Extra Time September 11 2020

Jarome Luai.

Photo: NRL Images.

TAMOU THE TIGER The Masked Panther has news on skipper’s new club

PAGE 26

PLEDGE WINNER Panthers fan scores new $20,000 deck after helping club in time of need

PAGE 28

BRIAN TO’O POSTER Superstar winger gets celebrated in gloss!

PAGES 30-31

LANG ON LEAGUE Peter Lang has the latest on Penrith’s mission to secure young stars on new deals

PAGE 36

FIGHT FOR THE WEST CHANCE FOR REVENGE AS PANTHERS HOST PARRA IN FRIDAY NIGHT BLOCKBUSTER MATCH PREVIEW: PAGE 25

Friday, September 11, 2020  the western weekender • extra time

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the final word

v

Viliame Kikau against Brisbane.

Photo: NRL Images.

TROY DODDS

F

inals footy comes early this Friday night when arch rivals Penrith and Parramatta meet at Panthers Stadium in a game that has been highly anticipated for several weeks.

In fact it’s probably fair to say that the Panthers had one eye on this clash when they limped their way to a 25-12 win over Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium last Thursday night.

So much is at stake in this game.

A Penrith win will secure Ivan Cleary’s side a home Final and ensure they go one step closer to what appears to be an inevitable minor premiership. Meantime Parramatta can lock up a top four finish if they can follow up Sunday’s win over the Warriors with another victory.

The winner will also take an extreme confidence boost just three weeks out

CHANNEL 9 FOX LEAGUE 2GB 873 ABC 702

the western weekender • extra time » Friday, September 11, 2020

match preview

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 | 7.55PM | PANTHERS STADIUM | REFEREE: GERARD SUTTON from the Finals, especially given both sides play teams outside of the top eight in the final two weeks of the competition.

But most of all, western Sydney bragging rights are on the line. And the Eels would go into this game full of confidence with the knowledge they’re the only side to have beaten Penrith this season, taking advantage of a second half collapse at Bankwest Stadium back in June.

Since then the Eels have managed to maintain a top four spot but lost their position atop the NRL ladder, while the Panthers have gone from strength to strength, winning their next 12 games and taking a three point competition lead, always with an eye on the re-match.

This promises to be an exciting, close contest. While the team that dominates the forward battle will set up a platform

for victory, it is the respective sides’ exciting backlines that are likely to prove the difference.

The Eels offer plenty of electricity – Clinton Gutherson, Maika Sivo and Waqa Blake have all been in terrific from this season, while Michael Jennings and Blake Ferguson add the balance of experience.

But Penrith has quietly gone about assembling one of the most impressive backlines in the comp, albeit understated in terms of the wider rugby league world.

Stephen Crichton, Brian To’o and Brent Naden offer the youth and enthusiasm while Dylan Edwards and Josh Mansour throw in the experience, and all five have been outstanding.

A brilliant individual performance is likely to define this game. It could be Viliame Kikau going on a rampage, or

PANTHERS

Nathan Cleary producing a masterclass at halfback. Maybe it’ll be a Maika Sivo double or perhaps Reagan CampbellGillard will be fired up against his old club and tear through the middle.

Regardless, to the winner goes realistic talk about a premiership, while the loser will attract doubt and disdain.

There’s plenty to like about both these teams, but the Panthers have been far more consistent since these sides last met and I have no doubt they’ll be switched on as they take another step towards proving their critics wrong.

I’m predicting a tight first half but the Panthers to put the foot down in the second. Expect both sides to come out of the contest with few bumps and bruises – it’ll be a wild, high energy ride.

Tip: Panthers by 8.

EELS

1 Dylan Edwards

10 James Fisher-Harris

1 Clinton Gutherson (c)

2 Josh Mansour

11 Viliame Kikau

2 Maika Sivo

11 Shaun Lane

3 Brent Naden

12 Liam Martin

3 Michael Jennings

12 Ryan Matterson

4 Stephen Crichton

13 Isaah Yeo

4 Waqa Blake

13 Nathan Brown

5 Brian To’o

14 Tyrone May

5 Blake Ferguson

14 Ray Stone

6 Jarome Luai

15 Spencer Leniu

6 Jai Field

15 Andrew Davey

7 Nathan Cleary

16 Moses Leota

7 Mitchell Moses

16 Kane Evans

10 Junior Paulo

8 James Tamou (c)

17 Zane Tetevano

8 Reagan Campbell-Gillard

17 Oregon Kaufusi

9 Apisai Koroisau

18 Mitch Kenny 19 Kurt Capewell

9 Reed Mahoney

18 Haze Dunster

25

Friday, September 11, 2020 « the western weekender • extra time

panther rumblings

WITH THE MASKED PANTHER

TAMOU TO TIGERTOWN? Father’s Day post on Instagram last Sunday.

Is James Tamou Tigers-bound?

Photo: NRL Images.

!

The NRL has halved Ivan Cleary’s $20,000 fine for comments about match officials ‘managing’ Canberra back into the game against Penrith back in early August. Cleary penned a strong explanation to the NRL and officials at League Central saw the light, re- issuing the fine in the shape of $10,000 and suspending the remainder.

!

Expect the Panthers to make an announcement regarding the Merv Cartwright Medal in the coming days.

!

I’m hearing there could be some good news inside the next fortnight for the NRL in relation to the size of Finals crowds.

!

Panthers captain James Tamou is said to be just days away from deciding his future, and everything is pointing to the premiership- winning prop signing with the Wests Tigers. Penrith is preparing for life without Tamou, who is off-contract at the end of the season but wants to stay in the NRL rather than find a deal in England.

The 31- year- old has been in strong form this season and would be a solid signing for the Tigers, who are desperate to escape from mediocrity.

!

I don’t have any solid sources to back this up, but a Masked Panther reader tells

me the Panthers are keen on signing exciting Brisbane back Kotoni Staggs. The powerful 21-year- old is contracted to the Broncos for next season.

!

Former Penrith coach Anthony Griffin is headed to St George- Illawarra for the next two seasons, with an option in the club’s favour for a third year. Griffin’s appointment prompted some reflection from former Panthers five- eighth Jamie Soward, who had a rumoured rift with the coach back in 2016. “I was at a different stage in my life and dealing with a lot as well as trying to save my career at

Penrith,” Soward said this week. “I wasn’t the best version of myself then and have changed a lot in the past five years. After working with Hook on 2GB the past two years, I have found we see the game very much the same way and actually regret that I didn’t see it like this when we were working together.”

!

Wanted: A barber for Brian To’o. We love you Brian, but this has to go.

!

Spotted: Try scoring machine Stephen Crichton arriving at Panthers training this week with a Krispy Kreme coffee.

!

Spotted: Nathan Cleary paying tribute to his Dad and coach Ivan with a touching

!

Heard a rumour you’d like to share? I don’t keep secrets but I do protect sources. Email maskedpanther@westernweekender.com.au.

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the western weekender • extra time » Friday, September 11, 2020

feature

PANTHERS CAN KEEP WINNING P

anthers backrower Kurt Capewell is oozing with confidence right now. He believes if Penrith play to the best of their ability every week, they’ll be one hard side to stop.

“I can’t see us getting beaten by anyone if we play to our potential,” the 27-year-old boldly told reporters on Monday.

Penrith will be aiming for a mindblowing 13 straight wins tonight when the only club to defeat them this year – archrivals Parramatta – arrive at the foot of the Mountains for a mouth-watering top four blockbuster.

While some sections of the rugby league community believe a loss before the Finals begin next month could do the Panthers the world of good, Capewell flat out rejected the theory.

“No way I believe in that,” he asserted.

“Although we are winning every week, there’s still plenty of areas in our game that we need to improve on.

“We don’t need to lose, I think we can definitely keep on winning. Like I said, if we can continue to get better every week there’s no reason why we can’t go all the way undefeated.”

If Penrith, who haven’t tasted defeat since way back on June 12, finish the year with just two more victories they’ll secure their first minor premiership since 2003 and their third in club history.

Capewell said while the J.J. Giltinan Shield isn’t at the forefront of the players’ minds, it would be a great reward for what has been a truly historic season so far.

“Who doesn’t like a trophy? The minor premiership is a great achievement,” he said.

“To be the most consistent team in the competition week in, week out, is a very hard thing to do.

“It’s not something we have our eyes on but… it’s there to be won and the boys know that. It’s definitely something we’ll be aiming for.”

After making the switch from Cronulla this season, Capewell played just his

Kurt Capewell returned from injury last week. Photo: NRL Images. fourth game as a Panther last Thursday night when he returned from a threemonth layoff due to a knee injury.

His return match against the embattled Broncos not only resulted in a hard fought victory, but he also crossed the line with his first touch of the ball.

The Queenslander said it was a tough 12 weeks in rehab, but he took plenty away from his time on the sidelines.

“Ivan and the coaching staff were really good in helping me contribute off the field and join in with a bit of the coaching role as well,” Capewell said.

“It was good to be able to preview teams and work with the boys off the field each week.

“I still felt like I was a part of everything, and it was probably the highlight of the season so far.”

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27

Friday, September 11, 2020 « the western weekender • extra time

feature

FAN’S PLEDGE RESULTS IN BIG WIN NATHAN TAYLOR

I

f Penrith go all the way next month, long- time Panthers fan Steve Guyatt now has the perfect place to host a Grand Final party after he won a $20,000 outdoor renovation for pledging his membership.

The Colyton resident, along with his wife Debbie, recently received a tailored makeover of their backyard thanks to the generous support of Panthers corporate partner MKJ Projects.

Last Friday, Panthers legend Greg Alexander along with several club officials and the team at MKJ Projects were on hand in Mr Guyatt’s backyard to mark the completion of the incredible makeover.

Speaking with Extra Time, Mr Guyatt said he initially pledged his membership to show love for his team during a difficult time.

“My wife Debbie and I have been Panthers members continuously since 1980 – we haven’t missed a season,” he said.

“We didn’t pledge our memberships to go into the draw to win this amazing prize, we would have done it regardless.”

Steve Guyatt, Michael Jones and Greg Alexander. Photo: Megan Dunn.

Taking around five weeks to complete, the Guyatts now have an impressive deck for entertaining along with a new fence, artificial turf and a spruced up pool area.

TRAILING AT HALF TIME? WE’VE GOT A TEAM TALK TO GET YOU BACK IN THE GAME. 28

With their own money, the couple also purchased a brand- new shed and some slick outdoor furniture for their friends and family to utilise over summer.

Michael Jones from MKJ Projects said he decided to donate the $20,000 Ultimate Outdoor Reno following a harrowing few months for the club on the back of the Coronavirus crisis.

“I’ve been a Penrith fan forever and when I heard about what was going on with the loss of money through sponsorships and season tickets, I just felt an obligation to help the club,” he said.

“A fan gives back their season ticket, a business gives back their time – and that’s what we did.”

Mr Guyatt is Panthers personified, having been involved with the club and the local junior league for decades.

In fact, his father was Penrith’s first premiership- winning Harold Matthews coach when none other than Greg Alexander was on the roster as a teenager.

For Alexander to be in Mr Guyatt’s backyard for the unveiling last week was a very special moment for the footy tragic.

“We’ve been here in Colyton for just over 20 years,” Mr Guyatt said.

“We’ve done some renos inside and outside over the years, but nothing like this.”

Thousands of fans pledged their membership earlier this year to help the club’s fight for survival.

More pics: westernweekender.com.au.

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31

Friday, September 11, 2020 « the western weekender • extra time

nrl ladder & fixtures CLUB

PD

W

D

L

B

F

A

+/-

PTS

1

Panthers

17

15

1

1

0

443

224

+219

31

2

Storm

17

14

0

3

0

426

204 +222 28

3

Eels

17

13

0

4

0

336

232

+104 26

4

Roosters

17

12

0

5

0

468

232

+236 24

5

Raiders

17

11

0

6

0

344

267

+77

22

6

Knights

17

10

1

6

0

361

278

+83

21

7

Rabbitohs

17

10

0

7

0

419

294

+125 20

8

Sharks

17

9

0

8

0

412

394

+18

18

9

W. Tigers

17

7

0

10

0

370

401

-31

14

10 Warriors

17

7

0

10

0

275

382

-107

14

11

17

6

0

11

0

322

351

-29

12

12 Sea Eagles

17

6

0

11

0

291

407

-116

12

13 Titans

17

6

0

11

0

250

427

-177

12

14 Cowboys

17

4

0

13

0

304

436

-132

8

15 Broncos

17

3

0

14

0

234

548

-314

6

Dragons

16 Bulldogs

17

2

0

15

0

236

414

-178

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V

Thursday, September 10 7.50pm Bankwest Stadium

V

Friday, September 11 6.00pm ANZ Stadium

V

Friday, September 11 7.55pm Panthers Stadium

V

Saturday, September 12 3.00pm WIN Stadium

V

Saturday, September 12 5.30pm Cbus Super Stadium

V

Saturday, September 12 7.35pm SCG

V

Sunday, September 13 4.05pm Sunshine Coast Stadium

V

Sunday, September 13 6.30pm Kogarah Oval

Face In Th e Crowd

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warren smith T

here are many reasons each season why the teams that are destined for the top four places on the ladder are able to consider themselves genuine premiership contenders.

It goes without saying that having a healthy number of representative players in your squad is a tried and true method of being in the big games when the weather gets warmer, but no matter how many State of Origin games or Test matches your biggest stars have played, marquee names alone won’t get you across the line in the salary cap era.

The teams that get to fight it out for titles usually have a common thread below the level of the superstar – they almost always have one or two players in the very early stages of their careers, who are providing value way beyond the number on their pay cheque.

Melbourne are the kings of producing exactly this type of player. When they won the premiership in 2017 they turned a couple of relatively unknown wingers in Josh Addo-Carr and Suliasi Vunivalu into try scoring machines.

A year later they made the Grand Final again, thanks, in part, to a young tearaway forward named Brandon Smith, who produced efforts off the bench that far outstripped his salary.

Last year, the Roosters were given a weekly injection of tackle- busting speed

Liam Martin has been a standout for Penrith this season. Photo: Megan Dunn. and power off the bench courtesy of Sitili Tupouniua, a backrower who is now a regular in Trent Robinson’s starting team.

Which brings us to the 2020 Panthers, who may be setting some kind of unofficial record for players whose performances bear no resemblance to the percentage

of the Penrith salary cap for which they currently account.

I mean, where do you begin?

Stephen Crichton is 19-years-old and had played just four first grade games before this season.

His old Patrician Brothers Blacktown

schoolmate Spencer Leniu turned 20 on Tuesday and, despite having played only five NRL games before the current season began, is now producing the sort of tackle-busting runs that put the Roosters’ Tupouniua on the big stage.

Jarome Luai has gone from a raw 17-gamer at the beginning of the season to a playmaker that has alarm bells ringing in defensive lines every weekend.

Liam Martin struggled to find his feet in his debut season but one year later those same feet carry him to the tryline almost every time he takes the field. He now has a brand new three-year contract in his back pocket as a result.

There’s Brent Naden, Tyrone May and Brian To’o as well, all of them with less than 20 games of experience when the season got underway back in March.

Getting value well beyond one or two players’ contract figures is a recipe for success in any team with designs on making a serious charge at a title, but what the Panthers have at the moment is off the charts.

Coach Ivan Cleary knows it, and he’s already mentioned how difficult it will be to keep them all at Penrith in the future, but he also knows that right now he has the hottest hand at the table.

Let the big games begin.

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lang on league

with Peter Lang

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he Panthers are pulling out all stops to secure the signatures of young guns Stephen Crichton, Matt Burton, Charlie Staines and Tyrone May on long- term contracts before November 1, after which 15 other clubs can legally start making them offers.

It’s true the club has already given Staines the opportunity to test the market prior to that date but only because they want to secure his long-term future at the foot of the Mountains sooner rather than later.

Of the players listed above, all of them are expected to re-sign with the Panthers before the start of next season, yes even Matt Burton, who has been the subject of multiple rumours, does not want to go anywhere. His reinvention as a lock forward is expected to begin during the off-season.

Unfortunately to keep all these brilliant young players, the club will let go James Tamou and Jack Hetherington, with the Tigers expected to pick up Tamou, while Hetherington could join the Warriors.

The other possible casualty is fan favourite Josh Mansour, as reported in the ‘Masked Panther’ last week. Mansour has one year remaining on his current contract but the club won’t offer him a new one beyond 2021. So if he can find a two or three-year deal with another club, Josh will also be released early.

continues to impress with every game he plays.

The fend he put on Josh Mansour was unbelievable but, to his credit, Josh had a laugh at himself on his Instagram account later that night.

What game I’m looking forward to...

It has to be the Sharks taking on the Warriors. While Todd Payton’s boys are only a slim chance of cracking into the eight, they will be NO CHANCE if they lose this game. Cronulla are riddled with suspensions and injuries and I can’t see anything but a New Zealand victory here.

My tips for the week...

Rabbitohs, Sea Eagles, Panthers, Raiders, Titans, Roosters, Storm, Warriors.

Panthers winger Charlie Staines is hot property. Photo: NRL Images.

It’s a tough business but it costs money to keep your top squad together for more than one season. Penrith believe they can build a dynasty over the next five years with the players listed above at the core.

But as with everything, it will come at a price.

What caught my eye last week...

Young Broncos centre Kotoni Staggs

The final word...

I know the NRL are going through a major cost cutting exercise at the moment but seriously, the game couldn’t come up with a better trophy to give Roosters centre Josh Morris for his 300th game then a Steeden football encased in a glass box – seriously!

The bloody ball wasn’t even secured properly and fell off its stand when Josh carried it to a photo opportunity with his family and friends.

What a pitiful way to acknowledge such a wonderful achievement.

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clinton maynard P

eter V’landys is a rugby league god, he is the reason the NRL is surviving the Coronavirus pandemic. Imagine the state of the NRL if he wasn’t in charge? With the dithering and bungles we’ve seen from previous management there’s no way the sport would’ve been one of the first in the world to resume. I suspect deals with TV networks would’ve been in jeopardy like they are with cricket, rugby and soccer, and that would’ve sent many clubs to the wall. So when Mr V’landys says he wants to get something done, I have full trust in him to get it done.

To the surprise of some, the Chairman still wants to see the competition expand with a 17th team in 2022. Bring it on!

Sure plenty will say the game can’t afford it right now, but there’s always an excuse, yes COVID is a massive one, but there will always be a reason not to do something.

The fact there is only one team in Brisbane, the second biggest rugby league city in the country, is an indictment on decades of administrators.

But Mr V’landys is facing opposition and proof the world’s gone mad, the opposition is coming from the Queenslanders!

Given what they are doing with borders it’s more proof Paul Gallen was right about the two heads. Queensland Rugby League Chairman Bruce Hatcher wants the NRL to relocate either Cronulla or Manly to Brisbane! Madness.

Peter V’landys should bring in a second Brisbane team. Photo: NRL Images.

Brisbane deserves a second team of their own. Brisbane people are never going to support the Sea Eagles or Sharks, they’ve spent decades hating both!

Relocation never works in Australia, look what happened with the Sea Eagles when they merged with the Bears and moved just up the road to Gosford – complete failure!

Mr Hatcher has nominated those two teams claiming they are the weakest financially. Firstly he is ignoring the fact the Sharks have $40 million in the bank because of their massive property deal!

Secondly he ignores the fact Cronulla and Manly of all 16 clubs, are the teams most closely associated with a geographical area.

Few people outside of the Sutherland Shire support the Sharks and no one outside of the Northern Beaches likes Manly. Souths have supporters all over the country, the Dragons aren’t really defined by an area, there is no suburb by the name of St George and the Roosters don’t have any supporters anyway.

If the concern is finances, expand to 17 teams and allow natural attrition to occur.

If a Cronulla or Manly goes broke so be it.

Why should Brisbane rugby league suffer?

Asking them to support the Sharks or Sea Eagles would be like asking Annastacia Palazczuk to re-open the border, it won’t happen.

the western weekender • extra time » Friday, September 11, 2020

Why a second NRL team in Brisbane is a no-brainer

extra minutes

New NRL CEO Andrew Abdo. Photo: NRL Images.

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The stop-start career of Kieran Foran has been halted again after Canterbury confirmed the five-eighth would miss the rest of the 2020 season.

Foran suffered a pec injury last weekend and underwent surgery earlier this

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week. Meantime, Bulldogs forward Dylan Napa will also miss the rest of the NRL season with a medial ligament tear.

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Wests Tigers veterans Josh Reynolds and Russell Packer have issued an open apology to the club for their halftime walkout of Lottoland last weekend. It’s understood neither will face sanction by the joint venture club.

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Wests Tigers have said an immediate goodbye to Chris McQueen, who has been released from the remainder of his playing contract. He’s heading to England to take up a deal in the Super League.

Alex Johnston has signed a new deal with South Sydney that will keep him at the club until at least the end of the 2022 season.

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! The NRL has appointed Andrew Abdo as its new CEO, and he’s certainly hit the ground running. Abdo has been doing the rounds of the rugby league media this week, sitting down for a grilling on ‘NRL 360’ and appearing on 2GB’s Continuous Call Team last week.

“I’ve been passionate about sport my entire life,” Abdo said after securing the role last week. “When my wife and I decided to move to Australia it was rugby league that helped create our networks. Almost all of my friends and business relationships have come from rugby league.”

“Ultra-fast, super professional and delivering way much more than I ever anticipated” - Melinda Leyshon,

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Friday, September 11, 2020 « the western weekender

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