Peter Sterling questions Penrith Roster Management

[Newtown]

Peter Sterling questions Penrith Panthers' roster management
By Ben Glover
30 minutes ago

Rugby league legend Peter Sterling says the window of opportunity for the Panthers to win a premiership has slammed shut in their face, pointing the finger at a questionable couple of years of roster management as the key to their downfall.

Speaking to James Bracey for Wide World of Sports' Sterlo's Wrap, the four-time premiership-winning halfback read out a list of players who had left the Panthers in the last couple of years and wondered why the club had taken themselves back into a rebuilding phase before having a proper crack at winning a title with a star-studded core.

Among the stars who are now playing at other clubs, Sterling identified Matt Moylan and Bryce Cartwright as players who could have led a charge to the promised land while puzzling over the recent departures of talented outside backs Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Waqa Blake.

"Three or four seasons ago I was their biggest fan and you could see that they were bringing together this squad that I felt were going to be playing grand finals or winning premierships in a short period of time.

" ... the window of opportunity that just appeared to be on the horizon has disappeared and we're now back into the rebuild phase and I don't think Penrith will play finals this year.

"I don't see them being a top four side, again, there's so much talent in the squad and we just had some footage there of some good young players coming through, (Brent) Naden has been great since coming in, but they're now in the infancy of their NRL careers and it's going to take time to get up those 40, 60, 80, 100 games that you need, we're now back kind of to where we started."

The Panthers looked set to launch into a dominant period after then coach Anthony Griffin took them to the second week of finals in 2016, with their season finishing in a competitive loss to a Canberra side that had finished second on the ladder.

 

[TIGER]

DWZ and Waqa Blake are big loses, not so much Moylan and Cartwright.
If they can't make the 8 and give it a shake this year (which it looks like they won't) their chance is gone.

 

[NT_Tiger]

Twist the knife Sterlo

 

[Harvey]

They just need some experience (Packer, Reynolds and Matulino) and the premiership window re-opens next year

 

[The_Patriot]

Sad part is we rate less than them. No one ever calls us out on our mistakes.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Sad part is we rate less than them. No one ever calls us out on our mistakes.

You have to have a premiership window in order to squander it!

 

[happy_tiger]

Sad part is we rate less than them. No one ever calls us out on our mistakes.

You have to have a premiership window in order to squander it!

A rat couldn't fit through our premiership window and it lasted about as long as a camera flash

Yet it seems like it was an eternity ago

 

[jirskyr]

Sad part is we rate less than them. No one ever calls us out on our mistakes.

Do you live in a closet? Pascoe fined, criticism of the Cleary-era signings, "basket-case", reports of in-fighting, people challenging Marina Go's credentials, Balmain essential bankruptcy etc. etc. Just within last 2-3 seasons.

We basically have a leave pass in 2019 because we are near rock-bottom and there's no story in beating on the Tigers this year.

 

[Spud_Murphy]

DWZ and Waqa Blake are big loses, not so much Moylan and Cartwright.
If they can't make the 8 and give it a shake this year (which it looks like they won't) their chance is gone.

Exactly what I was thinking. I always value Sterling’s opinions, but to single out Moylan and Cartwright as big losses, who could have led Penrith on a charge to a premiership is laughable. Those two couldn’t lead a charge to the local pie shop for lunch! And to think Moylan and Tedesco were once neck and neck in the race to get the NSW no 1 jersey - it’s no contest now.

 

[Spud_Murphy]

Sad part is we rate less than them. No one ever calls us out on our mistakes.

You have to have a premiership window in order to squander it!

A rat couldn't fit through our premiership window and it lasted about as long as a camera flash

Yet it seems like it was an eternity ago

Our premiership window is a plane window - unable to open.

 

[TheDaBoss]

DWZ and Waqa Blake are big loses, not so much Moylan and Cartwright.
If they can't make the 8 and give it a shake this year (which it looks like they won't) their chance is gone.


Exactly what I was thinking. I always value Sterling’s opinions, but to single out Moylan and Cartwright as big losses, who could have led Penrith on a charge to a premiership is laughable. Those two couldn’t lead a charge to the local pie shop for lunch! And to think Moylan and Tedesco were once neck and neck in the race to get the NSW no 1 jersey - it’s no contest now.

I remember quite a few forum members, saying DWZ was a plodder.....

 

[Spud_Murphy]

DWZ and Waqa Blake are big loses, not so much Moylan and Cartwright.
If they can't make the 8 and give it a shake this year (which it looks like they won't) their chance is gone.


Exactly what I was thinking. I always value Sterling’s opinions, but to single out Moylan and Cartwright as big losses, who could have led Penrith on a charge to a premiership is laughable. Those two couldn’t lead a charge to the local pie shop for lunch! And to think Moylan and Tedesco were once neck and neck in the race to get the NSW no 1 jersey - it’s no contest now.

I remember quite a few forum members, saying DWZ was a plodder.....

Would’ve been an astute buy! Canterbury are building nicely for next season with very astute recruitment and more to come.

 

[Furious1]

@TheDaBoss Correct. It was a ridiculous insinuation then and he proves it every time he goes out to play.Only saving grace for us is we simply didn't have the money as opposed to a decision not to chase him.

 

[The_Patriot]

Sad part is we rate less than them. No one ever calls us out on our mistakes.

Do you live in a closet? Pascoe fined, criticism of the Cleary-era signings, "basket-case", reports of in-fighting, people challenging Marina Go's credentials, Balmain essential bankruptcy etc. etc. Just within last 2-3 seasons.

We basically have a leave pass in 2019 because we are near rock-bottom and there's no story in beating on the Tigers this year.

That is exactly what i mean. They just put the boot in to this club.

But when it comes to our players or a lack of on field performance from our team no one in the media gives two hoots. They care less about us.

Was shocked to hear Andrew johns say that Luke Brooks needs to evolve in a recent game. It was said and done and moved on from in quick fashion but its rare one of these guys actually analyses what and where we are going wrong like that.

 

[TYGA]

DWZ and Waqa Blake are big loses, not so much Moylan and Cartwright.
If they can't make the 8 and give it a shake this year (which it looks like they won't) their chance is gone.


Exactly what I was thinking. I always value Sterling’s opinions, but to single out Moylan and Cartwright as big losses, who could have led Penrith on a charge to a premiership is laughable. Those two couldn’t lead a charge to the local pie shop for lunch! And to think Moylan and Tedesco were once neck and neck in the race to get the NSW no 1 jersey - it’s no contest now.

I remember quite a few forum members, saying DWZ was a plodder.....

Wasn’t me DWZ is a class player and most recognised he was better than our entire backline. Some people would boo Santa Claus.

 

[Masterton]

Don't know if everyone's already seen this. Made me laugh.

*While the sex-tape scandal took an emotional toll on the Panthers, the Herald has learned of several other incidents that caused further turmoil and division among the playing group.

In one, a player caused damage to a teammate's car when he became angry and threw a punch.

Club insiders have also revealed how a young player was forced to skip an interstate game, much to the anger of his teammates, because his partner refused to let him travel.*

 

[Nelson]

Don't know if everyone's already seen this. Made me laugh.

*While the sex-tape scandal took an emotional toll on the Panthers, the Herald has learned of several other incidents that caused further turmoil and division among the playing group.

In one, a player caused damage to a teammate's car when he became angry and threw a punch.

Club insiders have also revealed how a young player was forced to skip an interstate game, much to the anger of his teammates, because his partner refused to let him travel.*

I didn't know Mr Miyagi and John Kreese were on the Panthers roster.

 

[pawsandclaws1]

@Masterton With the sex tape issue, I can understand the concern a partner may have with letting their husband/boyfriend travel. Was the tape self filmed?

 

[Fraze23]

I hope more issues like this spring up at Penrith. Enjoy your karma Ivan.

 

[Harvey]

One players partner stopped them travelling interstate, and the star halfback needed his daddy as a chaperone