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Five big questions for 2024: Penrith Panthers

Can the Panthers make it four premierships in a row?

Published by
Scott Pryde

The Penrith Panthers have won three competitions on the hop, and there is little doubt they enter the 2024 season as one of the teams primed to be in the mix yet again.

Ivan Cleary's side almost fell short in the 2024 grand final, but, as they have done time and time again over the last four seasons, found a way to get the job done and lift the premiership yet again.

The club come into 2024 with another key out as Stephen Crichton heads off to the Canterbury Bulldogs, and will spend the season preparing for another one with Jarome Luai already signing elsewhere for 2025.

But it hasn't stopped the men from the foot of the mountains in the last couple of years and is unlikely to slow them down significantly this time around.

Here are the key questions that will define the road ahead for Ivan Cleary's side.

How will the England trip impact the Panthers?

One thing Penrith haven't had to do after any of their premierships to date is make a trip to England for the World Club Challenge.

That's not their fault of course - Penrith have been champions in an era dictated by a global pandemic, and then had the honour of hosting St Helens last year.

That, of course, ended in tears, with Penrith falling short and dropping the chance to take home the World Club Challenge.

This year though, they head to England just a fortnight out from the start of the new season and then come back to play the Melbourne Storm in their first game.

It also means that, with a handful of new players around the club, they don't play any other non-competitive trials which could impact things as the season prepares to kick-off.

It's difficult to say what impact it will have, particularly given four other potential contenders are heading off to the United States of America to open the season, but it can't be discredited.

Who plays as the backup half?

The last two seasons have seen first Sean O'Sullivan, and then Jack Cogger step into the halves on various occasions to fill in for either Nathan Cleary or Jarome Luai with success.

O'Sullivan's departure to the Dolphins at the end of 2022 though has been matched with Cogger's at the end of 2023, with the half heading to the Newcastle Knights on a long-term deal.

But heading into 2024, there is no clear-cut first option to take over the number one backup in the halves, with Penrith having their own young internal option of Jack Cole joined by recent signings Brad Schneider and Daine Laurie.

What is clear is that if they need a halfback, it'll be Schneider, who arrives from the Canberra Raiders via England and has impressed in his limited opportunities to date.

He has signed a two-year deal as well and will be out to make a name for himself over the next 24 months learning from Cleary.

At number six, Schneider is a chance too, but with Jarome Luai to depart the club at the end of 2024, the Panthers need to start moving their energy and attention to who will be his long-term replacement.

While they could yet sign a player from outside the club - think a player like Adam Doueihi - that would seemingly be a poor use of the salary cap given Cole is the future, and Laurie has impressed at fullback with the Tigers before struggling throughout 2023 and spending time in the number six.

The role of replacing Luai and Cleary at Origin, or around injuries, is a critical one, so Ivan Cleary faces a few bigger headaches than this in 2024.

How does Penrith replace Stephen Crichton?

The Panthers come into the 2024 season with yet another big-name departure as Stephen Crichton, who has consistently been among the competition's best centres over the last couple of years, heads to the Canterbury Bulldogs.

He will take up the number one jumper at Belmore in what will be a big boost to that club, but an equally big loss for the Panthers as they come into the new year.

The club have also lost Thomas Jenkins to the Newcastle Knights, with the youngster impressing across his handful of first-grade games to date and likely being the first-choice replacement for Crichton had he stayed.

Instead, the returning Taylan May will transform himself from a winger into a centre as he prepares to take over the spot left by Crichton.

That allows the Panthers to play both May and Turuva, who have been the breakout rookies in the outside backs at the club two years running, and will now look to form part of a lethal back five.

Izack Tago and Brian To'o quite obviously maintain their grip on the other two spots in the outside backs.

But beyond the four starting options, the club have young gun Jesse McLean and new signing Paul Alamoti as the most likely options to slot into the back five. Depth could be tested if there are injuries, but if all goes to plan, they won't lose a great deal with Crichton's departure, provided May can quickly adapt to playing in the centres.

Who takes Spencer Leniu's minutes?

Another of the big departures from the foot of the mountains heading into the 2024 season is that of Spencer Leniu, with the young prop linking up with the Sydney Roosters where he will become a critical part of their forward pack.

It's hard to blame Leniu for making his exit from the Panthers, given he was going to be stuck behind James Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota for the foreseeable future, with both signed on long-term deals.

Penrith's middle third rotation does take a hit out of his move though. While Isaah Yeo remains at lock, the pressure of performing Leniu's role this year transfers to Lindsay Smith, who played 23 games last year, but for the most part was utilised in a last man in the rotation type scenario.

He will need to step up as the key man off the bench this year, while Penrith also have Liam Henry coming through the system who will likely compete with Matt Eisenhuth for the other spot in the middle off the bench.

Again, they may not lose a great deal, but Leniu's aggression will be hard to replace, and the argument that their depth is as strong as last year will be tough to make as well.

Can Mitch Kenny and Soni Luke continue to improve?

Mitch Kenny and Soni Luke came into the 2023 season with as much pressure hanging over their head as any Penrith players, preparing to replace Apisai Koroisau who had departed for the Wests Tigers.

Koroisau is as close to unreplaceable as you can get being one of the game's best dummy halves.

But Kenny and Luke stood up to be reckoned with in 2023, while Luke Sommerton will also come into calculations this year as the club's third dummy half option.

Luke's energy off the bench brought plenty to the table for the Panthers, while Kenny consistently improved throughout the season at both ends of the park and provided a lot of solidness around the ruck at the start of games.

Still, with some big-name departures from the foot of the mountains, it does feel as if Penrith need the duo to find another gear in 2024 if they are going to remain at the top of the pile.

Published by
Scott Pryde