Extra Time April 5

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GRUDGE MATCH CLEARY FACES TIGERS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE SHOCK EXIT MASKED PANTHER > P32 Ivan’s spray, Tyrone Phillips quits plus who’s not talking to who?

DALLIN’S 100TH > P34 Watene-Zelezniak reflects on big moments ahead of milestone game

CLINTON MAYNARD > P38 Will James Maloney and Nathan Cleary keep their Origin jumpers?

Friday, April 5, 2019 « the western weekender • extra time

PANTHER RUMBLINGS

with the Masked Panther

PHILLIPS GONE  I’m told that Panthers coach Ivan

Cleary’s spray at his troops after last weekend’s loss to Melbourne was so loud you probably could have heard it back in Penrith. Cleary wasn’t happy with his side’s effort in the second half and certainly let the players know of his disdain, giving them a massive dressing down – his first since returning to the club.

Hopefully it’ll have some impact as the Panthers prepare to play the Wests Tigers at Panthers Stadium this weekend.

Tyrone Phillips has parted ways with the Panthers

 The rugby league future of Panthers

reserve grader Tyrone Phillips is in grave doubt after the 25-year-old parted ways with the club this week. Phillips was charged with mid-range drink driving last weekend, and had already been on thin ice at the Panthers after he appeared in a highly publicised sex tape that rocked the team in the pre-season. The club met with Phillips and his management on Monday, and the former Bulldogs winger resigned from the club.

 Suspended Panthers half Tyrone May

briefly returned to Instagram last week, but disappeared again a few days later.

May is now only a few weeks away from fronting court on charges stemming from the release of that sex tape in the off-season.

 Spotted: The Cleary family walking

around the famous Mount Panorama track at Bathurst last Saturday morning. It was a tad warmer than what the weather gods produced later that night!

 Spotted: Ivan’s wife Bec Cleary and

their children watching the Panthers v Storm match from the corporate tent at Carrington Park.

 A few special guests were on hand at

Panthers training on Monday. A number of organ transplant recipients and their families, along with representatives from DonateLife and Transplant Australia, attended the session as part of a campaign to get Australians talking about organ donation. The issue is of personal interest to Penrith coach Ivan Cleary, who donated

a kidney to his brother Ash in 2017. DonateLife will have a marquee at Panthers Stadium on Friday night where fans can learn more about organ donation.

 A new twist has been thrown into Penrith’s dramatic coaching merry-go-round last year with confirmation that Panthers General Manager Phil Gould had secret talks with supercoach Wayne Bennett about replacing Anthony Griffin at the foot of the Mountains. Gould and Bennett were willing to put their differences aside, and it appears as though Gus had his man. The Board however had already set their sights on Ivan Cleary. Time will tell if the Board’s decision was the right one.

 Talking of Phil Gould, not surprisingly there’s been plenty of talk about his

CC TYRES FAMILY-OWNED & OPERATED, WITH OVER 60 YEARS SERVICING THE PENRITH REGION.

relationship with Ivan Cleary, especially given how poorly Penrith have performed in recent weeks. It would be wrong to say Gould and Cleary do not talk to each other. In fact, I spotted them having a lengthy conversation at the Panthers’ season launch last month and they catch up semi-regularly. Gould certainly has less involvement in the day-to-day running of the football side than he used to, and it’s fair to say his relationship with Ivan is not perfect, but any suggestion that there’s a civil war at play is incorrect. Time, and winning, heals all wounds.



Are you heading to the Royal Easter Show this year? Don’t forget to head to the showbag pavilion and pick up a Panthers Showbag. It costs around $26 and is actually using the correct Panthers logo this time around.

 Youngster Liam Martin became

Panther #584 when he debuted for the club against Melbourne last weekend.

Martin broke down in tears when he was presented his jersey by Panthers legend Royce Simmons. It was a highlight for Martin after what’s been a difficult few years, which included the tragic passing of his brother.

 I hear things got pretty tense between

Panthers and the NRL over Isaah Yeo and that confusing concussion situation in Newcastle a fortnight ago. In fact, there’s a whisper Penrith may have actually been issued a suspended fine over their handling of the situation.

 Well done to Nathan Cleary who visited kids from Panthers on the Prowl on his day off earlier this week.

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THE FINAL WORD

v

FRIDAY, APRIL 5 • 7.55PM | PANTHERS STADIUM | REFEREES: G SUTTON & Z PRZEKLASA-ADAMSKI

PANTHERS 1

Dylan Edwards

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Josh Mansour Dean Whare Waqa Blake Dallin Watene-Zelezniak James Maloney Nathan Cleary James Tamou Sione Katoa Reagan Campbell-Gillard Viliame Kikau Isaah Yeo James Fisher-Harris Wayde Egan Frank Winterstein Moses Leota Hame Sele Liam Martin 19 Tim Grant

the western weekender • extra time » Friday, April 5, 2019

MATCH PREVIEW

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TIGERS

FOX LEAGUE CHANNEL 9

Nathan and Ivan Cleary discuss this week’s game plan. Photo: Megan Dunn

TROY

DODDS After last weekend’s horrific performance against Melbourne, questions are starting to be asked about where the Panthers are headed in 2019, with pressure building on everyone from the Chairman to the coach, players and anyone else with a security pass that grants them access to the Panthers Academy.

The questions are fair enough. Writing this side off is not. If Penrith fans have learned anything over the past few seasons it’s that this team has a tough resilience and a strong bounce back factor.

The fat lady has barely warmed up, let alone started singing.

But yes, there are reasons for concern.

Not one Penrith back has scored a try this season, suggesting there’s some real

issues with how James Maloney and Nathan Cleary are performing in the early part of the season. And while the forwards may be crashing over for tries, they’re certainly not getting the yardage required, with not one of them running for more than 100 metres against the Storm.

Many have suggested that Ivan Cleary should make wholesale changes, with Dylan Edwards in the firing line after a very shaky performance against the Storm in Bathurst.

While Cleary may eventually be forced to shake things up, making dramatic changes now is not the answer. The Panthers have banked on the likes of Edwards and Cleary to guide them for many years to come, and making short- sighted changes now will shake the foundations of what the club is trying to build.

Cleary has backed Edwards and kept him at fullback this weekend, giving him a

2GB 873 ABC 702 shot at redemption. Isaah Yeo and Viliame Kikau return from injury, adding some much-needed potency to Penrith’s edges.

The return of Kikau will be particularly interesting to watch – he was talked about all off-season and there’s no question the Panthers thought plenty of points would be coming on his side of the field as a result of his powerhouse efforts.

Penrith’s defence hasn’t been too bad in the three games so far this year, although it was disappointing to see the side put up the white flag against Melbourne once it became clear that victory was impossible. The real problem is the side’s attack, which looks about as threatening as Clive Palmer around a salad. It has been limp at best, inept at worst.

That’s not to say that the side hasn’t been trying. Penrith’s short kicking game has clearly been a focus in the off-season, but at times it appears Maloney and Cleary

1

Moses Mbye

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Mahe Fonua Robert Jennings Esan Marsters Corey Thompson Josh Reynolds Luke Brooks Ben Matulino Robbie Farah Alex Twal Ryan Matterson Luke Garner Elijah Taylor Russell Packer Thomas Mikaele Josh Aloiai Michael Chee-Kam

are trying too hard to make something out of nothing. It will surely click eventually.

The first steps in righting the ship is to focus on the fundamentals. Dropped balls and silly errors – like being stripped of the ball on three separate occasions – were the difference between a competitive game and a thrashing last weekend.

Of course, we all know the juicy narrative that this game has produced. Ivan Cleary, who walked out on the Tigers at the end of last year, faces his old team for the first time.

A number of players, including Russell Packer, have made it clear that there’s still some pain at the Tigers surrounding how the whole thing went down.

There is no love lost between Penrith and Tigers fans either, so this is a real grudge match in the making.

Penrith will bounce back in a big way.

Tip: Panthers by 20.

33

Friday, April 5, 2019 « the western weekender • extra time

FEATURE Dallin Watene-Zelezniak talking about his 100th game this week.

Photo: Megan Dunn

MR 100 WATENE-ZELEZNIAK’S SPECIAL MILESTONE NATHAN

TAYLOR

34

When Panthers winger Dallin WateneZelezniak suffered a collapsed lung back in 2015, the first thing he asked his doctor was if his blossoming rugby league career was over.

“The first question I asked was – I don’t really care about anything else, will I play footy again?” Watene-Zelezniak recalled.

“Thinking back it was an immature question but that’s all I wanted to do as a kid was play football.

“That was one time in my life that rocked me and got the better of me.”

Four years on and Watene- Zelezniak is fighting fit and will play in his 100th NRL game tonight against the Wests Tigers.

Watene- Zelezniak began his first grade career in 2014 as a fresh-faced 18-year-old.

After scoring two tries on debut against

Canberra at a cold and wet Panthers Stadium, the Hamilton product quickly became a fan favourite for his pure athleticism and nice guy demeanour.

Speaking with the media this week, the now 23- year- old said he never imagined he would be preparing for his 100th game in the NRL. “When I was a kid growing up I thought I might get a game here and there in my mid- 20s if I was doing well but never in my life did I think I’d play 100 games,” Watene-Zelezniak said.

“I’ve had an interesting career, a lot of ups and downs but I guess the downs have made the ups better.”

A devout Mormon, Watene- Zelezniak’s century may still be a few years off had he chose to go on a Mormon Mission early on in his career.

The St Clair Comets junior admitted he was very close to putting his rugby league career on hold for his faith.

“THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF UPS AND DOWNS BUT I GUESS THE DOWNS HAVE MADE THE UPS BETTER”

“I was contemplating going on a mission, that’s why I only ever signed one- year deals,” Watene-Zelezniak said.

“The club knew I wanted to go but then I met my beautiful wife and my mind changed in those areas. I ended up staying and marrying her.”

Watene- Zelezniak married his partner Purdy in 2015 and the couple now have two children.

The New Zealand skipper said his entire family are proud of everything he has achieved and will be cheering him loudly tonight at Panthers Stadium.

“They are all proud because they know how much rugby league means to me and how much time I’ve invested and sacrificed,” Watene-Zelezniak said.

“I didn’t really have childhood friends growing up, I was always training and putting my foot down. My friends are my football mates and I’m very happy to be playing 100.”

the western weekender • extra time » Friday, April 5, 2019

FEATURE

MALONEY: BE PATIENT NATHAN

TAYLOR Panthers five-eighth James Maloney has thrown his support behind star halfback Nathan Cleary, who is struggling to find his feet in the opening rounds of the season.

After signing a multi- million dollar contract extension in the off- season and now playing under his father Ivan, Cleary has been well and truly under the microscope in recent weeks.

Many have pointed the finger at the 21- year- old Blues half for Penrith’s sluggish start to the season.

However, Cleary’s halves partner in Maloney has come to his defence saying everyone’s to blame for the club’s 1-2 start.

“I’ve never been one to agree for singling people out for form, we play a team sport and we are all involved in it,” Maloney told the media on Monday.

“Nath knows where his game is at and he’s a pretty harsh critic of himself. He’s working hard and we can all help him by doing things better as well. We are all in it together, it’s a team sport.”

Cleary is one of the hardest working players at the Panthers, regularly staying

back after training to work on his game.

He’s often the last off the training field, dedicated to making himself better.

Despite the constant pressure, Maloney believes Cleary is still the same person – not letting the negative headlines get to him.

“I haven’t seen him change much, he’s always level- headed and just goes about what he does. He’s always hard working and he’s still doing that,” Maloney said.

“He’s come on the scene and had such a big rise, the expectation on him is immense when he’s still a young kid developing and improving.

“No one plays their best footy 10 years straight, you go through periods where you’re on and you go through other periods when you’re not.

“He’ll deal with it and he’ll come out and play a big game and everyone will forget about it.”

Panthers supporters will be hoping Maloney is bang on the money, with his side looking down the barrel of the biggest game of the season to date.

Tonight Penrith will do battle against foes the Wests Tigers, in front of what’s expected to be a bumper crowd at Panthers Stadium.

While most of the focus heading into the

James Maloney chats to the media on Monday. Photo: Megan Dunn game will be on coach Cleary up against his former club, Maloney said he’ll be focusing on improving and winning.

“I think we need to focus on making sure our mental attitude is hardened for this week,” he said.

“In terms of the build up and the external noise about Ivan and his old club? It is what it is. Guys will approach it differently, I won’t read any of it, I never normally do anyway.”

Tonight’s game kicks off at 7.55pm.

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Friday, April 5, 2019 « the western weekender • extra time

Brought to you by

Can Cleary and Maloney keep their Origin jerseys?

CLINTON MAYNARD J

ust three rounds of the NRL have been completed and already league fans are debating who should be in the NSW State of Origin team.

Off the back of a rare series win it would be natural for coach Brad Fittler to stay loyal to last year’s players.

However a year is a long time in football and much has changed. Freddy admits he can’t be picking a team almost 10 weeks out, injuries and form will play a part over the coming weeks, however he has left the door open to adjusting the structure of the side and it’s a Sydney Rooster who could lead him to make a change.

With Nathan Cleary and James Maloney taking last season’s club form into Origin, the Blues defeated Queensland, but with the way the Panthers are playing can NSW afford to stick with the halves combination this year?

Penrith coach Ivan Cleary described his side’s performance against Melbourne last week as “inept”, the team seems to lack on- field leadership and the side’s backline has failed to score a try in the opening three games.

Responsibility for those failings must fall on the side’s halves.

After the opening games Rooster Luke Keary is proving to be the NRL’s leading half whether playing 7 or 6.

His performances in the last two games without the leadership of Cooper Cronk have been outstanding, backing up what his did with a one armed Cronk in last year’s Grand Final.

James Maloney has been one of my favourite players for years, but at 32, 33 during the Origin series and rumours this will be his last year in the NRL, it might be time for Jimmy to hand over his Origin jersey.

James Maloney and Nathan Cleary guided NSW to Origin success last season

Brought to you by

Stage is set for a Cleary victory on Friday night

ANDY RAYMOND I

38

t’s the game that every Panthers and Tigers fan would have circled when the draw was released late last year, Round 4, Panthers v Tigers, Ivan Cleary v his former club.

There was no more fascinating storyline during last season than where Ivan Cleary would end up in 2019, it was front, back and centre page news for what seemed like an eternity.

And when it was announced that he was returning to the foot of the Mountains there was a feeling in rugby league circles that a premiership was inevitable.

Ivan’s men come into this game under a mountain of pressure to perform. Coming into season 2019 many punters had the Panthers instilled as premiership favourites.

No- one would have expected coming into Round 4 that the Panthers would be one from three with losses to Parramatta and the Melbourne Storm.

Granted, injuries haven’t been kind to Ivan’s men with gun back-rowers, Viliame Kikau and Isaah Yeo both missing games at the start of the season.

Both men return this week and will hold

the key to unlocking the attacking potential of the Panthers.

Yeo and Kikau are both great edge runners and go-to men for Nathan Cleary and James Maloney close to the line.

The pair can also come up with an offload and generate the second phase play that the Panthers have been crying out for in the first three rounds.

On the other side of the coin, the Wests Tigers, under Ivan Cleary’s replacement, Michael Maguire, have been the surprise packets of the 2019 season.

The Tigers were outstanding in their first two wins over Manly and the Warriors, but got a reality check last week against the Bulldogs.

Maguire showed in his post-match blow up last weekend that he won’t accept anything but 100 per cent effort from his side.

If Maguire is looking for an injection of passion this weekend he’s found the perfect man for the job in Josh Reynolds.

I can’t wait to see Reynolds and Maloney go toe- to- toe this weekend, Maloney won’t be happy with his start to the season, but a poke and a prod from someone like

Penrith coach Ivan Cleary. Photo: Melinda Jane Reynolds might be the spark he needs to reignite his form from 2018.

Rugby League has a wonderful habit of writing scripts worthy of winning Acad-

emy Awards and I’m tipping this weekend will be the same with Ivan Cleary getting the chocolates in a titanic battle against his former club.

PD

W

D

L

B

F

A

+/-

PTS

Storm

3

3

0

0

0

76

24

+52

6

2 Rabbitohs

3

3

0

0

0

88

54

+34

6

3 Sharks

3

2

0

1

0

70

36

+34

4

4 W. Tigers

3

2

0

1

0

62

34

+28

4

5 Raiders

3

2

0

1

0

48

32

+16

4

6 Eels

3

2

0

1

0

74

60

+14

4

7 Roosters

3

2

0

1

0

74

62

+12

4

8 Sea Eagles

3

1

0

2

0

70

58

+12

2

9 Broncos

3

1

0

2

0

65

57

+8

2

CLUB

1

10 Knights

3

1

0

2

0

38

41

-3

2

11 Dragons

3

1

0

2

0

55

82

-27

2

12 Warriors

3

1

0

2

0

58

86

-28

2

13 Cowboys

3

1

0

2

0

50

83

-33

2

14 Panthers

3

1

0

2

0

30

66

-36

2

15 Bulldogs

3

1

0

2

0

44

84

-40

2

16 Titans

3

0

0

3

0

26

69

-43

0

FACE IN THE CROWD

Round 4

/

Thursday, April 4 8.05pm SCG

/ / / /

Friday, April 5 6.00pm Mt Smart Stadium

/ / /

Saturday, April 6 7.35pm ANZ Stadium

Friday, April 5 7.55pm Panthers Stadium Saturday, April 6 3.00pm Lottoland

IS THIS YOU?

Saturday, April 6 5.30pm 1300 SMILES Stadium

Sunday, April 7 4.00pm AAMI Park Sunday, April 7 6.10pm McDonald Jones Stadium

the western weekender • extra time » Friday, April 5, 2019

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39

Friday, April 5, 2019 « the western weekender • extra time

Panther Flashback a ashback The John Cartwright story is more about the journey than how it all ended – but the story of his final game deserves to be told.

A legend of the Panthers, Cartwright played his final game for the club in front of just 3,870 fans on a wet and windy night at Penrith Football Stadium in 1996.

It was far from the glamorous departure that he deserved.

But those in the crowd that last night would remember Cartwright’s vintage performance as he turned back the clock to produce a stunning game that helped the Panthers to a 24-16 win over Parramatta.

When the famous Penrith Stadium siren sounded that night, Cartwright was in possession of the ball. It seemed fitting.

Earlier, he’d taken an attempt at goal, as so many retiring players do in their last game, but missed.

Cartwright held it together during a lap of honour, watched by only the most

BEHIND THE PANTHERS

loyal of Penrith fans, but when he saw his father Merv in tears on the sideline, he lost all composure “I promised myself that I wouldn’t get choked up. But seeing Dad crying made me break down too. I realised then that it was all over,” he would say later.

In 1996, the Panthers had an awful season – they won just seven matches and finished 15th in the competition.

It was a tough year for Cartwright, who had been there during the glory days of 1991.

In fact, when the Panthers won the premiership that year, Cartwright was in his best form – he represented New South Wales in eight games between 1989 and 1992, and played 18 games for Australia between 1990 and 1992.

When he finally walked off the Penrith Stadium turf on that lonely night back in 1996, he’d played 184 first grade games for the Panthers.

He would have a swansong in England – via the Salford City Reds.

SCOREBOARD NRL

STORM 32 PANTHERS 2

NSW CUP

PANTHERS 26 DRAGONS 24

JERSEY FLEGG DRAGONS 22 PANTHERS 20

GET OUT OF COMPUTER TROUBLE

FREE! Business Development Executive HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED FOR PANTHERS? Eight months.

WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT WORKING FOR PANTHERS? Being part of a close-knit NRL club that contributes so much to its community.

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WHO IS YOUR FUNNIEST COLLEAGUE AT PANTHERS? The marketing maestro Darren ‘Have A Good Sleep’ Micallef.

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Jake Fenech

Put that cheque book away! If you are a small business owner with 10 or more PCs, we want to give you TWO free hours of computer support to help you solve any computer problem you are experiencing, or to . . .

 With the final season of ‘Game of

Thrones’ just around the corner, Foxtel is having some fun this weekend by labelling Round 4 ‘Game of Thrones Round’, highlighted by the Knights v Dragons match on Sunday. That game is the Alex McKinnon Cup, and is expected to attract a big crowd at McDonald Jones Stadium.

 The NRL has announced that a number of popular bands will play at Suncorp Stadium as part of Magic Round in May. A.R.C. will play on the Thursday night, Sheppard will light up Suncorp on Friday, the Stafford Brothers are the feature act on Saturday while The Preatures will play on Sunday. All eight Round 9 NRL games will be played at Suncorp Stadium.

 Bankwest Stadium has confirmed that

it has joined the Ticketek network ahead of its opening later this month. “Bankwest Stadium will set a new standard in the event experience in Sydney and we are thrilled to have Ticketek on board to help us deliver events at the Stadium,” Bankwest Stadium CEO Daryl Kerry said.

 Sports journalist Liam Hauser has re-

leased a new book titled The Great Grand Finals, which focuses on the most special day on the rugby league calendar. The

book covers more than 60 grand finals, highlighting all the champion teams, the great players and historic moments. With game summaries, key points, essential statistics and pages of great photos, this fully updated edition is the ideal book for any rugby league fan.

 Staff at the Sydney Cricket Ground

were working overtime on Thursday.

The Sydney Swans trained on the fully marked AFL field on Thursday morning, finishing their session at 11am. Ground crews then got to work transforming the SCG into an NRL field for the clash between Brisbane and the Roosters.

the western weekender • extra time » Friday, April 5, 2019

EXTRA MINUTES

 Dragons captain Gareth Widdop had

shoulder surgery on Monday night after picking up an injury in last week’s win over the Broncos. He’s expected to be out for an extended period, ironically solving the Dragons’ ‘too many chefs in the kitchen’ headache.

 Bad news for Parramatta with rising

star Dylan Brown ruled out indefinitely with a back injury.

 Iconic Newcastle winger Nathan Ross has been forced to retire from rugby league due to ongoing injury issues.

The Alex McKinnon Cup was launched earlier this week

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Friday, April 5, 2019 « the western weekender