With just a few weeks until the 2016 NRL season gets under way, the Penrith Panthers are looking for a much improved campaign. In the last campaign, the Panthers laboured to an 11th placed finish and Anthony Griffin’s side will be looking for a top-half finish this season at the very least. Penrith aren’t a bad side but injuries and inconsistencies across the side cost them dearly in 2015. Looking ahead, there’s absolutely no reason why they cannot enjoy a surprisingly successful season and reach the NRL postseason, perhaps even win the NRL Grand Final. However, they are a long way off competing against defending champions, theย North Queensland Cowboys, just yet.
“JUNIOR TIA KILIFI”ย (CC BY-SA 2.0)ย byย ย NAPARAZZIย
Ultimately, Penrith’s main aim will be to finish in the playoff spots. From there, anything can happen and a look at the odds can give a good reflection. As of 22nd February, the Panthers are priced at 7/1 atย 32Red Australiaย to reach the Grand Final this season and, with a bit of luck, Griffin’s men are capable of achieving this. It looks as though the Penrith head coach will opt for an experienced starting line-up in the curtain raiser against the Canberra Raiders, with both Peter Wallace and Jamie Soward set to earn their respective places in the side. With these two, you know what you’re getting in both attack and defence and their experience and leadership qualities could prove useful for the rest of Penrith’s squad.
However, many believe that the Panthers should take a risk and offer promising youngster Te Maire Martin the opportunity to prove his worth in the starting unit. In their recent warm-up clash with the Parramatta Eels, Wallace and Soward failed to inspire confidence as Penrith slipped to a 22-8 defeat. While the Eels are a good side, the Panthers should have kept this closeย and Maire Martin may just be the man to lead them out of the doldrums. If Penrith want to succeed, they must take risks and while the 20-year-old isn’t the complete package, he’s incredibly exciting to watchย and won’t be held back at Penrith. In addition, heย can produce that individual moment of magic to unlock opposing defences. With Wallace and Soward, everything is a bit predictable at times.
With new head coach Anthony Griffin at the helm, Penrith should have a much greater sense of direction this season. While Ivan Cleary was adored by many fans, he lost his way towards the end of his three years at the clubย and the Panthers were right to move on. Griffin enjoyed three years at the Brisbane Broncos before moving to Penrith and, although he hasn’t won or featured in a Grand Final, Panthers fans will be backing their new boss to take the club out of its current predicament. Another look at the odds shows that 32Red and Winner price the Panthers at 16/1 to win the Grand Final outright and that would be the perfect start to Penrith’s new era under Griffin. Only time will tell but the Griffin-Maire Martin combination could enjoy plenty of success for years to come.
For Penrith to succeed, they must remain focused – both on and off the field. Club captain Matt Moylan is one of the NRL’s top talents and the five-eighth will be instrumental for the Panthers again in 2016. Moylan is also capable of playing at full-back, making him a lethal, versatile weapon. If Griffin can come up with a way to utilise him effectively, Penrith may just be in business this year. Moylan remains a leading contender for the Dally M Medal in 2016 but imagine Moylan and Maire Martin on the pitch for the Panthers at the same time? It would certainly make for a thrilling spectacle, even if a little erraticย at times. The NRL is one of the most entertaining divisions in sport and, while Penrith’s primary aim is winning matches, appealing to their growing fan base is also crucial.
“MATT MOYLAN”ย (CC BY-SA 2.0)ย byย ย NAPARAZZIย
So, what should we expect from Penrith in 2016? Well, a much improved, consistent showing would suffice but the Panthers have enough talent to reach the postseason. Griffin may allow Maire Martin to find his feet in the 9’s before making the step up to the NRL, however, he could be the man to change Penrith’s fortunes. The young Kiwi is a phenomenal talent and could form an immense bond with Moylan in the Panthers attack. One thing is for sure: Panthers fans should be VERY excited about the future…
