• Podcast
  • ARL
    • Indigenous All Stars v NRL All Stars
    • Rugby League State Of Origin
  • NRL
    • 2025 NRL Draw
    • 2024 NRL Draw
    • 2023 NRL Draw
    • 2022 NRL Draw
    • 2021 NRL Draw
    • 2022 NRL Podcast
    • 2020 NRL Draw
    • 2015 NRL Draw
    • 2014 NRL Draw
  • ESL
    • International Origin
    • Challenge Cup
  • World
    • World Club Challenge
    • World Cup
    • Rugby League 9’s
    • NRL Auckland Nines Draw
  • Sports
    • AFL
    • Cricket
    • Rugby Union
    • Soccer
  • Guest Writers
  • League Freak
    • NRL Tipping Experts
    • Web Site News
    • Sponsorship
    • Uncategorized

The Glorious League Freak – Covering Rugby League World Wide – LeagueFreak.com

  • Home
  • Podcast
  • NRL Rumours
  • RL World 9’s
  • Features
    • Player Profiles And News
  • History
    • History Books
    • The Super League War
      • The Super League War – The Clubs
      • The Super League War – The Freak
      • The Super League War – The Extras
  • Quotes
  • Look-Alikes
  • Teams
  • Rankings
  • Media
  • About
    • Bio
    • League Freaks Commentary Career
    • Contact
    • League Freak On Twitter
    • I Am Not A Journalist
    • Contribute To LeagueFreak.com
    • League Freak Mentions In The Media
    • Advertise On This Website
    • Rugby League RSS Feed
  • follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • RSS Feed
    • Linked
    • Youtube

What The Hell Is Going On At The Penrith Panthers?

Oct 20, 2015 League Freak Penrith Panthers 0


Before the excuses starts let me just say that I’m not a big fan of excuses. Excuses are for people that have failed and that want to come up with some sort of fantasy scenario where they didn’t fail and they were actually successful.

When you start making excuses in Rugby League, you basically are sitting back and watching other successful players or clubs win things while you are shrugging your shoulders and talking about how things should have been different.

When Phil Gould took over as the General Manager of the Penrith Panthers he had a huge job on his hands. To say the club was poorly run at all levels would be wildly understating the situation. The Panthers were a basketcase that had fallen to a point that saw their very survival questioned by the people trying to bring them back to the glory days.

Changes were made. Big changes. The type of changes that are painful, but necessary. There was talk of a longer term plan for the club and supporters were told that it wouldn’t be easy, but eventually things would turn around.

The club managed to headhunt then New Zealand Warriors coach Ivan Cleary. Cleary was a good coach, he had taken the Warriors to the 2011 NRL Grand Final. He was the longest serving coach in Warriors history and left the club with a winning record. You could see the immediate impact of Cleary’s departure from the Warriors and the way the club missed his leadership.

Cleary took over an average Panthers lineup and was happy to coach them through massive changes to their lineup. At no point did you ever get the sense that Ivan Cleary was getting close to having the lineup he wanted out there on the field. It always seemed like he was making do with what he had to work with, and to be fair, he did a very good job in that sense.

2015 was a terrible year for the Panthers. Injuries struck the club, as they did many other clubs, and the Panthers never really got going. It was a rotten season, one that slinked out the back door without anyone really paying attention.

Rumours soon started that Jamie Soward was told to look around for a new club. This was strange because the fact is that Soward is the Panthers most important player these days. When Soward isn’t on the field, or even if he just has a bad game, the Panthers lose.

Then yesterday, the bombshell. Ivan Cleary had been terminated.

The Penrith Panthers have gone through a lot of change over the last few years. Everything from the playing roster, the coaching staff, hell even the clubs logo and colours seems to change ever five minutes.

At some point, when the losses keep piling up, you have to question what the real problem is. Penrith has a massive junior base to draw upon and it doesn’t have a major sporting competitor anywhere near Penrith. There is a massive, almost fatal disconnect with the supporter base and any time questions are asked of the club by anyone the reaction is a strange one, a very personal one.

With Cleary gone, the lineup now completely turned over, and the results having been very poor overall, at some point whimsical talk of a time far off in the future where the Panthers won’t be a laughing stock just doesn’t cut it any more. At some point, EVERYONES job has to come under scrutiny is the wins fail to materialize.

The 2016 season is firmly on Phil Gould. If the Panthers fail, he needs to go. He has been in the job long enough, and had all the power to make any changes he thought necessary, that the teams record next season should lie at his feet and his alone.

With great power comes great responsibility. Phil Gould has got all the power he wanted at the Panthers…now it is time he takes direct responsibility for the results of the changes he has made.

In 2016, if the wins don’t start piling up, Gould should stand down.

  • Tweet
  • Share 0
  • Reddit
  • Pocket
  • LinkedIn 0
  • Email

Related


  • Coach Sacked, Ivan Cleary, Jamie Soward, Phil Gould
  • tweet
Optus Move To Secure EPL Rights Will Have Big Consequences For The NRL David Smith Resigns From Post As NRL CEO

League Freak

A well known Rugby League writer, League Freak has established a reputation among supporters of the game for his fearless commentary and unmatched insight. With a reach that spans both sides of the globe, League Freak has produced an independent network that allows him to distribute content to his many thousands of followers. He is the owner and main author of LeagueFreak.com

Related articles
  • Andrew Ferguson – Epic Fail
    Andrew Ferguson – Epic Fail

    Jul 25, 2022 0

  • Rugby League Podcast: Fergo and The Freak – Ep412 – Channel 9 Media Attacks The Redcliffe Dolphins And England Can’t Play The Ball Properly!
    Rugby League Podcast: Fergo and The...

    Jun 21, 2022 0

  • NRL Podcast – Fergo and The Freak – Ep409 – Michael Maguire And Nathan Brown Sacked!
    NRL Podcast – Fergo and The Freak...

    Jun 08, 2022 0


You must log in to post a comment.

League Freaks Social Network

Follow League Freak on:

Become a Patron!

Ziad Warwar
Nadine
Coojee
Adam
Andy
jamescunni
Lisa
Rugby League Project
Karsten Brumme
Samuel
Sandy
Katey
Jack
Terry
Gibbo

RSS Fergo and The Freak Podcast

  • Breaking In The New Studio As We Talk About Rugby League!
  • Getting Your Kids Into Rugby League With Julie
  • Taken Completely Out Of Context
  • 2022 Fergo and The Freak Christmas Special
  • Fixing S**t Lists Put Out By Fox Sports
  • Rating Everything About The 2022 Rugby League World Cup Out Of Ten
  • Where Have These Two Been?
  • The 2022 Rugby League World Cup Isn't Supposed To Be A Training Run...
  • The Truth About The 2022 Rugby League World Cup!
  • Poor Crowds Are Hurting The 2022 Rugby League World Cup
  • The Aftermath Of Englands Crushing Win Over Samoa With Karsten Brumme
  • The Rugby League World Cup Approaches!
  • The Penrith Panthers Are Back-To-Back NRL And World Champions!!!
  • Now We Have A Rivalry! - With Special Guest Elliott Richardson
  • 2022 NRL Grand Final Preview - With Special Guest Kurt Gidley

Polls

In The On Field Quality Of Super League Games Getting Better Or Worse?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...
  • Polls Archive

Latest Rugby League Articles

  • Jack Wighton and Latrell Mitchell Arrested In Canberra Night Club Incident
    Jack Wighton and Latrell Mitchell Arrested In Canberra Night...

    Feb 05, 2023 0

  • Podcast: Breaking In The New Studio As We Talk About Rugby League!
    Podcast: Breaking In The New Studio As We Talk About Rugby...

    Feb 04, 2023 0

  • Podcast: Getting Your Kids Into Rugby League With Julie
    Podcast: Getting Your Kids Into Rugby League With Julie

    Jan 30, 2023 0

  • Betting on the Rugby League: 5 Tips To Increase Your Chances of Winning
    Betting on the Rugby League: 5 Tips To Increase Your Chances...

    Jan 27, 2023 0

  • The Most Successful Nations in the History of the Rugby League World Cup
    The Most Successful Nations in the History of the Rugby...

    Jan 21, 2023 0

Follow League Freak on Twitter

My Tweets

Tags

Andrew Ferguson (370) ARL (62) Australia (159) Benji Marshall (90) Billy Slater (78) Broadcasting Deal (68) Cameron Smith (60) Channel 9 (74) Daniel Nichols (122) Disgrace (76) Eligibility Rules (64) England (143) Expansion (85) Fergo And The Freak (459) Greg Inglis (100) Guest Writer (337) Israel Folau (71) Jarryd Hayne (78) Johnathan Thurston (82) League Freak (531) Leeds Rhinos (59) Marketing (67) Matthew Elliott (71) Mitchell Pearce (64) New South Wales (106) New Zealand (143) NRL Finals (63) NRL Salary Cap (96) Paul Gallen (64) Phil Gould (59) Player Movement (132) Podcast (485) Queensland (84) Referees (78) RFL (144) Rugby League History (78) Rugby Union (205) Sam Burgess (62) Sonny Bill Williams (91) State Of Origin (181) St Helens (66) Todd Carney (62) Wayne Bennett (83) Wigan (59) World Cup (182)
As featured on NewsNow: NRL newsNRL News 24/7

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Blogroll

  • The Glorious League Freak.
  • League Freak on Twitter
  • League Freak on Facebook
  • Rugby League Podcasting Network
  • NRL Breaking News
  • NRL Rumours
  • RLWorld9s.com

Facebook Pages

  • NRL Gossip
  • NRL Infinite

Features

  • King Of Rugby League
  • Rugby League Look-Alikes
  • Biggest Winning Margins In Rugby League History
  • Biggest Crowds In Rugby League History
  • Rugby League Quotes
  • Rugby League Dictionary
  • The Super League War
  • The New Zealand Haka
  • Funny Rugby League Teams
  • Rugby League Rankins Lists
  • NRL Rumours
  • IHateRugbyUnion.com
  • NRL History
  • NRL History Books
  • Record Books
  • Player Profiles

NBA Links

  • NBA Rookie Of The Year
  • NBA MVP Winner List
  • NBA Finals MVPs

Other Links

  • Submit Your Australian Blog
  • Best Junk Hauling Virginia
  • Gutter Cleaning Service Virginia
  • Best Lawn Mowing Service Virginia
  • 2020 NRL Draw
  • Hot Toys Australia

Other Sports

  • Clutch Fans
  • Sportette

Players

  • Cameron Smith
  • Kalyn Ponga
  • Sonny Bill Williams
  • Jarryd Hayne
  • Andrew Johns
  • Semi Radradra
  • Sam Burgess
  • Benji Marshall
  • James Tedesco
  • Cooper Cronk
  • Johnathan Thurston
  • Anthony Mundine
  • Sam Tomkins
  • Greg Inglis
  • Jamie Peacock
  • Ntahan Cleary

Rugby League

  • Rugby League Project
  • Era Of The Biff
  • Darryl's Rugby League
  • Jamie Lyon Web
  • Rugby League Review
  • Rugby League Ratings
  • NRL CEO Fantasy League
  • QLD Panthers
  • Andrew Ferguson's Website!
  • Black Swans RLFC
  • InternationalRL
  • 2021 Rugby League World Cup
  • Rugby League Mums
  • Player Profiles
  • 2024 NRL Draw
  • Watch NRL Games Online
  • NRL Tipping Experts

Rugby League Podcast

  • Best Rugby League Podcast
  • Best NRL Podcast
  • Best Super League Podcast
  • Best Australian Podcast
  • Best Sports Podcast
  • Funniest Podcast
  • Best Comedy Podcast
  • NRL Radio
  • 2021 NRL Podcast
  • Spotify NRL Podcasts
Google+
  • National Rugby League
  • Rugby League State Of Origin
  • Brisbane Broncos
  • Canberra Raiders
  • Canterbury Bulldogs
  • Cronulla Sharks
  • Gold Coast Titans
  • Manly Sea Eagles
  • Melbourne Storm
  • The 2029 Rugby League World Cup
  • New Zealand Warriors
  • Newcastle Knights
  • North Queensland Cowboys
  • Parramatta Eels
  • Penrith Panthers
  • Redcliffe Dolphins
  • South Sydney Rabbitohs
  • St George/Illawarra Dragons
  • Sydney Roosters
  • Wests Tigers
  • The King Of Rugby League Awards
  • Rugby League Player Profiles And News
  • Fantasy Rugby League Teams
  • Rugby League World Rankings
  • Rugby League Look-Alikes
  • International Rugby League News
  • National Rugby League
  • European Super League News
  • Featured Guest Writers
  • Other Sports
  • The 2021 NRL Draw
  • The 2022 NRL Draw – Every NRL Game Listed For You!!!
  • The 2023 NRL Draw – Every NRL Game Is Here!!!
  • 2024 NRL Draw
  • NRL Player Profiles
  • NRL Instagram
  • The 2025 NRL Draw – Every Game, Every Venue, Every Club!
  • NRL Tipping Experts
  • Advertise On LeagueFreak.com
  • About LeagueFreak.com
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feed
  • NothingButLeague.com
  • Rugby League Podcasting Network
  • NRL Breaking News
  • NRL Rumours – Latest NRL Rumours
  • NRL Podcast
  • Super League Podcast
  • Rugby League Podcast
  • Here Is The Cure For COVID 19
  • 2022 NRL Grand Final Tickets
  • Click Here To Buy State Of Origin Tickets
  • Buy NRL Tickets – Where To Buy Tickets To Rugby League Games
  • Watch NRL Games Online In 2022 – Where To Watch NRL Games Online And Streaming
Copyright LeagueFreak.com 2022 / All rights reserved
  • Advertise On LeagueFreak.com
  • About LeagueFreak.com
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feed
  • NothingButLeague.com
  • Rugby League Podcasting Network
  • NRL Breaking News
  • NRL Rumours – Latest NRL Rumours
  • NRL Podcast
  • Super League Podcast
  • Rugby League Podcast
  • Here Is The Cure For COVID 19
  • 2022 NRL Grand Final Tickets
  • Click Here To Buy State Of Origin Tickets
  • Buy NRL Tickets – Where To Buy Tickets To Rugby League Games
  • Watch NRL Games Online In 2022 – Where To Watch NRL Games Online And Streaming