In our final season preview, we look at the Panthers.
Ins: Apisai Koroisau (Sea Eagles), Dean Blore, Shawn Blore, Stephen Crichton, Braydon McGrady (upgraded from development contracts), Kurt Capewell (Sharks), Zane Tetevano (Roosters)
Outs: Reagan Campbell-Gillard (Eels), Sione Katoa (Bulldogs), Tim Grant, Sam McKendry (retired), Wayde Egan (Warriors), Tyrell Fuimaono (Dragons), Hame Sele, Frank Winterstein, Paea Pua, Nick Lui-Toso (unsigned)
2019 Season
The Panthers boasted a side in 2019 that should have comfortably made the finals. Maloney and Cleary are Origin-winning halves while Ivan Cleary's return was seen as the final piece in the Premiership puzzle.
Unfortunately for fans at the foot of the mountains, they did not. In fact they finished two wins outside of the top 8, which is right where their performances warranted.
Young stars like Naden and To'o emerged so it was certainly not all bad, but 2019 will be remembered as the season that got away. Maloney had his usual second/third year drop away in form and signed elsewhere.
Predicted Best Player Viliame Kikau
You'd be crazy not to pick the NSW Origin halfback right? Well, call me crazy as I'm going with the Fijian wrecking ball to be the best performed member of the Panthers in 2020.
He was borderline unstoppable in 2019 despite a few injury concerns. Seven tries and 65 tackle breaks in just 18 games shows just how hard he was to tackle. 120 metres per game isn't exactly terrible either.
I'm expecting his influence to rise this year. As shown in the 9's, he is as quick as he is frightening. I feel sorry for right hand defences who have to try and contain this monster all year.
He'll break lines at will, he'll bash in attack and defence and ultimately be crowned the Panthers best at the end of the season.
Predicted Top Scorer Brian To'o
Young winger Brian To'o was a real highlight for the Panthers in 2019. His 9 tries in 15 NRL games in his rookie season have fans excited for what he can produce in the upcoming season.
The 21 year-old local junior soared high in both attack and defence and will be a real target for Nathan Cleary and co this season.
I'm looking forward to seeing the youngster after another NRL pre-season. He'll see plenty of ball down that Panthers right edge and will battle it out with his wing partner Josh Mansour for the top try scorers gong.
To'o will just pip his far more experienced partner and score 14 tries.
Recruitment Impact
With respect to the number nine options at Penrith last year, they really didn't live up to expectations. New signing Apisai Koroisau is an automatic fix in the role.
Returning to the Panthers, the electric hooker is set to completely revamp the Panthers routes of attack. He is one of the best running dummy halves in the competition and one of the best signings of the season.
Also joining the Panthers ranks are bench forwards Tetevano and Capewell. Capewell especially adds plenty of experience and utility value. He can literally play anywhere.
2020 Final Position: 11th
The Panthers are one of the more difficult teams to predict this season. On paper they have a first choice Origin halfback, arguably the most destructive wide running forward in the game. Josh Mansour is still an elite winger.
There's rep quality all across the park here and I absolutely love the Koroisau pick up.
That said, there are huge holes in this side. Losing James Maloney is massive. Although young Jarome Luai is a brilliant, raw talent, he's just that, raw. He's certainly no Maloney.
The club also lost former Origin prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard, which really hurts their pack.
I like the look of Liam Martin but the forward pack, outside of Tamou and Kikau of course, really doesn't scream title-challengers.
They're without their first choice fullback for two-or-so months after Dylan Edwards was injured, and the centre pairing of Naden and Whare is solid if not spectacular.
Another club with two many weaknesses and questions to predict a finals footy finish.
They'll be one of the more exciting teams this season but that won't translate to enough wins to play knock out football.