Issuu

FRI 20 MAR 2015 Issue 003 PROUDLY INDEPENDENT

INSIDE TODAY: THE MASKED PANTHER We’ve got all the latest Panthers news and gossip you’re craving!

KEVIN KINGSTON STEVE HART FULL NRL TABLE CELEBRITY TIPSTERS

NOT SIKA PENRITH Big Manu determined to earn new Panthers contract

Unbeaten, unshakable

Printed on 100% recycled paper

PANTHERS V ROOSTERS

WW16181

Friday 20 March 2015 « the western weekender • extra time

Australian A ustralian W Women omen & C Children’s hildren’s R Research esearch F Foundation oundation

YOUR Y OUR INVITATION INVITATION T TO O JOIN JOIN US US AT AT THE THE

Heroes and Villains Charity Ball Satu Saturday, turd tu rd day, 16 6tthh May ay y 2015 Chairman’s Lounge, Sportingbet Stadium Penrith Hosted by Tara Dennis, Entertainment by Brittanie Shipway, The Veritable String Trio & DJ

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Bookings: www.ozwac.com.au or (02) 4734-3205 WW16614

PANTHERS 1

Matt Moylan

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

Josh Mansour Dean Whare Jamal Idris Dallin Watene-Zelezniak Isaac John Peter Wallace (c) Sam McKendry James Segeyaro Brent Kite Sika Manu Lewis Brown Elijah Taylor Tyrone Peachey Jeremy Latimore Reagan Campbell-Gillard Bryce Cartwright

ROOSTERS

FACT CHECK Ê Penrith’s last trip to Allianz Stadium resulted in a 19-18 win over the Roosters in last year’s Finals Series Ê Josh Mansour plays his first game of 2015 on Monday night Ê Penrith has a 37.3% all-time winning record against the Roosters Photo: Melinda Jane

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

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

Daniel Tupou Michael Jennings Blake Ferguson Shaun Kenny-Dowall James Maloney Mitchell Pearce (c) Jared Waerea-Hargreaves Matt McIlwrick Sam Moa Boyd Cordner Aidan Guerra Isaac Liu Mitchell Aubusson Dylan Napa Kane Evans Sio Siua Taukeiaho

Penrith’s test of character TROY DODDS @troydodds

fter two strong performances to start the season, the undefeated top-of-the-table Panthers face their toughest test so far against the Sydney Roosters on Monday night at Allianz Stadium. And they’ll do it without playmaker Jamie Soward, who underwent minor back surgery earlier this week and will be out for at least a month. Soward’s injury opens the door for Isaac John, who has plenty of first grade experience and certainly won’t let the side down. The Roosters went down to the Rabbitohs last Sunday but throughout the game proved why they are among the competition heavyweights this season. Penrith thrashed Gold Coast 40-0 but the Roosters will not be as forgiving if Penrith produce a first half as sloppy as the one they did at Carrington Park in Bathurst.

An 80 minute performance as good as what they produced in the second half will ensure the Panthers are in the contest. Here’s what I can assure you about the Roosters: They won’t lie down like the Titans did in the second half last weekend, and they won’t be as flat and tired as the Bulldogs were in round one. This means Penrith very much needs to step up another gear on Monday night. Certainly, things are starting to click just as Ivan Cleary would have hoped. Some of the backline moves last weekend were pure brilliance, particularly Bryce Cartwright’s try late in the game that saw some beautiful lead-up work from Jamal Idris, Jamie Soward and Matt Moylan. Moylan is again a key on Monday night. He has got plenty of wraps on him and it would now seem that he’s the favourite to wear the number one jersey for New South Wales later this year, but it’s in games like this that he needs to step up. Penrith cannot afford for Moylan to have an off-night, particularly against a Roosters side that will punish every dropped ball, every error of judgement.

PANTHERS V ROOSTERS MONDAY, MARCH 23, 7PM ALLIANZ STADIUM REFEREES: GERARD SUTTON AND MATT CECCHIN TV: FOX SPORTS LIVE 7PM RADIO: TRIPLE M LIVE 7PM Cleary has resisted the temptation to move Moylan into the halves to cover the loss of Soward, a smart move given how much Moylan injects himself into attacking plays anyway. Penrith were gifted plenty of football by the Titans last weekend, who had an awful completion rate of 52 per cent. Compare that to the Roosters, who despite losing, completed 86 per cent of their sets. The Roosters will not give Penrith as many opportunities as the Titans, or even

the Bulldogs, did and that means the Panthers must take advantage of every chance they get. The Roosters have plenty of speed out wide, but the Panthers have probably the best centre pairing in the game at the moment with both Jamal Idris and Dean Whare enjoying dream starts to the season. In both attack and defence, Whare and Idris are solid – that’ll make it very hard for the Roosters to focus their attack out wide. Hence, I think you’ll find the Roosters will try their luck through the middle where players like Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Boyd Cordner and Sam Moa would rate their chances against Penrith’s pack. That said, they can take on Sam McKendry and Brent Kite at their own risk. With the Panthers looking to prove themselves against a premiership heavyweight and the Roosters determined to bounce back from a loss to the Rabbitohs last Sunday, this game promises to be an absolute corker.

TIP: PANTHERS BY 4

the western weekender • extra time » Friday 20 March 2015

MATCH PREVIEW

Friday 20 March 2015 « the western weekender • extra time

PANTHER RUMBLINGS

SEND YOUR PANTHERS GOSSIP AT NEWS@WESTERNWEEKENDER.COM.AU

with the

Masked Panther

» Forward Brent Kite is calling it quits at

the end of the season. The 105kg front rower made his first grade debut all the way back in 2002 for the Dragons against Cronulla at the Sydney Football Stadium. He of course had a long, successful history at Manly before joining the Panthers last year, where he celebrated his 300th first grade game. Kite has had a brilliant start to the season – his tackles have been ferocious and he’s clearly going to make the most out of his last year in top flight rugby league.

» One to watch out for – Penrith have

signed Australian schoolboys centre Paul Simona on a one-year deal. He is the younger brother of Wests Tigers star Tim Simona.

KITE TO CALL IT QUITS AT END OF 2015

» The Panthers will release a special jer-

sey for ANZAC Day this year. Penrith play against Cronulla the day after ANZAC Day and are hoping to make it a really special event given other key rounds, such as Women in League and the Indigenous round, fall on away games. I’m told the jersey is something very, very special and the club is keen to get as much publicity as possible for it. It’ll be an uphill battle because the NRL’s publicity machine will be focused on a super-sized version of Super Saturday, which sees five back-toback games being played on ANZAC Day.

Brent Kite will retire at the end of the season to see how hard Penrith worked. 14 of the 17 Penrith players, including all four replacements, ran more than 100 metres, with Matt Moylan leading the way with 210 metres. Conversely, the Titans only had one player – Ryan James – crack the 100 metres.

» It’s understood that the Dragons leaked details of Trent Merrin’s deal with the Panthers, perhaps in an effort to make it look like he left the club for money. For the record, I’m told that the figure of $750,000 per season that has been thrown around the media is wildly inaccurate.

» Congratulations to Pantherette Jess

Gilarte who has made it through to the next round of the Big League Cheerleader of the Year competition. We wish her all the best for the rest of the competition.

» The future of Adam Docker has a

» We may only be half-way through

huge question mark over it. Docker has started the year in the NSW Cup, and is off-contract at the end of the season. He’d be desperate to prove his worth to coach Ivan Cleary, but will need injury, suspension or unlikely bad form from one of the current forwards to get his chance. Docker may regret a pre-season decision to stay at Penrith – I’m told a deal was on the table for him to join the Dragons as part of an early release deal.

» Plenty of people have said the Titans

were unlucky in stages against the Panthers last weekend but you only have to look at the Total Running Metres statistic

Jess Gilarte

a long-term deal to play matches at Bathurst, but I’m told there’s already preliminary talks about extending the deal past 2018. Bathurst Council is thrilled with the way the Panthers have engaged with the community and is keen to see NRL matches played at Carrington Park for a long time into the future. With a crowd of less than 7,000 turning up to see the match, it’s understood Panthers and Bathurst Council are happy to discuss scheduling the game for later in the season – with both parties accepting the match being early in the season may have affected ticket sales.

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37 the western weekender • extra time » Friday 20 March 2015

FEATURE STORY

Manu playing for his future He’s off contract at the end of the season, but Sika Manu says he’s determined to earn a new deal with the club

NATHAN TAYLOR @natetaylor87

enrith Panthers second-rower Sika Manu has revealed he found out about off-season rumours linking him to the St George Illawarra Dragons from his fellow teammates. When Penrith signed NSW Blues and Dragons forward Trent Merrin on a threeyear deal earlier this month, rumours swirled that Manu and teammate Adam Docker would shift to the Red V immediately, so Merrin could start his career with the Panthers a year earlier. “I didn’t know anything about it (Dragons rumours) until the boys told me, I didn’t hear anything from the club either,” Manu told Extra Time this week. With the 28-year-old’s three-year contract officially expiring at season’s end, Manu was adamant that he wanted to remain a Panther for the rest of this season and beyond. “I’d like to stay here but I’m not too worried about that at the moment, I’m just focusing on playing football and everything will fall into place after that,” he said.

“But, to be honest, I’d like to stay around here, mate. My family and I have settled in well and we love it here.” And it seems Panthers fans also want to see the big fella stick around beyond this season after a sensational start to the year. Initially many fans thought Manu may struggle to find a place in this year’s first grade line-up but coach Ivan Cleary has thrown faith behind the 14-time New Zealand international by starting him in the second row, and he’s yet to disappoint. Manu admits his 2014 season wasn’t one of his best after he struggled all year recovering from off-season shoulder surgery. Last weekend Manu scored his first try of 2015 after going try-less all of last season. “I feel a lot better this year, I have no issues with my shoulder and it really helped getting a full pre-season under my belt,” Manu said. “I think I’m a lot fitter this year as well.” This Monday night the Panthers will take on the Sydney Roosters in what’s being billed as the club’s biggest test of the season so far. While the Panthers are the unbeaten of the two sides, it’s the Roosters who are going into the game as favourites. “It’s a massive test for us… the Roosters are a quality side and play for the full 80 minutes,” Manu said.

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Friday 20 March 2015 « the western weekender • extra time

KEV’S KORNER

WITH KEVIN KINGSTON

T EVOLUTION OF THE DUMMY HALF

his week I want to talk about the evolution of rugby league’s dummy half. There is no other position in the modern game that has changed more than hooker. In the 1980s, the player in the #9 jersey was primarily a defender, making 40 tackles a game, and a big part of the job was winning contested scrums. Fast forward to 2015 and you have the likes of James Segeyaro, Isaac Luke, Cameron Smith, Matt Ballin, Jake Friend and Robbie Farah all still making the 40 tackles, but on top of that, they are now also the core of the attack system whose sole job is to lead the offensive charge when the opportunity arises. And they do all of this while under pressure from opponents who are sometimes 10-20kg heavier! A hooker who can play a full 80 minute game is a huge advantage for a club for a couple of reasons. Firstly, you get to name an extra forward on your bench, but having the same guy out in the middle of the field for the whole game creates good cohesion and rhythm. If the backbone of your team – #6, #7, #9 and #1 don’t change for weeks, or even the full season, attack and defence becomes one smooth machine which can operate seamlessly. Each player knows exactly what the other is thinking and the play he is about to execute, without even saying a word. Cameron Smith, Matt Ballin and Michael Ennis are of the old school and they build

James Segeyaro in action for the Panthers their game on controlling the ruck and steering the team around the park with precision. While James Segeyaro and Isaac Luke, for example, have the ability to create something out of nothing, and rely on spontaneity, which allows them to completely break a game apart.

In every successful team there is a smart and calculated dummy half. Segeyaro is doing a brilliant job for us at Panthers, and we have Api Koroisau waiting in the wings. Both players are guaranteed to bring us good things this year!

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Mixing footy, study and kids With a little boy to look after and university studies to tackle, prop Jeremy Latimore does not live up to the rugby league stereotype

NATHAN TAYLOR natetaylor87

nsung Penrith prop Jeremy Latimore has all he could ever want. Not only does he have a very crucial role with the Panthers on the field, but he also has a very important one off it as an upstanding university student and doting dad. The 28-year-old, who’s now in his third year with the Panthers, loves mixing business with pleasure and couldn’t love life any more than he does right now. While most footballers are too busy concentrating on their game and what their hair-dos are going to look like next week, Latimore is quite the opposite. “I just returned to the University of Wollongong last week to finish off my final five subjects in my Bachelor of Business degree,” Latimore told Extra Time. “I go every Thursday and I’m lucky that everything’s on in the same day. My hands are full right now but it’s good to keep me active and my mind busy away from rugby league. “I’ve also got the young fella as well, so I’m never bored which is cool.” Latimore debuted for the Parramatta

Jeremy Latimore Eels as a 22-year-old back in 2009 and went on to play with two other clubs including the Warriors and Dragons. Since arriving at the Panthers in 2013, Latimore has endured injuries, played in parks in reserve grade and, best of all, played his most consistent footy to date. 2014 wasn’t just a breakout season for

the Panthers, it was also a stellar season for the man they call “Lats”. Latimore was far and away Penrith’s standout prop in 2014, topping the stat sheet in nearly every category. “I’ve been around for a few years but I hadn’t performed to the level I did last year,” Latimore admitted. “I definitely have good memories of last year and how we went as a squad. We have a lot more expectations on us this season as a team, and even myself, I have some goals this year that I want to achieve like performing every week and being better than last year.” For the second straight season, the Port Macquarie-born forward is yet again in the middle of another contract year. With fellow props Brent Kite and Nigel Plum expected to hang up the boots at season’s end, Latimore is hopeful he’ll still be in Penrith colours leading where those men left off. “I just have to start the year well and that [new contract] will sort itself out, they know what I can do now,” he said. “Obviously with Trent Merrin coming next year, that’ll be good, I’ve played with him before at the Dragons. He’s a great player to play alongside, so I hope I’m here next year.”

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the western weekender • extra time » Friday 20 March 2015

FEATURE STORY

Friday 20 March 2015 « the western weekender • extra time

PANTHERS IN PICTURES

Magical Moylan @wwpenrith

Panthers fullback Matt Moylan is the name on everyone’s lips at the moment. There’s every chance he’ll take a huge step later this year and play Origin football...

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41 the western weekender • extra time » Friday 20 March 2015

Matt Moylan has had a magical start to the 2015 season, carrying on from a stellar 2014 in which he became a household name in rugby league. Photos: Melinda Jane

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the western weekender • extra time » Friday 20 March 2015

HART TO HART

WITH STEVE HART

BLESSING IN DISGUISE FOR PARRAMATTA

arramatta’s shock loss of Jarryd Hayne was to be the end of the world as we know it for the Eels. They can’t win without him they said! No one will want to come and play at the Eels now they said! Funny how life works because on the very same day that Jarryd Hayne walked through the departure gates at Sydney Airport bound for the San Francisco 49ers, Parramatta was announcing the signing of Kiwi international and Manly star fiveeighth Kieran Foran. WOW! How did they do that? How could the basket case that was Parramatta just over a year ago claiming back to back wooden spoons suddenly be signing one of THE most sought after players in the game? Put it down to one man, BRAD ARTHUR. So respected is Arthur as a coach that a disillusioned Foran just had to play under the former Manly assistant again. Foran believes Arthur is the man who can continue his development as a player. So worried were Manly at Arthur’s influence on their players, they desperately tried to poach him back to replace club legend Geoff Toovey. But Arthur is a man of honour and having already lured Anthony Watmough and others to the Eels, no amount of money was going to make him walk out and leave his players. Brad Arthur is a simple man who just wants to coach men to play football. He dislikes the drama, the media

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commitments and all that extra stuff that goes with being an NRL head coach, but he loves the players and they clearly love him. Dare I say it the exit of Jarryd Hayne, as good as he was, is almost a blessing in disguise that allows Arthur to build a genuinely well balanced team that doesn’t

rely on one superstar. Parramatta will ultimately be better for it. But, hey, imagine this side in a year or two if the Hayne Plane did fly back in. One thing is for sure, Brad Arthur is going nowhere while the Eels are going up up and away! See you next week.

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Friday 20 March 2015 « the western weekender • extra time

NRL LADDER & FIXTURES CLUB

+46 04

2 Rabbitohs

+38 04

3 W. Tigers

+19

4 Knights

+12

5 Roosters

+16

6 Bulldogs

+14

7 Eels

+10

8 Storm

9 Warriors

10 Raiders

-8

11 Broncos

-22

12 Sea Eagles

-28

13 Sharks

-12

14 Cowboys

-26 00

15 Dragons

-26 00

16 Titans

-41

Panthers

+/-

PTS

ROUND 3 Sea Eagles v Bulldogs Friday 7.35pm Brookvale Oval Broncos v Cowboys Friday 8.35pm Suncorp Stadium Warriors v Eels Saturday 3.00pm Mt Smart Stadium Raiders v Dragons Saturday 5.30pm GIO Stadium Storm v Sharks Saturday 7.30pm AAMI Park

simon.gould@westernweekender.com.au

Glossodia

Titans v Knights Sunday 6.30pm Robina Stadium

PRINTED BY Spotpress Pty Ltd / PRODUCED BY The Western Weekender

SALES MANAGER Simon Gould / 4722 2998

GEMMA SEWARD

Rabbitohs v Tigers Sunday 4.00pm ANZ Stadium

Extra Time Issue Number 003 EDITOR Troy Dodds / 4722 2998 / troy.dodds@westernweekender.com.au

FAN OF THE WEEK

Roosters v Panthers Monday 7.00pm Allianz Stadium

COVER PHOTO: Penrith Panthers centre Dean Whare. Photo: Melinda Jane

Years supporting the Panthers: 36 years Favourite current Panther and favourite ex-Panther: Josh Mansour and Sandor Earl Why do you support the Panthers? Because I was born in Penrith What’s your best Panthers memory? It’s a tie between the 1991 and 2003 Grand Final What’s your prized piece of Panthers memorabilia that you’d never sell? My Panthers doll named Ryan [after Ryan Girdler] and my signed Craig Gower figurine If the Panthers won the 2015 Grand Final, how would you react? I would be excited and happy for the boys Would you ever get a Panthers tattoo and where would you get it? No, not a chance!

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BY NATHAN TAYLOR

@natetaylor87

NSW CUP

BY STEW MOSES

@TheRiffMarn

PANTHERS LET LEAD SLIP TO LOSE FIRST GAME OF THE HOLDEN CUP SEASON IN BATHURST

INJURY CONCERNS OVERSHADOW PANTHERS’ PICNIC IN THE PARK IN BATHURST

The Penrith Panthers have lost their first game of the season, going down to the Gold Coast Titans 36-26 at Carrington Park in Bathurst. The Panthers young guns enjoyed a 12-point lead twice during the match before it all fell apart in the second half at the hands of a hungrier Titans outfit. The Panthers got on the board first in the opening 10 minutes after winger Fuimanu Enise caught a sensational cutout pass to streak down the sideline and score his second try in as many weeks. The Titans were the next to score after Jed Cartwright, son of former Titans coach and Panthers legend John Cartwright, barged over the line from close range to even up the score at 4-4. Panthers winger Joshua Jay was next to post points in the 26th minute, although he did injure himself in the process. Penrith interchange player Kaide Ellis also found the stripe in the 33rd. With the Panthers up comfortably 14-4, the Titans managed to snag a last minute try before the halftime break to trail 14-8. When the players hit the field for the second half, it was Penrith forward Paea Pua who scored first, increasing their lead to 20-8.

Penrith maintained their unbeaten record in Bathurst, overcoming a slow start and the loss of two key players during the game to injury, to record a convincing win over a North Sydney side missing several key players from their Round 1 upset win over Wentworthville. Despite the win, the Panthers will be without half Adrian Davis (hamstring) and wrecking ball back-rower Ben Murdoch-Masila (knee/ankle) for this weekend’s showdown with Newtown. For Penrith, the class in their spine was telling especially Isaac John, whose manof-the-match performance is timely given Jamie Soward’s injury news, while Waqa Blake, Will Smith and Api Koroisau all made sizeable contributions. After early dominance from the Bears, Penrith clicked into gear midway through the first half with tries to Eddie Aiono, Leilani Latu and Isaac John to lead 16-6 at half-time. The Panthers put the game all but beyond the Bears with early second half tries to Blake and Christian Crichton before finishing off the game in style with late tries to Koroisau and Blake, again allowing Penrith to top the table with the 38-6 result. Round 3 sees Penrith return to Pepper

The Panthers in action last week With Penrith back in front by 12 and seemingly content with their lead, the Titans clicked into gear and made the Panthers pay, scoring five unanswered tries to go out in front and win the game. Panthers fullback Tyrone May scored a consolation try with a minute to spare but the damage had already been done. The fifth-placed Panthers will look to get back on track this Monday afternoon when they take on the Sydney Roosters in Round 3 of the Holden Cup. Last week the Roosters were beaten by the Rabbitohs 24-22 and currently sit in last position on the premiership ladder.

Stadium for a stand-alone clash against Newtown this Saturday with kick-off at 3pm. There’s plenty of changes for Penrith with winger George Jennings back in the side replacing Crichton, while Nu’u Akerpia gets his first chance to start in the centres resulting in a reshuffled backline featuring Blake at fullback with Smith and Sam Scarlett (back from suspension) the new halves pairing. Adam Docker’s return to the side compensates for Murdoch-Masila’s injury which sees James Fisher-Harris start at prop with Andy Saunders also returning from injury via the interchange bench. Team as follows: W Blake, G Jennings, R Jennings, N Akerpia, E Aiono, W Smith, S Scarlett, S Anderson, A Koroisau, J FisherHarris, T Sopoaga, I Yeo, A Docker. Bench: R Coates, A Saunders, L Latu, C Smith, L Ayoub, B Attwood. The Jets come into 2015 having severed ties with the Sydney Roosters and have linked up with Cronulla and despite their winless start, always seem to aim up for these clashes. In 2014, honours were split between the two sides with Newtown’s amazing comeback victory coming just a week after Penrith’s home win, hence the Panthers will need to be at their best to get the two points.

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Friday 20 March 2015 « the western weekender • extra time

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47 the western weekender • extra time » Friday 20 March 2015

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