why individually brilliant, they didn’t seem to gel together as a combination. This may shed some light on the poor attack on the oppositions line.
| Games | Tries | Try Assists | |
|---|---|---|---|
| With Maloney | 18 | 4 (0.22) | 6 (0.33) |
| Without Maloney | 2 | 2 (1.00) | 2 (1.00) |
| Games | Tries | Try Assists | |
|---|---|---|---|
| With Cleary | 18 | 2 (0.11) | 12 (0.66) |
| Without Cleary | 3 | 0 (0.00) | 4 (1.3) |
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