Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="Sproj, post: 3581329, member: 8423"] Now on to the team that finished second last year (if you don't count the last 20 minutes of the season because really, nothing important happened there anyway). Penrith will once again go into season 2024 as the team to beat and rightly so. This is a side that just continues to play at a level above every other side...bar one. However, they are a champion team for a reason and proved it when it mattered most. They were gone for all money until they weren't in what was EASILY one of if not THE best GF of all time. That was two absolute gun teams duking it and for once being allowed to do so by the ref, was...champagne rugby league! As happens, with these things, I try to be as objective as possible and the reality is, this side is still just so strong and while Crichton is a massive loss, they have not lost anywhere near as much as their direct opposition, Brisbane, have. Even so, they have a ridiculous conveyor belt of talent coming through there. Even if they release Luai early, they are in the crazy position where this would actually make them stronger AND save money, they just could not have recruited a better fit for Cleary than Schneider. With the Broncs middle weakened, Penrith's middle will go into season '24 unrivalled. They have winners everywhere and no how to win it all to the point now where they don't just hope to do so, they expect to. In Edwards, they have the most underrated fullback in the comp, he just does not do anything wrong and cleans up EVERYTHING that comes his way. While their backline looks significantly weaker without Crichton, their systems are so well ungrained, one wonders whether it will even matter that much in the end. The reality is, they have Cleary and while ever they do so, they will always have a massive leg up on every other side in the comp, he is just so good. A champion halfback with all the skills he has plus a long kicking game would be great in any era, but given the dearth of them worldwide these days, it just puts them in a position that every other team envies and he is still so young comparatively. This team is going to be up there for a long time to come. So...what do the Panthers look like going into 2024? Well plain and simply, scary once again: 1. Edwards 2. Turuva 3. May 4. Tago 5. Turuva 6. Luai / Schneider 7. Cleary 8. Leota 9. Kenny 10. Fisher-Harris 11. Sorensen 12. Martin 13. Yeo 14. Luke 15. Smith 16. Henry / Eisenhuth 17. Geyer / Hosking / Garner They may still lose Luai and Hosking before the season starts but man, what does it matter? They first team is just so good and the guys coming through don't even seem that far behind. This is a side that will be odds on to go the four-peat and in my opinion, as much as I talk up the Roosters and Rabbits next year...there really is only one team that looks like they can stop it happening and they will be next. 17. [/QUOTE]

Verification

Active Now

No members online now.

Total: 276 (members: 0, guests: 276)

Reply to thread

Log in

Active Now